TIPS FOR IMC (written from Pro)

[Jon]

Hey Gang,

I'm just reposting this for those who wish to read it.  Jonathan Caron is a pro triathlete, and just put up this post about Ironman Canada.  Glean from it what you will (some of the stuff is not aimed at beginners, per say), but there are some good things here... 
Enjoy the read,
Jon

Disclaimer:  If you read something you like, great.  If you think it sucks: don't shoot the messenger 

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Tips and advice going into imc!

IMC is around the corner and I get lots of people asking me questions about the race. As I end up repeating myself a lot?here s a few of my idea for those interested in hearing them!
Week leading up to the race.


Stick to the plan: you got a training plan, stick to it, not the time to go ride with your friends and try there new super training session?.stick to what as work for you. Don?t try anything new on race day. Keep it simple?it s just another day like so many you did before.


-Learn to chill...... no one will die on race day..... yes, it s gonna hurt and you will feel like shit at some points and you will want to drop out perhaps but everything is gonna be alright because it s just a long silly day. So as you already know it s gonna be a mess out there... no point in stressing about it.... just chill and enjoy penticton


-Bike set up, So many people will ask me what equippement I use or what expensive gadget I use to stick tire, tube, tools to the bike. Keep it simple, duck tape is about the best thing in this world and make the cleanest set up?use it!
 

-Carbo loading; NO, there is no such thing, keep your normal eating habits?. Don?t over do it?more isn?t better?. Eat normal meals in the days leading up. It s not the time to be dumb and overwork your digestive system trying to stock some elusive calorie?. Normal meals?.(mcdonalds for me the days before the race!)

-Swim start; Maybe you hear this coach telling you to go out strong and fast so you can catch those super good set of feet that will bring you to a new personal best time. Well, hit that coach on the head for me! Swim start is about finding a position that you feel comfortable. AT imc, the start is so freaking wide?.go on the outside if you are like me and want some quiet me time in the first part of the race. Don?t start fast?start at your normal 3.8km pace?.. there is very little reward to those starting fast and anaerobic on a 8-17h day?. It s simply stupid. Most people will slow down after 200m, just let them get tired and go around them at that point?..STEADY?.swim is only a warm up with very little repecution on a succesfull fast day but with high potential for sabotaging your race is you go silly?.

-Transition; More than 2:00 minutes at imc is unacceptable?.ok?maybe 3 but please?you work all year on getting fit to improve your swim from 1:05 to 1h flat only to pass 10 minutes in transition have a pedicure and wasting your time. Be organize?visualize?no reason for passing more than 120 secondes in there?.GET OUT OF THERE QUICK. Bike shoes strap in the bag already undone for quick slide in, put your helmet and glasses on as you run towards your bike?.BE ORGANISE AND EFFICIENT?.you can make up minutes!

Bike ride. IMC?? is all about taking it easy for the first 3-4h of the ride before finaly realizing there is a race going on and starting to get down to business?.. Hills are the perfect time to go easy and recovery?going up!!!! Ride the flat strong?.but don?t be the idiot that attack those hills?..it will cost you hours on the run later on?..Succes at imc goes by taking every single hills easy?. It s a course where riding strong and steady on the flat pay off?..
 

-Nutrition. So you are conern about having nutritional issue. Well, 90% of nutritional issue are simply pacing problem. No, your stomack and intestin don?t shut down during a race?they don?t rebel and turn against you. They simply give you feedback. Pucking on the bike dosnt mean a bad day?.i ALWAYS end up pucking at one point from eating to much? it s a simple sign that tell you to back off, slow down and get on water only for awhile.

My advices:
-You feel good: it s a sign that it s time to eat more?.keep getting the calorie in?.
-you have negative thinking?.SIMPLE WARNING FROM THE BRAIN THAT HE IS LOW IN SUGAR!!!! Get that stuff in your blood stream NOW?.you will think a lot more clearly soon
-you feel bloated or too full?.back off on the eating for awhile?.go on water for the next 10-15 minutes and let you system process the calories?.. and IMPORTANTLY?slow down a little so the intensity goes down and your stomach can do the work needed?.

It s important to understand that nutrition is a dynamic thing and having a very rigid plan of how much you will eat at what time interval etc isn?t always the best thing. The higher the intensity, the less you will be able to eat and digest?. High potential for upset stomach. So?going up richter pass, go easy on the food eating. When you get at the top?you will enjoy a 10 minutes downhill with your hr plunging down and giving you the go ahead to eat eat eat eat..drink drink drink?your body will process that stuff a lot better. So?there is good time to eat?and time when you better go easy on the all you can eat buffet. But remember? it will always pay off to slow down so you can digest your calories?.


-Learn to tuck in in the downhill?you should reach 40+mph in those downhills?.you can gain minutes?. Learn to tuck in and THERE IS NO NEED FOR BRAKE ON ANY OF IMC DOWNHILLS?.you can take any of them at full speed?..

-Special needs bag? if you don?t get it or a volunteer miss you?? don?t be a dumbass (khai)............go back and get it?.

-stopping to pee isn?t ok?..keep riding as you do it?.. every seconds count!!!!!! Just be nice to people around you!!!!!

-T2. DON?T WASTE ANY TIMES>>>>> you have 120 secondes until I come in and tase you with one of those police TASER machine. Get out of there and take the first few miles to get hydrated and calories in??go SUPER EASY??

-COKE?.get on it from station number 1?.it s high on calorie?and low volume?good for running.

-Gels?.you don?t eat gels at a aid station?.you eat them 200m before it so when you get to aid station?you just have to grab a cup and take it down. Grab that cup and squeeze it(fold it) so you can drink from one of the corner and don?t spill everything out.

-run aid station are like a supermarket where the longer you stay in there?the more it will cost you? learn to be quick?get your stuff done and keep going?.. if you absolutely have to walk to drink?do it but as I said?.eat your gel before the aid station?.grad your cup and fold it so you can keep running and drop 15-20 secondes by miles just from not stopping there like a desperate fat men at a all you can eat buffets?.

-You feel bad, suck it up, everyone does by that time?just count your stride, focus on arm swing?FOCUS?get your mind busy? it s a mental game?learn to play hard!

-Pace yourself?.marathon isn?t about running fast? it s about not slowing down too much?.start slow?.and try to keep that pace?.because slow is fast at ironman?.

-you follow those advice and have a shitty day?. Well, life sucks sometimes so don?t come cry at me?. At jonnyo world coaching, SUCCES IS GARENTTED OR YOUR FIRED?..

PS: finish line ethiquette. THERE IS NONE? IT S A DAM RACE?.every dirty move to gain one position and sneak in front of someone else is encourage?.GO FOR IT?.cross that line and use those high elbows ;)

I will be at the bike barn all week leading up to the race?. Hope to see lots of you out there?come say hello and if your in need of silly advice?I have a truck load of them for you!
Have fun?.if you call that fun??;)

Jonathan Caron
Professional Triathlete and Coach
jonnyoworld.blogspot.com

[Jeff]

Love it!!
Thanks,
Jon and Jon

[Jon]

Jeff!  Glad you enjoyed it.  You guys swimming tonight?  (may get there if I can).
Since I'm on a roll, I think I'll post some more... there is one article I remember reading when I was prepping that was really good -so in my search for it, I will post any other good things I come across.

Cheers,
Jon

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Nailing Ironman Canada...By Kevin Cutjar
Since the inaugural Ironman Canada in 1983, thousands of athletes have finished this prestigious event and every year there are hundreds more doing their first. As a competitor, coach and keen spectator of IMC over the past 14 years, I?ve seen some great performances and amazing achievements realized on Lakeshore Drive, in Penticton.

In addition, I still see athletes fall short of their expectations, by making common mistakes. In this article I?ll outline my best approach to competing in Ironman Canada and identify some do?s and don?ts during the final days before the race.

RACE WEEK:

Ironman race week is like no other. With numerous attractions, expos, functions and parades, you may feel obliged or convinced into an unnecessarily hectic race-week. Ensure you have each day planned, from workouts to other activities, beginning with the ?must-do?s? like, race registration, bike check and pre-race meetings. Then plan meals, shopping, massage, time to relax and socializing. Plan your route to race start and your parking spot race day. Preparation on this level can alleviate unnecessary race week stress for yourself and for those around you.

Common Mistakes:

Sampling  abundant (expo) nutritional products the day before the race.
Being persuaded to try something in the race that you?ve never tried before.
Expecting local stores to have your favourite race nutrition items in stock.
Hot Tip: Don?t commit to anything that isn?t absolutely necessary during race week.

PRE ? RACE

Top up carbohydrate stores and re-hydrate with a high-carb breakfast 3 hours before the race and a sport drink up to within 30 minutes of the start.

Hot Tip - Arrive 90minutes before the start. This is ample time to do everything you need to. Don?t rush.

RACE START & SWIM ? One of the most impressive events in our sport, yet one people fear the most. We hear horror stories about being kicked, pushed, scratched and swam over. Many of these instances could be avoided if athletes thought more about start positioning.

Sub-hour swimmers start on the front line, at a strong pace, aiming for clear water in the first few hundred meters. Pay attention to what?s going on around you. In crowds, look for pockets of clear water and swim toward them, until the pace settles and you can find a suitable draft.

Never start in the middle of a pack if you?re a mid-pack swimmer. There may be a less crowded area over to the left, by the buoy-line on the right or even in the centre. Nervous or slower swimmers should wait on the beach and allow themselves 30 to 60 seconds after the cannon fires, before walking casually into the water and easing into the swim.

Where possible, gain a draft advantage by swimming directly behind other swimmers. Pace yourself to swim the last half as strong as the first. Swimming that requires you to breathe every stroke (cycle) is usually too hard and energy expended is far too much for the nominal time gained in this leg.

Common Swim Mistakes:

Starting in the middle of a huge pack.
Going too hard in the first 2km
Swimming alongside someone going at your pace. Swim behind.
Hot Tip: All swimmers should include a few harder 30 second intervals in your warm-up swim. You?ll be primed for the emotion and ?intensity? of the start, even if you plan to go easy.

BIKE RIDE

Ironman Canada has a single loop bike course that can be easily broken into stages, for a better mental approach.

?The Warm-Up?. Pentcton to Osoyoos ? Exiting T1 there?s a lot of noise and excitement and the course may be crowded. Initially, keep your eyes ahead and beware of cyclists around you. After Penticton City limits force yourself to a controlled pace to Osoyoos. It takes extreme patience to maintain an appropriate intensity during this fast section. If you?re ?strong enough? to hold back, the reward will come later.

?The Ride?.  Osoyoos to Twin Lakes ?This 90k includes varying terrain, beginning with the Richter Pass climb, in light gears at an aerobic pace, as with the ten rolling hills that follow. Ridden too hard this 35km hilly section can quickly destroy race day goals. Rolling out onto the Cawston flats, maintain a steady pace in the aero-position. Expect winds. Major time can be gained in the aerobars. You?ll start re-passing people in the out-back section and can expect to ride the Yellow Lake climb feeling great, which should be a race-day goal.

?Prepare for the Run?. Twin Lakes to Penticton ? This final 25km is mostly downhill. Take this opportunity to mentally prepare for the marathon.

Common mistakes on the bike.

Going by feel in the first 2 hours (is usually way too hard).
Climbing Richter Pass for 30-50 minutes at over lactate threshold.
Aggressive aero-positioning that isn?t maintainable after 3-4 hours of riding.
Having a time goal (can destroy motivation on windy days).
Hot Tip: Recognize that nutrition issues can be directly affected by riding too hard. Riding a little easier allows you to fuel effectively for a great marathon.

RUN

As you enter the ?business end? of Ironman Canada, it?s a great strategy to embrace your surroundings. You?ll need to give your body time to transition to running. This is especially difficult at IMC, where fans are lining the streets, cheering and screaming. Observing heart rate, breathing and mile pace are all important as you settle into the run. Know your planned average pace and maintain that from the start to the half way point, without banking time.

At OK Falls you turn for home. The marathon half way point is considered half way point of the whole race, mentally. Your discipline in pacing and conserving of mental strength is going to pay off over the next 13.1 miles.

Along Skaha Lake, Penticton looks so far away. Focus completely on the mile or kilometre you are running. There are some lonely stretches of road during which you need to become your own cheerleader! Stay in the moment, knowing that with each mile, you are getting closer to that finish line.

Common Mistakes on the Run:

Not having a specific pacing plan or nutrition strategy.
Believing your day is done, when you go through a ?rough patch?.
Listening to negative comments (ie: while walking through aid stations, especially)
Hot Tip: Taking mile (or km) splits on the run will help to stay ?in the moment?.

A successful Ironman takes commitment, sacrifice, planning and whole lot of patience on the day. You?ve done the work. Race smart and we?ll see you at the finish line. Good Luck.   

[tire guy]

I loved the first one,a lot of different... shall we advice is thrown out here ,that article made the most sense to me,bottom line race within your self use your head & suck it up!

[Jeff]

yes swimming Roblin 5:00, hope to see you there.

[Sandy]

Love the nutrition advice.  Common mistake is going to fast and not absorbing, like Jon said...don't throw the baby out with the bath water JUST SLOW DOWN and let your body do what it does best.

Thanks Jon

[runningwild]

Ummm, do you seriously pee while riding?  I'm considering training for a tri in 2011 (not IMC - not sure I'll ever be that nuts!), and hope you are kidding.....I don't have much shame after having kids, but seriously??

Cheers,
 Stephanie

[Newt]

Been there done that.

[runningwild]

Wow..sounds like I have a lot to learn!

[Jon]

Steph,

I have tried to pee while riding (in 2 IM's), and so far, the body won't do it.  My brother seems to be far more "gifted" in this area, he's even managed to pee while running (ok, slowing down a bit, but still the feet were moving - I was racing with him an dhe told me he had to go.  I expected him to then fall off pace, while he stopped.... instead he just slowed down a bit, and within no time, was right back along side me.  I  was impressed :)

Cheers,
Jon

[Sandy]

Steph keep everything inperspective.  First an ironman can take between 8-17 hours...a long to go without peeing hence the need.  You will probably attempt a try a tri or sprint tri first which would take between 1-1.5 hours.  Secondly the amount of time it takes to stop to pee can mean the difference between first and fifth overall or in an age group.  If this is not where you are racing...take the time and hit the porta john. 

[Janet]

I plan on hitting the porta potties! ( Just in case you were worried Sandy )

[Newt]

Peeing on the bike is a great way of getting rid of Draft Pigs....."If you can feel that you're riding too close" 

Peace
Peter

[David]

That's the reason for the padding in the bike shorts. It absords moisture.


 

[NancyR]

My mother always said, "You learn something new everyday..."