Calling St George Veterans & Participants

Hey Robert, wow, lots of questions !!!  Not sure I'll hit them all, but will try.  For starters, I have only raced this venue once, last year, when it was much cooler and raining for most of the bike.  This time around it appears to be shaping up as a windier and much warmer affair if the current forecast holds.  I expect the race to be a different animal this time around, going from hypothermia to heat stroke. 

You will be in the first of two waves for M45-49 (right?) based on the letter C.  Congratulations, you are sporting an orange cap and going in the first Age Group wave of the race !!!  If you have a super fast swim, you might catch a struggling female pro if one is having an extra bad day out there in the water.  Be sure to ask for an autograph if you pull that one off.  Sun in the eyes wasn't an issue last year, but I guess we'll both find out together if it is this year.  If you've never swam in a pack, then this race you will experience a little of that.  I was in a late wave last year, so the course was crowded pretty much the entire way around.  Never had a problem, though, and since the waves behind you are M45-49, 2xM50-54, then M40-44 12 minutes back, you should be okay.

On the bike, I carry enough fluids/food for the distance for 56 miles so I can go wide around the aid stations and not risk any exchange problems, etc. at the station, but that's just me.   Athlete guide says new pavement for parts of the first 8 miles.  I don't know if that bumpy, chip seal surface is still there, then, or not.  Being in a late wave last year, there were bottles galore all over the course for the first several miles coming out of T1.  Since you're in an early wave, that shouldn't be as much of an issue if it's even a problem any longer.  Bike course was crowded, but again starting up front should change that for you.  Tons of issues with people blocking, although the only penalty I saw handed out was for some poor dude picked at random on the climb up the canyon when everyone was naturally all bunched up at a slow climbing pace.  I didn't know you could draft at 8 mph packed in with hundreds of other riders while being blown around and drenched with rain as the thermometer fell into the 40s, but hey, you learn something new every day.  Pays to be a good climber, coz if you're passing folks then you shouldn't get tagged like that guy.  If you've got sunburn problems, then by all means take some extra time in T1 to  apply sunscreen.  I didn't see any sunscreen being applied on the course/transitions, but I'm generally not looking for that stuff out there, either.

General strategy, save something for the run.  Run's going to be hot, and it is hilly.  If you're feeling okay, you can pick things up the last 2.5 miles.  I personally expect to be slower this time around due to the heat.  Also, I'm going to try and look up a bit while riding this time to enjoy more of the scenery, at least I'm telling myself that now.

Transition spot is assigned by bib.  Pick up your race packet first at registration, then go out to the reservoir and set up your bike.  Race numbers will need to be on the bike to get into T1.  I honestly forget if I set up T2 in the morning or the night before, just ask and they'll let you know.  Numbers are on racks, just hang your bag at your number.   Some people set their run gear up -- I really don't care about an extra minute, but I'm not hunting a podium, either.  T2 is just a bit to the west (?) from the whole registration area.  In the morning the buses are leaving from somewhere over there by T2 (again, ask, or just follow all the people in the dark at 4AM).  You'll be able to set up your T1 at that point (helmet, fill bottles, etc.), get your tires pumped if they need it, get in line for the porta potties, etc.  You might want some disposable sandals to walk from T1 to the entry, the gravel can be a bit sharp.  I didn't see where people were stashing those, but there must have been a trash can up there somewhere.

Good luck, have fun!  And don't drink most of a pitcher of beer the night before like I did last year (or do, and enjoy life a little) !!!

Perfect! Thank you for taking the time to write all that info, that was exactly what I was hoping for. I really enjoyed reading your story about the race. I am excited for sure. Being first out after the pros is really cool to think about. I don't think I will be trying to chase any down on the swim and waste myself right out of the gate, I am hoping for a sub 35min swim though.

The heat will be brutal especially on the run, the sunburn will be bad. I have to change to a different tri kit, the open racer back design isn't working for me in terms of sun protection. Either way thanks again for relating your story here, I appreciate the time you spent on your reply.

PS: I will save that pitcher of beer for after the race!

Pre-race:  The bikes were tight and not a lot of room to lay out gear, but that can be expected with 1800 participants.  I noticed a lot of people lining up at the bike mechanics area on race morning and didn't know what was going one so I asked.  They will airing up tires.  I got in line.  It took about 10-15 minutes to get to the front.  The whole time I was thinking to my self what pressure do I want the tire set at today.  It is going to be raining and wet should I go 10 PSI less than my training rides.  I have more weight on my bike than I do on training rides (I took about a gallon of water so I wouldn't have to stop) should I go 5-10 PSI higher.  When I got to the front I was still indecisive so they just filled them up.  In 10 seconds both tire were set and they told me I was good to go. I have no idea what they set the pressure at, but I really liked what ever it was. The tire pressure felt great.

Swim:  The swim is beautiful.  just look at the photos.  Last year it was bit nippy in the morning since there was rain rolling through. I put my wetsuit on and kept my feet moving to keep the shivers away.  I also remember that walking down to the water there was a lot of large grave/rocks.  I have very tender feet so I was very careful about where I put each step.  Another guy in my swim wave said his feet were tender and he too was tip toeing to get to the start.  We did an in water start. There was plenty of room for everyone to spread out.  There was no problem with people fighting for space to swim or hitting into each other, etc.  The only place that people bunched up was going around the buoys.  That can be easily managed though during the race. Coming out of the water was smooth (no gravel) so the feet were fine and I was able to run a bit.  There were peelers who knew what they were doing and got me out of the wet suit very quickly and sent me on my way. The volunteers at this event keep coming back year after years so you are in good hands. 

There is quite a bit of a run to get through the T1.  I was probably 200m for me to get to my bike.  It was another 100 meters to get my bike out of the T1.  

Bike:  The first couple of miles from the Reservoir to the highway are the only area on the course with a rough surface.  The truth is that that "rough" surface was about like the "smooth" surface that I am forced to train on in Oklahoma.  People were saying that there was lots of flats on the "rough" surface I did see 1 or 2 people stopped, but looking back at bike splits for myself and others the first part of bike course is where everyone had there fastest bike pace (including the Pro's).  I don't remember where the fist time gate was on the bike course (mile 15???).  I loved the course after we hit the high way. Road were smooth and lanes were wide.  There were a ton of people on the course.  I couldn't stay to the right because of slower riders.  I pretty much sat in the passing lane for most of the day.  People were pacing me three wider and at times even four wide but the race is given plenty of room so you don't have to worry too much about traffic and can move around to where you need to be for you pace. I was way under trained due to long hours at work cutting into my training.  I knew I might have to pace careful to keep from blowing up.  I went out at a hard but sustainable pace.  I never felt that I went too hard (except possible when passing people), but 35 miles into the ride I started to feel fatigued.  I think the rain and all the shivering took more out of me than the same bike effort on a dry day would have.  I really dialed things back to get some recovery before the owl canyon climb that starts around mile 40. Note: If you wait until the last aid station before the Canyon it is too late.  Pacing is the whole ride NOT one 20 second aid station stop.  Just my opinion.  The Canyon was even more pretty than the Swim Venue (search for photos).  That view is the best part of the race.  The beginning of the canyon climb really was not that bad.  I pedaled really light and when I starting seeing signs that said thing like "Chuck Norris Approved" etc. I though that the Canyon was way over played, but It just kept going and going and did get steeper several miles in.  I didn't make it to the to the top.  I died before getting there and walked the last 1/2 mile.  I was the only person that I saw walking the bike and tons of people were asking me if I was okay with great concern.  So my trouble were probably really rare. I don't think you will have any problem with the canyon.  You just pace it like anything else.  The last 7 or so miles are all down hill.  My Garmin got me going just over 47 MPH coming down the hill.  I don't remember passing anyone though.  We were pretty spread out by that point and everyone seemed to be going as fast as I was. It was nice to have a fast stretch to make up for lost time going into T2 and it was nice to be able to pedal easy while doing it to recover for the run.

Note: Both of my 70.3 events I have done had separate T1 & T2 locations and both had bike check in the night before.  There is nothing special in the race about a separate T2.  You just drop your bike, drop you helmet, grab your run gear and are on your way like any other race. The separate Transition areas DO make a huge difference on race day morning though.  You have to go to the T2 first to lay out all your run gear then catch a shuttle to the T1.  Don't leave your bike shoes at the T2 or else you will be biking bare foot (like one guy did at the HITS Marble Falls 70.3 in 2015). Don't leave anything you need at the T2 with your bike when you check it in at T1 the night before like I did once or else you are going to have to go back to the T1 before you go to the T2 on race morning and risk missing your start time and all you warm-up and mental preparation that you need before the race.  Just use the separate bags for swim/bike/run and don't make any mistakes.  Planning is very important for a smooth pre-race morning when you have dual transition areas.  Go through everything twice to make sure it is where it is supposed to be.   

The Run:

We seemed to be spread out going down the hill on the bike, but once I got on the run we were running 4 wide again. There were plenty of aid stations.  I was taking lost of orange slices at ever station but am sure that was about anything you could want there (just don't remember what).  I also stopped at the pot-a-johns at around mile 5.  There was everything you needed on the run course.  I didn't notice the elevation of the run before the race so I assumed there were as many elevation gains/drop in the first half as the there were the last half.  I wasn't hitting my times on the first 5-6 miles of the run and got frustrated from miles 6-8 where I resorted to some power walking.  At mile 8 I made a goal to make it to mile 9 without doing any walking.  It was a struggle at the end of a long day that didn't go as well as one would hope but I made it.  I made a new goal to make it to mile 10.  I didn't even have to make a goal for mile 11 (but did anyways).  I was flying through mile 11.  It turned out at you got up hill from miles 3 or 4 to about mile 9 then you go all down hill into the finish.  So my last miles were my fastest of the day.  again that is nice.    

Finish Line:  Oh...I did cry when I saw the finish line.  It was a tough day for me and seeing the finish line was a wonderful thing.  The Streets were line for as far as the eye could see with spectators so there was great support.  I almost walked out with out of the finish area with my timing chip still around my ankle when a young woman who was very attentive saw my chip and asked if she could remove it form me.  I found out the next day when having dinner with my by little brother's in-laws (he lives in St. George and most of his wife's family is there) that the young woman was my brother's niece.  They didn't know that my brother had a guest in town doing the race so I didn't get any special treatment at the finish line.  They told us that they volunteer every year at the race.  I was very impressed with how much the community supports the event.  Some towns have a corn festival, a peach festival, or 4th of July carnival that the community works on every year.  St. George works on the Ironman 70.3 as a community every year.   :-) 

I can't really add much to the great information you've been given already!  It will be hot...but it's a dry heat as well like to say in the desert!  I'm assuming you'll have transportation?  Sand Hollow is a bit of a drive, let me know if you need a ride out there to set up your transition. I'm planning to get to the village right at 9am on Friday, would like the on site mechanics to do a pre race tune up since my bike has been on the trainer all winter/spring.  Can't wait!

Curtis, thanks for your detailed story of the race, sounds like you had a hell of a race and a well deserved finish. 

I am so stoked! I am honestly just hope everything goes super smooth. I am expecting to do well. Its that point where I am going through everything in my head. So excited..Your story helps put things into place and alleviate a few worries I might have had.

Kim, thank you for the offer to help me out with a ride. I will have a rental and am driving out there Tomorrow morning (Thur). Hope to see you out there. 

Best wishes to everyone and may we have an awesome race weekend!

Cheers!

Robert, Congrats on your 7:37:26.  How was the race?