The Mind of an Evil Genius

Ben Greenfield's Official Race Strategy

I realize that this completely opens me to attacks from bloodthirsty competitors on the race course, but I don't really give a floater. Without any further ado, hooplah, or funny business, here's the plan. It's always my "MO" to write it down - it just happens to be going on the blog for Kona.

Official Ironman race start is at 7am. Body marking begins at 4:45.

Breakfast 2 hours prior to race start (5am): 2 sweet potatoes + 6 multi-vitamin + cordyceps/creatine/CoQ-10. Be at race by 5:20-5:30am for body marking. Sip 18-20oz of water per hour leading up to race, with 1 dissolved Nuun electrolyte tab in each bottle. Very short 5 minute run for warm-up. Consume 300mg caffeine pills at 6:15. Be in water at 6:45. Bring one Hammer Gel out to water to be consumed 5 minutes prior to race start.

Swim heads south in a clockwise direction with buoys on right. I will be sighting off a strip of land jutting out into the water from the Kona Royal Resort for the out portion and will be sighting the King Kamehameha hotel on the back portion. Based on sighting method, I will be favoring left side breathing going out and right side breathing coming back.

Physiologically, I will work harder on the out portion, which involves more swimming "into" a current/oceanfront. I will relax and let the current do more work coming back.

In T1: 2 Hammer Gel Endurolyte caps and 1 Hammer Gel, 12oz clear water.

On bike in transition: 3 hours worth of Perpetuum at 260 calories/hr (6 scoops + 1 EXTRA scoop to account for non-mixed portion that remains in bottom of bottle). Will not begin consuming this until 10 minutes out of bike. 1 28oz aero bottle full of clear water. 1 plastic canister with 20 endurolyte caps. 4 gels in bento box (1 for each hour + 1 emergency gel).

Every 8 minutes consume 1oz of Perpetuum (8, 16, 32, 40, 48, 56). At 60 minute consume 1 gel (maltodextrin base), then restart clock. At 21 mile aid station, 28oz of water should be completely consumed form aero bottle. Refill bottle entirely and continue to refill with 25-30oz every 21 miles (every 3rd aid station).

Every 15 minutes, consume 1 endurolyte. If cramping begins to occur, increase to 5-6 endurolytes/hr.

At Hawi turnaround (50 miles remaining), trade empty Perpetuum bottle for a new bottle that already contains 2.5 hours (4.5 scoops + 1/2 extra scoop) of Perpetuum in powder form. Mix with water from aid station. Get another plastic canister from special needs bag that contains 15 e-caps. So there is basically less fuel and less electrolytes coming back than going out.

Split bike section into 7 sections:

1) Out of pier and T1, through town, to Highway 19 (~9 miles). Ride harder (can't help it - crowd's watching!)

2) Highway 19 to airport (heavy crosswinds, ~6 miles)

3) Airport to Kawaihae (some headwind, primarily crosswind, ride conservatively, ~28 miles)

4) Kawaihae turnoff to Highway 270, up to Hawi turnaround (ATTACK, tailwind will be coming up soon, ~17 miles)

5) Turnaround, tailwind back to Kawaihae (spin out tailwind, continue solid pace, 17 miles)

6) Kawaihae to airport (crosswinds, let legs dictate pace, ~28 miles)

7) Airport to T2 (~6 miles, spin out legs, prepare for run)

T2: 2 Delta E's (B12 + caffeine) with 8oz of water

Onto run: hold 1 plastic canister with 20 e-caps to be consumed at 1 every 15 minutes. If cramping begins, increase to 5-6/hr. Begin run at 8 minute miles for first 5K, then shorten to 7:00-7:30 pace. Supplement with 1/2-3/4 of a gel every 2 aid stations. This is not ideal because I don't like Powerbar C2 gels, and fructose doesn't sit well on top of Perpetuum, but I would rather do this than carry *both* a flask and a plastic endurolyte caps canister. My only other possibility is to shove a handful of Hammer Gels down my jersey pockets heading out onto the run. I don't like the way they bounce around, but I might do it.

At run special needs I will have another handful of gels.

The run will be split into the following portions.

1) T2 to Alii Drive - let legs settle from bike, 8m pace (~4 miles)

2) Reverse course back to Palani Road - speed up slightly, 7:00-7:30 pace (~4 miles)

3) Queen K Highway to Energy lab - maintain pace, stay mentally tough (~10K)

4) Energy lab - possibly slow down just a bit, run conservatively (~4 miles)

5) Energy lab to Palani turn - kick it up a notch if legs feel good 6:45-7:15 pace (10K)

6) Final mile - ENJOY LIFE!!!

OK. That's it. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers. I don't know if I'll be posting again until after the race. A huge thank you to all my sponsors - Hammer Gel, Bumblebar, Millennium Sports, Wicked Fast, Markham Homes, Bucer's Coffeehouse, Fleet Feet, nuun, Blue 70...YOU ALL ROCK.

Ben