The Look of Ironman Race Week

I have often been asked what my training is like the week of an Ironman race.  The main focus for me is to maintain contact with each discipline, keep the blood flowing and stay sharp physically & mentally.  Here is the rundown of my current training week heading into Ironman Florida this Saturday:

• Monday:  Bike 1:30 with 1-2×10′ Ironman paced efforts.  Swim:  1k easy.
• Tuesday:  Swim:  30′-45′ with main set 5×200 at IM pace.  Run 5 miles with 2-3x1k reps at open marathon pace.
• Wednesday:  Bike: 1:00 easy spin pre-travel
• Thursday:  off/preview course/race briefing/race registration/sponsor commitments at race expo
• Friday:  Pre-race brick:  Swim 10′ with few short race efforts, practice beach start/exit and note currents.  Bike: 30′ with few short race efforts.  Run:  10′ with few pick-ups.
• Saturday:  RACE DAY 🙂

Nutritionally, the only big change I make is a slight reduction in calories.  I am a firm believer that there is no magic meal or two you can have race week and you should basically stick with foods your body has been consuming in the weeks leading up to race day.  Your body has been adapting to and absorbing those nutrients throughout your build and it would be a bit confused if all of a sudden you started packing in the pasta.  Essentially, you have been “carbo loading” throughout your training provided you have been diligent with your post-workout recovery protocol and eating nutrient-dense whole foods. I do not have any particular go-to meal the night before a big race and will basically eat whatever I am craving – fish tacos, salmon & rice, chicken fried rice, pizza, etc.  I do generally stay away from thick steaks/burgers the night before and save those for post-race!

As you can see it’s pretty straight forward without any major thrills, but gets my body and mind ready for race day.  It is easy to get caught up in what you see other athletes doing the days leading up to the race and I always encourage my athletes to stick with their plan, trust their fitness and stay calm in the chaos!

You can track my progress this Saturday at www.ironman.com for live updates.

Keep it smooth,

Brad