It’s time to taper! Remember that taper is the most important part of training 🙂 The purpose of the training program was to progressively build up your endurance (that accumulates in fatigue) so that you can then rest and be ready to race. You cannot gain anymore fitness after 2-3 weeks out from your goal race so this is why all endurance events have you peaking 3 weeks out. Then we rest you to make you fatigue resistance. So it’s time to rest up! During this time you still have a few key things you must prioritize.
- SLEEP
- RACE PLAN
As many of you have probably heard, race week is it’s own Ironman with all of the logistics, etc. So the earlier you organize yourself, your gear and your race plan, the better. This will give you a week or two to get what you don’t have or practice where you might need a stronger focus (race HR targets, etc). Please do not wait until the last minute!
Here is the race plan that I use with my individual coached athletes. While I don’t review them for the training program like I do for them, I encourage you complete this plan for yourself. Then if you have questions, we have time to discuss them and have you ready to go. Let’s get you ready!
RACE PLAN
- Race location and address / start time / wave time
- Wake up time / breakfast plan and time
- Race arrival time / warm up protocol
- Race Specifics (Terrain / Weather Conditions) and how you will address each of them
- Specific items that you don’t want to forget or equipment that you will need
- Goals for each portion of the race
This is one of the most important pieces of the race plan. Please complete this portion as thoughtfully as possible. Your goals can be personal goals, mental goals (i.e. don’t panic during the swim, stay focused on ____) and/or physical goals (heart rate, cadence, pace, speed).
Overall Goals (2 must be non-time, place, pace goals)
Swim Goals
2.
3.
Transition(s) Goals
1.
2.
Bike Goals
- HR (and/or power) target(s): _________________ (Power)________________
- Cadence target: _________________
Run Goals
- HR target: _________________
3.
My Mantra____________________________________________________________________
- Nutrition plan (fluid in ounces, types of nutrition and planned calorie intake)
This is one of the most important pieces of the race plan. Please complete this part as thoughtfully and thoroughly as possible. Please include pre-race and post-race nutrition as necessary.
Bike Nutrition:
Ideally you should be consuming approximately 1.5 – 2.0 times your bodyweight in calories per hour and a minimum of 20 ounces (1 bottle) per hour. Please break down your hourly nutrition including caloric and hydration intake. In addition, include additional sodium/electrolyte intake as needed.
Run Nutrition:
Ideally you should be consuming approximately 1.0 times your bodyweight in calories per hour and a minimum of 20 ounces (1 bottle) per hour. Please break down your hourly nutrition including caloric and hydration intake. In addition, include additional sodium/electrolyte intake as needed.
- Potential challenges that you foresee and how you will address each of them
