race strategy

By Mike Tarrolly for Crushing Iron

As many of you saw on Facebook Live Friday June 5th at Noon CST, I have decided to once again tackle Ironman Louisville this year. It’s the second year in a row I will be running past Churchill Downs and the third time overall.

(If you can’t see the Facebook link, please join our closed group by searching “Crushing Iron Group”)

This race has had my number.

The first time was back in the August days and Coach Robbie and I experienced the wrath of running an Ironman marathon in 98 degree heat with no shade. It nearly broke my soul, but I finished in what is my slowest Ironman time to date.

Last year it was in October and nearly a polar opposite experience. From the opening cannon the wind was fierce and I remember looking at the river on the last few miles of that bike and seeing white caps. It was also “cold” but that wasn’t the problem. It was the run.

Something about that flat run gets me good. Louisville owns both of my worst run times and that’s more than a little puzzling because it’s supposed to be the “easiest” run course of the three.

Sadly, I don’t think I even wrote about it, which is another thing that is starting to change with me. Writing is absolutely my best weapon for this sport. It clears the air and most importantly helps me remember the little things.

But . . . back to the Decision 2018.

One of the main reasons I decided (honestly 20 minutes before the announcement) to do a Full again is because I didn’t have a good reason NOT to do one. Training for Ironman changed my life back when I was 49 and I don’t want to lose the momentum of what’s been built.

I’m doing it because I CAN.

Another reason is simply wrapped up in the concept of doing something hard. We can easily get caught up in the idea that relaxing means be lazy and lounge around. I do it all the time. But relaxing in its best definition means clearing the mind and doing things that you love. That make you feel better.

Admittedly, some of the training makes me feel like shit, but most of the time I love heading out on a run or a ride. For the days that suck, see “do something hard, so the other things in life are easy.”

I’m doing it because It’s HARD.

Finally, it’s just a big part of who I am now. It’s easy to think the best thing for me is to back off and gather my bearings. But sometimes I just think that’s feeling sorry. Sorry that I actually have to LIVE. That’s a sticky piece of real estate for the mind to live in.

I think back to a blog I wrote about my mom while training for my first Ironman. It is honestly one of the most important lessons I’ve ever learned in life and I try to remember it every time I fade back into taking the easy way out by doing nothing.

I’m doing it because it makes me feel ALIVE.

After I made the decision on Facebook Live, Coach Robbie made a simple comment: “Good decision. Now go for a run.”

That’s exactly what I did, and while out there in the sweltering heat I remembered a very important part of training that gave me relief as I turn my mind back into the full Ironman mode. I truly think it will help me to enjoy training more, and ultimately help me race better.

Running Slow To Get Fast

My Running Woes

First off, let me acknowledge that I can be misguided at times, oh, like how I convinced myself before IM 70.3 Chattanooga that I was going to bike like a madman and take my chances on the run. Well, it didn’t work.

Going into IM Louisville, it has to be largely about the run for me. I’ve rarely performed well after T2 and I really want that to happen. I think actually my best run ever was IM Chattanooga. It was by far the hardest and I ran my customary 4:20ish.

While it’s not overly fast, as I think back, that was probably the best run shape I’ve been in before an Ironman. For sure I’d put out some of my longest runs. I also remember enjoying it more after I got in shape for it . . . So . . . . . . . . .

The Beauty in Running Slow

After today’s Decision, the first thing I did was go out for a run. It was one o’clock in the afternoon, 93 degrees, and sunny. I said to myself . . . oh, what a wonderful world. Actually, I didn’t say that at all, I said, just go take a nice little hour long run and try to finish feeling like you could keep going. Take it slow, Mike!

So, what did I do? I went out slow. And about a mile in, I looked at my pace. 9:00/min miles.

I’m convinced that nine minute miles are my natural cadence. So, for the first 3 or 4 miles, 9 minutes seems right in the wheel house. Nine is normal, even easy. I will find myself creeping into the 8:30 without thinking much, like today, but that’s when running starts to get hard. Especially when it’s hot.

We did a podcast called “Running Slow To Get Fast” and while I think our podcasts are gold, sometimes things don’t click with me. But today, that’s when I think I figured it out.

The 10/17 Run

My problem is impatience. Even today when I thought I was running for time, an hour was the target, I got to the halfway point at 38 minutes. Since it was a turnaround, I was basically screwed.

I did what I always do, turned up the speed to get done faster, but I was really struggling. I stopped once to cool down and hydrate in the shade. Then I thought, what if I slowed way down to a 10 minute pace and if I ever got lower, I had to walk until I’m at a 17 minute pace?

The Power of Patience

That means the dilemma is, if you go too fast, you have to slow down even more, elongating an already long run. It happened twice over the last 25 minutes and, frankly, it was awesome.

It dawned on me that a 9 minute pace is natural without effort, but if I’m not strong enough to hold that pace it doesn’t really matter how “fast” I am. Slow running is harder and builds the durability muscles. Strengthens the frame. That’s what I need.

For the next month or so I’m really going to try and slow it down. Build the chassis as coach calls it. Then see if I can move the speed. But even then, I have my doubts because how fast will I really go during a full Ironman? It’s better to be durable and strong.

Thanks for the support!

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In my “short” time training for an Ironman, I am continually amazed by how much I change my mind and strategy. Something works one day and I tend to put it down as gospel, but training for Ironman is a moving target. There are so many different factors on top of trying to manipulate your energy over three sports. Weather, location, course, rest, equipment issues, nutrition, sleep, over-training, under-training, and the list goes on and on.

The only constant I have found in this process is listening to my body. If I feel strong, I push a little harder. If I feel weak or exhausted, I proceed with caution.

I have been training for nine months with one goal in mind, and I can honestly say I have given it all I have. I’ve skipped workouts, I’ve shortened workouts, but I have always showed up. I’ve always addressed the workout at hand, even if that meant deciding not doing it would be the best plan.

Robbie Bruce has been my coach since the beginning. His experience and thirst for figuring this thing out has motivated and inspired me. He has his beliefs, but nothing is in stone and the more he races, the more he realizes you have to learn from your efforts, then do what it takes to get better.

Following is a blatant example. Robbie had a brutal experience at Louisville last year and will drive up I-65 once again to tackle the beast.

The first article is his plan for this year at Ironman Louisville. Below that is his plan for last year’s race. They are virtually opposite. I might suggest you scroll down and read his 2012 story first, then see what he has in store this year.

Ironman Louisville 2013 – The Game Plan

By Robbie Bruce

I have a hard time calling this a game plan. Not sure why. I just do. It’s not a game or a “plan.” It is just a single race broken down into certain points of focused execution. A race that has basically haunted me since it ended last year.Don’t get me wrong. It changed me for the good but it haunts me. It pisses me off. It makes me angry. In turn it has made me fiercely focused in one thing. Execution.

I just want to execute my strategy.

I was quoted earlier this week as saying,” I approached IML like the Godfather with a tommy gun last year. This year like an army ranger sniper.” That is the case for 2013.

IML is not a popular race anyway bc of how hard it is and the fact that I bombed it terribly last year should likely have made it my “black widow” of triathlons. Some might suggest I stay away. I may fail again. For me. It used to be about redemption. Instead it is now about “not proving others wrong but proving myself right.”

I have approached this race totally different compared to last year. Preparation wise the differences have been:
– train and use on course nutrition
-run my hardest and longest at the hottest part of the day
– down 12 lbs compared to last year
– heat acclimated
– steam room time
– longer bike and run prep
– diet change
– less trainer and more trace

Those are just a few. If you read last years “Game Plan” you will notice other changes.

So now the race.

Swim– I will get to the swim as late as possible. Last in the water is fine by me. More sleep. Less standing. Less nerves. More nutrition.(all opposite from last year.) The plan is to swim steady. Swerve through the crowd. Draft when appropriate but swim on a rift. Goal time – 58-59mins.

Bike– I will spend the first 10 miles just spinning easy and taking in nutrition and fluids. Slingshotting passed the 2,000 people left in front of me. The next 90 are what makes IML…. IML. Hills. Rollers. Hills. Rollers. Heat. Hills. Heat. The bike this year will simply be a set up. I won’t push it. I won’t attack it. I will take as it comes. I will spin the uphills and use the downhills to my advantage. I will prepare on the bike. Ill spend 5:30 preparing to run. Maybe more or maybe less but it’s just preparation bc I will within myself. I always say,”There is no such thing as a great bike followed by a bad rim.” Just means you biked to hard. I won’t. Ill just patiently chomp at the bit to get off and run.
Goal- 5:25-30

Run– negative split. That’s it. Start the first 5 miles around 8:00-05 then move it down in 3 mile blocks. My run will make the day for me. I believe I have 7:40s in me. It is a fairly flat course. I know it well bc I walked much of the second loop last year. My nutrition is dialed in and my weight is down. Goal is 3:25-30

Work is in. I have every detail memorized. If I shared them all, all 6/20 of you still reading would turn to 1/20 and that won’t help Mike’s blog. In conclusion, last year I was pumped and confident. This year I am focused and relaxed. See you Aug 25 with 364 days of lessons learned.

Ironman Louisville 2012 – The Game Plan
(Written before last year’s race)

By Robbie Bruce

People often ask athletes before a race, “So, what is your goal time or plan? ” How do you think you will do?” All these questions are pretty hard to answer given that a triathlon, especially one as long as an Ironman, can have so many variables. There is wind, heat, waves, swim, nutrition, bike, mechanicals, run, cramps, 3000 other people, course terrain, time of year… etc. All of these conditions effect your race and your day in some way shape or form. The important thing to remember is that no race is “perfect.” In fact, that is why a lot of people do these races. It is about over coming obstacles, persevering, enduring and ultimately conquering. I always write up some post race recap after my bigger races just to show what I was thinking. None of it has to do with my performance but just my view of the race and more importantly, what I was thinking. This time I will do the opposite. Here is my “game plan for IML.”

First off some training stats-

Longest Swim- 4500 yds

Longest Bike- 5.5 hrs. (I don’t ever look at mileage or speed but instead HR and Power. I actually have no idea what the longest distance I covered on the bike was.)

Longest Run- 17 miles.

Friday-

Short drive to Louisville to get checked in. Goal for Friday is to just get settled in. No workouts. Just pick up the pack
et and get to the room. You wont see me hanging around the expo, shaking hands, chatting it up. I did not train for the last 9 months to go shopping. In fact, if I am not in my room you will most likely see me with headphones in. It is not that im trying to be rude and not talk to you, it just that, I don’t want random people talking to me. I care about you guys, not so much some stranger from Indiana. 🙂 I eat my big “meal” on Friday night with family. The night before carb load is a waste. It doesn’t even have any time to get in to your system in order to use. You also wont find me at the Athlete Welcome Dinner. It’s just not for me. I want to eat the food I want to eat and be around the people I love and care about and those that support me. Eating subpar food someone else fixed for me to eat with 2800 strangers just ain’t my idea of a good night. Get to bed at a decent hour.

Saturday.

Wake up early to get my workouts out of the way

Swim- 15 min easy with no efforts.

Bike- 40 mins easy with 2 x 3′ at IM effort

Run- 10 min right off the bike. No efforts.

I will spend the rest of my day in the room as much as possible and trying to keep my mom and sis relaxed. My mom has only seen my do one race and that was Ironman Florida when I was just trying to finish. I think that race was harder on her than me. My sis has never seen me race. Im very thankful to have them there but did warn them it may not be pretty. 🙂 I will take some time to get my bike and gear bags checked in, pack my special needs, get my nutrition ready, etc. But again, I will be in the friendly confines of my hotel room or spending time with friends and family. I will eat a big breakfast and lunch and then a very small dinner before 5pm. Then i will start sipping on a sports drink the rest of the evening. I will load up on water Thur and Fri but then take in only sports drink Saturday. I dont wanna flush out all the stuff Ive been storing. I will also start the saltcap loading at breakfast. Goal is to be in the room by 6pm at the latest. Feet up. Relaxing. So if you wanna see me. I will tell you my room number. The rest of the night will be spent thinking about the last 9 months and how I got here. After all, Ironman isnt about the race. It is about the journey.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!!!!!

Wake up at whatever time I need to in order to get at the front of the line at the swim. A lot of people want to be at the back. I am an above average swimmer so frankly, I would just rather not have you in my way. 🙂 I will eat my normal breakfast of 2 packets of oatmeal, pb, 2 pieces of toast, multi v, and 2 saltstick caps. Then I will hydrate with Infinit up until the swim start. The morning of the race is my favorite. It is dark out, the lights are on, my earphones are in, music playing in my ears, its game time. I usually am not a talker but knowing that I will have some good friends doing body marking I will be a little chatty and may even dish out a hug or too. Maybe:) Make my way to the swim line, take some nutrition with me and get ready to race.

Goals and Strategy

As I previously stated I want to be out in front. I want some clean water and a clean course in front of me for the first loop on the bike.

Swim- Goal time- 54-57:00 Range. All dependent on current and how Im feeling but I have trained to be in that range. I will speed up the cadence when going into the current and slow it down and relax when going with the current. I swam a 59:00 at IMAZ back in 11 and I know my fitness is better. I also know that teaching the OWS Clinics have helped me a lot and made me think about my stroke more than ever so “thank you” to everyone who has attended. I want to come out of the water in the top 5 in my age group.

T1-

Don’t piddle or take my time but instead speed it up and just get out. Make sure I am loaded up and get on the road.

Bike-

Nutrition wise I will have bottles of Infinit Run with 2 scoops and half a saltstick cap dissolved into it. I will also have 1 gel flask with 5 Blueberry Pom Roctanes in it. I dont have a set schedule of intake. I simply “drink to thirst” and listen to my body. It all depends on the heat, wind, humidity, etc. You cant ever train in those “exact conditions” bc you dont know what they will be until that day.

Strategy wise- Goal avg hr is 135 and goal avg power is 200-205. I plan on getting off the bike under 5:15. Ive done the training. Ive done the work. Ive seen the improvements. Now it is all me:). I will use the first 10 miles to get in some straight water so I’ve got something to help absorb the calories going forward. The first loop I will simply relax and let the speed come to me. Drench myself with water and Ice when I can and just try and stay cool. The second loop is when I will pick up the tempo. I wont go out of my zone but i will push it. The last 15-20 miles of the bike are flat and I plan on going. I’m going to let it fly. If someone passes me in my age group I’m going with them. I have IMF at the end of the year and I have even lofty goals for that race than I do for this one so I’m in IML to play, and play hard. I’m past the point where it’s time to just go and finish. It is time for me to race. To not be afraid of winning because I am too afraid to lose. I’m racing IML and not going to just finish.

T2-

Just as before. – get in. get out. Look at my watch and move.

Run-

Goal avg HR is 155 and average pace really just depends on the temps. Having said that. I will look at my watch, do the math, and say, “This is what I need to run in order to go under 10……” Lets go. That is my goal. I wanna go under 10 for the first time ever. I will run as hard and as fast for as long as I can move my legs. If you see me struggling on the course, remind me of my belief. Ironman is a long day with a lot of thinking. I know the course is hard but I believe I have it in me. I believe I can average 7:50s, run a 3:30-3:35 marathon and get it. I ran 8:30s at IMAZ last yr on a hiller albeit cooler run course. I cant control the conditions but i want to be in the top 100 overall.. Regardless of time, If i am in the top 100 I will consider it the best race of my life. The top 100 means more to me than the time. It is all relative. My bib # is 1291 so if you are following my splits on IronTrac and are at the race, see where I am overall and in my age and tell me. Im coming to dance. Im not coming to sit in the chair and just wait on someone to ask me and play it safe. I plan on running down 4th street live with all my might. I may feel weak, I may feel strong, but regardless of my time or place, I will have emptied the tank long before and will be testing myself physically and mentally.

You can ask my good friend Robert Phifer. I used to be a big introvert when it came to triathlon. Was not really concerned with others, was not looking for support, would rather train alone, race alone, etc. Coaching has taught me more than I ever thought possible. I have a wonderful group of athletes and have made hundreds of new friends within the triathlon community. I have a tremendous amount of confidence going into this race and i have many of you to thank. Your encouragi
ng words, knowing you will be there with signs, yelling, cheering, supporting, has made me more confident.To enlighten you to how I am actually feeling right now, on my run yesterday, all I could think about was you guys cheering, running corners with all my might, hearing the crowd roar, I pictured myself running through the finish line and letting out this huge ROAR… I began to get teary eyed and incredibly angry, I was just ready to go!!! I have no problems putting a lot on my shoulders and taking others with me. So if you are coming to IML or your watching from home I encourage you to come dance with me.

Tag: race strategy

The Decision Behind “The Decision 2018”