Race Plan - Victoria 2008

So I’m off to do the Victoria Half Iron this weekend. Cheryl suggested that I make up a race plan to practice for Vineman. A race plan? I’ve never had one of those before! Sure, I’ve always written race reports, but never a plan. I used Cheryl’s example as a template and will start from there, apologizing ahead of time for the wonky formatting on some stuff (color, spacing) as this translates in from google docs…

Thursday: Start serious pre-hydration with Nuun. Eat well. Get a good night’s sleep.

Friday: Print maps. Check website for last-minute details. Pack gear. Think @ what to bring for leaving the bike overnight, how to split up gear. Organize everything to go in the truck easily in the morning. Take passports. Eat a yummy dinner full of good fuel. Pack breakfast/lunch/snackies for the road tomorrow. Pack some food for the room. In bed by 9.

Saturday:

Up at 4:00 (ouch!); Load truck, on the road by 5. Hear all about Alden’s fabulous night of track racing on the way up to Anacortes. Try to get some more sleep on the ferry. Arrive Sydney at 10:50. Make sure to eat and drink throughout the day. Drive the course when we arrive? Notice where I may have to downshift in the front and plan for it. Packet pick-up opens at 2, mandatory meeting at 4. While I’m doing all this, Alden rides the course? I definitely want to do a short ride to make sure the bike weathered the trip well. Think about parking situation for tomorrow, maybe make a revision about when we want to be there. Check out transition- know where swim in, bike in/out, run out spots are. Say goodbye to Scott. Check into hotel, find grocery store for some fresh food we couldn’t bring across the border, fill out food for dinner. Dinner in the room, make up Perpetuem bottle (if freezing), make sure everything is ready. Set up hr monitor so max hr is for run, showing numbers not percentages (so bike numbers will make sense), set ranges so normal won’t flash, lap time to display above total time. In bed by 9.

Sunday:

Get up at 4:30. First, eat Clif bar, sip Nuun, take Endurolytes. Make up Perpetuem bottle(s). Get dressed and head out to the park early enough to avoid parking-related worry. Arrive at transition area. Check on bike, set up transition area. Tear up Clif bars into bento box. Make sure Velcro on bike shoes is all the way open. Pee. Count racks, find landmarks to make sure I can find my bike after the swim. Soak in the positive energy of all the incredible people out here racing and supporting. Let it get me inspired and quell my worries.

Swim:

Seed myself as far towards the front as possible. Pee in my wetsuit if needed as we’ll be in waist-deep water. Pay attention when starter goes over the course. Mentally visualize course and count buoys in case I’m out there on my own when I have to turn. Sight often enough that I don’t head out into the shipping lanes. Stay long and strong. Dedicate the swim to Molly as she has become a rock star swimmer this past year.

Swim Time Eagleman 2006: 31:23

No Problem goal: 35:00

Realistic goal: 31:30

Pie in the sky goal: 30:00

T1:

Get legs engaged and feet up as I start to run. Pull off goggles and cap, unzip wetsuit, pull down to waist leaving cap and goggles in the sleeve. Listen for Alden’s support. Find rack. Once at my bike, stay standing to get wetsuit off (pull second leg out by standing on wetsuit with other leg). Dry and clean feet with towel. Socks on, shoes on, helmet on, glasses on. Locate exit and head there. Be careful jogging with new shoes/cleats. Pay attention to surfaces and other racers as I move towards mounting my bike.

T1 time Eagleman 2006: 3:00

Goal: 3:00

Bike:

Once I’m feeling well-established, take a sip of Perpetuem to get the lake out of my mouth. Check hr monitor strap placement and adjust as necessary. Press lap button if I haven’t yet. Breathe! For the first couple miles, keep a steady but not all-out pace to loosen up. Dedicate my first lap to the Ironmamas (Jen and Meg) in whose incredible company I’ve made my way through some crazy times. See how my hr is doing (first race with a monitor), but don’t worry if I think it’s too high or too low. Pay attention to my body. If I get a flat or have mechanical issues, I won’t freak out. Freaking out will make it harder to fix, not easier. Just deal with it and move on. And know it will impact my race goals, of course. Pay attention to time only to make sure that my nutrition is on track. Eat and drink regularly- making sure that I’m going through at least 1/2 bottle and half a Clif bar per hour. Keep my cadence up around 90 and spend as much time as I can in my aerobars. Be careful not to overdo it when downshifting (gently push with my left hand). Pay attention just in case as I may have to stop and put the chain back on. Listen for Alden’s support as I come around for lap two. Dedicate the second lap to the 35 & dry crew who supported and pushed me to my first 1/2 IM and beyond.

Bike Time Eagleman 2006: 3:05:05

No Problem goal: 3:20:00

Realistic goal: 3:10:00

Pie in the sky goal: 2:59:59

T2:

Get bike on rack, sit down. Listen for Alden’s support. Take glasses, helmet and biking shoes off. Check out feet/socks and switch socks if necessary. Pull on running shoes. Hat on, glasses on. Take race number/belt and Gu packet(s). Locate exit and pay attention to surfaces, other racers as I head there. Pick up feet and get race belt on, Gu in pocket as I head out.

T1 time Eagleman 2006: 3:00

Goal: 3:00

Run:

Get the kinks out of the legs- knees up! Hit lap button if I haven’t yet. Check hr monitor placement and adjust as needed. Breathe and settle in. Take Gu after 2nd aid station (about 4 miles in). Drink water as needed. Dedicate the first lap of the run to Alden as he’s become such a fabulous runner this last year. Listen for his support and I come around for lap two. Dedicate the second lap to run clubbers. Know that the second lap around the lake is just like a normal Saturday morning jaunt at Discovery Park- I can definitely do it no problem! Take Gu after 2nd aid station (about 10 miles in). Pick it up if I feel strong after the Gu. Finish strong, like I could go out there and do another one!

Run Time Eagleman 2006: 1:55:18

No Problem goal: 2:20:00

Realistic goal: 2:00:00

Pie in the sky goal: 1:55:00

Total Time Eagleman 2006: 5:37:10

No Problem goal: 6:20:20

Realistic goal: 5:46:50

Pie in the sky goal: 5:27:20