OK, let’s see what everyone is doing in the final 10 days (or what you have already started). I’ll start with mine: No caffeine for the final 14 days till race morning. This helps me realize how tired I am In the final 14 days, don’t sacrifice sleep for training. When in doubt, sleep in and skip the workout When training, always train at Ironman race pace or a bit faster. If you can’t then skip the workout 3 weeks out max run 13 miles, run mileage 50% of peak, 2 weeks out max run is 7 miles, run mileage is 50% of week 3, final 7 days, run mileage is 40% of week 2, long run of 4 miles (my peak running weaks were around 110K…so I went to 55-30-13K) Increase swim mileage and intensity in weeks 3 and 2 to replace drastic run volume Cut back on swim mileage big time in final week, don’t get sucked into all those “Gatorade swims” and make race week your biggest volume swim week of the year (yes it happens to many) Bike like “normal” till 7 days out. You recover quickly from riding as it is non weight bearing. Max ride 7 days out of 56 miles…this should be enough, although going a bit longer won’t hurt if you have done tons of biking. Race week, I only run once or twice for 30 min…usually on Mon and Wed. Most days, total training in the 45-90 min range, mainly biking. Don’t eat any “burn your stomach out” spicy food in the final 10 days Don’t stuff your stomach silly at carbo load or the day before. Just eat like a normal day.
OK, that’s all I can think of. Feel free to add your own.
#1 is brutal! I tried a bit of that, but sitting and having a cup of coffee and watching the tour before work has been really nice this week.
I don’t set the alarm to get up and train. However, I can’t sleep past 6 am, so it’s not much use.
Increased swim this week and last, decreased running last week and cycling this week.
Gotta watch the dairy and fiber the last few days before race.
No alchohol or sweets this week or next - don’t need the empty calories.
Don’t log onto Slowtwitch, as its likely to cause you to freak out as everyone obsesses over equipment, water temp, tapers, underpants runs, diet, 25 hour training weeks, blisters, etc… Relax, and maybe get some work done so you don’t have to think about work while racing because you spent too much time thinking about racing while working.
good freakin’ call man!!! i am done here.
Once race specific workout on Sunday. All race equipment, bike, wheels, clothes, etc. 90 minute ride at 1/2IM pace and a very short run.
Monday short swim some 50’s and 100’s to stay sharp, less than 1000 yards. OR total rest
Tuesday ride 45 min, very short run,
Wednesday swim a bit and ride just to stay loose
Thursday drive to LP
Friday 30 minute swim and ride the run course
Saturday, 20 minutes of each
Classic Dev…
#1 tip - If you haven’t figured out what you’ll be doing on taper week, now it’s too late.
#2 tip - If you have already figured out what to do, disregard “helpful” posts like Dev’s.
Good call on Fiber on the days before the race…Tetsoni…are you nuts???..don’t log on to Slowtwitch???..that’s harder than going off coffee !!! This alone is a good enough reason to only do one Ironman per year. Last year, I spent a month off coffee between LP and Kona…but hey, that’s what the man Peter Reid says you have to do, so I do it. Hopefully Peter is not telling people to log off ST during the taper too!
Paulo, you know that as I typed this up, I expected a zero value comment from you. My only goal is to share information. For example, Fenack reminded me to stay easy on fiber the few days before the race. There is value in getting info from others.
Peace dude.
Dev
I know you mean well and all that, but I’m sorry Dev, with posts like that 10 days before the race, you’re not helping anyone.
as i sit here at work with NOTHING to do and am avoiding checking tour results, i realize staying off this site will prove difficult - i’m back.
I’m driving 10+ hours to Lake Placid and think it is smart to break up the drive. I’m going halfway on Wed afternoon and the rest on Thurs AM. I like to get in a swim or short run on Wed, either during a break in the drive or when I reach my hotel on Wed evening.
I will be driving straight home on Tues, but who cares then. 
Dev, I can’t imagine how your info can hurt anyone’s taper.
It’s fun seeing you and Paulo go at it.
Paulo, while you might think you know what everyone needs to know, some of us don’t actually assume anything about other people’s thought process. They are grown up and can pick up anything useful that they see and use it if it makes sense. The rest, they can disregard as crap…or as Tetsoni say, just turn off ST so they don’t get all confused
One of the biggest values of ST is information sharing. I prefer to be a catalyst for that, rather than be the one that puts the brakes on the sharing of information. Maybe I just view the world with the glass half full and a “can do attitude” vs doom and gloom around every corner
Dev
I know you mean well and all that, but I’m sorry Dev, with posts like that 10 days before the race, you’re not helping anyone.
He’s helped me. Not in preparation for IMLP, but in anticipation of my IMWI taper.
Thanks Dev.
I should have known better for contesting anything you say, as we all know that you are always right.
Dev, we’re all nuts who pursue this lifestyle. Swilling beer, scarfing donuts and laying about (like those most famous Canadians, Bob and Doug McKenzie), now that’s sane.
hey Tetsoni…will we see you at Demi Esprit putting down a sub 4:00 Half Ironman?
I should have known better for contesting anything you say, as we all know that you are always right.
That’s fucking hilarious. You really were at the back of the queue when self-awareness got handed out.
Dev, actually it’s “tetsu”+ “oni” (one word). That’s “iron devil” in Japanese.
I’ve been wanting to race Esprit since its inception. This year, US LC Du Nationals are 2 weeks later, which is an “A” race for me so sadly I miss out on Montreal’s awesome fast course until at earliest next year. Maybe a sub 9:00 iron distance in 2008? I’ll only be 44.
As far as your advice on this site, I think it’s great. However, targeting your post on this date to Lake Placid racers might fuel their panic but that would be their fault, not yours.
Hey Dev
What’s a taper?
I thought that the ideal method was to hammer a half like a stud 2 weeks prior then follow it up with some kick ass training until a day or two prior when you drive down