Chris Oubre's IM Boulder Race Plan
- Bio
This is my fifth full Ironman. I’ve completed 10 half Ironman races.
I’m 40, 171 lbs. 6’1”.
Goals
This is my second Ironman of the year. For this race I want
Not panic and complain in the beginning of the swim
Tighter transitions vs Texas.
Avoid GI distress on the bike,
Have the first mile of my marathon be the slowest mile of my marathon.
Not walk past the end of an aid station.
Build my heart rate in the last third of the run.
I want to hold off the dark place for as long as I can, then I want to PUNCH IT IN THE NOSE!
Differences from previous races
Altitude! I will arrive at the race site six days before the race to try and acclimatize
Lessons from Texas
I must have a top on between me and the wetsuit.
I cannot use power on the run in the same way I can on the bike.
Gatorade Endurance is to strong and I must take more water in with it
Race Morning
- Boulder High School is a 10’ drive from the condo. I want to be at the race site for 4:15 AM
- Wake up at 3:15 am.
- Have a 2 cups of Cocoa Pebbles (323 cal) with a scoop of protein powder (90 cal) and ½ cup of milk (70 cal) plus a cup of purple grape juice (140 cal) (623 total calories)
- Drink a cup of black coffee.
Warm up
- Lightly sip sports drink
- Get to the bathroom early and often
- 10' warm up jog
- Grab everything out of the morning clothes bag
- Place shoes and pullover in morning clothes bag
- Put on flip flops
- Turn wetsuit inside out and roll it up my body.
- Get in the water and swim 200
- Eat gel 15-20’ before
- Do cords just before getting into the line
Swim
- The swim can be broken into thirds. 1400 out, 1000 over 2000 back
- Self seed with 1:35 swimmers (planning to swim 1:25-1:35) I hate being swum over and would rather swim around people.
- Avoid the initial melee. Settle in and focus on lowering my heart rate.
- Sight every 12 strokes
- Tempo Trainer set to 62
- Breath out
T1
- Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.
- Jog while getting T1 bag
- Don’t sit
- Butt’r my undercarriage
- Put on heart rate strap
- Put on sunscreen.
Bike
Base FTP 280Altitude reduction factor 7%
Effective FTP 260
W/K = 3.48
Long ride HR’s typically in the low 140’s
Texas data
- AP 179
- NP 187
- VI 1.04
- IF 0.691
- HR 144
Setup
- Gatorade on torpedo mount
- Water or down tube
- Repair kit in saddle bag or single bottle rear mount
- 3 cliff block packs opened in bento
- Salt pills in bento
- 1 butt’r packet in bento
Execution
Pacing
- First 10’ get heart rate down to 135
- Then Till 10 miles: Target IF = .65 - .69 Keep watts in the 170s
- Then up power to 185-190 (target 0.73 IF). Let heart rate drift to 145 if needed but below 150
- Best Bike Split prediction is ~ 5:17
- Don’t get greedy on the downhills
- Check lap IF
- At special needs place ziplocks in jersey and eat waffle
- Before dismount: drop gear and raise cadence. Check current heart rate.
Nutrition
- Watch is set to chime every 10’
- 1 block every 10’
- 1-2 bottles of fluid/hour. Mix of Gatorade and water. Don’t over drink if it’s cold. Be sure to add enough water in with the Gatorade.
- Change out bottles at each aid station regardless of amount left
- 1 salt pill every 40’
- re -butt’r every 2 hours
Mental State
First 10 min:
- Goal is to amp myself down and get heart rate in check.
- Happy to finish the swim. Take in the atmosphere. Recollect on the journey that brought me here.
Till mile 10:
- Goal is to get game ready.
- Stay in my box and play defence. I am not Ricky Racer. I can’t win here but I can lose here.
After mile 10
- Goal is flawless execution
- I am a ninja. This is my power. This is what I do. I have been here before
At special needs
- Goal is process check
- Did I pee? How did I do on my nutrition?
Till mile 110
- Goal is mental focus yielding flawless execution
- What mile am I at? What are my numbers (power, IF, ride time)? What is happening right now at this moment?
Till dismount
- Goal is prep to transition
- Enjoy the satisfaction of a bike well executed. I am not making up time I am preparing to run.
Troubleshooting
- If I get a flat, that’s ok. Take my time and do not change my nutrition plan.
- If I get a draft penalty it’s ok. What a great time to pee. Do not change my nutrition plan.
T2
- Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.
- Change socks
- Remove ziplocks from jersey if still there
- Butt’r undercarriage
- Grab go bag and start walking out
- Get sunscreen from volunteer
Run
vDot 48 (based on 5k run test)
Texas Numbers
- AP 228
- IF 0.79
- VI 1.04
- HR 143
- Moving power was ~ 240-245
Execution
Pacing
Mile 0-1 GO SLOW. Keep heart rate ~ 138 or lower
Miles 1-18:
no faster average HR from last two hours of the bike ride. (~138-145)
Look at power numbers and learn what power number generates my target heart rate
Use that power number on the hills and just after aid stations to help stabilize my heart rate.
Miles 18-22: Push power up. Relax heart rate limit Start counting calves
Miles 22-finish: Push power up. Dig deep
Nutrition
- Alternate Water and gatorade at aid stations
- Salt pill and Gel every fourth aid station 4,8,12,16,20
- Refill Ice every aid station
- Switch to Coke if unable to take in gel
- Red Bull starting at Mile 20
Mental State
Till first aid station
- This is not a 70.3!
- Take in the atmosphere
Till Special Needs
- Don’t bring the suck closer
- These are my numbers and that’s ok
At Special Needs
How am I doing? Am I still sweating?
After Mile 18
- Respect my training self.
- Remember that guy who couldn’t go to the movies with his family.
- Remember your wife who sacrificed for you!
- Because your Chris F#cking Oubre!
- Because I don’t know what I’m capable of. I haven’t found the limit yet.
Finish
Cruise the carpet and soak in the accomplishment. Kiss my wife and just revel in the moment….unless the clock says XX:58. Then I’ll allow myself to push the finish.
Troubleshooting
- If I get a headache, get some caffeine
- If my stomach feels bloated, increase the water and decrease the gatorade balance
- If I feel a cramp, take a salt early and adjust time.
- Am I trying to talk myself into a walk? SLOW DOWN! I’m going to fast.
Comments
- A superb job of analyzing, learning from, and acting on recent IM experience
- An overt emphasis on mental state and internal mantras to help with focus and performance.
Those two should provide an great opportunity for continued improvement. Take advantage of it...Can't wait to meet you! You are pumped.
Mr. Cocoa Pebbles if you are ever sent to the penalty tent ... don't pee! You could get another penalty or DQ. It almost happened in Santa Rosa in the PT a guy just let it go and the official was livid. The official took the situation to the head officila and she said he lived with the fear of a DQ all day, let this be a stern warning. We all thought it was funny.
3) Bike GI - I can't remember exactly the issue from the first IM, perhaps this is the GE being too strong. I sit here thinking about all the cocoa pebbles notes. Could the GI distress start with the breakfast?
If you are going with water ensure you have upped your salt intake to compensate, given the relative temperature difference to Texas.
I've got some number discrepancy that I like you to consider Texas data shows .69 IF you are targeting .73. Again can't remember the full extent of the GI issues, perhaps this is a valid target. You note HR in the Low 140's for long rides. Texas you had 144, that's mid for me, for Boulder you are allowing a drift 145-150. Again watch you are looking for what you should ride not what you could ride.
Run - you are alternating water and GE and aid stations. Will you have enough fuel? IF you go GE station 1, then water, GE station 3, then on station 4 you get the gel, GE station 5, then water only station 6. I'm worried about the 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, aid stations particularly later in the day. I'm assuming you have practiced this so just a note that you may have to add in some calories at some point. Perhaps put some block you your go back to have as a backup.
Have a great race.