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Matt Limbert's IMSR 2018 Race Plan
I was the fence about racing IM SR, and only recently decided to go. With KMF going - the mojo is already high, which is fun already. What was I thinking? How could I miss this? The Out Season went really well and I feel good about my fitness, but I lack the volume of a normal IM build. But after talking with Coach Patrick - IM SR offers me a opportunity to learn where my where my race execution skills are and assess my training/preparation on my IM journey. It is early enough in the year and it could still set me up for a fall IM race. I learned a lot from IM AZ last fall year, so I am eager to work on my race pacing, nutrition and game day problem solving. I also want to get a look at what racing the run looks/feels like. I want to hold myself on the right side of the line thru the first 7 hours, then it's time to get to work in the last 8 miles of the run. If this race goes well, I will focus on dialing up the RPE on the bike for next time.
Swim = Find rhythm early stay aerobic.
Seed myself behind the 60 min group. 2x loop swim.
Get into a relaxed rhythm that is aerobic.
Notice when my mind drifts or becomes distracted and re-focus with counting strokes, hand entry aligned with shoulder and keeping a tight core.
T1= Jog/walk fast up boat ramp. Wetsuit to waist. Dump bag. Jersey, socks, shoes. Helmet on as I jog to the bike. Ask volunteer to repack wetsuit etc. Gift card.
Bike = Setup the run - fueled and hydrated.
Stay aerobic. <140 HR. (This was a major lesson from IM AZ, my HR was a little higher, +2-5 beats during the ride. Which I thought was okay at the time - but didn't set up the run I was looking for. My rehearsal events were ~136-138 which made a big difference on the run. My goal is to stay in the lower range to set up a more competitive run.)
Be smart (low VI).
Fuel on schedule. Every 15 minutes - set by Garmin auto lap
Gotta get HR down and stay down early (for at least 15 minutes) - then get into a rhythm.
Use HR, breathing rate, power, stomach as indicators. Use power as a limiter early.
From my race rehearsals – its all about finding the right RPE to maximize speed while keeping my stomach working for fuel and hydration. That RPE has typically been < 140 HR, < 190-200 NP, and not to exceed 250 W when riding in 70-75 degrees. As the temperature increases, the room for error decreases. I expect low 60s for the start and low 80s by the start of the run.
2x GE in the first hour
1x GE for the rest + 4 Shot Blocks per hour 310 Cal/hr, 700 mg sodium. (1 shot block per 15 minutes - aligned with 5 mile auto lap)
Hr 1 - 4 non caffeine
Hr 2 - 4 non caffeine
Hr 3 - 4 caffeine
Hr 4 - 4 non caff
Hr 5 - 4 caffeine
If my stomach gets full, burp, bloat, etc., immediately ditch the shot blocks. Stick with GE
Water over the head and body if the temperature rises towards 80 degrees - enter T2 soaked.
T2 = Helmet off on the way to the tent. Dump bag. Shoes. Go bag (sunglasses, race belt, hat, race saver bag). Half a banana at exit. Ask volunteer to repack. Gift card to volunteer. Exit - go slow, use time to get organized and sort out go bag during the first few minutes. Be patient.
Run = Be competitive at the end of the run.
The first 6 miles of HR and food matter most.
Get HR under control immediately. Equal to or less than the HR on the last 1 hour of the bike.
Find a rhythm, ignore pace. Set watch to HR only screen - with HR gauge "stay in the green" aerobic range.
In the last 4 miles - letting go of the instruments, the HR and the pace on the back half of the run, then pushing the RPE.
If > 80 degrees, I want to be soaking wet leaving T2.
2x gels in first 6 miles.
1x caffeinated gel (sipping it over a few minutes) + GE every aid station. Eventually alternating Gatorade and Coke
Base salt if necessary
Other logistics / admin:
Swim = Find rhythm early stay aerobic.
Seed myself behind the 60 min group. 2x loop swim.
Get into a relaxed rhythm that is aerobic.
Notice when my mind drifts or becomes distracted and re-focus with counting strokes, hand entry aligned with shoulder and keeping a tight core.
T1= Jog/walk fast up boat ramp. Wetsuit to waist. Dump bag. Jersey, socks, shoes. Helmet on as I jog to the bike. Ask volunteer to repack wetsuit etc. Gift card.
Bike = Setup the run - fueled and hydrated.
Stay aerobic. <140 HR. (This was a major lesson from IM AZ, my HR was a little higher, +2-5 beats during the ride. Which I thought was okay at the time - but didn't set up the run I was looking for. My rehearsal events were ~136-138 which made a big difference on the run. My goal is to stay in the lower range to set up a more competitive run.)
Be smart (low VI).
Fuel on schedule. Every 15 minutes - set by Garmin auto lap
Gotta get HR down and stay down early (for at least 15 minutes) - then get into a rhythm.
Use HR, breathing rate, power, stomach as indicators. Use power as a limiter early.
From my race rehearsals – its all about finding the right RPE to maximize speed while keeping my stomach working for fuel and hydration. That RPE has typically been < 140 HR, < 190-200 NP, and not to exceed 250 W when riding in 70-75 degrees. As the temperature increases, the room for error decreases. I expect low 60s for the start and low 80s by the start of the run.
2x GE in the first hour
1x GE for the rest + 4 Shot Blocks per hour 310 Cal/hr, 700 mg sodium. (1 shot block per 15 minutes - aligned with 5 mile auto lap)
Hr 1 - 4 non caffeine
Hr 2 - 4 non caffeine
Hr 3 - 4 caffeine
Hr 4 - 4 non caff
Hr 5 - 4 caffeine
If my stomach gets full, burp, bloat, etc., immediately ditch the shot blocks. Stick with GE
Water over the head and body if the temperature rises towards 80 degrees - enter T2 soaked.
T2 = Helmet off on the way to the tent. Dump bag. Shoes. Go bag (sunglasses, race belt, hat, race saver bag). Half a banana at exit. Ask volunteer to repack. Gift card to volunteer. Exit - go slow, use time to get organized and sort out go bag during the first few minutes. Be patient.
Run = Be competitive at the end of the run.
The first 6 miles of HR and food matter most.
Get HR under control immediately. Equal to or less than the HR on the last 1 hour of the bike.
Find a rhythm, ignore pace. Set watch to HR only screen - with HR gauge "stay in the green" aerobic range.
In the last 4 miles - letting go of the instruments, the HR and the pace on the back half of the run, then pushing the RPE.
If > 80 degrees, I want to be soaking wet leaving T2.
2x gels in first 6 miles.
1x caffeinated gel (sipping it over a few minutes) + GE every aid station. Eventually alternating Gatorade and Coke
Base salt if necessary
Other logistics / admin:
Pre-Race:
Wed: Fly. Travel. Hotel. Maybe race check-in? Start low fiber meals
Thurs: Race-check in? Assemble bike. Bike check ride. Drive course. Pack transition bags (per checklists)
Fri: Warm-up run. Practice swim? Check swim venue and transition. Drop off bike and transition bags. High-carb / low fiber breakfast (pancakes/spaghetti) / small lunch / high carb dinner + 2x naked juice
Sat: Wake: 3:30. Breakfast – 1x Naked Juice, Powerbar, 2x Stinger waffle, 3x shot block and sip bottle of Gatorade endurance. Sunscreen, lube, chip, EN race gear. Race day bag (warm clothes). Shuttle to swim venue @ 4:15.
Thanks for reading. If you made it this far I would appreciate your thoughts.
Matt
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Comments
My unsolicited advice: find a physical landmark about 3/4 through the swim. This is where you re-focus and race. Everyone else is slowing down. You can pick up a couple minutes easy. Minutes - and seconds - count at the FOP. Just review the Top 10 from your AG in any IM to verify.
Scout out TAs and practice helmet buckle, shoes, etc. Make it second nature. Simplify them down to nearly nothing - grab helmet out of bag while running, hand bag + WS to vol, go! Treat them as individual races. You absolutely want to be Top 5 AG in both. You can put 3 combined minutes on guys even faster than you. A little HR spike in TA won’t impact a guy with your fitness.
Practice how to deal with potential setbacks. Goggles knocked off, practice using CO2, practice taking off/on back wheel. Do some of the little things that can separate you from the 99%.
I like refraining from caffeine until Mile 80 on the bike. Gives me a great second wind just when focus starts to wane. But that’s me. Don’t race the bike. Let guys go. Patience. Giving up 5 minutes on the bike could net 15-20 on the run.
The run is where it happens. But you know that. A 3:45 won’t get you where you want to go. P and Tim swear by short walk breaks every AS. I’ve tried both ways and am too stupid to tell the difference. But I def run through them the last 6-8. Also, others will likely disagree with me, but don’t be afraid to race earlier than M18. Once you’re settled in, just run. Finishing is not a goal for you. Your goal is to race. And race hard. Be confident, almost cocky, and don’t be afraid of failure. If they scrape you off the course at M24, at least you went for it. But there won’t be any such scrape - you’re too fit, smart and patient. And don’t forget . . . your body can do a LOT more than your brain tells you. Now go out and do it.
Best of luck.
MR
Go get it!
love the gift cards...
don't waste time on the gift cards
call a volunteer over to help you... ASK them to pack your stuff, TELL them there's a thank you gift card in the pile for them...
I'll caveat all of this by saying these are viewed through the lens of what I know you are capable of, which is consistent podium finishes. When I use words like 'underwhelming' it's all relative.
I still have a hard time connecting your race performance with your fitness. It's just a matter of time before it all clicks. There is no way that the guy I biked and ran with in Snowmass last year shouldn't be striking fear into any KQ hopeful in his AG. And by all accounts you could crush that guy from a year ago with your current fitness.
140.6 is a different beast thank 70.3. You've had some really good 70.3 races and I'm not sure what the missing link is at 140.6. For a while I thought maybe you were too conservative on the bike, but you have some good HR data that logically connects to your underwhelming IMAZ run. Part of me still believes that if you biked a bit harder but focused on lowering your HR and getting in nutrition in the last 90 minutes of the bike you'd set yourself up well for the run. And of course there's the mental part which is critical at the pointy end. You need that right balance of confidence, humility, and agility along with the ability to disconnect your body from your brain and embrace the suck by reminding yourself why you are out there and everything you put in leading up to the race.
I still have the image etched in my mind of you running down the mountain on the final leg of Ragnar covered in mud and dust, clocking a 6 minute mile loop in blazing heat after 20 miles of trail running and 400+ miles of biking that week. IIRC that was the fastest anyone ran that loop the entire weekend and you did it at the very end. You pushed yourself so hard that day/week....there has to be something to learn and reapply from that experience.
As far as plan specifics, everything looks good and well laid out. I echo @Mike Roberts points on adapting to any curve balls.
Lastly, two things on nutrition. First, once you start with caffeine I'd stay with it..don't alternate. Same for coke/red bull. I usually plan to start around mile 10 of the run but in some cases I start out much earlier. I began at mile 85 of the bike at Kona in an 'in case of emergency break glass' situation and it let me to my best race performance. Fructose and caffeine are jet fuel. Second, don't be afraid of taking in too many liquid calories. My early races I followed the old EN approach of targeted calories (eg. 6oz GE at each aid station) but no more because there are 'limitless calories less than a mile away'. I've gone to more of a 'take in whatever I can handle physically without upsetting my stomach or getting bloated and that seems to work for me.
Will be cheering you on from Wisconsin and look forward to seeing you next month!
Run = Be competitive at the end of the run.
I think my CTL improved 5 pts once I learned you would be there with us.
I know what you can do having shared Aspen camp with you.
We have the same basic caf plan except, as @JeremyBehler advises, once you start, do not alternate.
I'd like too reinforce @Mike Roberts comments on visualizing ahead of time in your mind how to deal with potential setbacks. I have never had an IM race in the last 8 years where I did not experience 1 or more surprises/setbacks. Chances are the competition is experiencing the same and difference is all about how you choose to deal with it.
I am going to lastly say something I know you already understand, but it helps to have it reinforced. Your fitness is what it is at this point. Lots of pressure to perform on race day. Balance expectations. Stay within your box following your HR zones/plan through the bike leg and first 1/2 of marathon. Adjust for heat, humidity and other factors making smart decisions during the day and set yourself up to let the dogs lose on the back half of that marathon while you watch your competitors deal with bad decisions they made earlier due to lack of patience and discipline.
Not sure of your schedule but, some of us are meeting Thursday evening at restaurant Pullmans.....
Siempre Fi.....and KMF!
my one liner advice for this race: use HR as a rein and RPE as a whip on the run...Let them both rise over the course of the 26.2
"When one has much, much is expected." (Riffing on Luke 12:48)
If you have to remove the shot blocks are you going with 2X GE as you will lose those calories.
How will you get the caffeine if the shot blocks are out, say hour 4 or 5? Are gels an option for the bike?
@John Withrow - Thanks for checking in on me. Have re-read everyone's comments. Insightful and motivating. I want to have someone read them to me again while I'm racing a reminder. "Once you have been there and done that" - it is second nature for them.
@Scott Dinhofer - I got the gift card thing from you. Ask for help, Then tell them about gift card - much better vibe! Good catch, thanks.
@Gabe Peterson - I got the card thing from Scott...
@Satish Punna - Great to see you again in Mallorca. Great race in AZ! Super tough. Thanks for following.
But I'm calling BS. "IM SR offers me a opportunity to learn where my race execution skills are and assess my training/preparation on my IM journey" ... that sounds like something from a job interview. Last year at AZ was your opportunity to learn how to race, and you learned quite well.
So go race this thing. Your fitness and pure speed is off the charts. Stay calm, cool, and collected all day; but when it comes to that run, be a total pisshead and don't take slow for an answer. You've got it Matt, go crush it
From my experience, it can sometimes take a long time to get your heart rate into the right zone on the bike after the swim- at Penticton it took 50!!! minutes for me- i stayed patient and had a great bike, and a great run. So if it takes longer than 15 minutes, don't panic and be patient. Aim to try and accelerate over the second half of the bike. Next , if you are expecting it to warm up as the day progresses get the fluid in early on the bike (water and GE). I also did this at Penticton, drank my onboard nutrition but also chugged half a bottle of water or sport drink at least at each aid station- (pick up , chug, discard). If you take in a little too much all that will happen is you will pee more, so no big deal. You can make up for missed calories but it is almost impossible to make up for dehydration...
you are such a strong athlete I am confident you will have a great day- just be patient and let the race come to you!