Wy's IM Strategy

Wy's Ironman Race Strategy

Number One Objective: Smile

Mental Preps:

Begin visualizing the best day two weeks out
Write a contingency plan for possible challenges
See things going right, see smiles, two or three times a day, especially right before bed
Have a couple good friends write a short note for run special needs bag
Write myself a couple notes for both bike and run special needs bags
Post positive notes all over IMC race poster
Tape a couple "happy" notes on the aerobars
Stay calm, cool, collected, coherent, within and happy

Pre-Race:

48 hours out, increase salt intake
18 hours out, reduce fibre from diet
Day before, eat small frequent meals of mixed low fibre carbs and protein
Evening meal of mixed simple carbs, complex carbs and protein (spaghetti with tomato sauce and chicken, french bread)

Race Morning:

Breakfast 3-4 hours prior of approximately 1000 calories (maybe French toast with jelly and small glass of skimmed milk, or a couple bagels with jelly and skimmed milk)
Ten minutes prior, down one Gu with a half bottle water
Toe the line, give thanks, say a prayer and breathe energy

Swim:

Three parts: 1612m / 450m / 1800m
Pick up draft ASAP, focus on comfortable, steady and relaxed pace through to last 250m of part three - do not work!
Last 250m, ease right off
Wear swim cap over goggles

Bike:

Take it out easy and steady, maintain Zn1 / bottom Zn2 HR (max 135 bpm) for first 30-40 miles to Richter Pass
Richter Pass and through following rollers, creep HR to upper Zn2 (max 141 bpm) and maintain, keep gearing easy and breathe energy
Stop at special needs for a good stretch, keep moving
Yellow Lake maintain easy gearing, breathe energy, as much as possible, do not exceed upper Zn2 cap, let 'er rip on the downhill (within Zn2 cap)
Spin back into town breathing energy

Nutrition - Bike:

First 10-15 minutes only water (start with salt tabs now if hot day forecasted)
15-20 minutes in, one salt tab and one Powerbar with water
50-60 minutes in, one Powerbar with water
One hour on, alternate Gatorade and water every 15 minutes
One salt tab every 90 minutes
One Powerbar every hour
One Gu (or something of approx. 100 cals) every hour between the Powerbars - keep something going down every half hour
Special needs: bagel, V8 juice, pretzels, Pringles, fig newtons - eat what I can, what I want, or take and nibble along the way
Try to eat one more Powerbar within 30 minutes of the run
Be sure to pee at least three hours into race, if not, slow up and drink more water - going too much, drink more Gatorade
Target a minimum of 400 calories per hour

Run:

Steady and comfortable, walk every aid station briskly
Keep HR in Zn2 (max 142 bpm) for first 18 miles
IF feeling good, pick up a touch to bottom Zn3 (max 145 bpm)
IF still have it in me, pick up pace a touch more to upper Zn3 (max 149 bpm) at the 24 mile mark
Breathe energy and just run home

Nutrition - Run:

Continue with one salt tab every 90 minutes
One Gu every 30-40 minutes
Drink one cup of Gatorade at every aid station, water in between unless too many pee stops, then just Gatorade
Special needs: bagel, Pringles, Mom's ginger cookies!
Cup of chicken soup, when available on course, every hour

Nutrition - Post Race:

Endurox R4 mixed and ready immediately upon finishing
Eat and drink LOTS
First 24 hours, eat anything I want
First 24 hours, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, then hydrate a little more to speed recovery
First week, eat TONS of fresh fruit and veggies

Post Race: