General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Best advise for Iron Man? Rss Feed  
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2008-09-04 9:49 PM

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Expert
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Subject: Best advise for Iron Man?

Ok, all you new Iron Men.  What was the single best piece of advise you got before your Iron Man?

Just to start the sharing, a friend of mine said that the single best piece of advice she got was to get a clear water bottle, and mark it off in even divisions, one for each hour she planned to be on the bike.  Then mix her perpetuem all in one bottle.  Then all she had to do was drink one division worth for every hour.  That way she could easily see where she was on nutrition.   (of course you've got to get your hydration from a different bottle).

I tried it on my last long ride and it worked very well.



Edited by jashac 2008-09-04 9:51 PM


2008-09-04 9:57 PM
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2008-09-04 11:13 PM
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Veteran
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Perth, Oz
Subject: RE: Best advise for Iron Man?

Not really advice exactly but my coach just said to me in passing before my IM last year, its just a well catered for training day!  

somehow that made it seem less scary/intimidating. Take the Ironman title away and its what you've been doing in training for months before hand. 

2008-09-04 11:40 PM
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Subject: RE: Best advise for Iron Man?
Before I started the marathon my wife passed on advise from my coach she was in contact with. He said eat your way back to life. Your gonna hate it for the first few miles, but it will pay off.
2008-09-05 1:37 AM
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Subject: RE: Best advise for Iron Man?
keep hydrated, and keep moving.
2008-09-05 5:35 AM
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Champion
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Subject: RE: Best advise for Iron Man?

Train your body to go long w/o fuel. 

Mathmatically you cannot take in as many calories/hr as you are burning.  You might can bike 112 miles and live with the calorie deficit and you can might can run 26 miles with a calorie deficit but the cummulative calorie dificit of the s/b/r can bring you to a crawl.  I did a lot of my long bike rides w/o any fuel, forcing my body to use fat stores.  I went as long as 90 miles w/o any calories.  When I finally did start taking in calories on my long rides, I was awesome! 

Disclaimer:  Everybody and every body is different and this may not work for some people....but it sure worked for me.

~Mike



2008-09-05 8:14 AM
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Iron Donkey
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Subject: RE: Best advise for Iron Man?

Lock in the nutrition plan.

Have fun!

2008-09-05 8:15 AM
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Champion
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Subject: RE: Best advise for Iron Man?
STAY POSITIVE and keep a GOOD ATTITUDE... no matter what happens.

For most people (not all), there comes a low point in the day. You think it won't happen and then BAM! It's in your face... the low point.

That's when you have to remind yourself to stay positive and to keep a good attitude. You can't get sucked into that vortex. Mentally you have to hold it together and you won't if you get sucked in.

When you look back on your first IM, you want to have good memories. Only you can make those memories, with your attitude on race day.



Good luck!
2008-09-05 9:00 AM
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Champion
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the colony texas
Subject: RE: Best advise for Iron Man?
have some fun. Don't be all caught up in what you think your time should be if you have a perfect. Joke around out there.
2008-09-05 9:28 AM
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2008-09-05 9:37 AM
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Subject: RE: Best advise for Iron Man?
The best advice I got (and you'll hear it at least a million times) was SLOW DOWN. Could I have pushed the bike much harder than I did? Yes, but it may have caused a DNF on the run. Could I have run every step of that marathon? Probably, but, again, it may have caused a DNF. If it's your first ironman, have fun, who cares about times, just make it to the finish line having a blast.


2008-09-05 9:44 AM
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Expert
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Avon, CT
Subject: RE: Best advise for Iron Man?
make the most of the day with what you have to work with.
2008-09-05 9:54 AM
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Pro
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Subject: RE: Best advise for Iron Man?
Sh** happens.  Be ready to deal with it when it does.
2008-09-05 2:21 PM
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Subject: RE: Best advise for Iron Man?
2008-09-05 3:24 PM
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Champion
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Subject: RE: Best advise for Iron Man?
JeepFleeb - 2008-09-05 9:28 AM

Gaarryy - 2008-09-05 9:00 AM
have some fun. Don't be all caught up in what you think your time should be if you have a perfect. Joke around out there.

CANNONBALL!!!

that was a great way to start off my day.

MR 1 & Done 

2008-09-05 4:13 PM
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Elite
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Raleigh
Subject: RE: Best advise for Iron Man?
Here is my advice to all the new IM's before their race.

YOU HAVE ALL DAY OUT THERE.... what I mean is if something goes wrong, do NOT panic. 17 hours is really a long time, if you have to sit down and rest for a while, do it. Do not think OMG this is over because I have lost 30 minutes because I had to stop for some reason. If something medical comes up and you can take a break, do it; do not be so quick to throw in the towel.

I know a guy that has done 6 IMs and never finished higher than 14 hours. He ALWAYS stops along side the rode on the bike to eat, rather than eat while riding. He says he is faster eating by the road and then he gets up to speed again vs slowing down to eat and then speeding back up.

Remember you have all day out there...


2008-09-05 4:24 PM
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Expert
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Santa Fe, New Mexico
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Subject: RE: Best advise for Iron Man?
Thanks for all the great wisdom guys.  Gerrard - thanks for the link to faster IM.  Lots of good stuff there - especially with regard to training.
2008-09-05 8:45 PM
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Regular
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Subject: RE: Best advise for Iron Man?
"have the best day of your life" Mike Reilly at the start
2008-09-09 8:55 AM
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Subject: RE: Best advise for Iron Man?

I have two bits of advise.  The first I got from a professional Ironman - Raynard Tissink at a speech he gave.  That was that there is nowhere to go from feeling great except down. So at those times when you think things are going fantastic and you could push it a bit more DON'T! Stick to your plan and keep it easy.  As they said above it is a long day.

And the second is my bit of advise - ENJOY IT!!  I put a plan in place that would suit the amount of training I had done (very little) and stuck to that.  I had time to savour the atmosphere, laugh with some of the spectators on the run and look around.  You have planned for this for so long, don't mess it up by not enjoying the day.

 

 

2008-09-09 12:04 PM
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Champion
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Bellingham, Washington
Subject: RE: Best advise for Iron Man?
While you are swimming, focus on the swim, don't be thinking about 112 miles of biking or running a marathon....When you are riding, focus on the bike, don't start thinking about a marathon.  When you start the marathon, focus on that , not about tomorrow or the next day, focus and keep moving forward.  Every step is one closer to the finish line.   Target telephone poles, signs, shuffle to those and then walk if you have to....Walk the aid stations to make sure you get fluids and fuel.    And remember to smile...you paid for it.
2008-09-09 2:25 PM
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Expert
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Wellington, North Island
Subject: RE: Best advise for Iron Man?
1. Have a plan that you have developed and know will work based on months of training experience, and follow it. This includes not blowing yourself up on the bike. And keep it simple, especially on the run (this last part came from Coredump).

2. Don't get thrown by minor obstacles that arise during the course of a race. You have to cover 140.6 miles. It's bound to happen. Know that you can do it, refocus, and get back on track.


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