Francis Picard IMMT 2017 Race plan
General data:
4th IM
AGE: 36
Weight as of today 71KG
VDOT: 52 TRP is 7:30
FTP used – not tested in the last 4-5 months: 275 watts.
I went back to my last race results on sportstats after Mike Roberts did it, I found the following and its been the exact same pattern in my last 3 races.
1) I don’t swim to my potential,
2) I get down in the ranking in the first half of the bike
3) I almost get back to my swim ranking in the 2nd half of the bike
4) I pass a lot of people during the run
5) It tells me the execution is almost there, just not the speed
See here:
IMMT 2016:
IMAZ 2016:
70.3 MT 2017:
Now to the race plan.
Wednesday:
1) Buy sport food for the day
2) Buy co2 and tube
3) Change PM and HRM batteries
4) 30’ run in the morning
5) Load the car
Thursday:
1) Driving to MT – it’s about 2hrs drive from Montreal, we are leaving after rush hour.
2) Will do the bike recon of 90’ in the afternoon – will ride Duplessis and Montée Ryan and will go to the lake just after to do the 30’ swim.
3) Will do all the athlete check in while in town and family is at the lake
4) Team dinner
Friday:
1) My 2 daughters are doing the ironkids 1km run
2) 30’ swim, 30’ bike to ensure everything is correct and 30’ run – hopefully will be able to swim with some teammates, then relax at the lake with family
3) 4 key EN meeting
4) We don’t know yet if we will go to the banquet, chances are good
5) Start preparing the gear bags
6) Special need bike will have a tube and co2, will take it if I get a flat tire on the first loop, if not I leave it there
Saturday:
1) Dropping the kids to my father’s place which is 10’ out of Mont-Tremblant
2) Drop bike and gear bags
3) Prepare bike bottles to be installed on race day morning
4) Recharge 520 and 920
5) Start carb load and hydration
6) Legs up – a few movie to watch already plan
Sunday:
1) Wake up around 3hAM for breakfast and coffee
2) Shower
3) To the T1 – 5’
4) double check my T1 and t2 bags if they havent move or something dropped out of it
5) prepare the 520 and calibrate with PM
6) Walk to the lake
Race execution plan – Swim
This year is a rolling start – will seed myself in the 1h-1h05 group and it will be what it is, nothing much to add here other than just swim as I can.
Race execution plan – T1
1) Wetsuit stripper
2) Wetsuit on shoulder and run
3) Get my gear bag, put helmet on and run to bike – I will be sockless all-day
4) All food will already be in my back pockets, basically T1 should be fast and not a lot of moving parts.
5) Shoes will already be on the bike
Race execution plan – Bike
1) Need to focus on getting the HR low in the first 5 KM just before the first downhill section, take a gel during that first 5KM and start drinking
2) Will not overkill the uphill and not care about people passing me, its normal and we will see each other on the run anyway.
3) Focus on keep pedaling on the downhill, in the last long ride I was getting more and more confortable going downhill – still can’t mentally go over 50KM/H on the downhill but I am confortable at that speed on the flats.
4) My auto-lap is set to 5K, which will help me stay focus on the NP – goal is to be at 180W, which is 65,45%. During my last long rides I was between 65% and 70%. Last RR was at 66% and the first one was at 70%, so I am confident to work my bike between 65% and 70% which means 180W-192W and will adjust depending on the RPE etc
5) Focus on staying aero and no coasting
6) When looking at my previous years IMMT files and 70.3 at MT, I always start to push harder after the turn around in Labelle, this time I will try to be focus enough to take advantage of the “flat TT section” on the 117 which should help me.
Food/Drink on the bike
1) I have the watch setup to ring every 8 minutes to remind me to drink, that makes a total of about one infinit solution bottle per hour – 318 calories, 566MG of sodium, 74g of glucides – I have 2 bottles with me and powder quantity for 4 refills that I will mix on the fly with water – that makes 6 self-sufficient bottles
2) Every 45’ will take a gel which is the Brix maple syrup gel - 100 calories, 3mg of sodium and 26g of glucides
Total per hour: 418 calories, 569mg of sodium and 100g of glucides.
Every 2hours I have a solid cliff bar, but will only take 2 as I don’t expect to be 6 hours on the bike course and don’t want any solid getting into my body in the last hour. Will also have salt pillz on me if needed
Race execution plan – T2
1) Flying dismount & bike to volunteer
2) Remove helmet
3) Run to tent – take bag
4) Put shoes on and start running out with the race saver only
5) I don’t carry food or liquid on me during the run since my body can take what’s on the course.
Race execution plan – run
1) Bring HR to my bike avg HRM for the first 6 miles which brings me to the turn-around on the bike path, should be build like that :
0-6 miles : bike avg HR – which should be between 133-137
6-18 – 145
18 to finish – make it raise like I did in AZ and this year at the MT70.3
2) Drink and take what I need at the 2nd aid station since the first is always a bit chaotic because people are everywhere talking to their family/friends, anyway the next one is not far.
3) The first hill after T2 is hard, don’t push too hard, have to remember that we need to do it twice plus the other one in the village
4) After the turn around on the first loop, start to increase a bit the pace but not too much, goal is maybe 2-3 seconds per mile faster and do the same at the start of the second loop and try to hit my TRP during the 2nd loop
5) Always monitor HR to be sure it doesn’t get too high too early
6) Setup small goals and try to achieve those – the one I always set are to catch up a person in front of me and another one etc.
7) Give some mojo to my teammates !
8) Things will start to get harder as the day advance, switch to coke if I feel I need it
9) Walk every 2 aid station and run the other but always focus on taking what I need over speed
I didn’t put any goals as when I do its always a fail, goal during that race will be to execute smartly and be able to appreciate all the work done in the last 8 months, will try to go dark running the run.
That should be a really fun week end and it’s a revenge race at IMMT for me this year as last year weather’s wasn’t collaborating at all !
Looking fwd also to meet alot of people which whom I've been interacting on social medias since 2-3 years and its also a key races, so the mojo should be pretty high!
Comments
Behind the seat bottle is full of powder, so when grabbing water at the aid station, I transfert the water in the BTA and add some powder.. but if you do so, be sure to be on the right side while doing in case you need to brake etc, I tested this during the 70.3 and it didnt really slow me down
I have not crashed like you have, I have great respect for your concern on descending on bike. But one day you should tackle that fear.
Good luck, I will be watching
DS
1) Add a special emphasis on riding smooth, low V.I. and steady power throughout. This takes patience and discipline.
2) Make a specific game plan for Mile 18 of run on in....what do I need at this point? How do I feel? Do I need to switch over to to water and coke and salt pills only vs. sports drink and other? I know it will get dark but I also know I can hold the line if I am fueled properly and that dark period will pass......etc....
Very excited/honored to meet you and race with you Ironman!
SS
- the biggest thing missing from your plan is your goal(s). Why are you racing next Sunday? If you do ____ next Sunday, will you be ecstatic/bummed? Because this is #4 and you're really fast and haven't had that big breakthrough at the IM level, the below suggestions assume that you want to go fast and post some results next week that look markedly different/better than your previous IMs. If, on the other other hand, you're just going out for a day of exercise and will be happy with sub-13, ignore everything below.
- don't start hydrating and carb-loading Saturday afternoon. Hydrate, salt and cut out most protein and all fiber a couple of days before the race, with the last solid meal being Saturday lunch.
- You have the swim fitness and speed to compete; you just haven't had the opportunity and/or focus to really "race" the swim. Make sure you warm up before the swim. If it's not allowed, go for a 1km jog and really loosen up. Enter the 60-65min group confidently. You belong there!! No self-doubts. Be willing to mix it up near the buoy line where you know you're going straight. Don't look for clean water. You want lots of bubbles in front and around you to pull you. And pick up the mental and physical effort at the 3/4 mark - this is where most athletes start to slow down either because they lack the fitness, they lose focus, or they went out too hard. You can move up several positions in your AG. Similarly, you can pass 5 guys in your AG in T1 just by doing what's written in your plan. If you find yourself sitting in T1, you're doing it wrong.
- As we discussed after your last 70.3, you have to improve your bike VI in this race. You should be looking down at your PM every 2 seconds, and it needs to always read 175-195 or so. We have similar power, and for my last hilly IM, I set a max of 210w for the hills. On a couple of short occasions, I had to hit 230w just to keep moving, but you simply can't push 450w watts up hills like you did in your last 70.3. If your VI gets elevated because you coast some down hills, that's fine. But you can't create a high VI by pushing way above FTP on the hills. Laser-focus here. It took me months to get decent at riding steady watts (TC and KMF were my mentors), and at least a year to get good at it. Be absolutely obsessive about your watts for the entire 180k!
- With your KGs, your body can probably digest ~95g of carbs every hour, so your plan of 100g is in line. If you start to feel full or bloated, however, back off the calories immediately. And I always avoid calories the last 30 minutes. Get off the bike with a very happy stomach. And scrap the idea of two Clif bars later in the ride. That's GI Russian Roulette. It's 100% unnecessary, and the last thing your gut needs is a bunch of solid protein and fiber sloshing around. If your palette grows tired of gels and bland liquids and starts craving a mid-morning treat, remind it that this is Ironman, not a Boy Scout nature walk.
- Your sodium level is way too low. Unless you can't tolerate it, double it to 1,000mg per hour. Even with the mild temperatures foretasted. If you're going to consume all of that liquid, might as well absorb some of it. If you fall short of sodium by 3,000mg on the bike, it could be disaster. I still contend that the vast majority of IM athletes over-eat, under-hydrate, and under-salt on the bike. Your plan has the potential to put you into that group of unfortunate souls. Flip it around. Salt and hydrate like a mad man, pee too much, and err on the side of low calories instead of high.
- You're a runner, definitely one of the faster ones in your AG. If you nail your nutrition and VI on the bike, you can finally unleash that foot speed next weekend. And, frankly, there's no reason you can't break 3:30, if not next week, definitely within the next year. If 145 is the HR you know you can race with (that's my number too), then I think going out the first 10k at 133 is way too low. You're a vet, so time to start racing it a bit more. Yes, if you start out at 160HR, you want to bring that down in the opening mile, but once at 140-43, you're good to go, assuming you get your running legs under you, all other systems are good, etc. Then just hone in on the 145HR, quickly getting to know what it feels like (can still breathe through nose, but just barely?) and go by feel. If you start to breathe heavy going up a hill, slow down - because your HR will soon be registering something in the 150's or 160's. No big spikes! Steady effort.
- Optional/potentially dangerous advice: If your plan next week is to seriously race it and play with the boys at the front, even if it means DNF or walking the last 10k, then run by RPE. Al and TC had been telling me this for years, and I had watched TC (same vDOT as me) blasting out 3:3x's after demolishing the bike ride, so I knew it could be done. When I finally pulled the trigger, I just ran. You're a runner, so just run. Yes, my HR was higher than 145 and my opening pace was crazy, but it was a sustainable effort. The difference can be 10-15 minutes, which can be the decider in whether you meet or fall short of your ultimate goals.
- At Mile 18, it may be time to focus back on HR. And not because it'll be too high. Overwhelming odds are, it'll start to drop. That's what 95% of the field will experience. Be the 5%. This is where you increase the effort, increase the pain, and just get mean so that you can keep that HR up at 145 and maintain pace (more likely just slow the inevitable slow-down). Refuse to walk. If you can do this - and you really have to want it (think 4 Keys and One Things) - you will start passing people en masse. If at Mile 23 you've got another gear still available, go run a fast 5k, forget HR and smile all the way to the line.
Just my $.02, which may be all ^^ is worth, USD or CAD. I'll be tracking you all day. Bonne chance.
MR
Follow Mike's advice. Ride (and run) smooth and steady. Take calculated risks. Believe in yourself.
I'm looking forward to seeing and racing with you next week!
Clark
I really like what @Mike Roberts said and that info should go in its own post. You are definitely capable of having a breakthrough swim bike and run. I can't wait to follow you on race day. I'm excited fot you! Go kill it!
1) Swim - Are there any mental ques to keep you focused on the swim and keep the stroke rate up?
2) This could be in the potentially dangerous category as well. Your bike IF seems low. How did the .7 RR go, if there were issues maybe dial it back to .68 but .66 seems very low. If you nail the VI on this course it will most definitely allow you to ride harder. I'm thinking you should target a slightly higher NP power for the race. As Mike pointed out 175-195 is the sweet spot but less time at the 175, unless you see lots of 200+.
3) Do they have clif bar's on the course at IMMT? If not consider putting one in the bike special needs in case you drop one.
4) You mention a hard hills, is there any cap on your HR, particularly for the hard hills? If you are racing with RPE then that's a different story.
5) Finally I like to have goals as well but it is a double edged sword. You definitely don't want to ruin your race trying to ride a super fast bike on a windy day but I like that incentive to strive for a good day. Maybe it takes a very good or near perfect day to get those goals, and those days are few and far between in most sports. Perhaps you go a little more conservative with your goals. My most recent LP experience if I did not have the goals listed I could have talked myself in to slowing down or not running the last 6 miles. Also the reset trying to finish before 15:30 was crucial to keep pushing me towards the line. For you this drive might not come from the goals but make dam sure you have that one thing in place to push you once particularly once you hit mile 18 and push for the finish.
Have a great race.
Thank you very much for taking all this time to bring huge value !!! I owe you one on this
So here it is..
1) I can laydown my goal here, its a top 10 in my AG, which is around 10h01-10h10, my PR on that course was 11h07 but cant compared times to last year as it wasnt normal conditions. Did 10h33 in IMAZ and I know where the time can be gained. This goal sounds ambitious but thats what I am aiming for and really wanna race with big boys next week even if it means a disaster at the end of the day, gotta try it.
2) I meant Friday - (typo) but for sure fibers will be cutted starting Friday morning.
3) That is something that always happens to me.. I never get into the racing mode until I got in the run during past races, I need to set my mind that I am racing as soon as I get into the water, while talking with some people, one suggested that I might "mentally" do this to protect the run and run well and "save the day", I will really focus to get into race mode as soon as it starts. Yes we can warmup at IMMT, there is a section for that.
4) Totally agree on this with you. Yesterday on my last long ride I went at 72% and didnt feel trashed after 2h30, even if I never went to 72% on my RR, that will be my target IF for the day. As for the hills I totally agree, going too hard is wasting usefull matches that I can use on the long TT section.
5) Something I really never really looked into, that might explain the leg cramps I always get on the run that I cured with salt pillz. My body can tolerate sodium, in 2015 when it was really warm in addition of my normal nutrition I was taking 2 salt pillz/hour and each pill is 256G of sodium. - will aim this target. I can also dissolute the pill within my powder or just eat it
6) When reading your post I realized I wasnt aggresive on the run ehe. I think 3h3x is possible, it will hurt and unconfortable but I know I can hit that time.. FWIW my standalone marathon time is 3h07
7) as for the end of the run HR, thats how I execute the final 5K during the 70.3 and thats how I really wanna execute it, I want it to be ugly.. I never really ended a race and felt like I had no more energy and that one more meter and I would be dead. I often had the feeling that I didnt gave it all
@Michael Quinton see you next week and looking fwd to read your plan !
@Paul Curtin Thanks, I've done that race so often I can almost give names to every tree on the course hah and thanks for the additional pressure - love it
@Brian Hagan Yup, after reading @Mike Roberts and seeing yesterday's ride and how I felt, I will aim 70-72%
@Shaughn Simmons 1) Yes agree with you, thats one major issue I have is to focus on that. 2) Usually at Mile 18 I already switched to coke, I love the bubbly sentation and mostly cut sport drinks also at that moment. Holding the line comes to how well I fueled during the bike. The honor is share with you to finally meet and race with the famous SS
@Clark Mitchell Yes we can all learn from @Mike Roberts post here, feel free to grab his stuff hah
@Tim Sullivan Thanks ! I will imagine chearleaders everywhere on the course
@Gordon Cherwoniak
1) The way I can keep focus during the swim is to try to reach someone that I can draft and stay in his/her feet bubbles.
2) Totaly agree, as for the .7 ride during my camp week it went really well and was is surprising is that this ride was the one after the full RR day. Yesterday was able to hit .72 for my 150' ride and felt good, I guess with all the rest coming up this week and the taper that's something possible. Will aim for 70 and see how it goes/feel and adjust accordingly
3) Yes they have but not all aid station
4) will mostly use RPE on the run but will keep and eye on the HR with small cap depending on where I am
5) My goal this year is ranking as every time I write exact time goal they go off the boat (except last year when I wanted to only be sub 11h in IMAZ and end with 10:33) This year's goal is to crack the top 10 in my AG.
- Swim: when we say, "swim only as fast as you are able to maintain form", that means go as hard as you can without feeling like your stroke is breaking down. It does NOT mean, "take it easy, the swim will be what it is." You are a racer, swim like one.
- Bike: No question, a target IF of 0.66-0.7 does not mesh with your previous performances, nor with your current training stats. A minimum of 0.72 seems more realistic. even up that by 1-2% in the last two hours if your HR is holding steady. Realise that at the end of the bike, your legs will feel well used, and you will be thinking, "how can I run a marathon after that?" Here is where you #trustyourtraining.
- On the run, the way you'll get that 3:3X is by continually working harder - you won't go any faster as the race progresses, but you also won't slow down, and that's the key. An even or slight negative split is what it takes. Start out stupid slow, and end up feeling like you are running a mile on the track, progressing through the *sensations* of long run pace, TRP, marathon pace, half marathon effort, 10k, 5K, to that final mile. It's not easy, no one likes it, but you are capable.
You are still young; you have time in your triathlon career to discover just where the edge of the envelope is for you. Up to now, you've been racing conservatively, and rightly so, as you figure out the complex equation/chess game that is Ironman. Now, it's time to start exploring those limits. The key is: start slow, slowly build, no sudden spurts. All day, on both the bike and the run.Thanks Al ! reading your comments the message I get is to up my game is mostly the mental aspect of that sport. I am actually in a state of mind ready to test/explore the limits even if it ends badly.
It reconforts reading from a vet like you that 0.72 is the way to go on the bike - that how I road last week and felt strong.
Thanks again !
Judging from the amount of work you have been doing I think you will do great!
Regarding maintaining your Vi. I create a cheat sheet that I tape onto my aero water bottle to keep me honest. Here is my sheet from IMLP.
The big number is my goal watts on the flats. Other numbers are for small hill, big hill and then descents. As long as my HR is on target I ride these numbers, sometimes push a bit if my HR is in check, pull back if it's too high. The bottom numbers are goal times from Best Bike Splits. I'm not a slave to theses numbers but it does help keep me on task. BTW I rode 5:36, almost exactly what BBS estimated.
Good luck this weekend!!
The WSMs have given you some solid advice, so I can't really add anything. if there is one thing I have noticed from training with you last year is that you put in ALL of the effort. I'm sure you are 110% trained this year. Push the envelope, RACE, we will all be cheering for you. Kick that cat if you need to for good measure.