12 Race ready tips

You are probably hoping that I am going to write about how to plan your sport nutrition for race day or what percentage of your FTP you should hold while you are on the bike, how to swim fast in open water or the best way to run strong off the bike without your legs hurting.

While having a plan can ease mental worries for the athlete who tries to predict/control a race day outcome, it's important to recognize that being race ready is more than just checking off workouts and having a strict plan for race day.

Two years ago, at 2014 Ironman Wisconsin, something incredible happened.
Karel and I both qualified for the 2015 Ironman World Championship.
Although our goal was to both qualify, our results could not have been planned nor predicted.

Karel: 9:44, 3rd AG (35-39), 9th overall male amateur.
Marni: 10:44, 3rd AG (30-34), 6th overall male amateur.

To the minute and the exact same podium spot, we both excelled to the best of our best ability on race day.

The outcome of race day was not just a result of hard work in training and great luck on race day but it was also from a processed-drive mindset that kept us moving in the right direction, for 140.6 miles.
The plan was to Kona qualify - that's it.

It's been two years since this special race day and we can both agree that we have learned SO much more about endurance racing and what it takes to bring out the best in you on race day. 

Whether you are trying to qualify for Kona, hoping for a podium spot or a personal best or looking to have an all-around enjoyable race day experience, here are a few race ready tips, not involving metrics or nutrition, that have helped us excel in endurance triathlon races over the past few years.

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1) Be realistic with your race day goals but don't sell yourself short. Although you are racing with your current level of fitness, you must believe in yourself, that your training has given you the mental and physical skills to race smart and to excel.

2) It's completely normal to have race week/day nerves - nerves mean that you care about your performance.  Whether you fear the upcoming distance, the unknowns of the race course or weather worry you or you feel pressure from yourself, friends or family, you should never let your fears, worries or nerves get the best of you. Visualize yourself succeeding before race day so that you can turn some of that nervous energy into excited energy.

 3) Keep your mindset positive before and during the race. It can be performance destructive to have conflicting thoughts before the race - like negative energy about your readiness, powerful doubts about your worthiness as an athlete, uncertainties about if you are cut out for this event and maybe even thoughts of "this isn't worth this pain" or "I just want to get this over with."
It's important that you care throughout the entire race - this means keeping your mind in a place where you always care about your performance and no matter what obstacles come your way, you stay focused and mentally strong to put forth the best race performance possible by your body.

4) When racing, remember that thoughts are temporary. Every negative thought will precede and follow a positive thought. We often call these highs and lows of racing and we all feel them. You just have to keep moving forward so that you can catch those positive thoughts  - and try to hang on to them for as long as possible. 

5) There are many controllables when it comes to racing and lots of uncontrollables. You can't control your competition, you can't control the weather and you can't change the course. But you can control your race by planning your sport nutrition, your clothing, your pacing plan and your attitude. Racing to your best is accepting that you can not control everything so you must remain processed driven.

6)  Do not sabotage your race day performance with your body by worrying about (or trying to control) your weight. There is no reason to restrict, control or stress about food in the days leading up to the race, unless it is to help you maximize performance (give you energy), keep you hydrated and reduce risk for GI issues on race day (low residue/fiber diet). 

7) Do not deviate from what has worked in training. Avoid seconding guessing yourself and don't worry about what other athletes are or are not doing.  It's your body and your race.

8) Embrace your  competition. Racing brings out the best in athletes and often, competition will push you to perform better than you thought was possible. But this means that you can't doubt yourself - if you find yourself saying "I'm so slow, everyone is so much faster, I don't belong here" you won't rise to your abilities. Always race your closest competition and let others bring out the best in you.

9) Help out your fellow athletes. If an athlete is having a great day or if an athlete is struggling, give him/her a cheer. There's great power for you and the other athletes in spreading energy through a cheer, high five or a smile.

10) Don't chase times, paces and rankings. You must stay present at all times - processed drive, not outcome focused.

11) Be more than just be physically prepared. Review the course in great detail, review the weather, read the athlete guide, attend the athlete briefing and do anything else possible before the race to feel mentally prepared. Nothing brings more confidence than feeling prepared.

12) Have fun! After your race, you go back to life. Let's be honest - racing is fun and for just one day, you get to do something for yourself and by yourself. In some crazy way, tell yourself that no matter how much it hurts on race day, you don't want it to end. Enjoy your special day and be grateful and thankful that you can do what you can do with your body. Be yourself in every way possible.

Ironman Austria - one more sleep

It's hard to believe that it was almost 10 years ago when I was packing my transition bags for my very first Ironman.
Now 10 years and 10 Ironman triathlon events later, I have the privilege of racing for 140.6 miles with my body for the 11th time in Klagenfurt, Austria.

I've always felt that the Ironman distance was a good distance for me. Over the years, I have enjoyed the mental and physical challenge of training for and racing long distance triathlon events.

There have been a lot of high moments, PR's, Kona qualifications (4 of them) and great memories but I've also had my share of low moments with setbacks, struggles and injuries.
When I overcome those low moments, I always gain more of an appreciation for what I can do with my body as a triathlete.

Although I feel honored that I have the fitness to be competitive and to "race" (not just participate) for 140.6 miles, I never take the distance for granted. I respect the long day that I have in front of me and I can not thank my body enough for letting me push hard for 10+ hours.

Thank you for the continued support, safe wishes and good mechanical luck.

For tracking:
Ironman Austria
Marni - Bib number 672
Karel - Bib number 342

Swim gear

Bike gear

Run gear


Special needs

Escorting my mom to her volunteer duties at Registration. 

We'd like to send a big thank you to Triasport for special ordering me a new right side brake lever from Germany on Wednesday, overnighting it for it to arrive on Thursday AND for giving us a great euro discount.

Sadly, my basebar Di2 shifting stopped working in route to Europe (cause unknown). But all is good now!

Also, I realize I could have still raced just fine with my right side aero bar electronic shifting but to make me feel more comfortable, I'm incredible grateful and thankful to the best bike mechanic in the world (seriously, he's that good) who also happens to be my husband for going out of his way to find the part, order the part and then install the part. I'm also grateful that Karel is a perfectionist and very patient.

I played bike stand as Karel installed a new brake lever and rerouted all the cables. This was not an easy job so I'm thinking I'll need to make Karel extra proud on Sunday by riding extra fast and using my gears a lot....and getting him a few Czech beers nd get him a few Czech be 

Walking in Europapark to the pre-race athlete welcome banquet. 

Athlete pre-race banquet

Race prep tips - get yourself race ready

When you think about the top age group, elite and professional athletes, they all have one thing in common. 

They are all fast!

But push good genetics, consistent training, experience and phenomenal dedication to the side and great race day performances stem from excellent preparation.

Successful performances are not limited to the professionals. Any athlete can be great. It's time to discover your inner excellence!

It's important that you make sure you are using every training session to get yourself race ready. For the average age-grouper, life is so busy that you may find yourself rushing through training to just get it done or skipping valuable steps in your development.

If you have recently found yourself feeling a bit overwhelmed for your upcoming race, it's time to believe in yourself that you will know how to use that fitness on race day. 

Most athletes spend at least 4 months training for a key race. That's a minimum of 16 weeks or around 120 days to prepare your body and mind for race day.

If you train 6 days a week, that's approximately 96 days to build fitness, perfect your skills, test your fueling strategy and practice pacing. 

Here are a few tips on how you can feel more race ready in the 8 weeks leading up to your big race. 

-6-8 weeks out: Every training session creates training stress to get you faster, stronger and more resilient. You should see every workout as a valuable opportunity to learn, experiment, observe, reflect and test yourself when it comes to pacing, fueling and mental strength. Every workout should make you feel more prepared for race day. Avoid just going through the motions. Make sure you are gaining something from every workout. 

-5 weeks out: Consider the planned fatigued that is building to help you physically prepare for your upcoming event during this time. Not every workout will feel 100% but you can certainly give your best effort for each workout, depending on the day. You should be extra focused on consistency with your before and during training nutrition as well as with your lifestyle habits like sleep and stress management so that your body stays in excellent health.

-4 weeks out: Around this time, you should find yourself with more race-specific workouts. The purpose of these longer workouts (or a training race) is to give you confidence that you can put it all together on race day. Great performances come from athletes who know how to be proactive and solve problems quickly on race day. If you find yourself with an oh-no moment in training, learn from it to be better prepared on race day. 

-3 weeks out: This is the time when your mind and body play games on you...a lot! You are getting closer to taper and begin to experience a lot of mental dialogue which can affect how you train. You may experience self-doubt and the itch to test yourself with fear-based workouts or you may feel a sense of burnout and question "is this all worth it?" Remember how far you have come and with every conversation you have in your head, convince yourself that you are ready and it will be worth it.

-2 weeks out: Speaking of mental strength, this is an excellent time to go through "oh no" situations for race day. How will you handle a flat tire, cramp or tummy ache on race day? It may be valuable to consult a professional when it comes to situations like GI distress, pacing concerns or weather worries to help you feel more prepared, especially if you have been experiencing issues in training that worry you for race day. Visualize yourself on race day and embrace all worries, pains of the race or fears that you have because everything you are feeling is normal and anticipated. If you trained smart over the past few months, trust yourself that you are more than ready for your upcoming race. This is a great time to start your packing list and to keep your race day plan for nutrition as simple as possible. Do a few workouts in your race gear/equipment to make sure you are comfortable performing race intensity in your race gear/equipment.

1 week out/Race week: Do you like to be in control? Every athlete has his/her own definition of control but for some an itinerary and a written plan is extremely helpful. With so many thoughts in your head, write things out to walk yourself through your packing list, pacing strategy and fueling plan.  I believe that athletes need to surround themselves with positive energy on race week and avoid energy suckers. For some, this means staying off social media and for others, this means sharing the experience with others.

Not too long ago, I provided our team of Trimarni athletes a handout titled "Race week/day planning" with 10 specific questions that help my athletes think about, prepare and plan for their race.

Here are a few of the questions to help you out:

1. What gear are you planning to use/have with you during the race (you may include extra gear for warming-up, pre race and extra items as well). 

Pre-race:

Swim:

Bike: 

Run:

Post-race

2. Are there any special items that you need to have with you before the race that won’t be 

used during the race (ex. medicine, clothing, nutrition, gear, nutrition chargers) that will 

make an impact on your race day performance/plan? 

3. What are your goals for each portion of the race – mental, nutrition and physical. 

Pre-race: 

Swim: 

Bike: 

Run:

4. What is your nutrition fueling/hydration strategy for during each portion of the race (amount, timing and type of nutrition)? 

Pre-race:

Swim:

Bike:

Run:

5. What concerns you right now that may cause you anxiety/nerves on race day? Are there 

things within or out of your control that are on your mind (ex. course terrain, weather, 

the swim, nerves, timing goals, injuries, GI distress, first race, new location, travel, etc.)

6.  Based on your responses above – how will you address/overcome these challenges 

during the race?

Best of luck at your upcoming race!!!

"The will to succeed is important but what's more important is the will to prepare." 

Race ready for Ironman Austria!

After another good night of sleep, I woke up around 5:45am and had a good pre workout snack of WASA + PB + Banana slices and granola/raisins and water and coffee and then we got our bikes ready for our last warm-up ride. 

We drove to the race venue and parked before things got busy for there were two athlete meetings that morning (9 and 10am) as well as the Iron Girl race at 11am (run). 

We rode about 50 minutes total on the back part of the course (headed out first backward on the course) so that we could see the last 5 or so miles of the course. After the bike we did a short 10 min run to wake up the legs and then walked to the athlete briefing (in English). 

I always encourage athletes to go to the athlete meeting before a race for you never know what information you will need to hear that is important for your race. I always want to be prepared and many times, attending the race meeting can ease many pre race nerves (always good to control the controllables). 

After we came home around 10:30 (after a quick stop at the grocery), we had a good morning meal and then officially packed up our race bags. Since we can access our bags on race morning, we can put our race nutrition in our bags (and on bike) on race day morning. 

For my bike bag:
110% Flat out compression socks
Giro attack helmet
Commit sunglasses (Oakley Women)
Bontrager cycling shoes
Race bib (required on back) w/ belt (and safety pins attached)
Hand towel

For my run bag:
Brooks pure flow run shoes
My dad's favorite Corvette hat (Karel will be wearing my dad's other favorite hat)

We were told no ribbons on bags so even though I brought them I was unable to tie them on my bags to easily locate my bags.
There were designated times for checking in our bikes so I checked in my first, followed by Karel. 

Karel and I are both All World Athletes (award given to us and many others from Ironman) which allowed us to check in our bikes at 12:30-1pm with the pros but we decided to wait to check in our bikes when we could see a crowded transition area to help us visualize for race day. 

The volunteers checked our bike to make sure it had all necessary parts and was race ready with numbers attached. 

We then walked through a tent (men's changing tent) and a volunteer took a picture of our bike.
Next we racked our bike and run bags in the designated areas according to our numbers. There was no order to racking the bags, just in the range of bib numbers. 

After racking my bags, I located my bike rack near the end of the transition area (what a huge transition area for 3000 athletes!!) and found a spot in the middle of the rack. 

After I racked my bike and covered her up with the bike bags that were given to us (in case it rains), I waited for Karel. 

As I waited, I mentally walked through the swim to bike, bike to run transition over and over, including getting my bag, going into the changing tent, etc. 

Even though this is Karel's 2nd Ironman, let me tell you that even with 7 Ironman's behind me, it is still a bit overwhelming to put everything together for 140.6 miles of racing in just two bags, the day before the race. But it always feels good when you walk out of transition area with just yourself and all you have to do on race day morning is arrive with your swim gear and anything extra for the bike/run. 

I was totally jealous of Karel's end of the rack bike spot but when we walked over to my bike to let out some tire pressure due to the heat today/tonight, I noticed there was a free spot that just opened up on my rack!

YIPPE!

We can not thank you all enough for your continued support with our international IM journey. I still can't believe that the day is finally here for it feels like so long ago that we registered for this dream race. 

So much has affected us in positive and negative ways over the past year and we could not be more grateful for the ongoing kind words and enthusiasm as we continue to love life and to make great memories together. 

It was only 32 days ago that I said good bye to my dad. 

There is not a day that goes by that I do not think about my dad and wish he was still here with me, enjoying life and making the most of every day.  He was always so proud of me and my "real athlete" husband (Karel earned that title from my dad after he finished his first IM.) :) 

I know that if he was still here, he would be loving all my amazing pictures in beautiful Austria and we expect daily Facetime calls with him and my mom for they always got super excited when it came to my triathlons, especially the Ironman.

Back in 2011 I was able to share my Ironman World Championship experience with my parents and this was the last Ironman that my parents were able to physically be at with me. 

However, even with IM Lake Placid and the IM World Championship last summer, it was still great knowing that I was able to speak to my parents before and after the race and know that regardless of how I did, they were super excited to track me and to celebrate another amazing accomplishment with my healthy body. 

The Ironman journey is different for everyone for we all have our own reasons for committing to the journey of training for a 140.6 mile race. I know that for some people, it is to do the impossible but for a large number of people, it is for a greater reason than just earning the "Ironman finisher" title. 

There is always a mix of emotions on the day before an Ironman and many times, it is a mix of nerves, excitement, uncertainties, fears, worries, relief, happiness, joy and positive energy. 

One thing I have learned throughout the past 7 years of Ironman racing (starting at the age of 24) is that there are no certainties on race day and a lot of things out of your control. There are guarantees as to how the day will turn out for the IM day is all about constant motion and overcoming obstacles. 

My dad never wasted a day of his life and even when he was diagnosed with an incurable case of cancer and battled this horrible cancer for the last 10 months of his life, my dad continued to celebrate life with me. 

Despite uncontrollables in his life, my dad never ever gave up. He continued to fight when others would have probably given up. 

I know tomorrow is going to be a special day for many reasons and I look forward to racing with Karel and celebrating my dad's amazing 67 years of life. I have only lived for 32 years and have already created mountains of memories.
I look forward to everything that tomorrow will bring to me, knowing that my dad will give me strength when I need it and he will have the best seat in the house for 140.6 miles. 

Swim 2.4 miles
Bike 112 miles
Run 26.2 miles

Thank you body. 

Marni bib #857
Karel bib #1598

Live Stream TV: CLICK HERE

Ironman Austria website (Athlete tracking, photos, live coverage, finish line video, etc.)

Race start: 7am local time (1am EST)

St. Croix 70.3 ready! Team Sumbal race gear specs

Today was our last day of prepping for St. Croix 70.3.

2 hour bike:
40 min warm-up
3 x 20 min @ half IM watts w/ 5 min EZ in between

1 hour transition run:
2 mile warm-up (10 sec walk each mile)
5 x 1 miles at half IM pace w/ 20 sec walk in between

(Because of the difficulty of the St. Croix course, with the heat and hills, pacing on the bike and run will be primarily by effort and not based on watts, speed or min/miles. I love difficult courses because these races require proper pacing and patience and the top athletes are those who slow down the least, all while knowing how to race smart in the conditions given on race day). 

Yay - the training is officially done!

All gear and nutrition has been practiced and perfected throughout months of training and today was the last opportunity to put everything together. 

It's far too common that athletes will welcome race week with months of miles and hours logged on Training Peaks but have no idea as to the best pace, fueling strategy (before/during) and gear to use on race day. 

Remember that your training is to help you execute on race day. To reach your full potential as an athlete at your upcoming race, it's important to use every training session to perfect your nutrition, pacing and mental strength as well as to discover what gear/equipment is going to give you the best race possible. 

As I tell my athletes for race day:
Trust your training, trust your plan, trust your nutrition and trust your gear. 

Here's the details on what we will be using on race day next weekend in St. Croix. 

KAREL:

BIKE: Trek Speed concept 9 series, project one

SHIFTING: Shimano Dura Ace Di2 electric shifting, 11 speed
HYDRATION: Aerobars: Speedfil Z4 cage (with garmin mount). Rear: Xlab Delta 100 mount w/ Elite custom race
COMPUTER: Garmin Edge 810
PEDALS:Look Keo blade 2 CR

WHEELS: Front: Aeolus 7 D3, Rear: Bontrager Aeolus 9 D3 clincher (or rear disc wheel: Zipp Super-9)

TIRES: Clincher: bontrager R3. Disc: Schwalbe ultremo HT tubular

POWER METER: STAGES
CYCLING SHOES: Bontrager Hilo
HELMET (with shield): GIRO Air attack shield
SUNGLASSES (run): Oakley Radarlock

RUN SHOES: Brooks PureCadence 3
GOGGLES: TYR Nest Pro goggles
SPEEDSUIT: Zoot Men's ultra speedsuit 2.0
WATCH: GARMIN 910

KIT: Trimarni tri top and tri shorts

BIKE FUEL: 3 bottles of INFINIT custom formula drink (created by me) on bike.
RUN HYDRATION: Nathan sports fuel belt w/ a flask of Osmo nutrition and flask of INFINIT napalm

MARNI

BIKE: Trek Speed concept 7 series, project one

SHIFTING: Shimano Ultegra Di2 electric shifting, 11 speed
HYDRATION: Xlab turbo wing with Xlab Gorilla cages (2 rear, 1 on frame)
COMPUTER: Garmin 500
PEDALS: Look Keo carbon HM (Ironman edition)

WHEELS: HED stinger 6 HR
TIRES: Schwalbe ultremo HT tubular

POWER METER: STAGES
CYCLING SHOES: Bontrager RXL Hilo WSD
HELMET: GIRO Air attack shield
SUNGLASSES: Oakley Women commit SQ

RUN SHOES: Pure Flow Brooks Running
GOGGLES: Speedo Women's vanquisher pink
SPEEDSUIT: TYR Women' Torque pro swimskin
WATCH: GARMIN 910

KIT: Trimarni tri top and tri shorts
SUNSCREEN: Coola suncare

BIKE FUEL: 3 bottles of INFINIT custom formula drink (created by me) on bike.
RUN FUEL: Napalm in two hand-held flasks

Race Ready tips

Our bikes are making their way to Lake Placid, New York for Ironman Lake Placid on July 28th thanks to Tri Bike Transport!

Seeing that my amazing bike mechanic/hubby will be racing in his first Ironman

and not riding on his road bike, giving my parents updates during my race (pic below from Kona 2011), we will be using Tri Bike Transport for my 6th Ironman and not traveling with our bikes on the airplane. What a treat!

Are you race ready?

New shoes, new race wheels, new wetsuit, new outfit.

Athletes are notorious for race week shopping, whether it is online, at local small business stores or at the race expo. I feel there is a nice psychological boost to having new things, so long as they are effective and practical for the race for motivation increases when you have a drive to use something new.

But having new items does not out-weigh the 3 most important tips for being race day ready.

1) Skills

2) Confidence

3) Planning

To briefly break down my 3 most important tips for being race day ready, let's start with skills.

Running requires you to  move one leg in front of each other, quickly. If you don't want to run, you can walk. Although running requires good form, most people can run without having the proper skills to run. When it comes to swimming and cycling, skills are very important. From skills to keep your body safe in the water and on the road to skills to efficiently use your body on the race day course/terrain. I find that many athletes do the work by training hard and putting in the work but the lack of skills in training is overpowered by zone-training, high heart rates and social workouts. Be sure you put just as much time in your racing skills as you do in training your heart, muscles and lungs.

I love training knowing that I am working toward executing my current level of fitness on race day. Although it is completely normal and fine to have race week/day nerves and to fear the upcoming distance or course, you should never let your fears get the best of you. On the flip side, remind yourself the work that you put in to prepare for the race. Many times during a race (and before) you will have doubts, moments of "is this worth is" and even thoughts of "I can't wait til this is over." More often than not, those thoughts are temporary. Keep in mind that every negative thought comes before or after a positive thought. You just have to keep moving forward to catch those positive thoughts and hang on to them. When you finish a race, every negative thought will disappear and suddenly everything will be worth it, you won't believe it is over and you will be so proud that you did it. Don't let negative thoughts or energy fill your head when you can fill your mind with confidence and beliefs that you can race smart no matter what the day has in store for you.

There are many controllables when it comes to racing and lots of uncontrollables. You can't control your competition, you can't control the weather and you can't change the course. But you can control your race by planing your nutrition, your clothing, your pacing plan and your attitude. Consider these four very important components of putting together an effective, smart race day plan for racing is not about showing up to race day and hoping for a great race but instead, considering how you can be in control of your race day execution and knowing how to deal with situations as they come about (which they will).

A few other tips for racing:
-I am not a fan of racing "stimulants" - avoid the chemical boosters (ex. drinks, pills) for energy and do a race warm-up to get the blood flowing and the body ready for the upcoming effort.
-Do not sabotage your race day by worrying about your weight. There is no reason to restrict, control or stress about food, especially if it real food that has fueled your training or can help you properly taper for your race.
-If you are investing in new race day equipment such as cycling wheels, be sure to practice on them prior to the race (at least 2-3 weeks prior). Racing wheels can be difficult to get use to for many athletes and more often than not, they will make you look fast but if you don't have the right skills, they won't work as intended.
-Do not deviate from what has worked in the place. Athletes often second guess themselves on the days before a race, often trying new things, wondering how to fuel for the race, stressing about what others will think of their race day performance. Remember that you are racing with your current level of fitness so your body will perform how you trained it to perform.
-Race your own race. You will find a way to get to the finish line no matter what but to waste your entire race day pacing plan in the first few miles of a race will make for a very long race. There are no certainties with racing but to only trust yourself and staying within your comfort zone of your skills, nutrition strategy and pacing plan.
-Help out others. There is a special power in cheering on others, especially if you need a boost as well. Thank the volunteers, high-five the spectators and smile at the other athletes. Your worst day may be someone else's best day so if you have it in you or not, remember that everyone has their own reason for racing.
-Don't get stuck on time, paces and rankings. The best race day stories are not told by a piece of paper or online but instead, by YOU the athlete. Consider writing a post race blog report or writing about your day to share with others. Do not let your race day goals keep you from inspiring others.
-Have fun! If you don't love what you are doing, why do it? Unless you are a professional, you should be enjoying the journey of challenging yourself, overcoming obstacles and becoming a stronger, smarter and healthier individual. Whatever your sport may be, it is your lifestyle, not your life. Never stop being grateful for what your body allows you to do and thank your body many times during the race.
-Be prepared for race day. Review the course (or try it out), check the weather, consider outside variables that may affect you. Do not worry about doing something that "isn't cool", being different or unique. Be prepared for your day and don't worry about what others think of you as you are racing your own race and only you, your body and your mind can get you to the finish line.

Happy Racing!