Alex Paul

IRONMAN Nice 2023 Playbook

1 day to go…

No swimming, biking, or running today on the calendar. Continue to recover the best I can for tomorrow. I did a resistance band, foam rolling, and muscle scraping session.

I had to purchase a few more items at the expo including a 3-pin race belt as the provided race bib has 3 holes and is a requirement that we use a 3-hole race belt or safety pins.

2 days to go…

Did an early morning bike and run off the bike today. It can be a combination of my long connecting flight/delay but my knees haven’t fully recovered so will surely be using my knee braces on Sunday. I’ll put them on in T2.

3 days to go…

All wasn’t well with my bike through the delay and reassignment of flights. It got lost in the process. So I flew to Nice without the bike. I was able to track the bike prior to boarding and also all along that it never made it to our plane. I did mention that fact on numerous occasions to the airline staff but unfortunately, they too couldn’t help me locate it. Fortunately, it was located and sent to me in Nice today.

Upon receiving the bike I went to the IRONMAN village and expo and had it tuned up.

I did a short shakeout run and foam rolling session.

4 days to go…

Unfortunately, I’m stuck at the Frankfurt airport due to a bridge mechanical that allows for passengers to exit the plane. This happened in Frankfurt where I needed to catch a connecting flight to Nice. Hopefully, all is well with my bike and other checked-in luggage transitioning to this new flight later this evening.

5 days to go…

Flying day ✈️ to Nice, France. Kept it easy today pre-flight with a morning Yoga session and an afternoon foam rolling session.

6 days to go…

Race week is here. I did a morning yoga session and evening foam rolling session to continue a recovery build into my flight ✈️ to Nice tomorrow.

7 days to go…

Started off the day with a foam rolling session. After a light breakfast, I did a 30-minute swim. Upon returning home transitioned to an hour and 30 minutes Zwift aerobic workout. My right knee may limit the effort I put in pushing up the hills of Nice on Sunday, just need to ease into it. I experimented using a knee brace and will try again once my bike is assembled in Nice, however, I’m leaning towards not using it and keeping it for the run as needed in T2.

8 days to go…

I started the morning with a foam rolling session.

Today was also the Queens 10k so did an easy 2-mile warmup to the start. During the race, I made sure to walk every aid station in order to simulate racing strategy and conditions at IRONMAN Nice next Sunday. Legs and overall body felt 😊

9 days to go…

Did a 20 minutes yoga session first thing in the morning followed by a foam roller session later in the afternoon. Overall a great rest day.

10 days to go…

Started the morning with a foam roller session. Later in the morning, I did an hour bike on Zwift followed by a little over a mile of outdoor run. My legs and knee felt 🙂. Did some icing recovery.

11 days to go…

I did a 40-minute swim and a 4-mile run today. I did a bike tuneup at my local bike store and packed the bike there as well. Due to some rear derailleur bending issues in the past during airline transport, I decided to remove the derailleur completely from the frame this time. I got some help with its removal from the mechanic and also instructions on screwing it back on. I ended the day with a Yoga session and icing of my knee 🙂.

Some key sessions during my training

Pre-race

..coming

Swim course

My milestone swim workout was an IRONMAN 2.4-mile open water swim which I completed in an hour, 20 minutes. With the race swim draft, I’m aiming to go sub hour and 20 minutes.

Bike course

I’ve done the Fulgaz bike course in training up to IRONMAN Nice. The distance covered according to my Strava file was 101.51 miles (off the 112-mile typical IRONMAN distance) and 7824 feet of elevation. My finish time on Fulgaz was 5 hours 55 minutes.

There is a 20% gradient rise that starts off the biggest climb on this ride (see elevation map below) 😱 🏔️ 🎉

The longest climbing section breakdown is as follows:

  • 10.6 miles long and starts at mile 21.8
  • 1 hour and 12 minutes estimated duration averaging 223 watts
  • 5.2% average gradient
  • 2921 feet elevation
  • Average speed 9 mph
  • Average heart rate 111 bpm
  • Cadence 72 rpm

The longest opportunity to be in aero on this course is right after the longest climbing section:

  • 27.4 miles
  • 1 hour, 28 minutes
  • 0.0% average gradient
  • 18 feet elevation
  • Average speed 18.6 mph
  • Average heart rate 109 bpm
  • Cadence 81 rpm

The last climbing section breakdown is:

  • 7.1 miles
  • 38 minutes
  • 3.3% average gradient
  • 1263 feet elevation
  • Average speed 11 mph
  • Average heart rate 119 bpm
  • Cadence 73 rpm

I have to save my legs a bit on the downhill as there is a final opportunity to hold IM pace for the final 9 miles or so after the ~42 minutes of descending (will be slower IRL) 😱 📉 ⚠️

I was able to manage sub-6 hours given that the course is shorter on Fulgaz and also I wasn’t holding back on downhills in the virtual ride. The actual race will be much different as the course will be closer to the 112-mile distance, also, I’ll be being especially careful on the descents. Based on my current FTP of 287, I’m looking to hold approximately 225 watts on the flats and slightly above but below on the uphills. The goal is to achieve sub 6 hours, 30 minutes on race day.

Strava file

IRL results and elevation by Rudy von Berg (elevation recorded 7776 feet)

Run course

My longest training run was 3 hours. I chose to run the two parks (Forest Park and Flushing Meadows) run I found to be a great simulation for hills to flat transitions or vis-versa. I hope to go sub-4 hours and 30 mins depending on how well I get off the bike and how my overall body is feeling.

IRL results and elevation by Rudy von Berg (elevation recorded 669 feet).

Predicted finish time

This by far will be one of the most challenging IRONMAN races to date given the bike elevation, With that said I have been averaging 11:35ish finishes for my past 3 races. IRONMAN Nice predicted finish will be somewhere around sub 13 hours.

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