Race goal: to complete the course with strength, focus and stamina.
Bike time goal: 115 minutes
Run time goal: 52 minutes
Swim time goal: 33 minutes
Total time, including transitions: 220 minutes
I have been wishy-washy with my training. My plan was set out, but I did not take the time to follow it step-by-step. Several variations were made. When I started, I overtrained and wrecked my body. Towards the end, in the building and peak blocks, I skipped several workouts, when it was crucial that I did not. My nutrition was very poor. I want to do Wildflower again next year just so I can redo everything, start from scratch and see the difference. I really think I could have approached my training more intelligently.
Plan B: If anything goes wrong, here are some adjustments I will need to make during the race to help me finish:
If my knee bothers me... I will have to slow down on the bike and the run. Biking the hills will most likely aggravate it, but I had Dave Lettieri raise the seat slightly. I will need to practice riding a little to see if it is too high. I've noticed that since he raised it, I have not been able to produce much power and have to stay in the lowest two gears. This worries me because obviously I cannot race Wildflower in the lowest two gears. On the run, if my knee acts up, I will have to be okay with walking the course. Even typing those words hurts my heart, but I would rather finish slow then to damage my knee permanently. Ahhhh now I'm super stressed. Dang you, plan B.
If I get a flat tire... supposedly they have people on the course to assist you if you have any bike problems. Before leaving to go up to the lake, I should watch some videos on how to change a tire and familiarize myself with the process.
If I lose energy... have an extra bottle of water with Cytomax at the transition station. I will also leave a couple of Hammer Gels and a protein bar just in case. I will have some gel before the swim, bike and run portions, so I need at least 5 at my station. I may even eat a quarter of a protein bar before embarking on the run. I am bad about hydrating, so I will try to stay on top of my thirst. Note to self: attach extra water bottle cage before May 1st.
If it rains... I will lower my tire pressure and keep my Hammer windbreaker in my car. I will bring an extra towel to cover my transition area... maybe even a small towel to leave on my bike. Otherwise, I will enjoy the rain and slow down on the bike turns.
If my goggles leak or fog up... bring an extra pair. Last year, they broke right before the race, so it's good to have an extra pair. Buy some defogger and carry a bottle of Dawn detergent to rinse them with. I'll have Josh spit in them beforehand because his spit is the only thing that seems to work. If they start to leak, I will have to stop swimming and dump them. Grrrr.
Travel: I will drive up on my own Friday night because I will need my car to drive up to Fresno afterwards. I have not decided if I will work or not that evening. I will set up my tent that evening and wander around the next morning to see the set-up. It is crucial that I get the most sleep this night because 1. your body runs off of the night prior's sleep and 2. Saturday night is the night when everyone starts partying and being noisy, so I may not get a lot of sleep on Saturday.
Food: Bring enough oatmeal for both mornings. 4 bananas. Ezekiel bread. Turkey. Tomato. Avocado. Lettuce. Cheese. Strawberries. Coconut. Walnuts. Baby food. Protein powder. Spinach. Peanut butter. Jelly. Dried fruit. Sweet potatoes. Tortillas. Shredded carrots.
Tent: Borrow one from someone.
Gear: Transition bag, bike, helmet, wetsuits (long and short), swim cap, two pairs of goggles, Dawn, anti-fog wipes, 3 towels, bathroom bag, training shoes, racing shoes, 5 water bottles, 10 Hammer gels, 4 protein bars, Cytomax, Recoverite, Zoot Suit, Hammer kit, hair ties, bobby pins, heart rate monitor, cycle cleats, 3 socks, warm pajamas, sweatshirt, post-race outfit, sleeping bag, pillow, blanket, food, stove, hairbrush, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, tent, phone, charger, music, headlamp, flashlight, book, toilet paper.
Day before the race:
Workout: Swim: 15-20 minutes.
Warm-up: 3-5 minutes of gradually increasing effort, focusing on technique
Main set: 4-5x 10-20 second accelerations to race pace
2-3 minute easy swim recoveries
Cooldown: 2-3 minutes easy swim focusing on technique
Bike: 40-55 minutes
Warm-up: 10-15 minutes, gradually increasing effort or power and cadence
Main set: 30 minutes with a few 10-20 second accelerations to race intensity in aero position. 2-3 minute recoveries.
Transition just as I would on race day.
Run: 15 minutes
Main set: 15 minutes with a few 10-20 second accelerations to race pace or effort, 2-3 minute jogging recoveries
Cooldown: 2-3 minutes of walking.
Food: Dried fruit, fresh fruit, tortillas, sweet potatoes. Continue to drink when thirsty, don't overload.
Race meeting: find out if there is one.
Bedtime: Be in bed by 10, even if I am not tired and am just reading.
Race morning plan: Wake up 2-2.5 hours before the race and eat immediately. While listening to music, stretch a bit and get ready for the race. Set up my transition area. Go watch Josh start his race. Begin my warm-up with a light jog, a quick bike ride (if that is an option) and some swimming to get adjusted to the water. Grab a gel, sip some water, and line up on the middle outside for the swim.
Transitions: On T1, I will attempt to start peeling off my wetsuit once I hit the bikes. I don't want to start too early. When I get to my bike, I'll splash my feet with water, slide them into my already open and ready cleats put my race number on, buckle my helmet, slide on my sunglasses, squeeze a gel in my mouth and follow it with some water and run my bike out to the start.
On T2, I will park my bike quickly, place my helmet on the ground, keep my sunglasses, put socks on, slip on my shoes, grab some water and eat a little bit of a protein bar then start jogging to the run start.
Pacing/Position: Line up outside middle on the swim to avoid the kicking and pulling as much as possible. Start slow!!! Pace myself. Don't lose energy due to the excitement of the take off. Use mostly arms to swim, legs help only slightly; save the leg strength for the bike and run. While swimming, think of praise music and Brittany Spear's "Give Me More" to help pace myself, remind myself of why I am here and calm my nerves. Focus on technique, be careful of my shoulder and push all the way through. Don't panic with face under the water. Don't worry about trying to finish quickly. Find someone who is going about my pace and stay with them.
On the bike, we start by going uphill. During the hill, think of an upbeat song, maybe "Sexy and I Know It" by LMFAO. Small chainring, count to eights. Push AND pull. Breath. Stay calm. Remember how hard you have trained. Think of all the people expecting you to do well. Charge. Stay to the right so people can pass. Pass on the left and show them what you're made of.
On the run, start with a 9:00 pace and take it down to 8:30 within the first 10 minutes of the run. Hips forward, hands relaxed, shoulders down and back, abs in. Think of "Sun Hands" by Local Natives.
Course Management:
Swim 0-400 yards: slow, steady pace. Find your rhythm. Sing worship music in your head. Hand close to body, straighten arm at back, bent elbow mid-stroke.
Swim 400-800 yards: Slightly pick up the pace. Should be warmed up right now. Swim in zone 3.
Swim 800-1200 yards: This is the half-way point. Start thinking of a more upbeat song. Really dig into that water. Swim between zone 3-4. Try to find someone to drift off of to save some energy.
Swim 1200-1691 yards: You can see the finish line. Find someone to swim behind and when you're ready, finish the last 100 yards in zone 4-5a.
T1: Peel off wetsuit, transition quickly and efficiently. Hydrate! Know where your bike is.
Bike miles 0-6: Steep climb up Lynch. Count to eights. Think of "Sexy and I Know It". Pull up on the pedal. Stay in small chainring. Stand towards the end. Keep your stamina. Once you're to the top, big chain ring, heavy gear, 360 degrees with the legs. Stay low. When climbing, stay in big chainring until that last hill before the turnaround.
Bike miles 7-13: Rolling hills. Not much to look at. Remember where you hit the squirrel and think of how funny that was. Remain focused. Heart rate zone 3.
Bike miles 14-20: This is the turn around. It's a false flat. It gets boring. Think of staying low and pushing hard. Hydrate with Cytomax and maybe have a bit of some energy bar, even if it means slowing down.
Bike miles 21-25: The hills get hard here. Push through them. Keep climbing. Remember how hard you've worked. Keep singing upbeat songs. "Girl, look at that body, girl, look at that body..." "California girls, they're unforgettable, daisy dukes, bikinis on top..." At the transition, be ready to unclip before you hit the switch. Heart rate zone 4.
Run miles 0-1.5: 8:30-9:00 pace. Sun hands playing in your head. Think of how great it is to be outdoors. Enjoy the climb. Grab water at the aid station.
Run miles 1.5-3.0: 8:20-8:40 pace. Heart rate zone 3. If your knee hurts, don't be afraid to slow down. Better to jog than to walk. Better to walk than to
Run miles 3.0-4.5: 8:10-8:30 pace. Start picking it up. Hips forward.
Run miles 4.5-6.2: 7:40-8:00 pace. This is my typical pace. I should be able to maintain for the last two miles easily. Heart rate zone 4. The last half mile, pick it up and sprint to the end. 7:15 pace. You can do it. Turn up the music to a sprint, Muse playing in the background.
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