Dear Team,
As your coach, I'd hope to inculcate a habit in all of you to come up with a detailed race plan so that you have a purpose in racing. A race plan is different from a race goal. A race goal can be as simple as "I want to complete this race." but every race is an unique entity in itself with different characteristics such as its terrain, atmospheric condition, wind condition and even your own fitness level/standard plays a part in how a race will turn out when you eventually complete it.
So, a race plan ensures that we partition the race into smaller chunks and that we can take in each of this smaller chunks and celebrate success as we continue in the race. This does not only give you a greater sense of achievement And control as the race goes on (as opposed to the race getting tougher and pieces of yourself starts falling apart) .. it also let you have other things to focus on during the race if (no need to touch wood as things aren't very likely to always go in the ways we like just as in life.) bad stuffs starts to crop up.
To get things rolling, I will get mine sort out here and you may have a look. The race plan is flexible but should still be as detailed as it can be. There are controllable elements but there are also stuffs that we can't. What a race plan should consist of is to try and minimize the scope of uncontrollable elements and see what exactly are there that can be within our control.
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The day before race:
It's friday, we will reach Desaru about 8am in the morning or 12 noon if logistic stuff crops up. The day will be spent taking it easy whilst going out to the beach to have a short swim of about 10 minutes to see where the sun will be.
I will transit to a short run of about 20 minutes just to have the body warmed up and ready for the race. Wash up, and take it easy after that. When lawrence arrives, hopefully we can drive up the race route and have a mental look of what is to be expected. Also, we'll check out and get familiarized with the whole transition area and race areas.
Dinner with mates around 7pm and final logistic check to be done by 8pm.
Logistic check will include:
1) Pump bike tires to 110 psi, if raining, to 100 psi.
2) 1 bottle of water and 1 bottle of electrolytes.
3) Helmet + head band + shades
4) race bib and race belt
5) Fuel belt with 2 bottles and 1 gel and 1 x nuun tablet
6) 6 gels in bike
7) 1 gel before race and 2 gels in Transitions just in case
8) race 2xu tights and goggles and anti fog
9) swim bare top
10) ride with 1 race top
11) run with 1 run top
12) Transition bag
13) 1 X ZINGER BURGER WITH SAM
14) Stuff to wear to race venue: 2XU tights, asic run top, jacket, long pants and slippers.
Prayer session before turning in... and Realistically I'm gonna turn in around 9.30pm but still I'll try to do the Lights out at 08:30pm so I can wake at 6am the next day to have a BIG breakfast.
On race day:
It's a saturday, and I will be awake by 6am. Sam will wake me up so I can avoid the disruptive waking of an ALARMING alarm clock. Everything should be peaceful.
I will Wash up and then I will skip the hotel's breakfast if possible (this can become impossible if nagging of sam continues but then I'd still try to follow what my stomach says for all races I've done so far.) and consume the following:
1) 2 X whole meal bread + peanut butter
2) 1 cup of coffee
3) 2 x cookies and cream caloric drink
4) water
I will continue to sip water from my water bottle all the way until the race venue.
I will do my morning business and relax as much as possible in this time frame as I always do. Personal preference that this time is my most productive time frame for my mind.
One final logistic check list against my transition bag + psi of bike check.
Everything should be done by 7am.
Listen to my race music play list and fine tune my arousal.
Proceed to race venue and rack bike and visualize the following:
1) Swim out
2) Swim in
3) Bike out
4) Bike in
5) Run out
6) Run in
THE RACE
Warmup: I will just do an easy swim with a few accelerations to bring my heart rate up and finish the warmup 10minutes before the gun goes off.
However, if the water is too cold to stay in I will do a short run and a few pushups combined with static/dynamic stretches and deep breathing to warm up.
Swim:
I will start at the front pack but I will maintain a steady pace whilst trying my best to ignore the smothering punches and kicks all around me. I will stay within myself and always search for feet to catch. I will not do unnecessary surges unless it is to catch another pair of feet when current one dies.
On the last 200m, I will build my kick gradually to get blood flowing to my legs.
T1:
When I reach T1, I will not rush myself but do the following in a calm manner:
1) Completely clean my feet of sand
2) Wear my socks
3) Wear my bike shoes
4) Wear my helmet
5) Eat 1 gel if I feel good *optional if feeling bloated*
6) Drink 5 mouthful of water
Out of T1:
On the first 20 minutes of bike I will try to take in 1 more gel if I did not take in any in transition. I will keep my heart rate below 80% for the first 30km and pick up speed gradually by 31stkm to 60km. From 60 to 90km is the time for me to ride strongly but steadily and I shall try not to hit max LTHR unless its for the steepest of hills.
Every 30km I may stop to stretch if I feel tightness in my back and glutes. I have absolutely no rush for the race and to do things smoothly and effectively is the best way out for a good debut. I will strongly abide by that believe and I will not let myself down.
Anyway, to be conservative on my bike is to ensure that I have a strong run and stronger finish in my first HIM.
In the last 10km I will take in as much calories as I can and drink as much water as I feel comfortable with.
I will stand to do stretches on the bike even if it mean slowing to crawl. A couple of minutes lost here means great time gains later.
Last 2km will be pee time if need be. Just joking.. nah.. i'm serious...... nah.. joking, really. ;)
T2:
I will rack my bike and wash myself with a bottle of water.
Take off my bike shoes and helmet then change to a running top and new socks.
Wear my trusty newton and go for my first half marathon of my life.
I will probably walk the first 5 minutes to eat gel if i feel comfortable or things happen on the bike that I couldn't consume before I start my run.
In my run, I will run a steady pace. I will try to make the first 10km pass by as easily as possible on a 10kph pace if weather allows. Then I will up my pace for the next 11km to push for my best possible 11km.
I will Smile throughout my whole race.
When the race finish, I may jump and I will thank God.
After that I will replenish my fluid lost and worry about cool down later. I will wait for lawrence and run his final kilometer with him if he finishes after me but if he finishes before me I will gladly congratulate another who has surpassed his mate! :)
After everything is done, we will get back to hotel and go for a HUGE DINNER i hope. and I will help my bro, sam, mari and wilson prepare for their tri on sunday.
Love.
KK
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Remember, the plan is flexible, its written so you have a guideline that you can rehearse on what is to be done on race day.
Come race day, you just have to let your body autopilot and act out your own show that you've rehearsed a thousand times in your mind while you let your mind handles the race jitters and anxiety. If shit does happen, change the plan accordingly on that big day itself but if possible always stick with it if you can!
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