It always cracks me up that most racers I see and talk to race morning are
expending extra energy on being too up for the race. The past few years,
also my most successful, yielded an attitude rather like "Blah, race?
Whatever, just pull the start trigger so we can get this blasted thing
going, so I can sit on my butt after and relax."   Trying to downplay it
keeps you from getting too excited, knowing all too well that the
competitive spirit in me will kick into high gear at some point after the
gun goes off.  Sort of working yourself into a tizzy from a total static
state physically & mentally. 

Ironman excitement is seen easily starting the days before these races, even
at the expo.  What are these people doing standing around on their
feet for so long?  I see a seat at the expo, I sit in it--if I am not
shopping.  I decide what I need, take a quick peak, and leave the expo.
Talk to racers at dinner & they say they spent the day at the expo.  Why?
What are the majority of the other knuckleheads doing?  Sprints up & down
the main race area, like Alii Drive in Kona, or the Queen K...or riding way
out on the bike course, or swimming 4,000 the day or two before the race.
Way to blow your race folks.  The hardest part is bridling that energy &
saving it.  It's neat to see so many fit athletes, but why go out and try to
look cool and try to pass them on a training jog?  Personally, I feel it is
much cooler to pass these fit athletes after the gun goes off.  It is almost
better to have a hard time "getting up" for a race, than it is to already be
really up for the race.

In my opinion the largest mistakes a new Ironman athlete can make are: 1)
not knowing proper nutrition 2) not properly pacing 3) not resting enough
before races.  Too often they don't know what their body needs
nutritionally, and then they blow up during the race.  If you don't pace
yourself properly, you also blow up, then no matter how good your nutrition
is, it won't help you.  Of course, then there is the ever present inability
to rest before races.  Two weeks out from a race and any more training will
not help you improve at all. The training has already been completed. There
is always fine tuning to do, but not in the quantities that triathletes do,
for we are the definition of overtrainers. 

Mental state has as much to do with a race and its outcome as the physical
preparation.  A weak mind won't allow you to maximize your potential in a
race.  That is why the training you do beforehand must seek out your
parameters so that on race day, you know what you can do, and what you need
to do, in order to satisfy your competitive palate.  For some, meditation,
spiritual, or other forms of mental preparation is needed to maximize an
outcome.  Most of us know what sort of mindset we need to be in, in order to
achieve a degree of success, so if there is anything that I've mentioned, or
other things you can think of, then that is what you need to do before a
race.  Proper preparation includes all these little things--physically &
mentally, and looks seamless to an observer.  Appearing as if the racer
hasn't done anything special, other than walk up to the line and wait for
the gun to go off.  If you can pull this off, you've achieved a state of
calm, confidence, and focus that the other racers more than likely haven't
(because they are jumping around like they are watching the final seconds in
a close Super Bowl game.) 

For a first timer in an Ironman, or even an experienced Ironman racer, it is
likely more important to be consistent.  Working out religiously while
having fun is key.  Looking at training as a lifestyle and not a
"preparation for Ironman" can make all the difference.  Working out for
several weeks, then missing a week, or four straight days is not the way to
prepare.  Group rides or even quiet solo sight-seeing rides can not only
make you appreciate the sport, but give you respect for all that allows you
to be doing what you are doing.  Family, health, friends, flexibility in
your job or home life all contribute to that absorption/awareness of respect
for the sport of triathlon, and those things allowing you to participate and
train for it.  First timers and veterans too often get caught up in all the
hoopla of getting ready for a race, but lose that balance in life, resulting
in sickness, stress, and anger, as well as dissatisfaction with many things.
Follow the rule of fun:  KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid!)  Train but make it
part of a lifestyle, not the race to the start line of the race itself.
Sounds so simple, but yet, few do it. 

On goal setting:  pick a logical, yet not over ambitious goal.  Don't think
you will be able to take your average half ironman time, double it, add an
hour, and predict your finish time.  It isn't that easy.  Following the
above suggestions will get you closer to that ideal, but much more is
involved.  The weather, accurate courses, unknowns such as flats, or other
logistical problems can ruin a time prediction.  Having an idea of what you
would like to finish at is fun, just don't take it too seriously.  I just
finished Ironman Florida, and did not wear a watch.  The only times I saw
were my combined swim/bike time heading onto the run, and my finish time
when crossing the line.  I start the race, and don't care about the clock
until I see it at the end.  Splits don't matter - they are irrelevant.  If
you know what you can do from training, then your body will automatically
race at a maximum pace which will allow you to finish the race without
having to watch a clock.  Call it an internal clock, internal balance, or
plain old fashioned knowing what you can do and going out and doing it. 

Nothing can replace the work though.  To do an Ironman, you need to get out
and just do the training--put in the time.  Sure, one needs to take time off &
rest, but monitor your body, listen to it ask you for rest.  There is a
definite signal that says you need rest.  There is also a difference between
the body asking for rest and being lazy--so beware.  It is a fine line,
so take your internal signals seriously and to heart.  There are days where
I've been lazy, and didn't really need a rest.  Also, the opposite has
happened. Personally, with athletes I coach, it is my view
that after a slow base build up, there are some essentials in the Ironman
program. 

The essentials:  Feel for the water is important, so three to four swims a
week is good.  Same with the bike and run.  These should be broken down into
the following:  long workout, intervals, tempo, and easy days.  Master's
swimming will give you a good all around preparation for the swim.  In
biking, it is vital to do the long rides.  Rides of 80+ miles should become
second nature and not a big deal.  Climbing out of the saddle is a great
strength workout.  Also, easy spinning at high RPMs are needed for leg
speed.  Tempo rides in the aero position will get you used to riding near
race pace.  On the run, nothing can replace the long run.  Many athletes run
too much, sometimes up to 3.5 or 4 hrs.  I never run over 20 miles, and
usually run up to 18-19 on my longest runs of my longest weeks.  There are a
couple 20 milers, but that is it.  Anything else and it would take you too
long to recover.  Even with these long runs, I usually take a couple weeks
between the really long ones--dropping the long run down by 2 miles each
week, for two weeks, before doing another 19 or 20 miler.  With all the
cross training, you don't need to be running 80 miles a week for an Ironman.
My largest week this past season was 50 miles of running, and I usually
average around 30 to 38 miles a week. 

In closing, take a look at what time you have to devote to Ironman training,
decide your workouts based on cooperation with weather and your schedule.
Keep the balance in your life, and make training part of your lifestyle.
You may need more hours of training, or less, depending on your
physical makeup and ability, and goals.  Be consistent, set a
realistic/logical goal, and make sure those around you understand you may
need their help to get that goal in one form of help or another.  Once you
know yourself, what you can do, you should know how to pace yourself for an
Ironman, and what nutrition you'll need.  On race day, just toe the line and
don't stress, your mind and body will take you to the finish if you've
followed the suggestions I've outlined--and, you may just surprise yourself
and do far better than you ever hoped for. 

Kevin Konczak resides in Boulder, Colorado. He completed Ironman California earlier this year in a time of 9:29:46 (29^th place), and he recently completed Ironman Florida in 9:25:52 (26^th).