82 | AustrAliAn triAthlete
using Power
Utilising a power meter is the most
accurate way to plan for an Ironman, as it
helps account for wind resistance, road
surface, hills and declines*. Based on your
FTP result, calculate your Ironman power
based on the following guidelines: (See
appendix for further resources)
TIME MARKER
8 to 9 hours Ironman athletes aim for 78 to 80% of FTP
9 to 10 hours Ironman athletes aim for 76-78% of FTP
10 to 11 hours athletes aim for 74-76% of FTP
11 to 12 hours athletes aim for 72-74% of FTP
12 to 13 hours athletes aim for 70-72% of FTP
13 to 14 hours athletes aim for, 68-70% of FTP
14 to 15 hours athletes aim for 66 to 68% of FTP
15 to 17 hours athletes aim for 64-66% of FTP
*If you would like a detailed power plan based on terrain and road surface, I
recommend utilising Best Bike Split software.I still recommend noting your heart rate
for a given Ironman goal power output. We
don’t want to be too singular in the data
that we measure on race day because,
firstly, anything is possible when it comes
to technology breakdowns and secondly,
it’s important to be fluid and responsive tomultiple data sets on race day, rather than
focusing on one number.
With that in mind, ensure your goal
heart rate, power or speed goals utilise a
range, as opposed to a specific single
number. This sets you up for both
physiological and psychological success.
You will see this represented in the case
studies over leaf.Run:
If you’ve paced your swim and bike
appropriately, (aka you followed the
plan!) then your run-pacing plan should
come together nicely.
Again, utilising the threshold data from
your field or lab tests, calculate your run
pace and/or heart rate zones. To establish
an Ironman run pace, we aim for Zone 2/
Aerobic Endurance. Let’s say you complete
a field threshold test to establish your
Zone 2 heart rate as 140-160bpm. To then
accurately create a pace plan (especially
for first timers) I recommend completing a
MAF (Maximal Aerobic Function) test as a
run off the bike. This would entail
completing a long ride of ~5-6hours, and
running 40-50minutes off the bike at a set
heart rate. In this example the goal would
be to sit as close 160bpm, without going
over. Then we would look at your resulting
pace for that heart rate to provide us with
an approximate race pace and heart rate.