INTRODUCTION
This is IM # 27, of which 3 were DNS, and 3 were DNFs (one each in Kona, unfortunately). The DNFs are all instructive in terms of helping me learn about race execution. I have another IM this year, IM AZ, which is my A+++ race. Kona is a B race for me. There are about 40 men total in my AG; with each IM getting one slot, that means the older AGs are fairly well populated, and pretty much everybody comes in as a winner. I am not viewing this as a competition for top spot, rather as a race to work on continued improvement in all aspects of racing: nutrition, holding pace on the bike, steadiness on the bike, and minimizing walking in the latter third of the run. And as a hard-working Race Rehearsal #1 for IM Arizona November 16th.
RACE WEEK
Thursday – Run in the morning. Plane leaves 10:40 AM, arr on Big Island before 2 PM. Grocery shop, get into condo, start to acclimate, build bike.
Friday – Swim at 7 AM for at least 45-50 minutes. Consider a long (4 hour+) bike Waikoloa/Hawi + round trip.
Saturday – Race in the Ho’ala 2.4 mile swim following the Kailua Bay race course. Cheryl has the car to visit with Annette up in Waimea. Run in the afternoon.
Sunday – Shorter bike on remainder of course, followed by a run in the evening
Monday – Register, get coveted neon tribal bracelet for the week. Evening is Iron gents and ladies dinner. Start serious short term taper, no more than an hour each day Mon-Fri. Probably swim 30 min in AM, run 30 min in PM.
Tuesday – Ensure bike is in proper working order, take it out for a spin along the admin portion of the course through town.
Wednesday – Morning – swim. Afternoon – support services to ENers on course, with a 40/20 brick near Waikoloa? EN dinner @ Kona Brewing Co.
Thursday – Swim 20 min, bike 20 min, run 20 min, all to shake to dust off and deal with jitters. Prepare check in bags
Friday – 8 AM breakfast with Coach P @ Denny’s. Check in day for bike. Prepare nutrition. Dinner @ Jamba Juice on Palani.
RACE MORNING
If I wake up after midnight, drink one bottle of Ensure.
4 AM Wake up. Go through usual routine. Start breakfast of oatmeal, OJ, maybe another Ensure. War paint, race kit. Leave @ 5-5:15. Walk to King K lot.
5:30: Body mark, drop off Special Needs
5:45: Prep bike: 2 x 26 oz frozen bottles of Infinit, Joule – calibrate to bike, Solids, EFS to Bento box, check tires, wrist band and possibly arm coolers to aerobars, remove Hefty bag (if needed), confirm gearing is set to start out.
5:55: Drop off T1 and T2 bag supplies: T1 – Fenix; T2: EFS flask to Go Bag, Glasses (in case).
6:00: start to don skin suit, drop off morning clothes.
6:15: Hang out by pier exit until allowed to enter Dig Me Beach.
6:30: Swim
6:45: hang on to pier, aim for 2/3rds back on right for swim start
6:55: Start to race.
EQUIPMENT
Morning clothes: Convertible shorts, EN Race Team T shirt, Keen sandals.
Race kit: White DeSoto Forza tri suit, Garmin HRM. Additional items as needed (available, but not mandatory, depends on weather): Craft arm coolers.
Swim: Tyr Torque swim skin, dark Tyr goggles, WTC issue swim cap. Ear plugs.
Bike: trusty Frankenbike. Zipp 404 wheels, Bento box, tools under saddle. Three bottle cages, two on frame, one as torpedo mount on stem cap.
Run: Saucony Kinvara’s, Balega socks, EN visor, wrist band for my nose.
BAG CONTENTS
Morning tri bag: goggles, body glide, swim cap, wrist bands, arm coolers, bike nutrition – 2 x 26 oz frozen bottles of Infinit, bottle of 6 Perpetuem Solids, flask with 4.5 oz of EFS gel, Joule, Fenix, glasses (in case), run nutrition – one flask of EFS gel, travel pump, tire, tube, special needs bags (see below)
T1 Bag: Helmet, sunglasses, shoes, socks, spare contacts, towel, Fenix.
T2 Bag: Shoes, spare socks. Go Bag containing: wrist band, EFS flask, Visor, Sunscreen spray-on, number belt.
Special Needs Bike: 32 oz frozen bottle of Infinit, flask of EFS gel, spare tube and CO2.
Special Needs Run: Wrist band
NUTRITION PLAN
In Transition before race: swig of gel, about 6 oz of water.
On bike: Infinit – 84 oz with about 900 cal and 1.25 gms of Na; Perform (from course) about 120 oz – a bottle an hour for the first five hours – with about 850 cal, 3 gms Na, Water a bottle + an hour last two hours (as needed based on temps, hydration status); 7 oz of EFS gel with about 650 cal, 400 mg Na. Solids, one tab an hour: 200 cal, 100 mg Na. Totals: 2600 cal/400 per hour for anticipated 6.5 hour ride; 5 grams of salt; fluid totals – minimum 240 oz or 36 oz per hour, more as needed (sweat rate on bike is 16-32 oz/hour)
On Run: 6-12+ oz of fluid each aid station depending on temps. Start with diluted Perform, no more than 4 oz of total Perform per aid station. 1 oz EFS gel @ miles 6, 12, & 16-18. Coke, again diluted, whenever I need it.
PACING
Swim: anticipate 1:31 in water time. Unilateral breathing, alternate side every 50-100 strokes, or if sun is to intense on one side. I know how to swim, I’ve been doing it for 5 decades now, just lock in and ignore everyone else. No real sighting needed, just follow the crowd and keep the effort up. Easy on the way out, be prepared to work on the way back and ignore the visuals on the shore.
Bike: Anticipate 6:30-6:40 ride time, but wind will dictate this. FTP is 212. Try to forget it was 262 8 years ago and ride based on my current capabilities. That would be: initial out and back, to first hill: ride in the 130s, or .61-.65 IF. Going out to the resorts, don’t go over 150, or 0.707. An any event, NEVER see 160 on the watts dial. Up to Hawi @ 145 +/- or 0.68. Downhills, whatever I can generate. Up the Kawaihae hill, again, don’t go over 160, stay near 150-154. Final push past Waikoloa to the Airport is the crux of the race, where the mantra is “head down, power @ 135-140”. Power goals for the entire bike leg: 0.64 IF overall, VI of 1.055
Display on my Joule: Two columns, four rows, left to right: Avg Watts, Watts; Cadence, IF; % grade, interval time; bottom row toggled. On Fenix: PWR/HR; Fenix is back-up Power Meter.
Run: Anticipate 4:35-40 run time, dictated by temps. Start out thru town fiddling with Go Bag; by second mile, should be below 11 min/mi unless temps are above 72, then go with HR. First 6 miles in the 115-119 range; back to Palani @ 121-ish, probably walk up Palani unless I am feeling chipper. Mark ‘n Dave hill to Energy lab is where the suck starts in this race, but luckily, the sun will be fading by then. Start using the mantras of “No more half-assed races”, “This is who I am, this is what I do,” Slowing down is not an option”, etc all the way home. Remember to make this a valuable training day.
Fenix will display on two screens: Lap time, Lap Pace, HR, Cadence; Total time, Total distance, HR, Current Pace.
RACING STRATEGY
My job in this race is to (a) not blow up on the run and (b) not slow down after mile 14-15. Primary means to that end: sufficient calories and fluid on the bike, keep my effort up on the latter third of the bike. Remember my best race here was when I followed that plan, not when I tried to race to my limits.