![\"Aug24-5\"](\"http:\/\/adjustedreality.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Aug24-5.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nRace week has seen a few little pops here and there, even with recovering from the mystery funk.\u00a0 Fastest time around the buoys at the lake so far – POP!\u00a0 Race pace off the bike feeling like butter – POP!\u00a0 I’ve tried not to be greedy and want to do more, and instead take those as little fireworks I can grab from my pocket and explode if I need on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Since I am feeling good again, I’m ready to write the race goals I want without cringing and wondering if I’d be up for the task.\u00a0 I’m ready to conquer at Kerrville and I’ll go after it.\u00a0 It’s one of my A races, and the only crack at 70.3 this year, so I want to make it count.\u00a0 HOWEVER: I have some epic things planned this fall. If I am not actually in fact feeling 100% – I’ll take the plan and spin it sideways.<\/p>\n
Pre Race:<\/p>\n
While I’ll save you the gory details, I have a full nutrition plan from the time I wake up on Saturday until after the race Sunday.\u00a0 Then, all bets are off (until Tuesday morning, when I start eating like a normal human again).<\/p>\n
I’ll also save you my Saturday schedule, but I want to make sure that a) we drive the bike course (we do it every year but it’s still nice to re-orient) and b) scope the new run course.\u00a0 Drive the closest to it we can or bike down it.<\/p>\n
I have enough extra run shoes to get a warmup run this year since my main pair needs to be nestled at T2 the night before.\u00a0 Since we usually don’t get a warmup swim, I want to make sure to get a quick trot.<\/p>\n
Weather:<\/p>\n
While I don’t love this forecast it is what it is:<\/p>\n
Every time the “weather on the 1s” comes on our local news, I tell Zliten THIS 10 minute weather snippet is the one where the rogue cold front appears and we have a high of 75 on Sunday.\u00a0 Hasn’t happened yet, but I’ll keep the faith…<\/em><\/p>\n In all honesty, I know there is jack and shit I can do to change it and I’m just glad I’ve been training in WAYYYYY worse.\u00a0 A shady mid-80s run with a decent breeze will probably not kill me.<\/p>\n And, let’s get on with the actual race…<\/p>\n Swim:<\/p>\n I’m a pretty good swimmer.\u00a0 I’ve made some major improvements over the last year.\u00a0 However, it definitely has not been my focus for the last 2 months, and I feel like I had a pretty great swim LAST year, so I’m not sure how much better I should expect to do.<\/p>\n Process thoughts:<\/p>\n Start mid-front of my age group line.\u00a0 I pass a lot of people if I start in the back, which is fun, but inefficient swimming.\u00a0 I always feel like people look at me funny when I head up to the front since I don’t exactly look like a contender, but this time, I’ll just be like… “bitches, I was top quarter<\/a> in my last tri” and scoot on up there.<\/p>\n If I can find someone slightly faster to draft on, that would be EXCELLENT.\u00a0 I think there will be a much better chance of that if I start about 1\/3rd of the way in my heat (with the time trial start).<\/p>\n Try not to start quite as breathless as last year.\u00a0 Get a good solid start and settle into a comfortably hard pace.\u00a0 Keep focused on the swim and the stroke, and don’t space out.<\/p>\n Swim Time goals:<\/p>\n T1:<\/p>\n Last year I was pretty winded from the swim and took an extra MINUTE on 2013.\u00a0 This year, my mantra will be “race is still going, recover on the bike”.\u00a0 No need to get freaked out about high heart rate, I have like 10 miles of downhill on the bike following.<\/p>\n Process Thoughts:<\/p>\n In and out as quick as possible.\u00a0 Any time I spend dicking around here, I have to make up on the course.\u00a0 Who needs that?<\/p>\n Time Goals:<\/p>\n Bike:<\/p>\n Here’s the really ambitious goal.\u00a0 I’ve had a pretty stellar cycling year.\u00a0 My bike paces have been between .5 to 1 mph PRs.\u00a0 I’m able to nail the ~17 mph I rode last year in long training rides not feeling like I’m racing.\u00a0 I ride pretty fast on this course.\u00a0 It’s a good one for me.\u00a0 Before I smashed the hell out of it earlier this year at Cap Tex, it had my pace pace PR (for the sprint).<\/p>\n But… 1.4 mph over last year is going to be tough.\u00a0 I don’t have enough power data to really ride this one by power so I’ll definitely be relying mostly on feel, which I’m pretty good at, and glancing at speed, heart rate, power, etc.<\/p>\n Process Thoughts:<\/p>\n Take in a gel every “side”.\u00a0 There’s 4 sides.\u00a0 Once during each side I need to eat foods.\u00a0 Obviously, new gatorade at each exchange.<\/p>\n Ride aggressively, don’t get stuck behind people, make the most of that awesome mostly downhill section on the front end.\u00a0 Treat the uphills like class segments.<\/p>\n Try to err on the side of high cadence vs smashing, but smash when smashing is needed.<\/p>\n Chasing down speeds (if I’m at 16.9 mph average, set a goal to hit 17.5 by mile 40, etc) have worked well for me in practice rides.\u00a0 Do that when it makes sense.<\/p>\n Remember that certain higher power outputs can feel better than lower power outputs.\u00a0 Switch around my cadence and gearing and do some faster pace work if my legs are feeling stale.<\/p>\n Recovery is for ONLY after you crest a hill and also get up to speed.<\/p>\n Aeeeeeero as much as possible.<\/p>\n Time goals:<\/p>\n T2:<\/p>\n I did really well here last year, and I even sat down for a sec to try and pee (no dice).<\/p>\n Process thought:<\/p>\n No dicking around, T2 is full of hot fucking lava.\u00a0 Woman up and pee on the bike if you’re going to pee in this race. \ud83d\ude1b<\/p>\n Time goal:<\/p>\n Run:<\/p>\n Ahhh, the run.\u00a0 I have been having such amazingly phenomenal runs off the bike.\u00a0 Even in the heat.\u00a0 Even when the end of the bike sucked.\u00a0 Let’s call it super great consistency, not “I’m due for a bad one”.\u00a0 Because I’m not.\u00a0 I deserve to fucking conquer this half ironman run.\u00a0 Let’s roll with some more ambitious goals.<\/p>\n Process thoughts:<\/p>\n First mile is for settling in.\u00a0 I know what race effort *should* feel like, and sometimes it takes a little bit to get there.\u00a0 Whether I’m running 12s or 9s, the first mile will be no-judgies.<\/p>\n If for some reason I feel ah-may-zing, stick to no-faster-than-the-low-end of race pace on lap 1.\u00a0 I don’t want to explode and walk the second lap.\u00a0 If I’m still feeling great lap 2, I can run down the pace.<\/p>\n Cadence, cadence, cadence.\u00a0 If I’m having trouble and pace is pissing me off, just work on shoving that cadence up to 90.<\/p>\n Looks like my excuses are out the window – the new run course is relatively flat and has shade.\u00a0 Run it all!<\/p>\n If things start to suck, keep running and let time pass.<\/p>\n Stay in the moment.\u00a0 The mile, the section, the step I’m on.\u00a0 Internalize the process and focus on what I am doing right the fuck now.\u00a0 Obviously this is my goal during the whole race, but I’m going to need to really hold to it on this run.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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