Iron Man Check List

Below is a list of items and checks that may be useful to you: 

Pre-race day

1.     Photo ID  (required at registration)

2.     Ensure bike in good working order. (Book a bike service-you’ve invested too much not to)

3.     Nutrition (Race Drink, Bars, Gels, Recovery Drinks)

4.     Race Bottles for Bike and Special Needs Bags (extra)

5.     Reading material or I Pod for relaxation in build-up to race

6.     Bike Pump and Spares

7.     Bike Tools (just in case)

8.     Bike and Race Kit.

Special Needs Bag : Cycle

1. Ensure Bike Bag numbered both sides (stickers provided at registration)
2. Place extra tube and one ‘bomb’ ( just in case it’s needed)
3. Place 1-2 bottles of race energy drink (best to drink what you train on)

Suggest freeze above overnight, wrap in old t-shirt and put in plastic bag.

4. Place extra Gels/Bars or whatever else you think you may need

NB: What you don’t use, you lose, so avoid placing something valuable.

5. Take to Drop off Truck (don’t get bags mixed up)

Special Needs Bag : Run

1. Ensure Run Bag numbered both sides (stickers provided at registration)
2. Place 1 bottle of race energy drink (best to drink what you train on)

Suggest freeze above overnight, wrap in old t-shirt and put in plastic bag.

3. Place extra Gels/Bars or whatever else you think you may need

4. Place small ant- chafe or Vaseline in case of chafing (possibly a plaster)

5. Spare running socks (if shoes/socks get wet a change of socks would help a great deal)

6. Old warm top (in case you are out late and it gets cold)

7. Take to Drop off Truck (don’t get bags mixed up)

Race Day : SWIM

1. Swim goggles that don’t fog up (take a spare set and try anti fog on goggles)
2. Wetsuit
3. Extra swim cap (if cold wear under race swim cap)
4. Compression (calf) guards (if use these, put on under wetsuit)
5. Race Chip with ankle belt (supplies by race) NB: Don’t leave in Hotel room. Pin it for safety.
6. Bottle of liquid to stay hydrated
7. Sunblock (Don’t put near eyes pre swim )
8. Ant- Chafe
9. Tri Suit (I wear mine beneath my wetsuit as extremely difficult to put your race top on if body wet)
10. Warm Clothes (could be chilly late April, don’t waste energy trying to keep warm)
11. Swim Bag if no family present (put clothes, anti-chafe, etc in bag and take to swim bag drop off)

CYCLE

1. Collect Cycle Bag off Rack

Race Number (NB: Take a race belt: attach number to race belt ready to put on pre bike, you will only be issued with 1 race number, so a number belt is highly recommended as can serve bike and run requirements).

2. Race Helmet

3. Sunglasses

4. Bike Shoes (either in bag or on bike)

DO NOT try mount your bike with shoes attached to bike if you have never practiced this)

5. Socks/Gloves if utilised

6. Bottles with nutrition (should have been placed on bike pre-race, ie. morning of race)

7. Nutrition to take with you (whatever your preference: bars, gels, etc)

NB: Place nutrition in bags on morning of race, not Saturday mid-day (may be hot).

8. Bike spares should be attached to your bike

9. Bike will have been racked on Saturday (check for landmarks as to where your bike is parked)

10. Visit sunscreen table as you exit transition tent.

RUN

1. Collect Run Bag off Rack
2. Turn race number to face front (on bike it would face back)
3. Running Shoes and fresh socks (in case it rains can put dry socks on)
4. Peak/Cap (if running in afternoon this is a must)
5. Sunglasses if required
6. Nutrition to take with you (whatever your preference: bars, gels, etc)
7. Anti-chafe or Vaseline
8. Warm top if running late afternoon or evening (it can get cold after sun goes down).
9. Visit the sunscreen table if venturing onto run in afternoon.

Other Considerations:

1. What nutrition on race day? Try use what you have trained on. I use Cytomax, but each has their own personal preference. Gu Brew (drink) and Gels will be available on the course.
2. Do not try anything new. You should have practiced your nutrition, it is the 4^th discipline of an Ironman.
3. Make sure your running shoes (and your socks) are worn in, do not wear new.
4. Worry about what you can control and not what you can’t control. This implies, know what the weather will do BUT don’t let it get you down, if it’s an Easterly it will make the cycle tougher, so pace yourself accordingly, especially on the new course.
5. Be aware of the likely weather conditions before packing your transition bags and special needs bags. For example if extremely cold day forecast, you may decide to wear arm warmers on bike.
6. Recce the course and the transition area.
7. Check bike, especially Tyres on morning of race.
8. Leave your Pride at home and race at your pace, Ironman is an endurance race, not a sprint!
9. Remember the first ten minutes (of all 3 disciplines) can destroy your day… be cautious!
10. Perseverance is not about talent/time it is about finishing.
11. Enjoy The Journey!!!
12. Wishing you a Great Day.
13. Look forward to Paul Kaye and his fellow announcers welcoming you home.
14. See you at the Finish Line Party (the final hour is the best).
15. Bring your party mojo to the Awards evening, there will be plenty to celebrate.
16. You Know You Can!!!

Thanks to the organisers, sponsors, officials and volunteers for making our day so special!! Well done and good luck to the ’23 Heroes’ doing their 10th consecutive Ironman!

YES, you Can, you Will, you Want to!!

10 Tips to maximise the 80 days till Ironman

80 Days to Ironman = It’s closer than you think!

When setting Sporting Goals for an event seemingly a long way away, there are certain things we can do to increase our chances of a successful outcome.

With Ironman a little under 3 months away, here are a few ideas that I will be implementing to try and ensure I remain focussed and motivated, you may want to consider incorporating a few of them too.

1. 80 Days! For me that brings a little more urgency (than 3 months) and encourages me not to waste training days, or windows of opportunity.

2. Burn the Boats! If the Boats are torched there is no turning back, no surrendering. So share your goals and commit them to stone.

3. If you, like me, need to streamline your body then stick a photo of your current self on the fridge door and the bathroom mirror. Mentally start contrasting that with where you need to be and start seeing yourself as you can become and not as you are.

4. Make sure you have a Training Plan (Road Map). Planned sessions (especially with training partners) get done, unplanned ones don’t!

5. Seek professional help ( why try reinvent the wheel and make unnecessary mistakes?) and who better to get guidance from than Raynard Tissink. I think they have an Ironman special on currently, go to www.raynardtissink.com

6. Carry little cue cards and just before you succumb to buying that chocolate, read it. Eg. ” Will this take me closer to, or further away from my Goal?” – easy to pass it up now.

7. Treat every Goal you set, as a Promise you have made to yourself (or your loved ones), it’s harder to break promises than skip sessions.

8. Focus on one day at a time! Just as in a race, it is important to stay in the Present, otherwise it becomes too daunting.

9. Progress fuels motivation, so set achievable short term Goals, as these help you to achieve the bigger, audacious Goals.

10. Sometimes we are very close to achieving our Goals, but we don’t Persevere and we quit and this becomes a habit, it becomes part of our make-up. So if you do decide to chase a Dream, a Vision, a Goal it’s important to understand that it can take 14-21 days to break the shackles of bad habits, which in a short space of time can become good habits and enjoyable ones too. The key is being bold enough to take that first step.

For those wanting a little more reading here are two links to (A) How to achieve your Dreams and (B) Scott Rigsby’s 5 key steps to achieving the Impossible. All the best!!

http://ironmansa.com/2012/05/01/how-to-achieve-your-dreams/

http://ironmansa.com/2012/10/11/scott-rigsbys-5-key-steps-to-achieving-the-unthinkable/

An Ironman Finish Line = An unbelieavable feeling!

IMSA 70.3 Tips for First Timers

The Urban Ninja aka Raoul De Jongh’s excellent tips for first timers in East London can also be read as a refresher for the seasoned campaigners like myself.

Raoul De Jongh is one of the best Age Groupers in South Africa and finished 10th in East London last year in a shade over 4hrs30 minutes. Follow link below:

http://www.urban-ninja.co.za/index.php/2011/11/70-3-first-timer-tips/

Tapering for Ironman or Ironman 70.3?

The countdown to IMSA 70.3 in Buffalo City (East London) has started and for many this is the toughest part of the preparation. The reason is quite simply, that you may be a novice, or you may be unsure what to do, or the little bird on your shoulder keeps posing thoughts, suggestions or questions.

Remember that it takes 10-14 days for training adaptations, so there is absolutely no point in striving for extra fitness at this time, as you will NOT get any fitter. With two weeks to go, here are a few thoughts, ideas and suggestions of my own (personal not scientific) gained over many years of tapering and competing.

1. Some athletes look forward to a taper as it brings with it a nice break from the tough training (I certainly do). However, some athletes and even coaches view the taper period with uncertainty and anxiety. You will not lose fitness by tapering, as the amount of training required to maintain fitness is considerably less than the amount of training required to acquire that fitness.
2. If you are feeling a little stressed, believe me it is normal for the anxiety levels to rise in the final two weeks. We are all in the same boat and hopefully the content that follows will help you to put your mind at ease and relax somewhat.
3. I can promise you that it is far better to go into a race 100% healthy and 90% fit (as opposed to 100% fit and 90% healthy), so beware of trying to chase a little extra fitness in the final two weeks. Rather relax and allow the body some invaluable Rest and Recovery!
   

   Rest and Recovery are vital!

4. DO NOT try and catch up on any missed long rides, or more particularly long runs as you will do yourself more harm than good. Too many Ironman athletes destroy any chance of a good performance by leaving much needed energy  (and reserves) on the training ground in the final two weeks.
   

   Cut back on long rides/runs

5. Mind: Remember that the mind is a very powerful tool and when you start a Taper, you may feel sluggish, weak, tired but I tell myself (and believe) that it is the mind (sub conscious) wanting to ensure that we don’t overdo things. The amazing thing is, I have often felt super ‘pap’ in the final days/weeks, but when that gun goes off and the adrenalin kicks in, the body (and mind) feels amazing and can produce super human performances. Don’t allow the mind to tell you that you are unfit, fat or lazy during your taper, as that is not the case and remember that allowing the body to Recover and absorb what you’ve put in, is an important training discipline.
6. During a taper period you can help maximise performance by controlling certain things, including the frequency, duration and intensity of your training sessions. The body is used to training regularly so it’s important not to go cold turkey and cull the training.
7. Duration: Ideally you want to trim the time (volume) spent training during the course of the final 10-14 days and I would even advocate one full rest day per week in the final two weeks. The key here is the long sessions, cut them back, especially running as there can be a great deal of accumulative fatigue that you want to eradicate. Reducing the duration of your sessions will help build/replenish muscle strength and avoid mental fatigue. Try and use the saved ‘hours’ to get some extra sleep/rest.
   

   Cut back on Volume

8. Intensity: From an intensity point of view I’m looking towards cutting back and being efficient in the final weeks. Bearing in mind that I would be aiming for 4:20-30/km for a 21km in a 70.3, there is no need for me to be hammering 8 x 1000m reps at 3:40’s 10 days out. I will do a set of 5 x 1000’s at 4 min/km and it will feel very comfortable, with little or no risk of overdoing it. This helps me to maintain some of the training adaptations that could be lost with a total reduction in volume and intensity. Remember to consider the Risk vs Reward equation at all times.
   

   Don’t leave it all on the track

9. Frequency: One thing I would do is avoid any days with 3 sessions during my taper but having said that generally I prefer to keep the frequency level  at a similar level, even though some of the sessions hardly seem worthwhile, but it does keep the mind settled. Too much cutting back on frequency of sessions can lead to an overactive mind and you may lose your ‘feel’.
10. You will not get fatter during your taper (unless you eat way too much), but you may get heavier so avoid the scale at this time. The reason you get heavier is that your Glycogen stores are being replenished and you are probably retaining more water. Just because you can relax on your training, it doesn’t mean that you can relax on your nutrition, so beware of inputting too many junk Carbs, especially if you are travelling. You need high octane fuel when you race, so pay special attention to good quality meals.

Wishing you all the very best for your race and remember to enjoy the day, as very often it is the Journey that is more important than the outcome of any race. As former Springbok centre Helgard Muller once said to me after the New York Marathon “Hey soutie, hoekom het jy so hard gehol want my medalje is dieselfde kleur as joune?” (translation: “Hey Englishman, why did you  run so hard, as my medal is the same colour as yours?”)

YES, you Can, you Will, you Want to!!