Derrek's IMFL Race Plan
This is my 7th IM. I’m 54 years, 6’1”, 165 lbs. FTP was 270 watts in June on a road bike. Today, on a TT bike I’m estimating around 250. VDOT estimated at 51. Original A race was IM Maryland but transferred to IM Florida after a case of pneumonia. Thanks for any comments/suggestions.
A quick recap/highlights of my training/racing this year.
- January OS – Jan to Apr
- Self-supported 4-day cycling camp with @Edwin Croucher – April
- HIM Training Plan – Apr to June
- Saint Mary’s Olympic (1st AG) - May
- South River 5 Mile Swim – May
- Ironman 70.3 Eagleman (bike and run PR, 8th AG) – June
- Pneumonia – July; essentially no training
- IM training – Aug – Nov
- Ironman 70.3 Atlantic City (bike and overall PR, 13th AG) – Sep
I had a great build leading into Eagleman. Then, pneumonia took me out for about 5 weeks. I eased back into training in August and it took several weeks to get the endurance back. 70.3 Atlantic City was a last minute decision to test the fitness. Last several weeks of training has gone well and I’m feeling good with my current fitness.
Process goals:
1. Relaxed but start out faster than my usual swim start, then after 5 mins truly swim as fast as I can maintain form.
2. Smart execution on the bike, taking 5 miles at a time. Keep within +/- 5 watts of target watts, even if feeling good.
3. Patience and discipline in the first 6 miles of the run. Z1 plus 30 and/or keep HR close to HR in last hour of bike.
4. As I always try, race to my full potential
RACE WEEK
Monday – Wednesday: S/B/R workouts per training plan.
Wednesday
- Arrive Ft Walton Beach
- Run and swim (if I can find a pool)
- Dinner
Thursday
- Breakfast
- Drive to PCB (45 mins), Athlete Check In (9:00-5:00)
- Practice swim
- Athlete briefing (11:00 and 2:00)
- TBD – Lunch
- Check into Condo
- Pick up bike (Tri Bike Transport); install pedals
- Ride bike course (1.5 hours/30 miles)
- Run 30 mins
- EN Team Dinner?
- Organize T1/T2 Bags; In bed by 10:00
Friday
- 9:00 – Big Breakfast
- Final Bike Check (check bolts, brakes, oil chain); Double check T1 and T2 Bags
- 1:00-2:00 - Bike check in / drop off T1 and T2 Bags (open between 10-2:00); Recon
Transition area, swim exit to T1 Bag to changing tent to bike location to bike out/in, T2
Bag, tent to run out
- Drive the run course and some of the bike course
- Relax
- 5:00 - Light Dinner
- Hydrate with Precision Hydration 1500
- Organize BSN and RSN bags
- Lay out race clothes/morning clothes; Charge Garmin 735 and 520; Review race plan
- 9:30 Bedtime.
Bags:
o Morning Clothes Bag: T1 Full Wetsuit, crack pipe, body glide, goggles (x2), race swim cap, 5 GU Gels, bottle of water, bottle of water with Precision Hydration 1500, spare tire/tube/CO2, 3 bottles of GE (1 for BTA/2 for rear seat), and small towel. Electrical Tape, toilet paper in ziplock/sanitizer, Garmin 520.
o T1 Bag: Helmet, bike shoes, small Ziploc bag with Advil/Imodium/pepto;
o T2 Bag: Hoka Carbon X shoes, socks with Vaseline in toes/rolled, large Ziploc/Go Bag: EN trucker cap, race belt w/ bib, 4 GU gels and race saver bag, bottle of Gatorlyte
o Bike Special Needs (only stop if needed): 1 tube/CO2, 1 mini chamois cream
o Run Special Needs (only stop if needed): Don’t need
Sunday – RACE DAY!
o 3:30 - Wake up
o 3:40 - Eat 500-600 calories of (depending on availability) oatmeal, banana, bagel/honey, apple sauce, Naked Juice, drink Precision Hydration 1500
o Get Dressed: EN Speed Suit; Chamois Cream; HRM (Snug); Timing Chip, pinned; Garmin 735
o Long sleeve shirt; shoes
o 5:00 - Leave for Transition, 5 min walk (Opens at 4:30)
o Set up bike –1 bottle of GE for BTA, 2 bottles for back of saddle (remove seals), tape 4 GU gels to bike, check gearing, check tire pressure/94 psi, check brakes for rubbing
o Turn on/sync/turn off Garmin 520
o Body marking
o Drop off Bike special needs bag
o 6:00 – EN Group Picture?
o 6:00 – Don Swimskin / wetsuit; drop off morning clothes bag
o 6:10 – Walk to swim start
o 6:10 - Take 1 Gel with water
o 6:15 - Arrive at swim start and do warm up exercises and warm up swim
Swim: 1:10 – 1:15
- 6:40 AG start time; line up with the 1:10 group
- Start relaxed, long strokes but no gliding. Head down, find breathing rhythm sighting every 6-8 strokes
- Know that it takes 500 yds to get comfortable; then increase cadence, strong pull, firm hands, keep foot on the gas, focus on tautness/alignment
T1
o Walk 10 steps to get oriented, get to wetsuit strippers, then fast but careful run to TA, grab bike bag and put on helmet. No sitting down. Shoes in-hand; find volunteer to put wetsuit in bag then put on shoes and run to bike.
Bike (5:15-5:20)
o Ride first 20 minutes as JRA and get HR below 130 bpm
o Every 30 mins stand to stretch hip flexors/back but don’t spike HR/watts.
o If heat is a factor, keep HR under 145
o Break course into 4 sections: Admin section to bridge, counter-clockwise circle, N-S leg, final beach stretch
o Garmin 520: Auto lap every 4 miles, display 3 sec Power, Lap NP, HR, cadence and speed
o Four sections of bike course
o 1 – Admin miles to bridge -12 miles
o 2 – Half circle – 46 miles
o 3 – out & long back – 32 miles
o 4 – Hwy 98/Beach – 22 miles
o Nutrition:
o Drink 2 bottles (2.5 to 3 if warm) of GE in the first hour
o Then, drink 2 bottles of GE per hour, drinking every 10 mins
o 1 GU at 1.5 hr, 3 hrs, 4.5 hrs
o TOTAL PER HOUR: 360-410 calories; 1,200 mg sodium
T2
o Take feet out of shoes in last ½ mile; dismount/hand bike off to volunteers (shoes stay on bike)
o Take helmet off while running to TA; find chair near exit, socks on, shoes on
o Grab Go Bag containing trucker hat, race belt with 4 GUs and bottle of Gatorlyte, race saver bag
Run (3:30) Forget time goal if temps are in the high 80s
o Miles 1-6: Keep HR in mid-130s or within 5 bpm of average bike HR in the last hour. Will use HR as a guide if warm temps are forecasted.
o Be patient and watch pace / HR in first 6 miles! Walk every aide station to manage HR
o RPE = 6 and will feel soooo slow.
o Take water and a GU at miles 2, 4 and 6.
o Miles 7-18: Ease into TRP
o Keep cadence up, run tall, on toes, focus on form, stay relaxed
o RPE = 7 (marathon RPE)
o Run by feel but monitor HR (mid-150s is cap until mile 18)
o Miles 19 – 26.2: Hang in there! Run slightly faster if feeling good
o Maintain TRP or faster; expect each mile to get harder
o RPE = 8, then 9 in the last 2-3 miles
o Welcome and embrace the suck, just keep smiling
o Time to fish (reel in runners up ahead) and smile to yourself as you pass them
o Ignore HR
o Walk aid stations as needed for 10 – 20 steps
o Nutrition:
o At each aid station drink either water or GE
o Take 1 caffeinated GU every 5 miles after mile 6
o If energy seems low drink Coke after mile 18
Smile, thank the volunteers, enjoy the atmosphere and have fun.
Comments
Derrek,
great plan. Can't wait to share the week/course with you. Throw-away socks for the freezing sand on race morning (trust me). It’ll be cool the first portion of the bike. I’m bringing a few pairs of throw-away arm warmers. Bike will not be hot, so 2 bottles/hr will be tough. Be prepared to supp with gels, etc. if you only get 1.5. But bike will have wind. It’s almost always from the N or S, which can make the home stretch fun or a grind. Really no need to recon the courses - flat, boring miles of concrete. The only incline on the run is a curb. Which makes this a pretty brutal run course. I think LP is faster cuz you get to use different muscle groups.
Give me a buzz when you get in on Thur. Travel safely, cheers to what should be a great race for you.
MR
you got this. Go crush it. We'll be watching.
What's most impressive about this plan is how your bike targets have advanced so much over the past five years.
Having watched your workouts on Strava the past few months, there is no question about your fitness for this race. If you follow your process plan, there will also be no question about a successful execution.
Excited for you @Derrek Sanks .. I see a good day coming your way. Good luck.
@Mike Roberts Thanks for the cold sand tip! Temps continuing to drop. I'll also have extra gels on my bike as you're right about drinking that much in cold temps.
Thanks @Sheila Leard and @Robert Sabo
@Al Truscott Thank you for your leadership and all your wise advice over @Robert Saboyears!
Late to the party. Enjoy the fishing in Florida. Good Skill.
LOL. Thanks @tim cronk.
@Derrek Sanks Even later. My only comment do you want to carry 3 bottles on the bike to start particularly if you will be working to get 2 in an hour?
Have a great race.
@Gordon Cherwoniak. Thanks for your comment. I've thought about going with 2 but 3 gives me reassurance in case I lose a bottle or something.