The Doctor's Journey

Nimble Ironman Arizona Race Week

• By admin
• November 11, 2014
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Greetings everyone! Much time has passed since we last spoke, so let’s get reacquainted shall we? I am Nimble, because that is the name I have given myself. Some of you may find it pretty lame when a grown man gives himself his own nickname, but I like it so I’m rolling with it. Back in January, I started my attempts to entertain you with my adventures while subtlety trying to convince you to give me money for a great cause. Update…I have reached my goal of raising $13,000 for the Go Mitch Go Foundation through the kindness and generosity of the Nimble Army (also know as the greatest collection of awesome human beings on our planet).   Together we are delivering a vicious smack down to Leukemia and Lymphoma. Now, with fundraising goals met, I can direct my focus to train and entertain.

Did you know that Ironman Arizona is only 4 days away. Say what!? Nimble has totally been neglecting you, but I haven’t been neglecting my training and I have the tan lines to prove it. So with race week in full effect, I wanted to take you behind the scenes and live Ironman with me. Interested? Keep reading then. Early this morning the Team Nimble left Oklahoma City just ahead of our city’s first “Polar Freeze” that has received heavy run Nimble’s favorite news and weather source KFOR. I mention this only because several of my Go Mitch Go teammates aren’t set to leave OKC until Friday, and I’m hoping that there travel isn’t affected.

As far as the Nimble Mobile, road tripping with Mama Nimble and Pops Nimble is something I haven’t done in a LONG time and now I know why. Mama Nimble is a talker, and she’s thoroughly updated me on everything that happening in her adopted hometown of Ada, OK. Thanks Mama Nimble. Pops Nimble on the other hand tends to be more quite, until he randomly starts a story about how things used to be in Mexico when he was a kid and how he would probably be great a triathlon if he didn’t have to work the fields with his dad. I remind him that he probably would have needed to know how to swim and have had a bike too. He didn’t like that, and clarifies that the point of his story was that he didn’t have the “leisure time” that I do. Thanks for the pep talk Pops! There will be more musings from Pops Nimble later (he’s a gold mine of material).

 

The plan is to overnight in Albuquerque, when hopefully this will be uploaded to the Nimble Doctor site. I still plan to get in a quick work out in after sitting in the car for nearly 8 hours. If it seems that everything is scheduled, you intuition is spot on. Nimble has several flaws, but being disorganized is not one of them. Welcome to my Ironman Arizona Race Week Plan. There is a lot to digest here, but it’s a great glimpse into what goes through Nimble’s mind as he is preparing to complete this awesome adventure. Enjoy!

 

Race Plan: Ironman Arizona

 

Mental Approach:

I am grateful. Approach this day and week with gratitude, appreciation, love and enthusiasm. I love the cause that I am supporting, this sport, my teammates, everyone believing in me, and this race. I appreciate the difficulty and lessons of the journey, the challenges and living Mitch’s “keep fighting” mandate. I am grateful that I can do this, that my body has bent but not broken in training. I am grateful for the support of Family, Friends and Strangers. I am grateful for donations given to me at pow wows, restaurants and garage sales from those having little to spare. I remember the lessons that I take away from my mentors: 1) Don’t Judge: others will be faster, stronger, slower, weaker, younger, older, and I am myself. 2) When I am suffering or feeling overwhelmed , I can always find calm, peace and tranquility within myself. 3) Strength is within me everyday, including Race Day!

 

Targets

Swim: 1:30:00

T1: 0:05:00

Bike: 5:50:00

T2: 0:05:00

Run: 4:30:00

Total: 12:00:00

 

Pre-Race

 

Monday (Nov 10)

Swim 45 min Bethany Y

Full Work Day

Recheck x4 Checklist

Last visit to Schlegel’s for any last minute needs (check list)

Pack everything and ready to drive out next morning

 

Tuesday (Nov 11)

Bike 60 min (Trainer)

Run 30 min

On the road by 9AM to ABQ

Make sure to wear CEP compression socks

Overnight in ABQ

 

Wednesday (Nov 12)

Run 30 min

On the road by 9AM arrive in Tempe at 5 PM

Unpack and relax with family

 

Thursday (Nov 13)

Bike 90 min (Trainer)

9 AM Athlete Check-in (and IMAZ 2015 Registration, Again for Next Year)

6 PM Dinner at Buca Di Beppo

 

Friday (Nov 14)

Swim, Run Recon 90 min

Start some carb loading

10:30 Attend 4 Keys Talk

Bike Recon with GMG Team

Check-in at Aloft

Pick up My Tracker at check-in

Prepare gear and special needs bags (see below)

Dinner with Family and Friends

 

Saturday (Nov 15)

Continue with Carb loading

9 AM Practice Swim

10 AM Check-in bike and gear before the place get too crowded

11:30 AM Lunch with GMG

Relax rest of the day with Jasmine at Aloft

Light dinner

Early to bed

 

Bike Bag

Aero Bike Helmet

POC Sunglasses

Mavic Cycling Shoes

Arm warmers (pre-rolled)

 

Bike Special Needs Bag

Extra tube and tire levers

Chamois Butt’r Singles

Sunscreen (extra)

Aleve, Pepto Chewables

Stinger Gummies

Corn Nuts (suck the salt flavoring then spit out)

 

Run Bag

Luna Running Sandals with Garmin foot pod

Race belt with number

110% Visor

Sunscreen

GMG running bottoms (pre-sauced with Bag Balm and Chamois Butt’r mix)

 

Run Special needs Bag

Under Armor Florescent long sleeve pullover (if it get cool)

Stinger Waffle

Stinger Gummies

Corn Nuts (Chili-Lime, suck the salt flavor, then spit out)

 

Morning Bag

Wetsuit with Under Armor gloves

Goggles (2) in case of issues

Swim Caps (2) IM, Tri OKC

Trislide spray and Roll On Glide

Perform Bottle to sip (Sip until 1 hour to go)

Stinger Strawberry Waffle (1 hour prior to start)

Minimal food/drink until 15 min before start, then Hammer Gel, Stinger Gummy + 8 oz of water

Bike Nutrition

-Aero bottle filled with Perform (Take Large Schlegel Bottle as my filler bottle)

-Load bento with Hammer Gels (11)

 

Race Morning

Wake up at 3:30

Whole Foods Chocolate Protein Shake, Egg Whites, 2 packs of instant Oatmeal blended in Vitamix, eat with Stinger Strawberry Waffle (600-800 kCal)

Quick shower, lots of sunscreen, saddle sauce (bag balm and chamois buttr’)

Put on Giodana Bid, GMG top, Casetlli T1 Stealth, HRM, Nip Guards, CEP compression calf sleeves

Sweats and Hoodie

Depart at 4:45 and arrive at 5:00

Perform Bottle to sip (Sip until 1 hour to go)

Stinger Strawberry Waffle (1 hour prior to start)

Minimal food/drink until 15 min before start, then Hammer Gel, 6-8 Stinger Gummies + 8 oz of water

Setup gear in transition and load bike with nutrition, get gels into bento bag

Connect HRM, with Garmin 500, and Garmin 910 FX, and put on wetsuit with UA gloves

Pre-race nutrition (as above)

 

Swim

Target 1:30

Make lots of space in your wetsuit, work slack up your wetsuit into the shoulders especially

Al’s advice:

-drop on ledge and head down near the start.

-identify where the most open spot is located, don’t be shy, a little to the front even

-position self towards the middle in an open spot after the anthem

When the horn sounds, go easy and count stroke

Enter water as early as reasonably possible.

Embrace the cold.

Position under the bridge or in a sweet spot with some space, in middle or just to the left of middle.

Avoid the crowds in the right shallows.

Start with strong easy strokes, protect your head, relax your breathing pace.

Count your strokes and sight every 10, swim straight!

Count early congestion, this will not be a surprise to you.

If you can find the draft, keep it, but don’t sacrifice you form or pace to chase it.

The swim will feel tougher in the last 1000 m, remember your rhythm, your form.

As you approach the exit, swim to a volunteer and extend you hand.

Regain your balance, you’ve been horizontal for a while.

Run down until finding a free wetsuit stripper. Hold wetsuit, goggles and cap in left hand and head toward transition

 

T1

Target time : 5 min

Jog from strippers to bag area.

Jog to bike (walk if I don’t have my land legs back) and grab bag with free right hand. Memorize location on walkthrough.

Jog into Changing Area (or find an open area outside the tent and “dump” out bike bag)

Stuff wetsuit, cap and goggles into then swim bag.

Take arm warmer #1 out of upside down helmet, it’s pre-rolled and slip over arm.

Repeat for Arm warm #2.

Put sunglasses in mouth.

Put helmet on head and buckle.

Put on POC Sunglasses.

Grab shoes, keeping them in you left hand.

Garb swim bag one hand, shoes in other.

Head to exit, handing swim bag to an unsuspecting volunteer.

Jog to bike area, running to bike location. Memorize during walkthrough.

Jog down aisle to bike. Un-rack your bike.

Jog/Walk bike to mount line. Shoes are in your left hand.

Clear mount line, put on your shoes (no socks and don’t pull strap too tight), pedal away softly and safely as you confirm PM is up and running.

 

Bike

Target Time: 5:50:00

Target NP (Hour 1) 150W

Target NP (Hour 2-5:50:00) 160W

Stay aero 99% of the time.

Pee twice during the bike. You know how.

*Execute clean hand ups, since you will be living off the course. Slow down if needed. (Read up on this)

Pace

First 60 min 150W (65-69% of FTP 227W)

Rest of bike portion 160 W (70% of FTP 227W)

 

Nutrition Plan

Goal on bike is to exit completely fueled, having lost min weight to fluids

Water is useless on race day except to cool you. If you do take in water take with sodium.

Target: 550 cal per hour (Calculated based on weight at sweat test)

Eating and drinking start at the 10 min mark into the bike

20oz Perform (2 bottles per hour)…175 cal/20oz

Stinger Energy Bar (@ 10min and end of first lap)…170 cal/serving

Hammer Gels (@ every 30 min)…80 cal/serving

Eat and drink regularly until your body burps it back up, at which point dial things down, even skip a feed cycle

 

T2

Target Time: 5 min

Roll downhill (come out of your shoes) to the dismount line, hop off the bike and hand to a volunteer

Careful not to fall over lift leg over rear bottle cage

Go to changing tent, find a seat, dump out Run Bag

Take off helmet, POC’s, T1 Castelli top, Giodona bib, putting them in the T2 bag

Put on GMG bottoms, Luna Sandals, sunscreen, start heading out with race belt and visor in hand

Use a potty if needed. Memorize location on walkthrough.

Give T2 bag to volunteer on the way.

Jog out of T2.

 

Run

Target Time: 4:20

Target Pace: 9:30 min/mi

Remember even though you have a well-defined target pace watch your heart rate

Pace

0-6 miles: easy+ 10:00 min/mi

6-20 miles: easy 9:30 min/mi

Walk 20 paces at the end of every aid station (something to look forward to), take the last nutrition source

Remember they are just 26 (one mile) repeats, with a RED carpet finish

While everyone else slows down, just keep going your pace, it’s your race

20-26.2: Don’t slow down! 9:30 min/mi defines you here.

You’ve been thinking of several “things” including how pain can float away like smoke, like Kate teaches you

But now you bust out your ONE THING! (A red carpet finish)

This is fun.

Finish: slow down, enjoy, you’ve earned it. Mike Riley calling my name and Picture!

Nutrition:

Perform at every aid station. Gu at every other aid station. Coke after mile 20 (or sooner if GI upset).

 

*I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU READ THIS FAR, YOU ARE CRAZY FOR BEING THIS INTERESTED IN NIMBLE!   NIMBLE LOVES YOU AND THANKS FOR BEING PART OF THE ARMY!!