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McFarland Triathlon Oct. 3rd
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 2009-08-27 11:54 AM |
Extreme Veteran 476   WI |  Subject: McFarland Triathlon Oct. 3rdAnother local tri just outside Madison. It's a sprint distance with pool swim, and just two weeks after Devil's Lake. Apparently it's not a very big event and only $40 (for us non-residents of McFarland). Since most of my season was scratched I'm in on this (Devils Lake still going on!). It'll be my first pool swim tri. Hope to see a donk or few! Registration forms are here: McFarland Tri |
| 2009-08-27 2:24 PM in reply to: #2374200 |
Extreme Veteran 722 Madison-ish, Wisconsin | Subject: RE: McFarland Triathlon Oct. 3rd My daughter's birthday is the 2nd so there is 0 chance I'll be there. I hope you do well! |
| 2009-08-27 3:35 PM in reply to: #2374200 |
Veteran 268 Germantown, WI | Subject: RE: McFarland Triathlon Oct. 3rd I just looked on the website. What is up with the requirement to WALK your bike out of and through transitions? Also, they say there will be "some signs" up but you need to know the route yourself yet they provide no maps just a narrative of each turn. What if we don't know the area? It sounds like it will be easy to get lost??? |
| 2009-08-27 4:19 PM in reply to: #2374881 |
| Extreme Veteran 476 WI | Subject: RE: McFarland Triathlon Oct. 3rd kbreitz - 2009-08-27 3:35 PM I just looked on the website. What is up with the requirement to WALK your bike out of and through transitions? Also, they say there will be "some signs" up but you need to know the route yourself yet they provide no maps just a narrative of each turn. What if we don't know the area? It sounds like it will be easy to get lost??? Yep - that's what $40 gets you... a "brick" with cue sheets.  Or you could consider it an adventure race.I've never done the race, but since my gf lives there I've been doing all sorts of training out there. I laughed at the "walk" emphasis too! What I know about the race: - The area is easy enough to navigate. My gf said there were plenty of volunteers around transition and "major" intersections. I can't speak about the country roads, but they have street signs. - The 1 mile from AB to Door Creek on MN will make you ride about 3-4 ft from the shoulder. Otherwise the roads are really nice and mostly low traffic. - The run is through neighborhood streets with a portion going straight through a park on a bike path. - Yes, it's *that* small and very local (My gf came in 1st for women by 10 minutes a couple years ago because a lot of entrants are local/novice) The men's side seems pretty competitive though. Winning times last year were 1:10 for men and 1:19 for women. Most were 25 min off the fastest. - Sounds like it attracts less than 300, but that was a couple years ago. I understand about fair-warnings to athletes and safety issues, but doesn't it sound like the RD wants to make sure you don't blame them for anything? We are going to contact the RD and see if he/she wants help in putting together maps and/or better info. |
| 2009-08-27 6:12 PM in reply to: #2374200 |
Extreme Veteran 451 Stoughton, WI | Subject: RE: McFarland Triathlon Oct. 3rd I'm thinking of doing this one. I wish I knew how to draw a route in google maps, but some of those roads I'm kinda familar with, although I haven't ridden most of them, just driven. Maybe the outsiders can draft off the slower locals and try to make it up on the run?  |
| 2009-08-27 7:18 PM in reply to: #2374200 |
Expert 1238 Denver, Colorado | Subject: RE: McFarland Triathlon Oct. 3rd |
| 2009-08-27 11:50 PM in reply to: #2374200 |
Member 45 McFarland, WI | Subject: RE: McFarland Triathlon Oct. 3rd I live in McF and have done this one a few times. I like it for a season-ender because it is very low-key. And I mean very low key. It is a Family Festival Tri, and appropriately named. I believe it is a source of $ for the local kids swim team. No chip timing, stopwatch based on wave starts of 16. No aid stations. 8 lanes in the pool and 2 swimmers per lane. The run is closer to 2.8 than 3.1. Everyone is very spread out and it does take a while to learn where you place because of the small waves. And yes, there is a wide range of athletic abilities. Each year at least one person has done most of the swim on their back. Last year there was a local pro who participated and several IMWI finishers participate in it also. Hopefully this year I will be one of them. It is inspirational seeing the wide range of tri abilities at this event. |
| 2009-08-28 6:08 AM in reply to: #2375581 |
Master 2099 Madison, WI | Subject: RE: McFarland Triathlon Oct. 3rd It kind of sounds fun to me. Low key and all. My biggest question is how transition from a pool swim to a bike goes.... |
| 2009-08-28 9:32 AM in reply to: #2375581 |
| Extreme Veteran 476 WI | Subject: RE: McFarland Triathlon Oct. 3rd pjdgreen - 2009-08-27 11:50 PM I live in McF and have done this one a few times. I like it for a season-ender because it is very low-key. And I mean very low key. It is a Family Festival Tri, and appropriately named. I believe it is a source of $ for the local kids swim team. No chip timing, stopwatch based on wave starts of 16. No aid stations. 8 lanes in the pool and 2 swimmers per lane. The run is closer to 2.8 than 3.1. Everyone is very spread out and it does take a while to learn where you place because of the small waves. ... It is inspirational seeing the wide range of tri abilities at this event. Great info! Thanks for chiming in to give us the lowdown. My gf said that she had a lot of fun and echoed your sentiment that it's a family festival tri, lowkey, and with all kinds of people involved. She hadn't heard any complaints the year she did it or had any herself. We talked about having a map though for this one. I'm definitely in for fun, as I am for all tris - if I weren't I wouldn't do any. Though I'm not close to even being an unofficial spokesperson for the BT/Donkey group.... some work hard, some less than others (me!), but it seems like we all play hard too (i.e. "have fun") all the time. Looking forward to this one. BTW - if anyone needs an alternative swim venue (or even a primary), the McFarland pool is quite nice. It's 25m, they use less chlorine due to the type of filtering, it's inexpensive, and they usually have a lot of lap times available. pjdgreen - Good luck at IM! I'll see you on the bike course and at the McF tri. |
| 2009-08-28 10:48 AM in reply to: #2374200 |
Regular 200 Stoughton, WI | Subject: RE: McFarland Triathlon Oct. 3rd The transition area is basically find a piece of grass outside of the pool area and lay everything on the ground. Somewhat crowded - hence the walk in and out of transition. Robert said that they repaved AB, so that road shouldn't be an issue anymore. I know this route as most of it is part of the loop I regularly did (haven't been biking much this season). They do have a volunteer at the corners. The run too. I was by myself for most of it, but it is a fun little race to do. The swim is 2 people per lane, which is nice compared to most. You can do your own thing and not have to worry about people mis-seeding themselves and having to go around slow swimmers. The run finishes with a loop around the track - which is fun. \ Deanna - the transition is similar - get out of pool, run out door to area and go. Except - no wetsuit to peel. I think I swam in my tri gear last year. If it is going to be cold, I guess I would go in my swimsuit and add layers over. It is the week before my marathon, I am not strong on the bike this year, but I still may give it a shot. I won my age group last year - gotta try to uphold that. |
| 2009-08-28 10:50 AM in reply to: #2376328 |
Master 2099 Madison, WI | Subject: RE: McFarland Triathlon Oct. 3rd gwenbert - 2009-08-28 10:48 AM It is the week before my marathon, I am not strong on the bike this year, but I still may give it a shot. I won my age group last year - gotta try to uphold that. You know, that sounds suspiciously like a throwdown, considering I think we're in the same age group..... |
| 2009-08-28 11:03 AM in reply to: #2376337 |
Regular 200 Stoughton, WI | Subject: RE: McFarland Triathlon Oct. 3rd DeannaS - 2009-08-28 10:50 AM gwenbert - 2009-08-28 10:48 AM It is the week before my marathon, I am not strong on the bike this year, but I still may give it a shot. I won my age group last year - gotta try to uphold that. You know, that sounds suspiciously like a throwdown, considering I think we're in the same age group..... Oh - no throw down. Go and look at my bike miles for the summer - last time I was on my bike was for the drenching luna chix ride. And that was my 1st ride I think since school was out in June. I know we probably run the same. You've proven to be a master of the transition. My only hope would be that I am a much faster swimmer, and that would probably not make up enough time. I think I won my age group by a bit last year. In fact, I think I was 2nd overall. You could race for the overall win - then I could still win the age group  |
| 2009-08-28 12:02 PM in reply to: #2376373 |
Master 2099 Madison, WI | Subject: RE: McFarland Triathlon Oct. 3rd Yah, you'd school me in the swim, for sure. And, my biking has really slacked off since SOR. So, you'd probably end up beating me. I'm thinking you have more run in you than me right now. It'd be fun, anyway. |
| 2009-08-28 1:50 PM in reply to: #2376328 |
| Extreme Veteran 476 WI | Subject: RE: McFarland Triathlon Oct. 3rd gwenbert - 2009-08-28 10:48 AM .... Robert said that they repaved AB, so that road shouldn't be an issue anymore. .... Hwy AB is great! Very smooth. Watch the RR tracks on AB! One other note: Creamery Rd turns into Elvehjem Rd going out to AB. I believe the sign at AB is Elvehjem, not Creamery Rd. |
| 2009-09-05 10:25 PM in reply to: #2374200 |
Extreme Veteran 451 Stoughton, WI | Subject: RE: McFarland Triathlon Oct. 3rd So I was mapping out the bike ride, printing out google maps and using a yellow highlighter. I noticed that the creamery to Elvehjem is as described above. I'll be riding this in the morning. I was going to do it today, but circumstances changed that. Edited by rcav8r 2009-09-05 10:32 PM |
| 2009-09-06 1:19 PM in reply to: #2374200 |
Extreme Veteran 451 Stoughton, WI | Subject: RE: McFarland Triathlon Oct. 3rd I tried to do this one by memory, although I had the printed maps with me just in case. Good thing too, as I made a 15mile ride into a 21 miler. I kept telling myself..."ok, its counterclockwise once you get onto the loop..", so I reach AB and turn RIGHT (south). It was only when I started to see lake kegonsa do I realize I'm going the wrong way! So I check the maps, turn around, and head north. dar98 wasn't kidding about the railroad tracks. They did a nice job of paving AB, but they really left some gullys around the rails! Don't take your expensive wheels on this ride. The rest of the route was relatively level although MN has some very bad stretches. ouch. The only "challenging" part was where Williams turns back onto MN, there is a short steep hill at the start there. I dropped my chain trying to get into granny gear here (note to self-tie a rag to the bike somewhere!). After this, I knew I was supposed to get back onto AB, and turned onto the the first AB road I came across. It was only after I'd gone up a long hill that I started realizing things did NOT look familiar. When I saw a major highway ahead, AND a sign that said "NO TRESPASSING-CITY OF MADISON PROPERTY" that I KNEW I was going the wrong way...again! Pulled out the maps, headed back the way I came, and finally made it back going the correct way. And that is how I did a sprint distance bike ride in 21 miles and 1:23, which is actually my best time for this kind of distance, in spite of the few hills. |
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