Race Plan: Big Foot Triathlon

RACE WEEK!!! 

This weekend Team Schmitty is off to race the Big Foot olympic distance triathlon in beautiful Lake Geneva Wisconsin.

Coach Liz as asking for a race plan so I thought I would post it. Feel free to comment and critique.


PRE-RACE 

Arrival to Lake Geneva -  Drive up in the morning after pre-race workouts....get there around noon to packet pickup and then hopefully get in a short practice swim to get used to sighting in the lake. Then off to drive course.

Dinner -- Something light and bland. Chicken breast with some sort of carb side dish (potatoes, fries) and at least 4/5 cocktails. Post dinner - junior mints (It's chocolate, it's peppermint-- it's *delicious*!....It's very refreshing!).

Breakfast -- The race starts at 7am. Since we are staying pretty close I will probably get up around 4am to eat (small bowl of oatmeal and small coffee and a salt stick) and go out for a "shake out" run (no more than 10 minutes).

Race Sight Arrival/Warm Up -- Will probably get to transition between 5 and 5:30 set up, take care of nervous bladder/GI bathroom needs and then head down to the water to swim as my warm up. If I have time I will slide a run in before heading to the water. Getting into the water is a priority.

PACING

Swim -- I'm done with swimming my way though the back so I will slot myself in the front. I hope to be about 1:45/meter for this race (so a little less than :27:00). Getting there will depend on my start and on my sighting but this course appears to be an out and back so really only one turn to slow down for.

Bike -- Just depends on how I react to the hills. I don't know anything about this course right now. Will drive it on Saturday to get a feel for it. Looking to average 21-22mph (:01:10:00 or better).

Run- - if the bike doesn't shred me and since I hear that this is a "trail run" I'm looking to average 7:15-7:30/mile on the run (:45:00 or better). This is really conservative but since it's a trail run I just don't know. I'd rather be surprised than disappointed.

FUELING

Pre-race -- I'll go to transition with a bottle of Gatorade to sip at me leisure (probably something in a blue or purple variety....vintage 2013). About 15 minute pre race it's caffeinated salt stick and a Gatorade Endurance Prime.

Bike -- for the inflight meal we will be serving; 24oz of the H and two Os, 24oz of Gatorade, First Endurance EFS (served in a lovely flask) and salt sticks (caffeinated and regular). I will probably start the bike with Gatorade and another salt stick and depending on where I'm at in actual race time, I will start in on the EFS shots. With a goal of finishing 40K in 01:10:00 or better, I expect to take in two shots on the bike (200 calories) and I will probably get through about 16 oz of Gatorade (100 calories). And then any water and two salt sticks -- one to start and one at the finish.  

Run -- Will grab my flask from the bike and will have extra salt sticks with me on the run. Water on course. Depending on race time and how I'm feeling, will only need one EFS shot on the run and maybe one salt stick.

MOTIVATION & MINDSET

"I'm good enough. I'm smart enough. And doggone it, people like me."

CONDITIONS

Weather -- Looks to be in the mid 70s and humid race morning. Schmitty likes humidity and I typically race well in it...it doesn't drain and wilt me. My only issue is adjusting my nutrition to match so I can keep up my intensity and ward off cramps.

Course -- I know little to nothing about this course. Going to drive the bike course to plot some strategy and see if I can take a look at parts of the run course to do the same. Like I said it's a trail run which I've never had in a race. I'm really looking forward to it.

-- HIM

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