Once again I am in the Trans Iowa funk. This time of year work gets CRAZY busy and I have to stay focused as TI is on the brain! This is the time where I am doing my last minute brainstorming and trying to decide what to bring, etc. Obviously weather has a lot to do with it. Being my four TI I have learned that having nice weather is kind of like winning the lottery. VERY unlikely to say the least!
Here the plan of action of what I am bringing along:
1. Two 24 ounce bottles on the bike. One water, one GuO2.
2. 25-50 ounces in the CamelBack Mule depending on heat of the day and distance between towns.
3. About 8-10 Carbboom Gels (One about every 3 hours)
4. About 8 or so Sport Beans with Caffiene (One about every 3 hours)
5. About 5-6 Clif Block packages. (One about every 3 hours)
6. About 4 to 5 Cliff Bars. (One about every 4 hours)
7. Four to five 8 ounce Boost drinks. (One every 50 miles)
8. At gas stations I will eat pork tenderlions, brats, pizza, I would love to eat a 1/3 lb burger at a Hardees! Small bags of peanuts and maybe a Snickers or two. Definitely a Snickers ice cream bar!
8.5 All food will go in Mule and this frame bag.
9. Elete Water put in my GuO2.
10. Two spare tubes and a patch kit
11. About 20 Hammer Endurolytes.
12. Arm and Leg warmers
13. Cannondale water/windproof socks
14. Two chemical warmers
15. Grey Tape
16. Tire lever
17. Pump
18. Chain splitter
19. Map of Iowa or maybe the copies of these maps for the route that I think TI will take.
20. Rain coat and pants.
21. Cell phone and camera
22. Cue sheet holder.
23. Helmet light and bar mount light.
As you can see, I love to eat!
Plans of action for the day:
1. Be realistic and not over confident. This means ride at a reasonable pace that will get me as far as possible.
2. I plan on riding with a group of at least 4-5 people. This includes Steve Fuller, Jim McGuire, Gary Cale, Dwight Beavers and hopefully Ron Saul. It would be would be great to have a few others.
3. Depending on the conditions of the day I want to get to the first check point at mile 40 feeling as if I have barely even started. I am doing to do my best to start reasonably. One thing I have learned is not to go out hard unless you don't have a choice (Version 2!!!!!)
4. I am not going to care where the other riders are. My number one goal is to last as long as possible!
5.Eat and have fun.
6. Make sure that I am not pulling all the time. I need to do a better job of drafting.
7. Have fun.
8. Don't charge the hills.
9. Coast.
10. Ride in 25 miles chunks. Do NOT focus on the distance. Ride 25 miles and then do it again. If I am riding 25 miles in 2.5 hours during the toughest sections I am doing great! Keep at it.
11. Don't get selfish.
12. Get to the 2nd check point and leave ASAP. Never stay in one place for long. Stay on the bike (thus the food!).
13. Listen to music at night.
14. Never, ever give up. Rest for a few minutes if I want to quit and force myself to get back on the bike.
15. Have fun. If I am suffering at times it will be better down the road.
16. Encourage my friends.
17. Call people on the phone. Free minutes baby!
18. The goal is to finish so I never have to do it again!
Okay, so there are some thoughts. If you have any advice let me know.
Paul
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11 comments:
I wish you the very best of luck Paul. You seem to have the right attitude.
I will see you sometime on Friday night, and hopefully somewhere along the mystery check points!
Good Luck Paul !
Whoa!!! That is a lot of food. Have you calculated up how many calories it will be?
Good luck!
Adam, remember that this is a 320 mile, 30+ hour event. A marathon is a lot different because you really don't run through a meal while this race is of the sorts that you really don't have time to sit down and eat a meal so you have to take in your calories on the run most of the time. There are times that we will sit and chill out for 15 minutes to eat, but that will only be about every 6-8 hours or so. I have no clue how many calories we will burn, but I know several of the finishers have typically eaten about 15,000 calories during the event.
I do tend to take more gels than some, but others take in products like Perpetuem which is a lot like pancake batter. I know one thing, if I ever run a marathon again I will be taking in a can or two of Boost. That stuff is amazing. Also, Endurolytes! Amazing product!
Ken, thanks so much. You are an inspiration. I look forward to seeing you again. Mike, I sure wish you were entered buddy! We could be riding all night together! Maybe next year!
Very true - I never even thought about being on the road through meals etc.
I just checked out the TI website.... AMAZING. Good luck! Careful on those B roads - they sound like they may be interesting!
Just remember to keep your head outta the game! You're finishing this year!
Due to flooding, I had to postpone the IMBCS Camp Ingawanis Race weekend, so perhaps you can make it when I reschedule. Good luck Paul!
Sounds like you've got the mental aspect in check. As for the food, I try to shoot for 200-300 cal/hr with a "real-ish" meal every 8-9 hrs. Something that I also like is a half and half mix of creamy PB and honey (agave nector works too and is a bit thinner) If it's going to be cool use more honey so it flows better. I put it in a flask and it actually is nutritionally very similar to a gel. I've also found a few sticks of gum to be very helpful after the 10-12 hr mark - it cleans your mouth out and just seems to make ya feel fresher. Shoot me an email if ya want any more of my tidbits of information. I've learned alot by doing things wrong so many times!
Good luck and I'm looking forward to your write up when ya finish the thing!
You'll do it. If you get tired, rest assured if you keep riding and fueling you'll perk back up. I have the utmost confidence in you. Not participating this year I had the luxury of forgetting how near it is. I will be following along. Good luck sir.
Thanks guys! I really appreciate the vote of confidence! This is one I must tick off the list. This race will lead to so much more if I can just put it in the bag. I am going to stay strong. We seem to have an awesome forecast ahead of us. I so badly want it.
Thanks again my friends. I will be in touch.
Paul, we are going to get on the bike, keep moving, keep encouraging each other and CRUSH this thing. See you in a few hours.
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