Vineman 70.3 2013

Good lead up going into Vineman despite 6 weddings in 2 months (big workout weekends were off the table)
Started taper about 10 days out and did a good race prep brick Monday of race week (Race was on Sunday so still 6 days out)

Decent swim volume however my interval times seemed to be slow- endurance got better with Paddle work in the last 2 weeks

Bike miles way down to make room for running but focussed on  getting in 2 key workouts a week (FTH & HIM paced efforts) 

Month of running focused on speed work mixed in with moderate milage

Pre-race Dinner

Pizza with egg on it

Avoided salad

Dessert blueberry muffin

Bfast

1 ensure (350 Cal)

1 bagel (not toasted, no spread)

1 Starbucks mocha double shot expresso can (200 cal)

1 expresso love gel 10 min pre swim

Swim 31:27

BS Helix (3rd gen)/Aquasphere grey lens with baby shampoo

Disappointed with swim

Knew just before turnaround that I was off my goal of sub 30

Thought  "dont panic"  hold your pace rather than try to make up time in the water.  Make it up by having a good bike/run

*25/205AG when in 2011 very similar time got me 50/213AG (maybe swim was a bit long?)

T1 2:51

Started with arm sleeves on

Might be too tight and decrease feel of water on arms (but saves time in T1)

Not sure best approach

Started with shoes on per new rule. Biked up hill out of T1 (people were falling all over the place

Bike 2:18:20 (Avg Speed 24.1)

Same bike set up as IMAZ 2012 (with following upgrades: Di2, DA SRM, HED armrests- narrower, Keo Aero-Blades)

Avg Power 257 (NP 264)

Avg HR 152

Avg Cad 87

Steady effort from the start

Was aiming for around NP280 (which was no problem in training)

Also aiming for 2:20 bike. Got it!  Love to see what 280NP would give me

Lots of passing might have brought power down

Kept it steady on hills and kept in TT position almost entire ride

Gel q15min

1.5 bottles of Gatorade

1 bottle water

Zip tie on bottle cage broke- might be good to go back to velcro

T2 2:09

Sat down to get on socks and shoes

Cooler for cold Coke (flatted with blender)

Run 1:29:49 (avg 6:51)

Aiming for 1:30 run. Got it!

Struggled more on the back half but kept it together

"Keep the legs moving- Flow like water"

Avg HR 170

Avg Cad 99

Splits

1- 6:23

2- 6:27

3- 6:36

4- 6:53

5- 6:52

6-6:46

7- 6:49

8- 7:05

9- 7:07

10- 7:18

11- 7:08

12- 7:16

13- 6:57

Gel about every 2.5 miles or about every 20min

1.75 bottles coke

Total

4:24:23

6/205AG

Got offered a spot for  the 70.3 Championships in Vegas but declined
Given it's only 2 weeks after IMCA I do not think it's a realistic goal to race well.  
I'm going to Focus on giving a good effort to get to the Kona start line 

Keys to Race

#1 Nutrition and plan!  

WT 178 race week!!!!!!!!!!!! Loving veggie juicing, brown rice, no soda (other than running coke) This needs an entire post alone!

No supplements other than one scoop of protein after very very hard efforts. 
I love this!  Why put that crap in your body

Plan was the key to this race!!

Trained with Gels q15 in hard workouts on bike

Need to train with coke on run

#2 Speed work running

Consistent well executed speed sessions once a week for 4-5 weeks

Backed off bike miles to focus on running

Although I bike hard during the race my NP was 15watts below my goal and my run was a 5 min PR. (dont think taking it easier on the bike is ticket to faster time from this race)

#3 Rest

Smart training taper while keeping swimming up (might of accounted for sluggish arms on swim?)

Got good sleep race week

Rested overall more than in the past

#4 Bike

Race specific and FTH sessions.

Work to do

#1 Run speed

Great improvements in running by adding speed but still have a way to go to keep up with the skinny speedsters.  Keep up the good work

#2 Nutrition plays a key role. Practice race approach including coke

Keep moving in the right direction with wt and body composition

#3 Swimming!  100s and PwP

After trying out Tower 26 seems 100s and PwP is the best use of time for good results.  Swimming is still my weakness but the run is a priority at this time.  

#4 Endurance biking

Time to get some long rides in