Ironman Race Plan For The Advanced Amateur
How to set Bike and Run targets
If you want to perform in an Ironman, this is for you.
I have an athlete doing his first Ironman on Sunday (IM Lake Placid).
I’ve got him in my “advanced” bucket because of his approach to training (and ability).
hits every workout
his two 70.3 finish times are 5:15 and 5:23
Here’s exactly how I built his bike and run race plan.
Bubbles and Ceilings
I use a strategy called “Bubbles and Ceilings”
Bubbles are the targets we shoot for
Ceilings are what we want to avoid going over (so we don’t burn out and blow up)
Building On 70.3 Data For Full Ironman
Last month, he did a 70.3 in 5:23 with these numbers on the bike and run:
Bike: 210W Norm. Power and 143 avg. HR
Run: 8:04/mile pace and 154 avg. HR
210W registered as 88% of his FTP. Which told me his FTP is higher than we have it set (240W).
Note: We opted not to do an FTP test during this build because of a minor injury this athlete was nursing.
Bike Power and Heart Rate
Bike Power
He’s got a power meter, so we use that as main bike data.
180W bubble target (pedaling watts)
190W ceiling
Placid is a hilly course and he will get relief on descents (zero pedaling to give the legs a break), so we don’t want to chase a power avg.
If he sees 190W, that’s a sign to dial back a few % of effort.
Where FTP Comes In
The 180W bubble target is 72% of 250W (my estimate for his new FTP after seeing his 70.3 data).
72% of FTP isn’t an exact number you “should” hit in an Ironman.
That’s dependent on fitness, durability, etc.
A less experienced/trained athlete would do less than 72% of their FTP
A more experienced/trained athlete may do more
But I think 72% is a good target for this athlete (and that also leaves room for if his FTP is actually higher than 250… which is may be).
Bike Heart Rate
125 bpm Bubble Target
130 bpm Soft Ceiling
I’m not too worried about his HR on the bike.
That’s more important on the run (where HR is higher, effort is more catabolic and you’re deeper into the race).
These are conservative numbers relative to his 143 HR avg. in his 70.3.
And that’s because I don’t want him overcooking himself ahead of his first Ironman marathon.
Run Pace and Heart Rate
Run Pace
9:00-9:15 pace target
This is a ~1 min/mile slower than his 70.3 (8:04/mile).
Just like FTP %, that’s not an exact number. A lower caliber athlete is going to see their pace fall off a cliff when they go from half to full marathon.
And I know a great Ironman athlete who’s pace is nearly the same in a 70.3 and Ironman. She is just more suited for the full distance than half.
I told my athlete that if 9 min/miles feels good, don’t run faster. Make that pace feel easier.
If he sees anything under 8:45 on his watch, that’s a sign to dial back effort by a few %.
Run Heart Rate
HR bubble is 140-145 bpm
ceiling is 150 (close to his 70.3 HR avg. from last month)
Since Placid is hilly, I made it clear that it was OK to walk if he sees his HR climbing too high on hills.
And I also reminded him that any time his HR is climbing, that should be met with more fueling (because his body is burning more glycogen at higher HR levels).
Biggest Athlete Takeaways
Here’s what this athlete said he got most from our call:
Simplifying the plan (we simplified fuel plan a lot too)
Confidence in the numbers I set for him (and my explanations of where I got them)
Checking himself on overly aggressive targets
The goal for Ironman Race Execution is to be steady and consistent with pace, power and HR.
no heroic “finish strong” (this is a beginner mindset mistake to think you will randomly be able to push in the 10th+ hour of a race)
no going hard early and planning to fade
This athlete is locked in and primed up for a great day.
Do you have questions on how to build your Ironman race plan?
Send me a message here and I’ll help you out.