I thought I would share this info with you all.

FROM IRONMANLIVE.COM

Thoughts on Ironman
By Steve Fluet for Ironmanlive.com on Thu, Aug 11th 2005 (11:42 AM).

After watching Ford Ironman USA Lake Placid, Steve Fluet has come up with a list of ideas that all Ironman competitors can learn from. Steve goes through a few of those in detail in this week’s tri tip.

In my last tri tip I provided a list of things that I noticed athletes were doing during Ironman Lake Placid. The list was fairly long, and it was interesting to receive many e-mails in agreement with what was on the list. I do feel that many age-group Ironman athletes are creatures of habit. Change is very difficult because it takes you out of your so called “comfort zone�. Change can help us improve, though. So, in this article, I will look expand upon some items from the list to see if we can get some athletes out of their “comfort zone� and try something new.

The number of athletes arriving close to transition closing time before the swim – Why? Many say they just wanted to get some extra sleep. The key night for sleep is two nights before the race. On race morning arrive with extra time to check in so you keep your stress level down. Staying relaxed will keep your body in control.

Lining up in the front with thoughts of swimming along the course out line - If you can’t swim a sub-60 minute 2.4 mile swim, move to the side! The goal of the swim is to swim steady and use as little energy as possible. If you line up at the front, you will get really roughed up, which expends more energy. I would rather see my athletes swim 60-90 seconds slower while staying very low on the perceived exertion scale. This will provide much greater benefits during the bike and run legs.

The fast pace by so many so early on the bike - which, in my book, is one of the leading causes of issues on the marathon. Sure, you’re excited, you’re fully tapered, you have your race wheels on, and the crowd pushes you down the road. Remember that an Ironman bike leg is about sustaining a steady aerobic pace. The goal is to evenly split the first and second parts of the bike. On a course like Lake Placid, it is very easy to feel really good and work the first loop too hard, and then really suffer and lose lots of time on the second loop. Your goal should be to try and keep the high and low ends of your working heart rate close together – not creating spikes from working too hard and then having to recover, which uses up much more energy. Stay steady on the ride and strive to set a pace that will allow you not to slow down.

How some athletes looked very comfortable on the bike while others looked very uncomfortable - Bottom line here: find an expert on bike fitting and work with them. I saw so many bikes that were too big for the rider, had a top tube or stem that was too long, a saddle that was pointing just about at the ground, or was set up with the handlebars well above the seat. There are many great expert bike fitters out there. Make sure that you check out their qualifications: do they have a degree in some aspect of the human body (you must know how the anatomy works in order to apply that in a bike fit session), do they access you as a rider and your style, do they look at every aspect of you on the bike from your feet to the head area when on the aero bars? We spend so much money on a racing bike, yet many times are not set up to really get the benefits from that bike.

The contrast of running styles: mid foot (much less of these) and heel strike (much more of these) -- The goal is forward movement. Does it make sense to land on your heel with the swing through leg? All you are doing is stopping any forward movement and creating and upward force. In an Ironman race you get off the bike (somewhat tired) and face 26-miles of running. So the ideal plan would be to run as efficiently as possible. To do that, you must land more on the mid foot. This process requires lots of re-educating your neuro-muscular system, looking at a different shoe for training and racing, including some sport specific strength work, and developing the mental aspect of running like an Ironman triathlete instead of a straight marathon runner. Try to find someone in your area that does gait work and again has the skills and experience to work with you. Even if you just start with some video tape work so you can see yourself run the affect may be huge. Watch a past Kona race to see how the top pro’s run.

What some athletes consume at the run aid stations - After a long day of racing, with, say, eight miles left before you finish, you hit an aid station and there in front of you are cookies. The temptation is huge -- many times you will say to yourself “This is what I need to help me finish.� During the run is when GI issues may sometimes develop. This can be caused by too many calories early on, electrolyte levels that are too low, solid food slowing down the function of fluid absorption, and decreases in the concentration of a sports drink that you are consuming. Most athletes can only assimilate 220–280 calories per hour. During the run, if you start eating many of the items that are offered at each aid station, you may go over the limit. Try to space out what you take in at each aid station. Focus on smaller amounts and try to stay away from solid foods. Some bars are fine, but take small bites and chew very well so you can start the breakdown process with the enzymes in your mouth. Also, pay attention to your caloric intake on the bike. You can’t make up calories that you missed on the bike during the run portion.

The excitement of each athlete as they cross the finish line - the ultimate feeling for anyone who completes an Ironman race. The highs and lows that each athlete experiences on race day, then the finish line, and that now famous statement “You are an Ironman,� is worth every minute out on the course.

These are some of the things that really stood out in my mind after watching Ironman Lake Placid. We can all learn from watching others and making some changes in order to improve.