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Pacing a 1/2 Iron
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 2009-09-03 8:39 AM |
Elite  3779      Ontario |  Subject: Pacing a 1/2 IronWith my first 1/2 coming up in just over a week, I'm really starting to spend a lot of time thinking about the numbers. I know that a lot of people will say to just focus on getting through the day, enjoy the experience, etc. - but I know myself and I'll still focus on the numbers. I'm racing Muskoka, which is an extremely hilly ride, and I know this will impact both my bike speed as well as fatigue my legs - I'm just trying to figure out how much I can give on the bike, but still be able to run decently afterwards. For the record, the goal is 6 hours, and I'd be really happy to see 5:45, but I'm concerned this may not happen. I'm banking on a slow swim of 45 minutes, but the bike is a little more tricky. The actual course is 94km as opposed to 90km, so at 30kmph I'm at 3:08 best case scenario. But when I look at results from last year, most of the people who rode that pace, crashed on the run and were close to, or over 2 hours - which I don't want to happen (the last 30km of the ride really sap your legs). However - I also don't want to give up too much time on the bike. If I'm conservative and plan to ride a 28kmph pace, then I'm giving up 13 minutes, which I may make up on the run, but I figure I'm still down 10 minutes on the average swimmers, since I lose about 10 minutes in the water. Net result -I come out lower than middle of the pack. So, if anyone can follow this rambling diatribe, I basically want to finish sub 6:00 hours, and MOP or slightly better. I will give up time on the swim, want to be conservative on the bike (but feel I can't be), and have enough to run well (goal of 1:45 on the run). I certainly realize I'll need to factor in wind, weather, etc, and adjust accordingly. If you were me - what would you do. Push the bike and take your chance on the run, or really hope to nail back time on the run after a low bike? (P.S. I'm also racing against one individual I'd like to beat who should come in between 5:50 and 6:00). Don't bother looking at my logs - they haven't been updated in months. |
| 2009-09-03 8:54 AM in reply to: #2386775 |
Veteran 561 Arden Hills, MN | Subject: RE: Pacing a 1/2 Iron Well, what I would do is use your training to determine a reasonable pace.  But since that's not an option... I think the safe play is to take it easy on the bike and then try and nail the run. As they say, if you go too easy on the bike you have 13.1 miles to make up for it. If you go too hard on the bike, you have 13.1 miles to pay for it. |
| 2009-09-03 11:20 AM in reply to: #2386775 |
Master 1610 Kirkland, WA | Subject: RE: Pacing a 1/2 Iron here is how my paces ended up at my last HIM compared to my training. i thought this race went very well. swim - faster racing then training, by about 5-6 seconds/100 yds (wetsuit, adreneline) bike - about 1 mph faster than my long training rides (race wheels, again, racing  )run - faster then my long training runs, but about 11 mins slower then my best stand alone half marathon time. . and i felt like i was pushing pretty hard most of the run. what is your stand alone half marathon time? how hilly is 'extremely hilly?' have you been training hills? |
| 2009-09-03 12:29 PM in reply to: #2386775 |
Elite 3779 Ontario | Subject: RE: Pacing a 1/2 Iron I ran a half last Sept in just under 1:42 at my goal pace of 4:50/km. I'm hoping that I can run this 1/2 in between 1:45-1:50, but to be honest I don't know what the run course will look like. As for the bike, here's a profile graph. When I road the course about 7 weeks ago I realized there was almost no flat road during the whole ride. Once you hit km 60, the short steep hills & rollers just keep hitting you over and over again. As for my ride training, I've been practising hills as much as possible, but I don't really have comparable routes around here. (Muskoka.jpg) Attachments ---------------- Muskoka.jpg (15KB - 8 downloads) |
| 2009-09-03 12:47 PM in reply to: #2386775 |
Champion 5782 Northridge, California | Subject: RE: Pacing a 1/2 Iron From your race log, you appear to be a solid runner. I suspect if you think you can handle a 3:08 ride okay (just as a 56 mile ride), then you'll be okay (~sub-2 hours) on the run. I had pretty much the same time goals as you do last year on my first HIM (although it appears I've got about 10 min. advantage on you on the swim) and beat them comfortably. My standalone HM at that point was about the same as what I see in your log. I went :34/3:04/1:48 - 5:36. Probably no reason you can't do :45/3:08/1:55 and finish sub-6. Your swim may get in the way of going sub-5:45, but you may do better than you suppose there. |
| 2009-09-03 8:47 PM in reply to: #2386775 |
| Member 54 | Subject: RE: Pacing a 1/2 Iron I'm actually in the same boat here. Muskoka will be my first HIM and I am worried that I won't pace it properly. I was hoping for 40 - 45 min swim with a 3:00 - 3:10 ride, it is a very hilly course and I was able to do better than that time earlier this season on a stand alone ride. But the run is a whole different story. I was hoping a 5:30 - 6:00 mins/km pace would work but i have no idea how I will feel after that hilly ride and then having a hilly run to do as well. My super secret goal is also 6 hours but since it is my first I think I will be happy with just finishing as well. I know my run is a weak point but how much do I need to hold back on the ride to complete the run at my goal pace? I know this is kind of a specific question so any help at all would be greatly appreciated. |
| 2009-09-04 1:53 AM in reply to: #2386775 |
Master 1610 Kirkland, WA | Subject: RE: Pacing a 1/2 Iron i did look at the website for this race - while the profile of the bike course does look super hilly, the total elevation gain was some like 350 meters, or 1200'ish feet. for the length of the course, that really isn't that hilly - i think elevation profiles always make it look much worse than it is. . remember the scale when you look at it! you will be fine |
| 2009-09-04 8:50 AM in reply to: #2386775 |
Elite 3779 Ontario | Subject: RE: Pacing a 1/2 Iron I think there's a lot more climbing than 1200 feet (unless you're only referring to the total gain). If you compare the bike splits at last year's race to some of the other 70.3's, you'll see that it's a pretty tough course. Either way, I think I'll be a little more conservative on the bike, and save something for the last 30km, as well as the run. I'm still not sure how hilly or rolling the run is going to be and that might throw everything out the window when we drive the course the day before.  |
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