80 | AustrAliAn triAthletetext by Katee pedIcInI
photogrAphy by Korupt VIsIon and shutterstocK.comP ACING STRATEGY
AND GOALS
The level of detail required
for a pacing strategy will
depend on experience and
available data or technology. There is
certainly a spectrum of approaches to
take when developing a pace plan; it’s
important for athletes to develop a plan
that resonates with their personality
style, with the goal to increase buy in,
motivation and trust in the plan. With
that in mind, following are a few different
options to establish your race pace.STEP 1: Ideally ensure you (or your coach)
have some threshold testing sessions
scheduled in the final six weeks of your
training program. We will utilise these
sessions to gather your training data and
make informed predictions.I
ronman is a beast and demands
a certain level of respect for the
distance. It requires a level of
dedication and time commitment
that not many people can even fathom.
Relying on hope when it comes to race
day planning is not a tactic, and it’s not
respecting the distance you’re about to
tackle. But alas, this happens all too often.
Athletes who have spent hours, weeks,
months and personal sacrifices to make it
to race day, only to have avoidable hurdles
derail their race.
The reason Ironman is so tantalising
and has many of us going back for more is
this illusive quest for the perfect race.
Does it exist? Yes, but rarely. And even in a
perfect race, things may not go to plan but
the difference is that you are able to
respond to the adversity and carry on
without hindrance.When it comes to your own race
planning, it’s important to control what is
in your control. You can’t control the
weather but you can control how you
prepare for various conditions. You can’t
control getting a flat tyre but you can
control how you respond to fixing it.
When planning for an Ironman
or long course race consider the
following elements:• Pacing strategy and goals
• Race day and race week nutrition
and hydration strategy
• Mental skills and psychology preparation
• LogisticsIn this article, I’m going to start with
detailing how to plan your pacing and race
goals, which will then determine your race
day nutrition planning.How to
develop a race plan for
Ironman
HOPE AIN’T A TACTIC