Before I was a "big time blogger," I was just a regular guy, trying to make his way through the world of triathlon. I was fortunate enough to have met Rich Ducar, from The Bike Shop in Glen Ellyn.
Rich is one of the most knowledgeable, enthusiastic and giving guys in the world of endurance sports. I won't embarrass him with the details of a very long story, but if it wasn't for Rich, his guidance and kindness, I never would have made it to the finish line in the Ironman. I am eternally grateful.
Over the years I have turned to Rich for advice, guidance, gossip and of course a good laugh. As Ironman-Wisconsin rapidly approaches and Kona is just a month away, I went to The Bike Shop to hang out and pick the brain of the man that is at the front lines of "the crazy" known as the Ironman athlete, the week counting down to the race.
Together with his head bike guru Drew Hettinga we put together a list of things you need to remember heading into your first, second or any Ironman. Many of these questions or scenarios are things the guys have been dealing with, leading up to the big day.
1. Stick with what you got. A lot of people come into The Bike Shop looking to drop 2-3-15 thousand dollars on a new bike the week before the big race, because they read in an article that the new bike is "more aero" than the bike they are on. As much as Rich would like to sell you a 15K bike (come back after the race please), he is the first to stop potential customers from making this mistake so soon before the big day. "At this point it's more important to comfort and rideability, if this is your first Ironman, you could potentially be on that bike for 8 hours, so comfort and the proper fit is more important than shaving off two to three seconds in a 112 mile race." Ducar points out that finishing with a terrible time is more important than not finishing at all. Getting a new bike that you haven't trained on, played with and had fit for you, is setting yourself up for disaster. NOTE- After the Ironman, Rich will be more than happy to sell you a new bike! Make sure to check out the new BMC Time Machine TM01 that Cadel Evans rocked in Le Tour at The Bike Shop, it's ridiculous!
2. Check Your Gear. A lot of you borrow race wheels from a friend or rent them from a shop. Make sure you have the proper equipment to change a flat for those particular wheel. "Bring them into a local shop, they can quickly answer all of the questions you may have and help get you set with the right equipment you need, if you do flat out," advises Hettinga.
3. Hettinga adds, "know how to change a flat." Drew can do it in about :30 seconds, that's because he does it every day. His advice, "practice, a lot. You can do it in front of the TV, at your office at lunch, in your back yard. Too many people are intimidated by a flat, but if you spend a few minutes a day practicing, for a few days in a row, you will have it down." Having that skill set, will help you relax during the bike portion of the race.
4. Don't Sweat The Small Stuff. Trust your gear. People are in and out of The Bike Shop wanting to buy new this and new that, despite the fact that they have perfectly working this and that already. Dance with you came with. Your gear got you through the months of training, it will get you through the day.
5. Thou Shall Not Covet Other Athlete's Stuff. It's easy to get intimidated by the lean looking dude, with the coolest looking bike and the shiny new race wheels. All that stuff is great, but don't let it psych you out. How much you spend isn't a factor in finishing, it's how much you train. That guy with the kick ass bike may be fortunate enough to be able to afford the cool toys, but when you pass him on your not quite as cool bike make sure to smile.
6. Don't worry about the weather. The forecast for Madison has been all over the place and in the past people have had to endure some blast furnace type conditions, but none of this is new to you. You have trained in the cold of March and the heat of July, in the rain and insane winds. Unless the rapture hits while you are out there, you're not going to face anything you haven't in the past. Don't worry about it. "Stick to your plan and be ready to adjust for weather conditions, " says Ducar. "If it's cooler, athletes have a tendency to hammer and forget to hydrate, it's equally as important to hydrate when it's cool as when it's hot. Be confident in your training, adjust and don't let the weather psych you out"
7. Relax. It's easier said than done, but if you are not planning on qualifying for anything, don't over burden yourself with all the "what if this, and what if that's," that can bog you down on race day. Ducar has helped hundreds of athletes prepare for the big day and says that relaxing is one of the keys to a great day, "this is a well catered training day, for the people who are doing this for the first time, it's an amazing race and an amazing experience, make sure to take it all in, the fans and people in Madison are the best."
8. There are no magic potions. As much as the blogs write the latest this and the lightest that (BTW have you seen my Trek Speed Concept 7.5 with the Zipp 808 Firecrest wheels and SRAM Red components) there is no "silver bullet" that is going to make you better or faster. Training, dedication and the belief that you can make it across that finish line 140.6 miles away, are the only things you need to finish an Ironman.
9. Believe in your training, listen to your coach. I have a friend, who is a coach and one of her athletes who will remain nameless, is the know it all of know it alls, he is a triathlon monster, meaning ALL conversations lead to triathlon and how smart he is. ME: Did you see the Republican debate? MONSTER: I did, while I was on my second 13 mile run for the day in my basement. ME: I love the Bears this year. MONSTER: I wouldn't know, because I spend my Sundays riding as far as I can, then running, then drinking horse sweat, because I read it makes you faster. Besides the fact that the guy is annoying as hell, he never listens or trusts his coach. He over trains, doubts everything she says and at the end of the day, hasn't gotten any better, just more annoying. The coach is the real expert, not the blogger, magazine editor or even pro who shares their training plan. If you have listened to your coach to this point, trust them now, they will get you there.
We were going to do a top 10 list, but as we were working our way to the final tip, a customer called Rich in a panic. The customer had a nightmare that his bike stopped working during the Ironman and he needed to bring it in immediately for a complete overhaul. As I left the store, Rich was still on the phone, sharing his advice, time and talking him off the ledge.
I'm sure #10 would have gone like this. Believe in yourself, stick to your plan, enjoy every minute when you cross that finish line, all of the time and sacrifice will be worth it. When you finish the race and get back, then you can stop into The Bike Shop and buy that shiny new BMC rocket you have been eyeballing!
Filed under: coaching, Events, Ironman, Motivation, Races, Tips, Triathlon
Tags: BMCTM01, Chicago, david wallach, Rich Ducar, The Bike Shop, Tips for Ironman Wisconsin
Have you figured out #3 yet? lol
Thanks for the insights Dave. You make a lot of good points. Probably the most important for me is the RELAX! For CM10, I never did do that, and it showed in my time and in my feelings on the race. For Mooseman I did my freakout/meltdown the night before, so when I finally got through it I was left with peace and was ready for the race. It turned out to be one of the most enjoyable events of my life, even with getting lost on race morning and almost missing our start.... Did you hear that I am doing Florida in just under 2 months?