login
Grand Columbian Tri
-
No new posts
 2008-08-26 12:15 PM |
Pro  6520    Bellingham, WA |  Subject: Grand Columbian TriIs anyone doing this on Sept. 13th? I am especially interested to hear if anyone has ridden the Half bike course. Have read there is a steep climb out of the gorge a few miles in and than rolling hills before dropping back to the dam. Is the course as tough as I am fearing? This distance is new territory for me and just am not sure what to expect. |
| 2008-08-26 11:29 PM in reply to: #1629104 |
| New user 11 | Subject: RE: Grand Columbian Tri I did the half last year, it was a different course due to the fires but had the hill climb and rollers that you mention. I am a pretty weak biker and I was able to do the course, slowly, but managed it. You might actually enjoy that first hill (almira grade) it's very unique. It did have me scared when I drove it the day before, but it wasn't as bad as it looked. Hope we have good weather this year, that was what I found the hardest last year was the heat. And I'm praying for no wind! Good luck and hope you have a great race. |
| 2008-09-03 5:58 PM in reply to: #1629104 |
Pro 6520 Bellingham, WA | Subject: RE: Grand Columbian Tri I see from the race instructions that there are three water stations on the bike course. Do they just hand you a bike bottle? If so, how do you discard the old ones, is there a zone to just toss them? Racing this distance is new to me so hence the newbie questions. |
| 2008-09-03 7:20 PM in reply to: #1629104 |
| Member 7 Liberty Lake, WA | Subject: RE: Grand Columbian Tri I am doing the iron distance for my third time at the Grand Columbian I am sad to say I hear this is the last year for the iron distance. The half IM you will love it. yes there is hills but you will do fine. They do give water bottles on the bike. The people are great and the whole cityy of Grand Coulee welcomes you. and if I still recall you will ride your bike over the dam. That is amazing! Just have fun maybe I will see you there. Oh yeah the run is mostly flat with only one steep hill but it is no biggie. P.S. I am curious how the weather will be for us? Bring warn weather clothes just incase. Good Luck |
| 2008-09-04 6:29 PM in reply to: #1629104 |
Champion 5312 Calgary | Subject: RE: Grand Columbian Tri Yeah, I am in for the Full. Looking forward to it. |
| 2008-09-06 1:51 AM in reply to: #1629104 |
Expert 1238 Denver, Colorado | Subject: RE: Grand Columbian Tri I did the full last year, where we got to go up that climb TWICE. The majority of the climb is not terrible, but there is one short spot where it suddenly gets real steep around one of the corners. You just have to shift to 34x25 and keep your feet moving. Everyone is suffering equally and it will be over eventually. I think the real difficulty of the bike course is that once you finish the climb and go "thank goodness that suffering is over and now I can have fun for the rest of the ride" you get hit with a big headwind. It's a vicious 1-2 punch out there. |
| 2008-09-08 4:12 PM in reply to: #1654719 |
| New user 1 | Subject: RE: Grand Columbian Tri Did the course for practice last week since the big hills in the beginning had me freaked out. They are big and long and as stated earlier in the blog there is one spot that gets really steep. I'm a 220 pounder and usually don't have trouble with the bike as much as the run, but different in this race. The bike is tough but in a good way and very do-able as long as you shift and keep moving your feet. I'm feeling much better after a practice run and got motivated just doing it. I'm doing one more practice run and advise anyone to just to drowned out the fear of that hill. Not as bad as it looks!! |
| 2008-09-08 10:25 PM in reply to: #1629104 |
Champion 6931 Bellingham, Washington | Subject: RE: Grand Columbian Tri Good luck to all doing the Full this year. Will be the last year for it.. I got an e-mail that said they were going to focus on the Half and Oly distance in the future. |
| 2008-09-15 11:15 AM in reply to: #1629104 |
Pro 6520 Bellingham, WA | Subject: RE: Grand Columbian Tri That was the toughest bike ride of my life (by about 100 times!). The first monster hill wasn't so bad because it was early but then, hill after hill after hill. The ride back from Almira seemed like it would never end. In hindsight, I probably would have used my lighter climbing wheels over the aero wheels as I am not that powerful of a cyclist. Was a great event though and I'll probably do it again next year. |
| 2008-09-15 8:18 PM in reply to: #1629104 |
| New user 11 | Subject: RE: Grand Columbian Tri Glad I am not the only one who thinks that course is pretty tough. I did the full and even though I heard people say the second half was easier, it still was difficult, at least for me. Highway 2 was great, but when you turned the corner to Hwy 155 you were back into the headwind. I am very thankful I wasn't one who had a flat, I was really freaked when I saw 5 with flats in the first 5-10 miles. I am happy with how my day went and actually was having fun. This was my first Ironman and was so nervous in the morning I could hardly get any food down. It is a beautiful venue and so well organized, I'll be back for the half next year. |
| 2008-09-16 9:45 AM in reply to: #1629104 |
| Member 7 Liberty Lake, WA | Subject: RE: Grand Columbian Tri So who camped at the swim start? Gotta love that wind at night! My tent neighbor's tent blew away. This was my first camp trip with my 18 month old daughter. How she slept in that wind I don't know. We planned to stay two night but we went home after the race. Who got flat tires? I am not making this up at 3 miles into the race I saw 6 flats. After I loss count I felt my time would come so at mile 90 I got my flat. (Oh well I needed to sit down by then.) All you guys who made the half and full distance your first at this race good job! Now when you do other halfs and fulls you will laugh at the hills. There was some good down hills too. I clocked myself going 45 mph down one hill. That made up ground. It is too bad the iron distance is done now. It was nice being at driving distance to two ironmans. Again congrats to all finishers. It is a tough course but worth finishing. Plus the people there are great. I met some great volunteers and atheltes. |
| 2008-09-16 9:50 AM in reply to: #1676938 |
Expert 1238 Denver, Colorado | Subject: RE: Grand Columbian Tri Did the goatheads get you? I agree that it's a bummer the iron distance is over. Maybe it can come out of retirement some day like Lance. |
| 2008-09-16 6:39 PM in reply to: #1629104 |
Champion 5312 Calgary | Subject: RE: Grand Columbian Tri I thought that ride up from Almira was cruel as well. I thought all along that the hard part was that first climb, but that was over in 20 minutes. That 10 mile slog from Almira into the wind took me an hour, torture, up then little down, up, then little down, up then little down, and that rocket ride down V Road only partly made up for it. Then the ride back along 155, bump bump bump bump bump bump, I was so happy when I hit Electric City and got to cruise down to the dam. Would I do it again? Of course. |
|
|
|
View profile
Add to friends
Go to training log
Go to race log
Send a message
View album
CONNECT WITH FACEBOOK