Great Floridian Triathlon : Official Thread

I'll be there.  I plan of doing the 1/2 on Sept.12th as a warm-up.  Is anybody going to do the half too?

I have also sent Fred and Doug emails asking about the bike course.  I suggested that the course be the same one as they use for the Attack on Sugarloaf race )another course preview opp.)  Haven't heard anything.  Training is on-course though and I plan to go to Clermont on Aug 7th to ride the countryside.  Maybe I'll ride last year's course.

Hi Kristie

 I’m still waiting for the course myself.  Hopefully we’ll have it soon.

 Andrea Taylor

The new bike course is up.  Its a 3 lap course but only does Sugarlaof on Lap #1.  Lots of time on Hwy 19 tho.  I plan to test ride it the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, Sept 4th?  Anybody want to ride?

M.

O.K. so I rode the course on Saturday.  This is what I thought:

I started in the beach parking lot and rode west around Lake Minneola to start.  Nice roads, not much traffic.  I missed the turn onto Cherry Lake Rd but quickly got back on course.  When you make the turn from Lake Minneola shores be in the small chain ring.  There is a short but steep uphill. As you turn onto Cherry Lake Rd, with its brand new asphalt, you see a down hill section and a 45 mph speed limit sign that makes you think "I wonder if I can break the speed limit?"  You can't.  Most of Cherry Lake is smooth asphalt with a short section with alot of patches, rolling hills and the biggest tree farm I ever saw.  Must be 8 sq. miles?  SR-19 is all new asphalt but has some round bumps in the lane striping and some big trucks travel on it, at least until you pass the Turnpike on ramp.  The truck traffic got worse with each lap.  On lap 3 there will be very few passing opportunities.  A few hills but SR-19 is the flatest part of the course there is so enjoy it.  Next a right onto CR-455.  You are about 20 miles in by now.  There is alot of new asphalt here too.  Some epic uphills though so be ready.  When you crest the first big uphill section you can look down and see the right turn to Buckhill Rd at the bottom but what your eyes are drawn to are 2 really big uphill sections.  Really big.  The backside of those hills leads to 561.  On lap 1 you turn right and go to Sugarloaf.  Sugarlaof is big but it doesn't look so bad from the bottom and you are rewarded with steady downhills all the way to 561A.  There are 2 turns with sketchy asphalt on the backside of Sugarloaf.  If there is a sign on the pavement that says"Slow Down" better pay attention.  At the end of 561A you join back up with CR-455 and head into Monteverde.  A small town that has a downhill approach and a 35 mph speed limit that is easy to break.  As you leave town you will see a flashing yellow light indicating an interesection ahead.  That's where the course turns right.  Follow the roads into town.  1 big downhill and uphill and your back to Waterfront Park.

Laps 2&3 are the same except that you continue straight at 561.  I know that the course only goes up Sugarlaof once because in other years, when it has done it twice, people complain.  But let me tell you, 455 is not flat.  Hills, big hill and it seems like they all go up.  When you get a chance to go flying downhill there is a traffic circle that you have to slow down for.  As if to locate the exact center of the middle of nowhere?  Go figure.

In all a challenging ride.  I would say that you should work at going downhill fast.  The only way to ride this course is to try and maintain your power, so go slow on the uphill sections and fast on the downhill sections.  It takes a little getting used to before you can feel comfortable flying on the downhills.  I plan to ride the course again in the Assualt on Sugarloaf.  At least that ride will be catered.

The only change I would make is that instead of doing 455 twice I think I would have had the course go up Buckhill Rd on one of the laps.  Maybe Buckhill on lap 1 and Sugarlaof on lap 2 and straight on 455 for the last lap.  That way every lap would be unique.  Practice riding up hill and coming down fast. See you in Oct.

So did anybody do the Florida Challenge on Sunday.  I wear my Garmin in my swim cap so that I can track the entire route.  It told me the swim was 1.5 miles and the bike was 60.  I was disappointed that they couldn't do a better job of measuring the course.   It was an EPIC day though.  The bike route hit every big hill there is and the run was done at 95 deg.  I  ran the entire run and would have hit my target bike split if the course were 56 miles so I call the day good!  I'm glad I did it t00.   I learned alot about the course, the area and the race director.

Next week, Assault on Sugarloaf.  A fully catered 112 mile ride for $35.  See you there