SavageMan Triathlon 70.0 : Official Thread

I think you are right about the gears.  The hills are longer and steeper than IMLP.  There are several that will make you wince, but the main ones to prepare for mentally are the first climb out of Westernport all the way to the top of Savage Mountain.  There are several "sections" and the last one features a dancing gorilla at the top where they take your time split...it is probably in the 20 percent range.  Then, there is Killer Miller 3/4 of the way through the course.  It is long and everyone comes out of the saddle.  Nearly everyone cries out for their momma, or deity of choice.

Dale, so glad you made the plunge.  This is a race worth remembering!

Not this year for me, but the day is coming soon for this course.

Use the 28. I would. No one ever has not used gears they brought with. I didn't use a couple bottom gears at Quassy, but this thing has me thinking about shrinking the small ring in addition to using the 11-28.

Should be pretty well rested for the ascent with The Wall as it's in the first half of the race and much of what comes before is downhill. But, The Wall is only part of a much bigger climb. You'll be working well before you get to it. And long after that as the top of The Wall is not nearly the top of the hill. Work on attacking in the middle and later parts of your bigger intervals. Learn to recover from going really hard while still going hard. Also do some high Z4 and VO2 (Z5) intervals to get used to working that hard for more extended periods.

Placid and Quassy aren't that great for comparison. Quassy hills were a fairly simple task of using the right gear and motoring right up. These ones will be changing grades all over the place and be substantially steeper. Quite seriously think about gearing that you can use at 3-4 mph, not just for The Wall, but the other hills as well as you're really just getting going with them at that point. Some Wisconsin back roads rides have put me down under 5 mph at times, and I passed a LOT of people then. By all accounts, this course sounds like that. Quassy was relatively tame by comparison after training on these.

You can bring a bucket to transition...the bikes are racked in a parking lot so you'll be on asphalt when you change shoes etc.  It is a short run up from the lake and up a few steps -- maybe 30-45 seconds -- to the bike racks but remember to pack a towel to clear the sand off your feet.  Also, you may want to opt to ride with shoe covers or socks.  The water is not ever too cold, but toes are an extremity and the first segment of the ride is a pretty long, shaded descent -- feet can get sore/cold.  By the time the climbing starts, I find that it doesn't matter much what the air temperature is on the day, I warm right up.

Originally posted by dtoce

Originally posted by klassman You can bring a bucket to transition...the bikes are racked in a parking lot so you'll be on asphalt when you change shoes etc.  It is a short run up from the lake and up a few steps -- maybe 30-45 seconds -- to the bike racks but remember to pack a towel to clear the sand off your feet.  Also, you may want to opt to ride with shoe covers or socks.  The water is not ever too cold, but toes are an extremity and the first segment of the ride is a pretty long, shaded descent -- feet can get sore/cold.  By the time the climbing starts, I find that it doesn't matter much what the air temperature is on the day, I warm right up.

Inside information!! Nice...thanks, Kent. I'm bringing shoe covers definitely. Still unsure about what additionally to wear on my top. LS bike jacket, sweat jacket (decision, decisions) ...my toes/legs will be cold and I'm definitely wearing long socks too along with a second pair of shorts that are a bit longer. Any thoughts about gloves? And how hard is it to dispense with the clothes at the top of the wall and will I lose my brick (if I make it) by stopping to shed clothes? I'm in the first wave and you are in the second, so you will pass me in the swim. Be kind and don't drown me as you pass.

No doubt Kyle Yost will remind us all of the year that people had to scrape frost off their windshields before driving to the race start.  Note I didn't say it doesn't get cold...only, that the water temp should be fine.  I ride without gloves all the time and will probably put them on in T1.  I'd stick with something you can stash in your jersey if it gets super hot.  Regarding the clothes drop/pick up, my understanding is that this comes up every year and the answer is always that it is okay to stop at the race sanctioned clothing drop without fear of losing the brick status.  I've never used the clothing drop and instead have relied on stupidity and inner savagery to try to fend off any shivers so I cannot speak to how well organized it is.  However, since the overwhelming majority of folks at this event are not actually racing for a podium and no one is racing for a PR, even if it is a bit disorganized I wouldn't think that an extra :45 seconds would matter.  I just don't bother with it because it is one more thing to keep track of on the day.

I plan to ride with a standard summer tri kit plus sleeves and fingerless gloves.  I'll ride sockless but probably either tape over the vents in my shoes or slip on some toe-cap style shoe covers.

RE: Passing on the swim.  I don't think I've ever actually dunked anyone let alone drown them...not that I've not been tempted by breastrokers.