Ironman Chattanooga 70.3 race plan

Good morning! Many of you are well into your race seasons or just starting them. Or maybe you are just a casual reader who enjoys my race reports and nerdy data stuff....either way- thanks! I appreciate you reading and stay tuned for my post race Ironman Chattanooga 70.3 report.

Since December, I have been working with my new coach, Kim Schwabenbauer with Fuel Your Passion to accomplish some goals and objectives I have in this sport. In less than five months, I couldn't have imagined that success would come the way it has. She is helping my unlock potential and abilities to compete in races, not just finish them. My training has structure, data to analyze, improvements to celebrate, and recovery to adapt. I have set PR's in every early season race so far including 14 minutes in a short sprint triathlon in April in Shelbyville, Kentucky. Headfirstracing puts on great races every time!

On April 25th, I raced the Derby Half marathon to see where my fitness was and to execute a plan in a race longer than an hour. Kim and I devised a plan based off heart rate where it would allow me to negative split the race and finish as hard as I could. It could not have gone any better! My previous best was 1:45:45 in 2012 where I went out too fast and slowed the last 3 miles. This year, I started with a lower heart rate and didn't unleash until mile 9.5 and passed people as if they were standing still! That was a first for me...and I finished in 1:36. Good for 39th in my Age group and 283 overall out of 13000 some runners.

Finish line at the Derby Half

Now the season really starts! 

Ironman Chattanooga 70.3 is in 5 days. I am in taper mode right now with lower volume, not much intensity, more or less just keeping everything sharp, eating well, and preparing to execute a plan.

Coach Kim and I talked on Monday, as she does with all of her athletes before they race to devise a plan to execute. It is based off heart rate, nutrition intake in the days before the race, calories during the race, and fluid output during the bike...otherwise known as peeing! yes! peeing on the bike! I said "What?!" I have never peed on the bike before in a race, so this will be interesting.

The swim is mainly down river, so I can expect a fast swim and it to be wetsuit legal. Andy Potts will be racing, so I will try and get on his feet and go from there! LOL

The bike heads south into Georgia for a few miles and great views of Lookout Mountain and Chickamaugua recreation area. The bike course is rolling with a few climbs half way through that will take some increased efforts to get over and should also take some speed out of competitors legs. Training on the Ironman Louisville course helps me for these kinds of courses. The heat could play a factor.

The run is a two loop course along the river walk and two passes over two bridges. Those will definitely hurt but also get you some speed going down them if you have the legs to go. And my plan will allow me to have the legs from mile 6 to the finish. Hydrate, heart rate, eat, hydrate, heart rate for 70.3 miles.

my Bib is 1641 and you can follow me on Ironman Live and one of several apps such as Ironmobile which you can purchase in the app store for 99 cents. be sure to follow me on twitter @LindenFerguson and I hope to put in a solid showing on May 17 in Chattanooga!

Thanks to my partners!