IMC Bits

Here is some of what I wrote Scott before and after the race...

The big question (as always) is how hard can I ride and still run well. I've been able to check out the entire bike course in pieces and in whole. I have a very good feel for the key bits of it as well as the parts that require mental focus. Here is what I am thinking. I would value your input.

SWIM
Even in my Oly races, my best swims have come from a relaxed start. Given that it is a long day, I'm going to start relaxed. An hour at 160 bpm in the water might buy me up to 3 minutes. I will get double that if I can elevate my HR in the last hour of the day. Also, the drafting rule will be 10 meters between bikes. That extra five meters makes a big difference — so there is much less motorpacing opportunity on the way down to Richter Pass.

BIKE
The last time I was _really_ strong on the bike (relative to fitness) was when I rode with Matt Brick in Taupo. I'm going to pace similarly this time...
Settle, eat, drink for the first 20 minutes
Relaxed steady to the base of Richter (about 1:45 ride time)
Mod-hard up Richter (30 min climb)
Relaxed down Richter and through the rollers (2:50-ish ride time, 100K)

Key bit...
At Mile 60 (this is the start of the flat) — (9x) 3 min steady, 3 min mod-hard, 3 min steady, 1 min drink & eat

That will be a 90 minute main set and will get me along the flat, through the out-and back, and up to Yellow Lake. It is this point of the course where (nearly) everyone backs off and fades. It is a very good point to work harder. From Epic, we know that I tolerate this main set very well — it ends with a climb. I then have the long descent from Twin Lakes back to town.

Back to town, stay aero, stay relaxed, steady cycling

RUN
I'm going to start the run with a 1L hydration backpack. That will free my hands and give me a one kilo incentive to drink. I'm going to place another 1L hydration backpack in special needs. Last time I didn't get enough calories on the return leg.

I'm going to run relaxed until the lake (the first 5 miles)
Settle, get my drink down, work on cadence
Then 5 miles steady, not tempo, alongside the lake
Careful not to exceed threshold through the rollers
Grab the hydration pack
Return to the flat bit
Five miles of moderately hard to hard returning on the flat
When I leave the lake, there is still plenty of racing to go due to the 2K out-and-back at the end
Push through the end

I'm not going to wear a watch on the run. No distractions, smooth execution, focus forward.

++++

The overall strategy is to use my efforts where they will most benefit me. Treat the race like a personal TT and aim for my best overall time -- the fastest way for me to get from A to B. Speed up where others slow.

There are two hours of solid work on the bike and 80 minutes of solid work on the run. The rest is smooth steady -- moving along at a comfortable, efficient pace. Eating, drinking, good technique.

++++++++

The Swim

Matt Lieto decided to swim on top of Monica's left shoulder and was riding her for 1200m. She missed the first group and ended up pulling mine. Great swim, felt easy to steady. Some pick-ups with pace changes. The new wetsuit is pretty sweet -- came out with Jasper and Courtney.

The Bike

Five guys passed me on the way to Richter. I was well behaved and let them go. 2:31 thought 90K, negative split. Drank a lot on the bike -- more than normal. I was expecting a hot day and that worked for me.

SRM #1: WHOLE RIDE
Duration: 4:58:22
Work: 4339 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: 261
Distance: 179.387 km
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 2046 242 watts
Heart Rate: 0 210 142 bpm
Cadence: 29 180 90 rpm
Speed: 6 77 36.1 kph
Torque: 0 158.8 26.2 N-m

The maxes about look too high in some cases. The averages look about right. Note high cadence average, which includes a lot of gliding downhill. Once my pace was over 45km.h I'd back off. Quite an efficient ride for the split.

To be competitive, I need to get my AeT wattage back up to 265-275w. With my new position that should do the trick.

SRM #2: BACK HALF
Duration: 2:29:10
Work: 2198 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: 262
Distance: 90.339 km
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 549 246 watts
Heart Rate: 79 165 142 bpm
Cadence: 29 180 90 rpm
Speed: 6 71.5 36.3 kph
Torque: 0 103.1 26.5 N-m

Heart rate never hit threshold on the bike. Pretty controlled.

Peak 1min (362w):
Duration: 1:00
Work: 22 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: 375
Distance: 235 m
Min Max Avg
Power: 308 419 362 watts
Heart Rate: 145 157 151 bpm
Cadence: 57 85 67 rpm
Speed: 12.1 18 14.1 kph
Torque: 34.6 69.8 52.6 N-m

Peak 2min (343w):
Duration: 2:00
Work: 41 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: 347
Distance: 511 m
Min Max Avg
Power: 239 419 343 watts
Heart Rate: 144 157 150 bpm
Cadence: 57 91 73 rpm
Speed: 12.1 19.1 15.3 kph
Torque: 25.6 69.8 46.5 N-m

Peak 5min (327w):
Duration: 5:00
Work: 98 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: 331
Distance: 1.592 km
Min Max Avg
Power: 240 386 327 watts
Heart Rate: 145 156 152 bpm
Cadence: 70 99 84 rpm
Speed: 15.8 28.9 19.1 kph
Torque: 23.1 49 37.6 N-m

Peak 10min (319w):
Duration: 10:00
Work: 191 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: 320
Distance: 3.294 km
Min Max Avg
Power: 207 386 319 watts
Heart Rate: 137 156 150 bpm
Cadence: 70 103 86 rpm
Speed: 15.8 32.9 19.8 kph
Torque: 20 49 35.8 N-m

Peak 20min (300w):
Duration: 20:00
Work: 359 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: 306
Distance: 7.776 km
Min Max Avg
Power: 102 394 300 watts
Heart Rate: 136 156 149 bpm
Cadence: 70 105 87 rpm
Speed: 14.5 52 23.3 kph
Torque: 9.9 49 33.5 N-m

Peak 30min (287w):
Duration: 30:00
Work: 516 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: 297
Distance: 13.024 km
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 394 287 watts
Heart Rate: 122 156 147 bpm
Cadence: 66 119 87 rpm
Speed: 14.5 52 26 kph
Torque: 0 52.1 32 N-m

Peak 60min (262w):
Duration: 1:00:00
Work: 943 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: 275
Distance: 32.045 km
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 394 262 watts
Heart Rate: 119 160 144 bpm
Cadence: 45 119 90 rpm
Speed: 14.5 52 32 kph
Torque: 0 52.1 28.3 N-m

Run — did the plan. It was pretty toasty out there! The issue with the slow run was more bike fitness than run fitness related. Once I get my bike rolling, the run should move back into normal territory. Nearly even splits, however, we had a buildign tailwind and that helped the return pace. When old school with a mesh singlet — kept it cool and that made a big difference. Think that I'll stick with that in future races.

======

Overall

SWIM: 51:57 | BIKE: 4:58:23 | RUN: 2:56:36 | OVERALL: 8:51:23 | POSITION: 3

TOTAL SWIM: 2.4 mi. (51:57) | 1:22/100m | 15th

TOTAL BIKE: 112 mi. (4:58:23) | 22.52 mph | 9th

FIRST RUN SEGMENT: 13.1 mi. (1:27:29) | 6:40/mile
RUN FINISH: 13.1 mi. (1:29:07) | 6:48/mile
TOTAL RUN: 26.2 mi. (2:56:36) | 6:44/mile | 3rd

TRANSITION TIME
T1: SWIM-TO-BIKE 1:35
T2: BIKE-TO-RUN 2:52

The strongest man (and woman) won. The ten meter rule is great! Really makes the winner earn it. It's also easy for the officials to enforce.

Ten months to an 8:20 Ironman starts in November. Considering that I couldn't even run a half marathon last August, my body did great this year. I'm going to give it a big break.

g