We've been fortunate enough to have the opportunity of working with UK based professional triathlete, Rachel Joyce, since early April, in an effort to improve her nutritional strategy so she is still strong in the latter stages of the race.

With that, BIG congratulations go out to Rachel on her 2^nd place finish at Ironman Lanzarote on May 23^rd. Lanzarote is arguably the toughest course on the Ironman circuit & in just her 3^rd attempt at the distance, climbed the podium 1-more spot & punched her ticket to Hawaii!

She was kind enough to share her perspective on the race below.....

Ironman Lanzarote– May 23^rd 2009
Lanzarote, Spain

Race Totals:   10:14:01
Swim: 53:52
Bike: 5:43:37 (19.5mph avg)
Run: 3:29:31 (7:58 per mile avg)
2^nd place professional female
Complete race results posted here.  

Ironman Lanzarote lived up to the hype.  I think everyone who raced there would agree: it’s a tough old course, which makes it all the more satisfying to reach the finish line. The cycle route is renowned for being hilly and windy and this year was no different.  Now in its 19th year, the race organization is slick, and the supporters and volunteers make for a fantastic atmosphere on the run…And then at the finish line each finisher is individually greeted by the race organizer, Kenneth.

The race fell just 7 weeks after my last race, Ironman South Africa where I came 3rd. As I am relatively new to racing over Ironman distance (I did my first Ironman In November) I wasn’t sure how my recovery would pan out but luckily I felt good in the week leading up to the race.  I came into the race with my eye on one of the 3 Hawaii qualifying spots.  There was a good field including Bella Bayliss, Hilary Biscay, Tara Norton and Heleen Bij de Vaate, so I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy day.  Another aim was to avoid the meltdown I had experienced in South Africa, as a result of a poor nutritional plan during the run.  Since South Africa I have worked with Brian Shea of Personal Best Nutrition to work out what I needed to change for Lanzarote.

Pre-Race:
As my nutrition in South Africa had been okay in South Africa up until the run, I stuck with my usual plan (7am start):

• 4:00AM: 1 bowl of oats with skim milk, 1 white bread roll with jam and cup of tea.
• 4-6:30AM: Water (approx.1 litre)
• 6:40AM: 1+ SIS energy gel (89 calories) chased with water before getting in the water

Swim (3.8km / 2.4mi):
The swim was a 2 lap circuit in a bay at Porta del Carmen with a run in from the beach between each lap.  Conditions were good - a very still sea and to make things easier, for most of the swim we had a rope to follow.  The first buoy was about 300m out and so I swam hard to try and catch the back of the leading group. However, I was just off the pace as we turned and so I ended up swimming next to No. 5 for most of the first lap at or near the front of the pack.  I noticed Hilary Biscay make a move to overtake towards the end and by the run round for the 2nd lap was told I was 30 seconds back.  In the 2nd lap I worked to maintain my position.  I felt really comfortable and decided although I wouldn’t have a fast swim I was conserving energy. I exited the swim 40 seconds back on Hilary.

Swim Total: 53:52

The transition area was very long (about 500m long and this is after running up the beach which was probably another 200 metres).  I decided to use this time to take 1 energy gel mixed with water in a flask.

T1 Time: 4:22

• T1 Nutrition: 1+ energy gel mixed with small amount of water.

Bike (180km / 112mi):
Onto the bike, the course started with quite a long but gentle uphill which leveled out as you reach the first small town, Yaiza, after about 20km.  I concentrated on riding strong but not going too hard.  After about 10km I caught up and rode past Hilary Biscay into the lead.  My plan was to ride quite hard but not blow all my energy on the hills, as the two most testing hills come in close succession after about 110km.  I wasn’t getting too much information on where the other pro women were so I focused on my own race, and keeping on top of my race nutrition.  I was told that my lead fluctuated between 3 to 8 minutes although I wasn’t sure how accurate these times would be.  I also focused on staying positive as although I didn’t feel outright bad, I certainly didn’t feel like I was having one of my better biking days.  

I decided not to pick up my special needs bag because I still had a full bottle of my own mix, more than enough gels and I also didn’t fancy maneuvering down the quite technical descent with the bag!  After the final climb up Mirador del Rio I enjoyed the long fast descent although I don’t think I went as fast as some of the others.  The distance markers then got a bit mixed up and after about 5 hours of riding I cycled past the 175km marker.  I was pretty sure that it was more like 165km but I think I allowed myself to lose concentration and time as I queried whether I was actually much closer to home than I thought.  I arrived into T2 still in the lead with 4 or 5 minutes on a chasing group of 3 or 4 women.  I was disappointed not to have opened up more of a lead as I know I am capable of riding faster but still it was good to have led the majority of the bike.

Photo Courtesy of Stuart Holt (www.digitallondon.co.uk)

Bike Nutrition:

• 2 x 600ml  (my own mix)
• Approx. 1.2 litres of water
• Approx. 1litre of Powerade
• 5/6 SIS energy gels
• 2 GO SIS gels

Bike Total:  5:43:37 (19.5mph)

T2:  4:02

Run (42.2km / 26.2mi):
Having felt a bit below par on the bike I wasn’t sure how my legs would feel for the run – luckily they seemed okay.  As I wasn’t feeling brilliant I played it safe and started at what felt like quite a pedestrian pace as my aim was a Hawaii spot and I didn’t want to blow up and ruin my chances!  As well as keeping a comfortable pace, I kept focused on the nutrition strategy I had planned with Brian Shea – to take on some water and energy/fluid replacement drink at each aid station to ensure I avoided the dehydration of SA.  It helped that it was a pleasant temperature of about 25 degrees C (~77F) much cooler than SA.  After about 6km I was passed by Michaela Geiger of Switzerland.  I didn’t panic and kept to my own plan, thinking (or hoping!) that maybe she had started at a pace that she wouldn’t be able to hold.  At about 10km Bella Bayliss came flying past me so I was back in 3rd spot.  I maintained a consistent pace and at about 20km I moved back into 2nd place.

The run course consisted of 4 loops so every 5km I got to see where everyone was.  Bella Bayliss was running exceptionally well, but I could see it was going to be close between me and the 2 women behind me.  At the final turn around point I saw I was about 3 minutes up on 3rd place and I ran home into 2nd place with a new personal best on the marathon (3:29) - an 8 minute improvement over SA, which I needed as 3rd place was just 36 seconds back. Kona here I come!

Run Nutrition:

• Water – 12x half cups
• Powerade – 12xhalf cups
• 2x PowerGel
• 3xSIS gel
• Coke  - 2 x half cup (in last 5km)

Run Time: 3:29:31 (7:58 per mile)
Finish Time:  10:14:01 - 2nd place Female


Photo Courtesy of Stuart Holt  (www.digitallondon.co.uk)

I am over the moon to have qualified for Hawaii in my first year competing in the pro ranks, and to have move up the podium to 2nd place. While I don’t think I had my best day I’m learning that it is rare for everything to feel brilliant in an Ironman and I feel like I am improving with every race.  I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all the race organizers, volunteers and supporters who made it such a great event to be a part of and well done to everyone who took part.  

Thanks also to Fusion for setting me up with all my training and racing kit, BlueSeventy for providing me with my speedy Helix wetsuit, and everyone at TheTriLife for their fantastic support.

Thanks also to Brian Shea of Personal Best Nutrition for taking the time to analyze & adjust my nutritional strategy and get much closer to finding my optimal race day nutritional strategy!

See you in Kona!

-Rachel Joyce