Ironman 70.3 Arizona 2023 - Pre-Race Plan

 IRONMAN 70.3 ARIZONA 2023

Predicted Splits:

SWIM - 35:00 (32:01 in 2019)

T1 - 06:00 (8:32 in 2019)

BIKE - 3:15:00 (2:51:39 in 2019)

T2 - 04:00 (4:14 in 2019)

RUN - 2:55:00 (2:09:49 in 2019)

TOTAL - 6:55:00 (5:46:12 in 2019)

Mom and I are driving to Arizona early Friday for this Sunday race. This race follows Salem 70.3 which was 12 weeks ago. My run was a very disappointing 3:16 in Salem. Training for me has been the most consistent for the run the last during the last few weeks, although long runs have been shortened in favor of running more frequently. The Arizona air temp is expected to be 95°on race day but I didn’t have an opportunity to heat acclimate. There is not really any shade on this course, unlike at Salem. With that in mind, I wouldn’t be surprised if the run takes over 3 hours.

The swim, on the other hand? At this point the water is 80°: VERY warm and wetsuit optional. I won’t be wearing a wetsuit and if that temp holds I’ll still probably overheat a little, which will have an affect on performance. The swim exit is fairly close to transition this year, not the more than ¼ mile distance it has been in the past. T1 should take much less time.

The ride tends to be surprisingly fast considering it’s a “technical” course, unlike any other that I’ve seen. It’s 3 laps and each lap contains five 180° turns, plus a number of right and left turns. I’m hoping for the ride to take a little longer than the ride in Salem but I don’t know how realistic that is. I have gotten my longer training rides in, although I missed a few shorter rides in order to get the longer ones in during the week when I was traveling or working on the weekend.

I still have the goal of finishing under 7 hours, just like in Oregon. The conditions will make even this a challenge so I will, as always, be happy if I race to the limits of my current abilities. I intend to race with a feeling of joy, and an appreciation for the volunteers. And I’ll race with gratitude: for my mom being with me, for my so supportive wife, for all the wonderful people who have been a part of my triathlon life over the years, and for still being able to do this during my 67th year.

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Someone asked me about my nutrition plan, so here it is, with limited explanation/justification. As I usually tell my athletes, don’t leave your nutrition to chance. Winging it is not smart. (Note: I race with caffeine so I have been off of it for over 2 weeks in order to obtain the most benefit from it.):

1 day before race: normal b’fast; Salmon burrito from Rubio’s for lunch; protein, carbs, and fat in the form of a blended shake/smoothie for dinner (this is to limit waste if the digestive tract and speed up emptying).

Race morning, pre-race: same blended shake/smoothie as last night along with a piece of bread or toast. Drink water with some electrolyte on site at the race. Consume one UCAN Edge gel ~30 min prior to the swim.

T1: 2 UCAN Edge gels (140 cal.) + water

Bike: My aero bottle holds 24oz+ of water and 1 NUUN electrolytes tab. I will refill it with water at 2 aid stations. My Speedfil bottle, mounted in the frame, holds about 40 oz. It will hold 2 x 320 cal of Maurten’s powder mixed with 34 oz water + 4 SaltStick capsules that have been opened and emptied into it. That’s 640 cal and 860 mg of salt. Total calories, including T1 = 780 cal. In my bento bag I’ll carry an extra 200 cal in a Clif Blox package. I also have the option of grabbing a gel or gels at the aid stations.

T2: I will consume 5 tablets of Perfect Amino brand tablets and 1.5 caffeine tabs, all crushed into powder and consumed with water.

Run: I intend to take a Maurten’s gel from the aid stations at miles 1,4,7, and 10 or more frequently if needed. The idea is to take in about 100 cal every half hour. I’ll carry SaltStick brand Fast Chews and aim to consume 2 around the time of each gel. I’ll also carry some Base Salt with me just in case. I also know that Red Bull is available at the aid stations and this is well tolerated.