Kona RR#2 On Course
This was Race Rehearsal number 2 for Kona. Although EN plans have us doing this session at three weeks out from the race, which I think is the preferable practice, I have traditionally done this around this time, and with no real adverse affects. Also, the conditions are really what make this race what it is, and I wanted to be 100% prepared for what a race on the Island would feel like. So, I'm here two weeks early with the joint goals of doing a RR as preparation, and getting some heat acclimitization.
Overall, the RR went fine. 5:24 on full race setup (except wheels - I have 808s coming, so the RR was on box rims). Truth be told, I had hoped to see 5:15, but no biggie. TSS was 284, which is 'in range.' NP was 196, as 196 in the first 56 miles, and 195 in the return I thought it would be a much bigger drop in the second interval). VI was 1.04; higher than I like to see, but still acceptable, and this tells me that I can benefit from being more attentive to steady riding.
Having my head straight for the RR was important. I knew that I was be starstruck just riding along the course ("That's where Normann threw his bike into the lava and yelled "Another $%!@$% ;Flat tire!" and "wow ... that's where Hellreigel flatted in 95!"), so I drove the full course the day before to get a feel of the road, but also to Get My Tourist On. I think this was good, because it let me just concentrate on numbers, subjective feeling at some stages of the ride, and other stuff during the rehearsal.
Also, I missed the RR swim the day before, so I started the morning with a swim along the course. This was a screw-up - my goggles developed a leak, so there was zero continuity and I was stopping constantly. I ended up clocking an hour in total, but nowhere near the 2.4 miles. I think I could have derived just as much training value by splashing around in a kiddie pool with WaterWings. Will get more practices in swimming in swells soon. At least I got a sense of the current on the return.
Transition to bike. I drove up to a cluster of stores close to the Energy Lab - about 8 miles into the ride - and started my ride from that point. Highlights of the ride:
-I boogered hydration. Even though Pat's race briefings have highlighted this as Job #1 in the Kona ride, I just didn't have enough water or gatorade. I peed exactly once, at 2 minutes in, and then nothin'.
-I only have 2 days of accrued time training in the heat, so HR and RPE were higher than I'd like. I'm going to have to give a very serious think about what watts to push on race day, and might roll them back by 5 or 6 at each level.
-the winds were light. I think. The return ride sucks, there's no two ways about it, and I get the sense that I have to get used to feeling like I'm going super-slow all the time. I wasn't getting tossed by gusts at any time, and the descent from Hawi didn't present any hiccups. I'll probably watch the weather and try to drive out there again when it's a windier day.
-I ran out of food. And didn't bring cash or a cc. Holy dumbness.
-Took 2 lava salts every hour. Food for this outing was as normal: 1 clif bar per hour, switch to gels at 4 hours, alternate water and gatorade/Perform every 15 minutes. But see the note about running out - I brought just 2 gel packets instead or the normal flask, and after finishing my 1 bottle of gatorade, I was out.
-a few of the aero bike tweaks I had fabricated in my pre-departure OCD time worked fine. I'll post on these in the Gear Thread later this week.
-I didn't have the back problems and butt problems that I've experienced at WI or on some recent long rides and RRs.
-Wore the aero helmet with no ill effects. Then again, I might not ahve been a real "hot" day, so I will retry when the temps are cooking at some time in the next few weeks.
-I was sitting up / standing a lot more than I would have liked on the return. I think this is about 50% discipline / 50% prevention and damage control. Not sure how to get in front of this.
I finished bike where I had started, and then went back to ride another 16 mile out and back on the Queen K to get it up to 112.
Run was so so so awesome. Big smile the entire time. I was parked about a mile or two along the Queen K from the Energy Lab, so I packed up my bike in the trunk and was off. I had a fantastic headwind on the way out and, and kept thinking "running in the heat isn't so bad ... just look at me!" Then, at the turnaround, the tailwind roasted me. So friggen' hot. I kept on pace, but I would definitely blow up running the remaining 10+ miles in that temp on race day. Stopped to stand under a shower at a beach facility in the Lab, and this helped. stayed on 8:15 pace, but I was running entirely on HR and RPE.
So, there you have it. I'll keep trying to address course preparedness by tweaking the taper bike sessions, and shuffling them to days where they will be most instructive - I really want to land them squarely on the windiest or hottest days where possible. Running, I'll just keep on keeping on, and doing most runs in the 1pm-3pm windo, to accomplish further acclimitizatino and get a real sense of running on race day. Everything will continue to be on the actual course, and I'll just split these up to make sure there's not an inch i haven't covered.
Overall, though, I'm happy I did this early arrival, and I'm really stoked to have the 2 weeks beforehand to play Fantasy Pro Athlete. 90% of this time will be relaxing and reading, and family arrives on the weekend/ early next week, so there will be lots of fun there.
Comments
Dave ... You sound ready to me. 5:24 with the handicaps you gave yourself is no joke.
While running @ 1 PM may sound like a good idea for acclimating, consider running on the course @ the time you will be there on race day. You may have already noticed that the clouds coming down from Hualalai do differnent things depending on where and when you are. Eg, run mile 1-4.5 and back along Ali'i between 2-3 PM (mile 1 is about 2 miles into the course).
Tomorrow, I'll be swimming @ 7:30, bike from Waikoloa @ 11, then run the E Lab in the 30 minutes before sunset. (you should be fi ished with the race by the time I hit SN @ the turnaround.)
Cool. Know the course well having ridden it many times. Hope to join you at the race someday
I know a couple lesser known water sources up past Kawaihae. One is at an old local/archeological park close to the highway. Drink from the potable tank because one is non-drinkable. Another at a small beach park you have to drop down to. Not sure if potable but I survived.
Dave,
Nothing to really add either. Thanks for the detailed RR. Have a great race and enjoy the time leading up, you earned it.
Gordon