Health First Oly/Sprint Oct 5th in Melbourne

Definetly plan on doing the sprint race !!! Still need to sign up, I'm definelty going to pay before the price goes up!!!

Anyone else doing it ?

Just signed up last night...  Now my mind will match my bodies incentive to train a lil harder.

Question though:  When I went through active.com's registry they asked me if I was a Health First Health Plan user (I am).  Anyone know the reason behind that question?  I was hoping it would be a discount on the registry but it looks like it just may be a PR question for Health First to see how many of their customers come to such events.

Anyways, I'll see you all there in 6 weeks! 

Just found you guys.  This is my 1st tri.  I'm doing the Sprint.  Been training since March.

See ya there! 

Cool! There are several other BT'ers not posted doing the race as well.

I say we each order some of these and cheer each other on! 

Most likely not, even my kids temp tats stay on after a day at the beach!  It says to remove using Baby oil or something else, same deal as with removing the tri body markings.

I'm ordering mine!  They don't really match my outfit, though...it's a girl thing.

I'll try to survive.

Have you done the course yet?  I'm planning on driving down (about an hour drive) one Saturday to check it out.  

This is my 1st tri, so I don't want to get lost. 

I have also been thinking of doing the bike course, just to get familiar with the area. I've never done the race and this is my first after a couple years "off".

Can't wait to do it !!!!

Yeah, the online log didn't work so great for me, I like the old school Journal type notebook to log my training !!!!

But I will be happy to just finish, work on running and biking during the off season and get my times up next season.

We'll see...

2 reasons I love my log:

1. Feedback from my BT friends each day - very motivating
2. Graphs so I can see my volume & pace progress (I think it's a performance member benefit, but TOTALLY worth it for me!)

If anyone is interested, I have no problem meeting up to ride the sprint course on the 20th or 27th.  I'm very familiar with the race course as I've been doing this race since 02.  We can also look at the swim and run parts, how about brick run as the 1st mile or so as it has a lot of turns then settles down.

I'd love to meet up on the 20th.  (got a 5k on the 27th)

I'm really interested in checking out the swim as well - I'm an OWS chicken!

Any takers?  What time?  I'm coming from DeLand, so hopefully no earlier than 0700. 

Can't really do saturday mornings, as I work really early and don't get home till about 9 am. But I will probably try to do it another day, will have to see when the wife wants to spend the day from the beach and hopefully the weather allows for a nice brick !!!

Will post when I get a date !!

Few quick updates:

1. I'll either be doing the sprint distance bike, run, or both this coming weekend as well (maybe with Donto or anyone else interested).

 2. The run course was recently CHANGED for both the sprint distance and olympic distance.  The run no longer goes over the EG causeway! (I'm sure Donto will post more when he gets a response from his e-mail on the matter).

3. Looks like they picked up a few more sponsors this year so a big thumbs up for more free stuff.

Other than I guess I'll be seeing everyone out there on the 5th of Oct.

Imagine if you can...that on race day 12 days from now that the following temperature forecast holds true.

Three nights of ~60F temps and 2 days ~80F before race day, that could be wetsuit legal!

In the 5 years of this event, I have yet to do it when the first real cold front has come through. Crossing my fingers it holds true but not counting on it, lol!

FYI, the average date of the 1st cold front for Melbourne is Oct 14th.  Just in case you wanted to know!

Not fair!  I don't own a wetsuit!!!

I just did the course on Saturday (except for the run - rehabing a foot/ankle) & have to say it was a blast!

Everyone was saying the run is pretty complicated, though & quite a few people took wrong turns.  I hope it's well marked for the event.

I mapped it on google last night (using the directions from the website) and there are a total of 12 turns on the course (per lap).  It is complicated to say the least...

 As far as the cold front goes, I doubt water temp will get to USAT wetsuit temp but either way I'll be going without one.

*edit*- and let's hope that the winds die down by the end of next week.  I don't want a repeat of last years weather.  I wasn't there but my buddy has horror stories about his bike over the causeway with 15+ mph winds.

Horror stories - Oh...do tell!  Were bikes flying off into the water?  Now that would make for an interesting race - unless, of course YOU were the one flying off into the water.  

I was actually wondering about passing (not me, people passing me) in some of these high-traffic areas?  Winds could make it a lot more complicated.  Also - watch your tires!  There's some serious debris on the roadway!  (I'm hoping the dead raccoon will be gone by race day.)

We still have 10 days, I'm sure we'll have a whole new set of craziness to think about by then!

Read this HF RR from last year!  I do not want to do that again after having 2 races like that last year, the swims killed me!

Last year IIRC that most of the road debris was cleared before the race.  Pineda being what it is though, the big bridge is where you have to pay attention.  The Sheriffs will be patrolling so drivers are mindful of the riders.

As for people passing you, follow the rule of when a passing rider tire gets to you, you have to allow that person to pass by letting off some and getting 3 bike lengths behind.  Maintain your line, it is the responsibility of the passer to pull over when clear.

As for the Raccoon, I'm sure the buzzards have taken care of that by now!