Wow, you made it! Your long course A race is less than a week away, and all of your training is done. All you need to do now is show up and race- right? Not exactly. While this approach may work for sprint and olympic races, you need a race plan for a long course race. Many people in your age group will have similar fitness, and your relative placing to them will depend on your race execution. Pacing, nutrition or mental focus errors can change your day from a personal best performance to DNF. I believe that you only show up on race day with half a brain, the other half is back in the hotel room. Having a race plan will let you use your half brain to concentrate on race execution, and making observations on your physical and mental state to be able to make those subtle changes in pacing or nutrition that will make your day spectacular.

Below I have pasted a sample race plan for a first time 70.3 athlete who has done a few sprint and Olympic races. It can serve as a guide for your own race plan.

Pay attention to how you pace the first bit of the bike leg and first few km of the run. These are the spots where most people make their pacing errors. If you read race reports you will seldom hear racers lament that they should have gone harder at the start of the bike or taken it out faster at the start of the run. Typical reports go like- “I was flying by people like crazy on the bike, then something happened around km75 and my legs were cramping”, or “I was having the race of my life until a couple of km past the run turnaround I started having issues and did lots of walking”. Most of these issues are due to pacing and/or nutrition errors. Be patient especially at the start of the bike leg. Don’t worry about those people who are passing you at this point, they will likely come back to you later. Same goes for the start of the run, plan for the first few km to be the slowest of the day, and let your body transition to the run.

You should have a nutrition plan that includes a plan A and plan B. Plan B should involve nutrition products available on the course. That way if you lose your bottle (or gels) on the bike leg, you will know how much product you need to collect at an aid station to compensate. Personally, I would (and have) stop and collect my nutrition from the road if possible. Your nutrition plan should include calories per hour and mg of sodium per hour. If the day is extra hot, you will need more water and electrolytes, but your calories per hour should not change.

Lastly, after your race, but while the details are still fresh in your mind, review your race plan. Write down how your race went, and contrast that with the plan. That way you can modify your plan for next time, and avoid repeating the same errors.

This race plan is from Joe Friel’s blog. Joe is author of the books Triathletes Training Bible and Going Long. I consider Joe one of the foremost authorities on triathlon. http://www2.trainingbible.com/joesblog/blog.html



Timberman Ironman 70.3 2009

Goals:
• It’s simple: finish!
• Pace, moderate efforts at beginning of each leg
• Have fun and don’t worry about time
• Race your own race, don’t worry about other athletes (especially when they pass you)

Key For Success:
• Good pacing in each leg and no bonking
• Stay healthy, no upset stomach or cramps
• Don’t forget to refuel and hydrate

Race Week:
• In bed by 9:30 every night
• 15 minutes of stretching morning and night
• Visualize a strong finish before sleep each night
• Eat clean, avoid foods that upset stomach (lactose, mustard)
• Review race plan nightly

Day Prior:
• Rack the bike
• Drive the bike course
• Early to bed

Race Morning:
• 4:00AM: Wake up, Park gates open
• 4:15AM: Coffee and peanut butter & toast
• 4:30AM: Head to start
• 4:45AM: Head to transition
• 5:00 AM: Transition opens, body marking begins
• 5:15AM: Get body marked
• 5:30AM: Prepare transition
• 6:00AM: Warm up & stretch
• 7:00AM: Watch pro start
• 7:15AM: Apply body glide, HR belt, put on wetsuit
• 7:55AM: Wave 12 Start!

Swim – 1.2 miles

Goal:
• 38 minutes (30 seconds / 25 meters)

Key for Success:
• Relax, avoid anxious thoughts
• Find a good consistent rhythm
• Sight frequently and avoid zigzags
• Breathe often to avoid hyper-ventilating

Axioms:
• Efficiency not effort
• Rhythm is king
• Sight, sight, sight

T1:

Goal:
• 5 minutes

Tasks:
• Unzip wetsuit after water exit
• Remove wetsuit at transition
• Bike shoes on
• Sunscreen
• Helmet & sunglasses
• Quick hydration (add solid food/gel?)

Bike – 56 miles

Goal
• 3 hours (19 mph average)

Keys for Success:
• 180w on flat
• Pace, pace, pace – aim for negative split
• <240 on hills
• Hydrate with Gatorade Endurance
• Gels every 45 minutes (4 total)
• Be safe, avoid accidents
• HR<160

Axioms:
• Light legs and high cadence
• Aero is the way to go

T2:

Goal:
• 5 minutes

Tasks:
• Rack bike
• Bike shoes off, socks and run shoes on
• Helmet off, visor on
• Wear race belt (or add to T1?)
• Quick hydration (add solid food/gel?)

Run – 13.1Miles

Goal
• 1 hour 45 minutes (8 minute / mile average)

Keys for Success:
• Follow Plan:
Mile 1 9:00
Mile 2 9:00
Mile 3 8:30
Mile 4 8:30
Mile 5 8:30
Mile 6 8:00
Mile 7 8:00
Mile 8 8:00
Mile 9 8:00
Mile 10 7:30
Mile 11 7:30
Mile 12 7:00
Mile 13 7:00
• Hydrate at every aid station
• Gel every 45 minutes (3 total)
• Focus on form: stand proud, slight lean forward, mid-foot strike
• Don’t over-do it on hills
• HR<169

Axioms:
• Stay in Proud form
• Light feet!
• Tight core

Planned Time: 5 hours 33 minutes


Post Race:
• Call Joe – we did it!
• Stretch & ice
• Nutrition
• Enjoy festivities