First of all: happiness is.....doing a 2000 yard easy swim--at an easy/steady pace, and looking at your watch when it's done and seeing 36:17. What the heck's gotten into me?!
Okay, second of all, I just got my "race plan" for this weekend's Half Ironman in New York.
Race plan? Seriously...what's that? My race plan in the past has consisted of hammer hammer hammer and try not to die on the run. That's an OK strategy for a sprint or maybe an olympic.
Yeah, it didn't work out so well for me in last year's HIM though. My run was SOOOOOOOOOOO poopy. It was more of a glorified shuffle.
So I'm reading through this thing from my coach, who, by the way, is a MULTIPLE IM finisher, including Wisconsin last year SIX FREAKING MONTHS AFTER HAVING HER SON. So, um, she kinda knows her stuff. I guess I'd better listen to her.
The trouble is that Competitive Sara, or shall I call her "Short Course Competitive Sara," (SCCS for short) is not too happy with the plan. SCCS is great for a sprint or olympic, but I wish she'd get the hell outta here this summer. She's totally annoying. Long Course Sara is much slower, but much more rational. I think she really needs to kick SCCS's ass.
Here's the plan in bold, in a nutshell, and the reactions of my alteregos in italics:
Breakfast: Eat 3 hours before the race, 400+ calories
Swim: Seed yourself properly. You are a strong swimmer, you should be in the 1st row or two of your wave.
SCCS: Now we're talkin'! Woo hoo!!! Hammer time!!
LCS: Um, no. There will be no crazy hammering. She also wrote, "think easy stroke and smooth stroke."
SCCS: Wuss.
Bike: HR Zone 2 +/- 5 beats, so 135-145 for first 40 miles of the bike. For the next 16 miles HR is low zone 3, 145-155. You should always feel like you could ride faster.
SCCS: That's crazy! If you could ride faster, you should.
LCS: Um, no. She also put in bold RED LETTERS, "If it is hot you might want to be a little more conservative....these HR's keep you below your lactate threshhold, so the lactic acid does not start to accumulate in your legs." Need I remind you of what happened at Deer Creek last year? You felt so great on the bike and then KER-PLOOIE on the run. Shut up and do what she says.
SCCS: Wuss.
It will be hard when people go by you, but stick to the plan, it is a long day. Chances are if they go blowing by you, you will see them again and you will be passing them.
SCCS: No one's going by you! What is she talking about? It's a race, baby! You're supposed to blow by everyone!
LCS: HELL-LOOOO??? What are ya, DUMB?!!! Don't you remember ANYTHING???!!! You WERE one of those people last year!! How's about you actually freaking LISTEN this time??!!
SCCS: Wuss.
Run: if it is hot, be conservative, at a pace that feels like you should be going quicker. There is a lot of running to do. Ideally stay at high zone 2 for first half of run. The more you run in zone 3, the more you will accumulate lactic acid....if you feel good in the end and want to pick it up, try to, just remember these HR zones.
SCCS: Pace that feels like you should be going quicker? Yawn. Then go quicker!
LCS: Seriously. I can't even talk to you. I think I'm going to bang my head against a brick wall.
SCCS: You're nuts.
LCS: No, you're nuts.
Enjoy your day!
SCCS: Just win, baby!
LCS: I hate you.
So that's about it. SCCS better not even get in my freaking car this weekend. She is soooo not welcome at this race. This race will really need to be training and nice and slow, so if she shows up, hopefully Jodi and TriAl can help me tape her mouth shut and tie her to a tree or something.
The only thing that has me a little worried is that the first 23 miles of the bike course look like they are mostly uphill, and then downhill from then. I will have to talk to my coach about that and see if that modifies the plan of attack or not.
Forecast for Geneva, NY on Sunday?
90 degrees F and sunny. Oh boy. Here we go.
So, onto New York--in the past 3 weekends I've been in the following states: Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and now New York. My car is starting to get sick of me.
Musselman, here I come!
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28 comments:
Good Luck out there!
Can't wait to hear out it goes!! Imagine the feeling during the last 10 miles as you pick off all those hammer heads one by one!
I start in the wave before you so if I see SCCS out there, it means your swim was really really fast or that I fried myself.
I can't really see the elevation change on bike course profile, but it looks like a slow steady climb. It's not as bad as the GCT.
Bring on the heat!!!
There's meds available to control those personalities. Hah. I trust everything goes well for you. NY, you're getting closer to the coast.
yeah, it is a tough thing letting people go by you.. Just think of the big IM picture and you will do great.. Conserve energy on the bike and have a great run.. That is how you actually can kick some but.. I think SCCS will like that..
Just think how great your race photos will look with you calm and relaxed. You'll look like a pro!
See you there!
Oh, good luck Sara! Is not being an Ironman knowing your body? Knowing what it takes to get through each part of the race? People always say, "Work smarter! Not harder!" Have a great time and I look forward to hearing from you in New York.
Another fun post. Have a great race. And if it is 90, just keep in mind that you're practicing for September 10th - when it could be 90 again.
That was my plan exactly at Mountaineer. The constant thought going through my head was, "ride like you could go harder". I rode like I felt and watched the HR. Worked awesome.
This is a training race for something much bigger down the road.
Stay focused and you will do well.
Remember all that you have read in the Mental Training book.
You will do great
SCCS can suck donkey balls for all I care.
Good luck and have fun! (i like sccs, by the way) :)
Good Luck! You are going to do great!
Love this post.
Good luck in New York.
Look forward to the race report.
Good luck this weekend Sara! It should be a great race if ya stick to your plan. Just keep SCCS in check. :)
Chica, this not really a "race." This is a long brick. Ignore everyone else (especially SCCS!) and have a GREAT day.
Good luck this weekend! I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one that has converations with the little voices inside my head. :)
This should be a great tune up for Wisconsin and a chance to practice your pacing and nutrition strategies.
Maybe the strategy is " NOT hammer NOT hammer NOT hammer and try not to die on the run"
I agree with veeg. Treat it like a long brick.
LCS (Long Course Sara) is more fun in my mind. It is so easy to blow the legs on the bike. Much more harder to keep it in pace and wait for the run.
Do you have multiple personality disorder? I think I only have a SCCJ. Sometimes I wish I had a LCJ. Good luck in the race.
Good luck in the race. As for the coaches suggestions, I'd put it to SCCS like this, "We paid an awful lot of money for this extremely qualified woman to tell us how to train and race. Now, we'll listen to the advice for which we paid." Then give her a wedgie (SCCS, not the coach).
Like others have said, though a milestone all it's own, this is a training race in preparation for IM MOO. Have fun and learn a few new tricks.
Irony is that my word verification is MOOukq. Too cool.
Good luck! I know LCS will prevail, and you will rock it. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids and don't forget the SUNSCREEN :)
Very funny post! You'll do great. An IM 6 mos post-baby! Jeez! She probably popped out the baby while doing the Boston! I don't know how those women do it. I don't even have kids, and it's tough enough.
Good luck! Guess with the temps. we are in the full swing of summer!
Eat, drink, and have a great race!
You are going to do great! All the crazy training you are doing will pay off, I know it. Good luck!! And stay well hydrated! Can't wait to hear how it goes!
Best of luck sis! You're going to be awesome.
Good luck this weekend! Your coach sounds like she knows her stuff. When you want to go fast, think about the heat on the run. Have a blast!
Sara,
"You should always feel like you could ride faster." is a key piece of advice.
Good luck at Musselman!
Stay tuned...
Have fun and be cautious of the heat. Listen to your body and not SCCS! Great post!!
You're going to be great...can't wait to hear about it...
At least both of your personalities are athletic. My inner voice keeps reminding me that I'm the brainy band geek.
Can't wait to hear all about it.
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