Monday, June 19, 2006
Road to CDA 06: Prep
Some notes
Pre-race:
Transition bags:
There will be 2000 bags laying out on the grass. Helpful to tie a streamer or small flag or balloon to your bag. Anything to make it distinguishable to you. On race day you will see a couple of people running down the rows that cant find their bag. They will be in order by number, but they tend to get stacked onto one another.
1) In you swim-bike bag. Put 2 CO2's with a wedge and valve adapter with tube and patch kit into a small plastic zip-lock bag. For tubulars, no need for a tube but may want to put a razor (covered edge) into your bag to help cut off the tire if needed. Lay each one of your socks into your bike shoe so you can easily pull each on out and put it on. You can put some corn starch or foot powder into your socks, lightly coat them. This will help with sweat and keep feet dry for quite a while. Place this plastic bag into one of your bike shoes in the transition bag on top of one of the socks so its the first thing you grab. Just stuff the plastic bag in your uniform rear pocket and your done. Put your biking glasses in the other shoe, on the other sock. Its good to use 2 pieces of scotch tape to tape your helmet straps to the side of the helmet so you can just throw on the helmet, then pull the afixed straps down over your chin. This avoids the staps from getting tangled and twisted in your bag. Make sure your race belt (if using one) is easily accessible. Put your glasses on before your helmet. The helmet straps help secure the glasses. When you get off the bike, you tend to rip your helmet off. If the glasses are on the outside of the helmet straps, they will go flying.
2) Bike-run bag. Running shoes. I would put a fresh pair of socks on. Can use a light layer of foot powder or corn starch in the socks if you want. I have done this for marathons for years, and it helps. I have never had a blister since doing this. Lay one in each shoe. Its 10 seconds, but its comfortable. If you are taking a caffeine tab during the marathon (I suggest around 16 miles), put the tabs into a small zip lock bag and put that bag into your shoe on your sock. Then its the first thing you pull out. Put this bag into your uniform rear pocket. You can take out your bike bag from your pocket before this so you have plenty of space. Put a visor or hat into the bag. Put both of your nutrition flasks into your shoes also so you dont forget them!! 2 six ounce flasks per 13 miles is all you need. If wearing a belt, that's fine.
Night before: Rice for dinner, dont eat dinner beyond 7pm or so. Light on the meat and vegi's. High sugar treat after is ok. around 9pm, drink down a recovery drink. 100 grams malto with 25 g protein for men, 70/25 for women. Make up your race drinks the day before. You will have time to put into your swim-bike transition bag in the morning. You will dump off your T2 bag in the morning also. You will dissolve your salts into your bike and run bottles so you wont have to carry any tabs.
Race morning.
1/2 cup of oats with sugar and perhaps a banana, 2 hours before the start. Carry water around with you sipping the entire morning. 90 minutes before start, take 200 mg caffeine. If you are not in the porta-jon within 30 minutes, take another 100 mg. 60 minutes before start, keep drinking. Its ok to take 1 endurolyte tab. 30 minutes from the start, no more drinking. If you are on my carbo plan, you only need to put 4 gels into your uni. Keep them for the bike and run just in case you loose your bottle. Or if you want some caffeine, you can substitute a gel for one of your drinks around 1/2 way on the bike or run. You can put the gels in your uniform before the start, as your uniform will be under your wet suit. Put on 25 spf waterproof sunscreen after your body marking dries. Dont forget the back of the neck. Childrens suncreen works good for the face, it doesnt burn the eyes when it drips down off your forehead when sweating.
In your special needs bags. For bike you will have your 2 new nutrition bottles, for the run, 2 new nutrition flasks. Optional to place plastic ice packs (pick up at drug store) into your special needs bags. Ann did this, and having your new drinks cold makes a big difference on a warm day.
Swim:
1)Start wide unless you plan on contending for the lead. There is plenty of room. Moving down the beach 20 yds only adds on 15 seconds but you wont get beat up at the start.
2) Dont go crazy and cut into the bouy with the other 1000 people. All you have to do is swim about 5-10 yds wide of the first 2 bouys on the corners and you will avoid breast stroking for 30 seconds and avoid getting kicked and risk your goggles being torn off.
3) Put your goggle under your swim cap. If they get kicked, the cap helps them stay on your face. If they do get kicked off, just relax, turn over on your back, shake them out and put them back on.
4) Dont sprint out of the water on the first lap, and dont sprint down the beach on your way to the second lap. This will shoot your heart rate way over max. Just relax and jog easy,its only 10 seconds.
5) They will rip your wet suit off you. Get it started as you jog or walk up to the T1 area by unzipping it and if you have time, peel it off to your waist. If no time, thats ok...there are 2-3 people assigned to you that will rip it off. Carry your wet suit to T1 after getting your bag.
Bike:
!!!!) Weight means alot. Carry only 2 bottles. In triangle if possible. If not, a single bottle holder on the rear seat works great. If closely taking in nutrition using marked bottles, this works best. Using the strap-on bottle on the aerobars is ok, but you can take the preise amount of carbs every 20 minutes. No need to carry extra water, you will have stations every 10 miles. If you get on your bike and you HR monitor doesnt function. Shut if off and re-start it. You will have your total time at the finish. You need to know your HR limits during the race.
1) Start your 20 minute nutrition cycles 20 minutes after you are on the bike. Dont take anything at all the first 10 minutes or so. At 10 minutes, you can have a sip of water if available.
2) Take your nutrition every 20 min. Take about 1/3 water bottle of water at each water stop. This should give about 26 ounces of fluid per hour total. If temps are above 80 or it feels hot, or you feel thirsty, take more water at the water stations. If you miss a nutrition cycle, or are late by 5 or 10 minutes, DO NOT try to make it up. Just take the nutrition and start a new 20 minute cycle from that point forward. You dont have to worry about taking water with your bike nutrition (like on the run) because its already diluted into 5-6 ounces of water.
!!!!) At the water stations, do NOT just swing out into the path of cyclists after grabbing your bottle. Some will be skipping the station and flying up on the left. Pedal straight through and check your left rear quickly before merging back into the main road.
3) Once you are finished with one of your nutrition bottles, throw it away at the next water station and use the water station bottle in its place on your bike. This will give you a source of water, and you can skip a water station if you have 1/2 full water bottle on your bike.
4)Pee on your bike.
!!!!) If you drop a nutrition bottle and it has more than one drink left, go pick it up!!
5) At special needs, someone will be holding a walkie-talkie or megaphone. Yell your race number at him loud and twice so he hears you. He will tell the special needs people that you are coming. As you pull up to special needs, yell your number loud so someone hears you and is waiting for you with your bag. There will be about 20 people standing with bags, all different race numbers. Yelling your number out will alert the person holding your bag and they will flag you down. Dont freak out...just pull over, stop the bike, and change out your nutrition bottles for your 2 new fresh ones. Again, do NOT just yank your bike over onto the race course, you will get hit. Bike straight until you have a little speed, check your left rear, then pull back onto the course and get back up to speed. All this takes 30 seconds.
6) On the hills, do not stand up if at all possible. This raises your heart rate about 10 beats. Do not stay in your aero position, this puts too much strain on your hip flexors. Just sit up hands on the bars or pads and spin up. You can take your HR into zone 4 temporarily but no higher.
!!!!) If you have some thigh or quad cramping on the bike. Pull over for 30-60 seconds and just stretch it gently. If Hamstrings or calf are cramped, you can stretch on the bike.
7) Final 5 minutes on the bike, take time to stretch your calfs and hamstrings...lightly. Do not drink anything within 10 minutes of getting off the bike. Get yourself ready to transition.
8) They will grab your bike for you. Take off your helmet as you jog to the T2 tent. Your glasses will be under your straps so they wont go flying off your head. Dont sprint. Keep your HR below threshold.
9) You dont have to bike 112 miles: On the down hills, coast for a little while and stretch. Pedalling like a bat out of hell will get you 10 second lead on the guy coasting and stretching behind you. Do this on 5 hills for 2 laps and youve just coasted a mile. You CAN draft. You have 20 seconds to pass. As you pull up to someone, get in their draft and coast behind them for about 5 seconds, then pass them. If you do this to 200 people during the bike, you have saved 1000 seconds. Thats 16 minutes you are not pedalling over 112 miles. Thats 5 miles!If you see a line of riders of course, you dont want to weave in and out of each one because thats not efficient and you will lose time. If you come upto a line of 5 or 10 cyclists, just drift past them all. However, when coming up to that single rider ahead...use his draft.
Run:
1) Putting on dry socks is important. Yours will be sweaty and wet with urine.
2) T2 is fast, only 2 minutes or so. You can take your bag of bike accessories out of your shirt in T2 also, just throw your plastic baggie into your running bag.
3) You will run too fast the first mile. Thats ok. Just slow down after that. Extremely important you run your designated pace. 90% of all athletes feel great off the bike. This is because you've been sitting for almost 6 hours. Trust me. Stick to your pace. You will be wishing you did at the 20 mile mark.
4) Take a drink of water at every stop. Take another cup and throw on your head if its hot. If hot, you can throw a cup of ice down the front of your shorts or down your back. If wearing a hat, you can put ice in your hat then put the hat back on. If its not hot, dont cover yourself with water. Its more comfortable to run in dry shoes/socks if you can.
5) Your nutrition will be concentrated into 2 ounces. That means you have to time it so you take your nutrition at the water stations. Every 15-20 minutes is fine. As you see the water station coming, get your flask out and ready. Drink your 2 ounces of carbs as you enter the station and put the flask back in your shirt or on your belt. Then take about 4 ounces of water. As long as you take water within 30-60 seconds, you'll be fine. The water will dilute the concentrated carbs in your stomach.
6) If you start to get a side stitch. #1 thing is to just slow down 15-30 sec. per mile for a few minutes to bring your breathing down. Breath in a nice deep breath every 30 seconds or so and breath out easy. This usually takes care of a side stitch. Take care of it on the spot so you dont run the whole race uncomfortable. You can skip a water stop or just take a small sip of water if cramping. You can also skip a nutrition cycle in you have a cramp and its time to drink carbs. All you do is wait for the cramp to subside, then take your carbs at the next water station, and start your new 20 min. cycles from that point onward.
7) The special needs on the run is easy. You will be able to run while getting your new nutrition flasks (if you arent wearing a 4 flask belt). Again, yell out your number loud and twice so they hear you and can start looking for your bag before you get there.
8) The final 10K can be the best experience of your life. Maintain your cardiac and goal pace and you will pass at least 100-200 people those final miles.
9) Remember to pose as you finish, they are taking pictures. If you focus on hitting your stopwatch at the finish, your finishing photo will look pretty funny as you are looking at your watch. Just wait 5 seconds after you cross the line, then shut your stopwatch off. You should be spending your time crossing the line with your arms in the air, yelling at the crowd in that final stretch as you here your name.
Pre-race:
Transition bags:
There will be 2000 bags laying out on the grass. Helpful to tie a streamer or small flag or balloon to your bag. Anything to make it distinguishable to you. On race day you will see a couple of people running down the rows that cant find their bag. They will be in order by number, but they tend to get stacked onto one another.
1) In you swim-bike bag. Put 2 CO2's with a wedge and valve adapter with tube and patch kit into a small plastic zip-lock bag. For tubulars, no need for a tube but may want to put a razor (covered edge) into your bag to help cut off the tire if needed. Lay each one of your socks into your bike shoe so you can easily pull each on out and put it on. You can put some corn starch or foot powder into your socks, lightly coat them. This will help with sweat and keep feet dry for quite a while. Place this plastic bag into one of your bike shoes in the transition bag on top of one of the socks so its the first thing you grab. Just stuff the plastic bag in your uniform rear pocket and your done. Put your biking glasses in the other shoe, on the other sock. Its good to use 2 pieces of scotch tape to tape your helmet straps to the side of the helmet so you can just throw on the helmet, then pull the afixed straps down over your chin. This avoids the staps from getting tangled and twisted in your bag. Make sure your race belt (if using one) is easily accessible. Put your glasses on before your helmet. The helmet straps help secure the glasses. When you get off the bike, you tend to rip your helmet off. If the glasses are on the outside of the helmet straps, they will go flying.
2) Bike-run bag. Running shoes. I would put a fresh pair of socks on. Can use a light layer of foot powder or corn starch in the socks if you want. I have done this for marathons for years, and it helps. I have never had a blister since doing this. Lay one in each shoe. Its 10 seconds, but its comfortable. If you are taking a caffeine tab during the marathon (I suggest around 16 miles), put the tabs into a small zip lock bag and put that bag into your shoe on your sock. Then its the first thing you pull out. Put this bag into your uniform rear pocket. You can take out your bike bag from your pocket before this so you have plenty of space. Put a visor or hat into the bag. Put both of your nutrition flasks into your shoes also so you dont forget them!! 2 six ounce flasks per 13 miles is all you need. If wearing a belt, that's fine.
Night before: Rice for dinner, dont eat dinner beyond 7pm or so. Light on the meat and vegi's. High sugar treat after is ok. around 9pm, drink down a recovery drink. 100 grams malto with 25 g protein for men, 70/25 for women. Make up your race drinks the day before. You will have time to put into your swim-bike transition bag in the morning. You will dump off your T2 bag in the morning also. You will dissolve your salts into your bike and run bottles so you wont have to carry any tabs.
Race morning.
1/2 cup of oats with sugar and perhaps a banana, 2 hours before the start. Carry water around with you sipping the entire morning. 90 minutes before start, take 200 mg caffeine. If you are not in the porta-jon within 30 minutes, take another 100 mg. 60 minutes before start, keep drinking. Its ok to take 1 endurolyte tab. 30 minutes from the start, no more drinking. If you are on my carbo plan, you only need to put 4 gels into your uni. Keep them for the bike and run just in case you loose your bottle. Or if you want some caffeine, you can substitute a gel for one of your drinks around 1/2 way on the bike or run. You can put the gels in your uniform before the start, as your uniform will be under your wet suit. Put on 25 spf waterproof sunscreen after your body marking dries. Dont forget the back of the neck. Childrens suncreen works good for the face, it doesnt burn the eyes when it drips down off your forehead when sweating.
In your special needs bags. For bike you will have your 2 new nutrition bottles, for the run, 2 new nutrition flasks. Optional to place plastic ice packs (pick up at drug store) into your special needs bags. Ann did this, and having your new drinks cold makes a big difference on a warm day.
Swim:
1)Start wide unless you plan on contending for the lead. There is plenty of room. Moving down the beach 20 yds only adds on 15 seconds but you wont get beat up at the start.
2) Dont go crazy and cut into the bouy with the other 1000 people. All you have to do is swim about 5-10 yds wide of the first 2 bouys on the corners and you will avoid breast stroking for 30 seconds and avoid getting kicked and risk your goggles being torn off.
3) Put your goggle under your swim cap. If they get kicked, the cap helps them stay on your face. If they do get kicked off, just relax, turn over on your back, shake them out and put them back on.
4) Dont sprint out of the water on the first lap, and dont sprint down the beach on your way to the second lap. This will shoot your heart rate way over max. Just relax and jog easy,its only 10 seconds.
5) They will rip your wet suit off you. Get it started as you jog or walk up to the T1 area by unzipping it and if you have time, peel it off to your waist. If no time, thats ok...there are 2-3 people assigned to you that will rip it off. Carry your wet suit to T1 after getting your bag.
Bike:
!!!!) Weight means alot. Carry only 2 bottles. In triangle if possible. If not, a single bottle holder on the rear seat works great. If closely taking in nutrition using marked bottles, this works best. Using the strap-on bottle on the aerobars is ok, but you can take the preise amount of carbs every 20 minutes. No need to carry extra water, you will have stations every 10 miles. If you get on your bike and you HR monitor doesnt function. Shut if off and re-start it. You will have your total time at the finish. You need to know your HR limits during the race.
1) Start your 20 minute nutrition cycles 20 minutes after you are on the bike. Dont take anything at all the first 10 minutes or so. At 10 minutes, you can have a sip of water if available.
2) Take your nutrition every 20 min. Take about 1/3 water bottle of water at each water stop. This should give about 26 ounces of fluid per hour total. If temps are above 80 or it feels hot, or you feel thirsty, take more water at the water stations. If you miss a nutrition cycle, or are late by 5 or 10 minutes, DO NOT try to make it up. Just take the nutrition and start a new 20 minute cycle from that point forward. You dont have to worry about taking water with your bike nutrition (like on the run) because its already diluted into 5-6 ounces of water.
!!!!) At the water stations, do NOT just swing out into the path of cyclists after grabbing your bottle. Some will be skipping the station and flying up on the left. Pedal straight through and check your left rear quickly before merging back into the main road.
3) Once you are finished with one of your nutrition bottles, throw it away at the next water station and use the water station bottle in its place on your bike. This will give you a source of water, and you can skip a water station if you have 1/2 full water bottle on your bike.
4)Pee on your bike.
!!!!) If you drop a nutrition bottle and it has more than one drink left, go pick it up!!
5) At special needs, someone will be holding a walkie-talkie or megaphone. Yell your race number at him loud and twice so he hears you. He will tell the special needs people that you are coming. As you pull up to special needs, yell your number loud so someone hears you and is waiting for you with your bag. There will be about 20 people standing with bags, all different race numbers. Yelling your number out will alert the person holding your bag and they will flag you down. Dont freak out...just pull over, stop the bike, and change out your nutrition bottles for your 2 new fresh ones. Again, do NOT just yank your bike over onto the race course, you will get hit. Bike straight until you have a little speed, check your left rear, then pull back onto the course and get back up to speed. All this takes 30 seconds.
6) On the hills, do not stand up if at all possible. This raises your heart rate about 10 beats. Do not stay in your aero position, this puts too much strain on your hip flexors. Just sit up hands on the bars or pads and spin up. You can take your HR into zone 4 temporarily but no higher.
!!!!) If you have some thigh or quad cramping on the bike. Pull over for 30-60 seconds and just stretch it gently. If Hamstrings or calf are cramped, you can stretch on the bike.
7) Final 5 minutes on the bike, take time to stretch your calfs and hamstrings...lightly. Do not drink anything within 10 minutes of getting off the bike. Get yourself ready to transition.
8) They will grab your bike for you. Take off your helmet as you jog to the T2 tent. Your glasses will be under your straps so they wont go flying off your head. Dont sprint. Keep your HR below threshold.
9) You dont have to bike 112 miles: On the down hills, coast for a little while and stretch. Pedalling like a bat out of hell will get you 10 second lead on the guy coasting and stretching behind you. Do this on 5 hills for 2 laps and youve just coasted a mile. You CAN draft. You have 20 seconds to pass. As you pull up to someone, get in their draft and coast behind them for about 5 seconds, then pass them. If you do this to 200 people during the bike, you have saved 1000 seconds. Thats 16 minutes you are not pedalling over 112 miles. Thats 5 miles!If you see a line of riders of course, you dont want to weave in and out of each one because thats not efficient and you will lose time. If you come upto a line of 5 or 10 cyclists, just drift past them all. However, when coming up to that single rider ahead...use his draft.
Run:
1) Putting on dry socks is important. Yours will be sweaty and wet with urine.
2) T2 is fast, only 2 minutes or so. You can take your bag of bike accessories out of your shirt in T2 also, just throw your plastic baggie into your running bag.
3) You will run too fast the first mile. Thats ok. Just slow down after that. Extremely important you run your designated pace. 90% of all athletes feel great off the bike. This is because you've been sitting for almost 6 hours. Trust me. Stick to your pace. You will be wishing you did at the 20 mile mark.
4) Take a drink of water at every stop. Take another cup and throw on your head if its hot. If hot, you can throw a cup of ice down the front of your shorts or down your back. If wearing a hat, you can put ice in your hat then put the hat back on. If its not hot, dont cover yourself with water. Its more comfortable to run in dry shoes/socks if you can.
5) Your nutrition will be concentrated into 2 ounces. That means you have to time it so you take your nutrition at the water stations. Every 15-20 minutes is fine. As you see the water station coming, get your flask out and ready. Drink your 2 ounces of carbs as you enter the station and put the flask back in your shirt or on your belt. Then take about 4 ounces of water. As long as you take water within 30-60 seconds, you'll be fine. The water will dilute the concentrated carbs in your stomach.
6) If you start to get a side stitch. #1 thing is to just slow down 15-30 sec. per mile for a few minutes to bring your breathing down. Breath in a nice deep breath every 30 seconds or so and breath out easy. This usually takes care of a side stitch. Take care of it on the spot so you dont run the whole race uncomfortable. You can skip a water stop or just take a small sip of water if cramping. You can also skip a nutrition cycle in you have a cramp and its time to drink carbs. All you do is wait for the cramp to subside, then take your carbs at the next water station, and start your new 20 min. cycles from that point onward.
7) The special needs on the run is easy. You will be able to run while getting your new nutrition flasks (if you arent wearing a 4 flask belt). Again, yell out your number loud and twice so they hear you and can start looking for your bag before you get there.
8) The final 10K can be the best experience of your life. Maintain your cardiac and goal pace and you will pass at least 100-200 people those final miles.
9) Remember to pose as you finish, they are taking pictures. If you focus on hitting your stopwatch at the finish, your finishing photo will look pretty funny as you are looking at your watch. Just wait 5 seconds after you cross the line, then shut your stopwatch off. You should be spending your time crossing the line with your arms in the air, yelling at the crowd in that final stretch as you here your name.
