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Sid Wavrin IM Canada Race plan
Canada will be my 4th IM distance and second time in Whistler. I had a really good race here in 2015 and love the venue. The bike course has changed since then and is hilly. The website is calling it 8500' of climbing so controlling the bike leg will be the key to a successful day. This is the first race plan I've written, but I've read and learned from many. So thank you all for that and I will give it a shot.
Thursday is a travel day. Plan to arrive Whistler early PM, check into condo, unload and do athlete check in if time and energy allows. I will try to keep diet as clean and simple and normal for me as possible leading up to the race. Buy food to eat in the condo as much as possible. Rest whenever I can. Will try to find time for a short sweet shake out run to keep things tuned up.
Friday: A main goal for the day will be a recon of the bike course which will include riding a portion and driving the rest to see the new section and refresh my memory from the the race before. I will do athlete check if I didn't get it done Thursday and begin to prepare all bags for drop off. Possible swim course recon? Will probably leave swim course for Saturday and tie it in with bike drop. Again, eat well and rest at every opportunity.
Saturday: Bike check in requires shuttle to the lake. Cars I think are not allowed. So it seems like this would be a good time to do a swim in the lake to loosen up and get a feel for the swim venue. Bags will also be checked in. I will set up bike with empty BTA and bring fluids for the bike in the AM. Prepare all bottles and nutrition for start of the bike leg place on bike Sunday AM. Get to the condo to rest and mentally prep. Eat a dinner in the condo of high carb low fiber food salting more than normal with plenty of fluids. Early to bed. (usual route for me)
Race day: Wake up at 3:30. Eat as soon as possible. Oatmeal, banana, yogurt, milk. Dress in awesome EN kit with appropriate lube and sunscreen and HR monitor. First shuttle to the lake is at 4:30. Shoot to be on that one. (can walk from condo.) Bring wetsuit, cap, goggles Garmin and bike nutrition and any morning clothes needed with the bag. Get to venue, prep bike with fluids and nutrition, air up tires, pair Garmin, check bike for the appropriate gearing, grab wet suit and find the portapotty line ASAP. Sip on sports drink all morning. Head to the beach. Eat one gel about 5 minutes before entering the water. Hopefully there is a team picture at some point?
Swim: Line up with the 1:10 group. This is slightly faster than my goal time. Start the swim calm, but strong. Breathe deeply and exhale fully. find a long strong stroke early and look for feet that I can hang on to. Tight to the buoy line. Swim at RR exertion until last leg of the second lap where I will pick it up a bit to maintain speed. Exit water, move with purpose, wetsuit stripper, changing tent. Dump bag, Put on bike shoes (no socks), helmet,sunglasses, shove Cliff Bar and extra gels in race pockets as I move to the bike. Grab bike, head for exit.
Bike: Turn on Garmin when I reach the bike. Main Goals: Control the bike! .68 IF, try to stay below 1.05 VI. Use EN pacing protocol on climbs and find free speed on descents and carry speed into next climb. Get HR down to 125 to start the bike. Think JRA for the first 30 minutes then settle into goal wattage and control climbing watts as much as possible. Cap the HR at 145. If it gets near or above this, think about what I need to do to control it. Try to maintain the HR 135 or below when possible. I have a field set to lap for normalized power. I will manually lap for each loop of the course. (there are three loops.) This will inform me if I need to make adjustments for the next lap.
Bike nutrition: I will shoot for 1 1/2 bottles plus of GE per hour. Total of 10? This is 1800 total cals. I will add 1 gel or 1/2 sleeve blocks or Honey Stinger each hour. This adds 600. I will have a Cliff Bar if I feel like I need it. This will be 1000 mg plus of sodium per hour. If it is going to be hot I will have Salt stick to supplement. Maybe 3 capsules total. There is a little wiggle room here in total requirement if I can't get this all in or miss an aid station. I think I will start with the BTA full plus one bike cage bottle.
T2: Dismount, hand off bike, get bag. Move in control, but keep moving. Remove bike shoes, put on socks and running shoes, grab go bag with hat, race belt loaded with some nutrition, and race saver bag if it's hot. Belt will have a couple gels and some salt stick. hit the run course.
Run: Start super slow. Think about run form and efficiency. Try hard To get HR below 130. Try even harder to keep it there for the first 6 miles. Probably more likely 135 or slightly above. Drink at least 1 cup of GE at every aid station, more if possible. Walk a few steps to get nutrition and fluids in, grab ice and water for cooling in hat and race saver. Grab a gel every 5 miles and make sure fluids go with it. HR will begin to climb as the run goes on. Try to cap at 145 until at least mile 20. If I'm feeling good here, just run. If required switch to coke. Should be hot on the run so add one salt stick per hour for the entire run. I am prepared to visit the hurt locker here. I have my one thing (actually I have about three!). I have some goals in mind I won't list here, but I will let you know how that turns out in the Race Report.
Thanks you if you took the time to read this. Your comments are welcome.
Thursday is a travel day. Plan to arrive Whistler early PM, check into condo, unload and do athlete check in if time and energy allows. I will try to keep diet as clean and simple and normal for me as possible leading up to the race. Buy food to eat in the condo as much as possible. Rest whenever I can. Will try to find time for a short sweet shake out run to keep things tuned up.
Friday: A main goal for the day will be a recon of the bike course which will include riding a portion and driving the rest to see the new section and refresh my memory from the the race before. I will do athlete check if I didn't get it done Thursday and begin to prepare all bags for drop off. Possible swim course recon? Will probably leave swim course for Saturday and tie it in with bike drop. Again, eat well and rest at every opportunity.
Saturday: Bike check in requires shuttle to the lake. Cars I think are not allowed. So it seems like this would be a good time to do a swim in the lake to loosen up and get a feel for the swim venue. Bags will also be checked in. I will set up bike with empty BTA and bring fluids for the bike in the AM. Prepare all bottles and nutrition for start of the bike leg place on bike Sunday AM. Get to the condo to rest and mentally prep. Eat a dinner in the condo of high carb low fiber food salting more than normal with plenty of fluids. Early to bed. (usual route for me)
Race day: Wake up at 3:30. Eat as soon as possible. Oatmeal, banana, yogurt, milk. Dress in awesome EN kit with appropriate lube and sunscreen and HR monitor. First shuttle to the lake is at 4:30. Shoot to be on that one. (can walk from condo.) Bring wetsuit, cap, goggles Garmin and bike nutrition and any morning clothes needed with the bag. Get to venue, prep bike with fluids and nutrition, air up tires, pair Garmin, check bike for the appropriate gearing, grab wet suit and find the portapotty line ASAP. Sip on sports drink all morning. Head to the beach. Eat one gel about 5 minutes before entering the water. Hopefully there is a team picture at some point?
Swim: Line up with the 1:10 group. This is slightly faster than my goal time. Start the swim calm, but strong. Breathe deeply and exhale fully. find a long strong stroke early and look for feet that I can hang on to. Tight to the buoy line. Swim at RR exertion until last leg of the second lap where I will pick it up a bit to maintain speed. Exit water, move with purpose, wetsuit stripper, changing tent. Dump bag, Put on bike shoes (no socks), helmet,sunglasses, shove Cliff Bar and extra gels in race pockets as I move to the bike. Grab bike, head for exit.
Bike: Turn on Garmin when I reach the bike. Main Goals: Control the bike! .68 IF, try to stay below 1.05 VI. Use EN pacing protocol on climbs and find free speed on descents and carry speed into next climb. Get HR down to 125 to start the bike. Think JRA for the first 30 minutes then settle into goal wattage and control climbing watts as much as possible. Cap the HR at 145. If it gets near or above this, think about what I need to do to control it. Try to maintain the HR 135 or below when possible. I have a field set to lap for normalized power. I will manually lap for each loop of the course. (there are three loops.) This will inform me if I need to make adjustments for the next lap.
Bike nutrition: I will shoot for 1 1/2 bottles plus of GE per hour. Total of 10? This is 1800 total cals. I will add 1 gel or 1/2 sleeve blocks or Honey Stinger each hour. This adds 600. I will have a Cliff Bar if I feel like I need it. This will be 1000 mg plus of sodium per hour. If it is going to be hot I will have Salt stick to supplement. Maybe 3 capsules total. There is a little wiggle room here in total requirement if I can't get this all in or miss an aid station. I think I will start with the BTA full plus one bike cage bottle.
T2: Dismount, hand off bike, get bag. Move in control, but keep moving. Remove bike shoes, put on socks and running shoes, grab go bag with hat, race belt loaded with some nutrition, and race saver bag if it's hot. Belt will have a couple gels and some salt stick. hit the run course.
Run: Start super slow. Think about run form and efficiency. Try hard To get HR below 130. Try even harder to keep it there for the first 6 miles. Probably more likely 135 or slightly above. Drink at least 1 cup of GE at every aid station, more if possible. Walk a few steps to get nutrition and fluids in, grab ice and water for cooling in hat and race saver. Grab a gel every 5 miles and make sure fluids go with it. HR will begin to climb as the run goes on. Try to cap at 145 until at least mile 20. If I'm feeling good here, just run. If required switch to coke. Should be hot on the run so add one salt stick per hour for the entire run. I am prepared to visit the hurt locker here. I have my one thing (actually I have about three!). I have some goals in mind I won't list here, but I will let you know how that turns out in the Race Report.
Thanks you if you took the time to read this. Your comments are welcome.
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Comments
Can't remember your power numbers from riding zwift earlier this year a couple times but was wondering about the .68IF? What were your race rehearsals at? Also not sure of the grade climbing that 8500' so perhaps this is why you went a little lower on the IF. If you have the gearing you might consider bumping this up.
On the heat management if you expect it to be hot on the run I like to start the heat management on the bike. If you can safely grab a bottle and get some water on your head going out then go for it. I'll even carry one on hot days so I can pour some on the course, remember I'm fat and slow
For the bike you have total cal and electrolytes outlined well. The run not as much. 1 cup, more if possible. Remember all cups are not poured equally.
1. While dropping off your bike on Friday take it easy. Last year, the route to the lake was through a trail that was pretty narrow and busy. No need to race here. I think I rode one foot unclipped at all times ready for stopping. There is always an idiot that likes to prove how fast he is at the wrong times.
2. Last year it was very hot on the bike. At some point, motor bikes were spraying us with water to keep body temp low. It seems that is going to be hot and the elevation will take its toll, so be ready to adjust the fluid intake.
3. Why not turn on your Garmin before the swim so you don't have to worry about it. That way your power meter will be calibrated and you can just roll out without worrying about satellite reception or calibration.
Have a great race
- Don't know if you are planning on checklists, but since you don't say, I'll mention this. I found making three checklists on 3x5 index cards helped: one for what goes into the five bags, one for what I need to do at the venue on race day morning (this one goes into the morning clothes bag), and one for what I do at the condo before leaving for the venue. I'm not a list-maker usually, but in the bustle and anxiety, I was calmed by knowing I was on task and not distracted.
- Given the climbing will lengthen the time you are on the bike, a conservative -.68 IF after the first 45' seems a good choice. Also, mentally image how you will move thru bike aid stations (maybe even write this out?), especially since you will want to be using water to cool off in addition to getting GE. What do you pick up when, how do you maneuver bottles, etc. Aid stations as you know can be dangerous, so it's good to have a robotic approach while your eyes are on the lookout for danger from other riders and volunteers.
- On the run, last year in Penticton when it was 90F and above, I put my Race Save bag with ice right over my heart, under the zip of my tri suit. In addition to water on the head, etc. Also, if its that hot, 1 cup of FGE might not be enough fluid, consider whether you can also take in some H20. And demand ice cups - putting the water and/or GE into ICE is helpful. TRHen that ice gan go into the RS bag. If this takes more then 30 seconds each aid station, it is worth it. The Prime Directive is to maintain your core temp below 102.4; all else is secondary during a hot run. That means using HR is the primary metric to control your effort level.
Good luck!