Bruce Thompson's IM Chattanooga Race Plan

I'd appreciate any input from the team.  Thanks.

2016 IMCH Race Plan

This will be my 9^th IM and my 1st time racing IMCH.  I’m going to give it my best each and every moment.  FTP: 265W.  Z1 Run pace: 8:49/mile.  I’ll string together hundreds of good moments and let the results be as they may.  I feel very fortunate that I “get” to race an Ironman.  My old friend “The pain” will come in his own due time, so welcome him when he shows up.

Thursday:

Fly to CH & go to the EN dinner.   Get checked in at hotel and unpack.    

Friday:

Pick up race packet early.  Pick up bikes at TBT. Go for easy spin of 15-20 mile recon ride. Drive the bike course in the afternnon.   Check out transition & expo. Buy food.  Put feet up rest of the day.  Early dinner.  Make up gear bags.

Saturday:

Big breakfast early– pancakes, eggs, OJ, meat

After breakfast, go for short ride with 3 x 1’ bursts at FTP and 1 mile run with 3 x 30” strides.  Then big lunch – chicken or turkey sandwich by noon, rack bike and drop off gear bags, back to hotel to rest, review training log, make up Infinit bottles.

Dinner – early meal @ 4:45 pm at TBD - grilled chicken, pasta with marina sauce, bread.  Bed by 9.

Race Day:

Wake up at 4 am

Breakfast: 2 bananas, 2 bagels, 2 bowls cheerios, coffee.  1 power bar 1 hour before swim start, sip on 20 oz Infinit

Special Needs Bags: drop off bags, put Infinit bottle into SN bags

Transition: work from my list: pump tires, check brakes, turn on garmin, fill torpedo bottle with water, rack Infinit bottle, get in/out, use toilet.  Feel blessed that I “get” to race an Ironman. Get on bus early to get in line.  Find a place to sit & set up.

Swim: swim skin, plastic  bag with cap, goggles, body glide. Drop off clothes bag.  Warm up on land as best possible. Jump in and go EZ at start, then settle in, find feet & go steady to end.  Site every 15 stokes.  Kick harder last 100 yards to loosen up legs. Don’t worry about the time. Walk first 5 steps out of water, then begin running.  Goggles up & strip swim skin down to waist, use suit strippers if around , cap and goggles off while running to T1.

T1: Get bag & find a seat. Put on watch, headband, glasses, helmet, grab shoes, go.  Put on shoes at bike, steady jog to mount line.  Press garmin start timer button after mounting.

Bike: Get settled into aero position and stay there.  Breath!  Just ride along and watch for unsafe riders. Ride @ 180 watts  (67% IF) first 15’ to bring HR down to 130, and eat & drink H2O. Ride 185’ watts  (69% IF) for next 15’ or until hit mile 10.  Then target 190-195 watts ( 72% IF) for rest of the ride. Goal: 190NP & 92 cadence for entire ride.  Cap watts @ 220 on all climbs.   Keep cadence high, kill ‘em with cadence!!   If above 80F, back off by 5-10 watts.  Get and stay aero the whole way except when speed falls below 12 mph on climbs.  Target HR: 130-135.  Drink water right away.  Drink Infinit after 10’, and sip at each 5 mile lap.  Take water bottle at each aid station & refill torpedo, pour extra H2O on back of my head.  Take a banana at 1 hour into ride. Stay in control on climbs and really push the watts on the descents (miles 30-60 & 80-110).  At BSN, get Infinit bottle, and bagel.  Take banana as needed at aid stations.  Stay aero and push the watts on the descents.  Pee 3 times, including last 5 miles.  Keep the power @ 190w  for the last 30 miles and I’ll pass tons of people who went out too fast.

T2: feet out of shoes last ¼ mile, unstrap helmet while running, get bag and find a seat. Put body glide on toes, socks & shoes on, grab run go bag (visor,headband, race belt, S-Cap bill box, Infinit bottle).  

Run: Put on stuff in this order while running: race belt, headband, visor, pill box into pocket, adjust fit of everything while  running.  Take short, quick strides.  Go easy on the first uphill in mile 1.  Count strides for first 3 miles to get turnover right.  Target pace – 9:15 first 3 miles, then 9:00 next 3 miles, then 8:50 to mile 18, then whatever is left to the end.  Stay steady on hills from miles 10-13 and 23-26.  Keep HR under 140 thru mile 18, then let it drift up to 150+.  If above 80F, adjust pace targets upward by 30” per mile, or HR to max of 135.  If above 90F, adjust pace targets up by 60”.  If hot, focus on HR, and not on pace. Walk only 10 steps each aid station just to drink water or GE.  Sip Infinit during  first hour until bottle done, then switch to on-course GE. Take 2 cups water at each aid station, take cup of ice (put in go bag and stuff under top if hot). Take a banana as needed.   Take 1 Scap at miles 0, 6, 13, 20.  At RSN, drop bottle (if still have it) & visor , & get new go bag with dry head band, extra Scaps.  If really hot, put dry socks and shoes in RSN bag.  Stop to change socks and shoes (I likely won't change anything but just in case).  Put on dry stuff while running.  From mile 18 count people I pass to keep my mind occupied.  Start racing once I cross over the river to the north bank on 2^nd loop.  Focus on form & keeping turnover at 180/min in last half of race.  Stay in the present; perfect form.  Drink coke after mile 20.  The race will be decided in the hills in the last 8 miles so begin pushing the pace after mile 18. Go to the dark place once across the river until I reach the finish line.  Let HR go above 150 for last 10K and welcome the pain. Target 8:30 pace for last 5k.   Race all the way to the finish  line.  Smile when I cross the finish.