We’re putting together a little feature about planning for the big race day- tips for having a stress and trouble free day. I have about a three hour deadline from now.
We have a ton of file photos and some good stuff already but let me have yours if you please.
Give us your name or the name you want credited to your idea- if you’re willing to let us use it on our site (bikesportmichigan.com) we’ll give you credit.
Thanks guys!
Hopefully this will be up in about 5 hours.
I don’t know about race day but if you want to have a stress free taper, for God’s sake, don’t hang around with Tom D !!!
(just kidding 
Good tip…
I like to get away from other racers. At IMCdA we stayed at a campsite located at the turnaround of the bike course. There were no other athletes there and it was peaceful. At IMC, I drove up to Kelowna for dinner. Both times I acted more like a normal person on vacation, rather than a stressed out triathlete the day before an IM.
In an odd co-incidence, I managed to lose my boyfriend (lose, not breakup!) the day before both my IMs. At IMCdA the guy had gone for a run and ended up much further away than he’d anticipated. He had to walk back and was gone for an hour longer than I’d expected. At IMC, we had some cell phone/text message issues. He thought that his text messages were getting through to me but they weren’t. There was some frantic driving around Kelowna trying to hook up!
I also like to read your “that guy” editorial before the race too. Seeing all the people around freaks me out but your post seems to help put things in perspective.
Here’s a tip: there’s no need to load the bike up with so much food or to carry so much food on the run. It makes no sense to load a bike up with four water bottles, GU taped all across the top tube, a bento box full of Powerbars when the bike course has an aid station every ten miles. Its the best supported century ride you’ll ever do. All you need on the bike is one waterbottle and one or two GUs. There’s more than enough food on the course. Same goes for the run: No need to run with a fuel belt with four flasks full of liquid. There’s aid stations every mile!
I see countless athletes carrying 5-6 pounds of extra weight on the bike for no reason.
Absolutely. We have an entire seperate feature going up on Ironman bike preparation that says basically what you said.
Thanks for reading that.
Good tip. That is going in there. Should I call you “banana”?
My favorite tip is one of your’s Tom. “Plan your race and race your plan” DO NOT go changing things the day or week before a race. For instance if you had planned to do your IM with 4lbs of powerbars and gels taped to the top tube, and you just read you shouldn’t do that, don’t change it now. Maybe change it for the next race. Just the physcological effect of changing something you are used to and have trained for can have an impact on your day.
I agree with banana, during the couple days before the big race, I like to get away from the other athletes. I also like to get away for a couple days. Even though I live close to Madison, I usually stay in Monona from Thursday - Monday. It is only 10 minutes (if even) from the race site, but, away from most of the action. I love the IM Village, expo, etc., but, I need to get away from it to focus and relax.
Janna is fine. Thanks.
I’d suggest a link to your article too. I just sent it out last week to my friends on their way out to IMC. It seems to put everything together for me - it makes me think about how far I’ve come, and helps me not to freak out about all the uber-fit folks walking around the race expo.
Another tip? Don’t let them tell you how much you weigh at the weigh-in. Give that their scales are inaccurate and you’re in the middle of carbo-loading it can really hurt your (well, mine at least) confidence to have them claim you’re 5lbs heavier than you thought you were. I plan to politely ask them at the check-in at Wisconsin to write down the number without telling me. I know that I’m the perfect race-weight and I don’t need someone making me second-guess that.
Quick pre-IM tips:
Tom
A little mantra for first time IMers waiting for the swim start: “I did the training…I belong here…I did the training…I belong here”
Another tip for first timers. Do NOT stop during the swim. If you do, you will get run over. Learn to sight without stopping. If someone in front of you stops, go around or run them over if you have to. If you stop because they stopped, someone will run over both of you. If you are swimming and someone is trying to run you over, simply continue to swim and hold your ground. They will not be able to run you over if you keep swimming. If you stop, they will run you over. Get the picture? Just keep swimming and hold your ground. It’s a piece of cake!
Mike Prevost
You need to decide if this trip is a family vacation or if you are there to put in your best race. Some people take the trip with the family and spend three or four days before the race running all over the place they go to the zoo, the football game etc. That is fine if that is what you want, but it is not very good for putting in the best race on race day.
Although I am not fast, my kids come up with my parents two days after I do and stay in there room with them. They still come to the race, get to spend time with G-ma and G-pa, they have a great time, but I get to chill out in the hotel room getting everything ready for race day.
Do not take this as me putting down somebody who wants to make a family vacation out of the trip, that is just not what everyone wants.
Edit: PS we take a family trip 3 weeks after the IM for the family time after the training and race.
Number 1 rule - Nothing NEW on race day.
Make sure you have had your bike serviced one week or more before the big race. Ensure everything is tight (NOT too tight), running smooth and free.
If you are going to change Tires / Tubes do so at least 7 days prior and get a good 50+ miles on them.
The weekend before layout everything you are planning on using, write it down on a list. Put it all in one bag that you can carry and ride your bike safely. If you can’t fit it all in one bag, you are probably trying to carry too much with you. Use the list you made to pack everything for traveling to your destination and for carting stuff down to the race site transition area.
I like to do most of the taper workouts in the week prior in full dress rehearsal mode. This means race rig, open water wet suit swims, goggles, aero helmet, nutrition. There is a reason that the Russian ballet has a full dress rehearsal and they are among some of worlds best at what they do!
Don’t by new stuff to race in, please refer back to the number one rule… Nothing new on race day.
Pay that little bit extra for a close by hotel for your big ‘A’ race, its well worth it come race day.
Carry your own permanent marker. The body markers are great but I always like to get plenty of sunscreen on and its handy to be able to reapply your numbers yourself. Smiley faces go a long way to making the whole event that bit more fun
Take a few moments race morning to stand back and watch the transition area, take some deep breaths and feel the nervous energy flow around you.
Remember, you have done the training now its time to relax and enjoy the day.
Excellent. Thanks Gavin
RELAX…This is supposed to be fun.
Smile…It eases your facial muscles and decreases tension.
Eat normally…No need to carry around a 5-gallon water jug and loaf of bread.
Take 30 minutes every afternoon to be alone…Think positive thoughts, visualize success, stretch, and breathe deeply.
Do all your bike numbering and transition bag packing 72 hours before the race…Then just sit back and RELAX.
Cheers,
Puskas
10x IM finisher (but, I’ve only done Kona once…So maybe I’m just a 1x IM:-)
If your bike is filthy and you don’t want to see it on the internet as an example of neglect don’t take it a certain bike shop…
Before my first Ironman a buddy of mine (Tim Snow) said:
“Take advantage of the times you are feeling good and manage the times you are feeling bad.”
.
You cannot win the race during the first five minutes of the swim, but you can lose it.
Take it easy, keep the breathing under control, and get into a routine.
Don’t burn your matches too early.
Three things that I would suggest:
Early on (like a few months out / or when the Athlete Guide is released) designate someone to coordinate your support group. If you have family/friends going to watch the race, trying to make sure they are all in the right place can get stressful. For me at least, I usually train alone and only have to worry about myself. Suddenly, you are the center of attention for the day and feel responsible for your supporter’s enjoyment of the event. Added to the fact that due to the spectator un-friendly nature of long distance tri, the viewing opportunities for one athlete are few and far between creates stress. Work with one person to coordinate the group / times / etc. Make sure they know the area, where to be and when to be there. I found that this makes the day a lot less stressful when you only have to worry about propelling yourself for 140.6 miles, and not worry about whether or not everyone is going to be at the finish chute when you get there.
Second:
This probably only pertains to MOP and BOP athletes but - I’d say, leave your gadgets behind. At IMLP I only used a simple stopwatch - no HR, no bike computer, nada. I believe that removing the gadgetry makes you less likely to stress out about PR’s, cut-offs and averages. Go by how you feel that day. If it feels good, push it and hang the moon. If you don’t feel great, back off and enjoy the race - you prepared all year for this damn thing, you might as well enjoy yourself during it.
Third:
Stop checking the weather. You can’t control it, so why worry about it (unless it is so extreme that you need a gear change or significant alteration to nutrition).