Whirlpool Steelhead 70.3 Triathlon (Page 10)

and/or dinner (add your name):
Sigepbrad - Brad
Kdogtoo - Ken
Silver_wlf = Stef
Mifiremedic= Curt
ericcooper - Coop
tjtryon = TJ
emd9702 - Erin
jtaddei - Joel

I'll be there friday last afternoonish to check in the hotel and to check out the expo.  Will rack my bike whenever.  I may just bring it with and put it in transition when they allow me to.

edit:  Oh and I went and checked out the course today and I really like what they're doing with the park, a lot of it seems very new.  Im concerned with how they are going to set up transition.  It doesn't seem to have enough space for it but we'll see.  I swam and biked the course today so here are my impressions.

Swim:  The wind was very heavy today and it caused a lot of waves.  The guy who I went swimming with (a local doing the race I met on facebook) said that what we swam in was about as bad as last year's water when they cancelled it.  So yeah it was rough, but if you're a badass like him and I - then it can be done.  P.s. Jumping off the pier was FUNNNNNN!

Bike:  Nothing really to add to the aforementioned reviews.  Rolling hills, some long stretched out climbs but nothing that'll bust your legs (unless you're pushing your highest gear all 56 miles).  We had the fortune of a nice northerly wind which cause getting home to be a slight pain in the saddle, but again... nothing that will keep you from the 13.1mi run strong.

I don't want to spoil anything but someone spray painted cute sayings on one of the last "big" climbs on your way back in to town.  It's somewhere in the last 10 miles if I remember correctly.  You'll know them when you see them.

I didn't run the course because i'm not in the business of doing a dry run of a half ironman and spoiling all the fun of the race, but lets just say that I hope we have calm waters because that choppy stuff is for the birds! (and fishes ar ar ar)

Edited by jtaddei 2009-07-25 8:00 PM

So, how was the water temp? Warm enough to swim without a wetsuit (>70*)? Were you in your wetsuit today?

i did bring the sleeveless wetsuit and felt just fine in it.  I can handle cold water no problem and I probably could have done the swim without the wet suit (the chafing on my underarm wishes i did too), not to mention the guy I was swimming with didn't have a wetsuit on.

It's by no means warm water, but it's on the colder side of what you're probably used to in a pool.

Keep in mind that depending on the direction of the wind, the water temperature can change 15 degrees in the matter of a few days.  I swam in the lake a few weeks ago and was almost too warm one day and too cold two days later with a full wetsuit.

I'm staying 35 minutes north of Benton Harbor.  I plan to come up on Wednesday.

sigepbrad - 2009-07-25 4:16 PM Role call for expo and/or dinner (add your name):
Sigepbrad - Brad
Kdogtoo - Ken
Silver_wlf = Stef
Mifiremedic= Curt
ericcooper - Coop
tjtryon = TJ
emd9702 - Erin

nickster = Nick

 

Count me in for a swim on friday.  I think I might drive the course on Thursday when I get down there.  Can't wait to meet you all!

My Training LogMy Race Log

McFuzz - Mike (Volunteering Fri/Sat)
BAMBAM66 - Beth (Volunteering Fri/Sat)

For those with families, bring a cooler unless you want to buy food at the Pizza Hut tent.  Plan on hanging out on the beach all day (which is not a bad gig if the weather's nice) so swimsuit, sunscreen, chair. 

Beth and I will be wearing BT shirts one or both days. 

Dunno how my name got off the list.

This is so cool. I was just offered the opportunity to beta test one the new up and coming GPS units so that friends and family can track your progress on the race course. This is opportunity just made the race so much cooler.

Is it Saturday yet?

So when and where should we all meet on Friday?

Curt

I'll be getting in mid afternoon on Friday. May try and do a quick swim, but I'd be up for touching base. My wife will be with me and might enjoy finding some others to hang with on Saturday. So count me in.

miamitri= Jeff

I lost track of who to PM cell numbers to.

Thanks
Jeff

ps- did my last brick workout this morning (35 miles bike/4 mile run) can't wait for Saturday.

I'm feeling much better about the race now.  I did 80k this morning in 30km/hr winds and then ran 2k just to see what my stomach thought of all the gels/beans/GEF.  I felt great!!! I'm SO happy right now and VERY excited!!

Role call for OWS / Drive course / expo and/or dinner (add your name):
Sigepbrad - Brad
Kdogtoo - Ken
Silver_wlf = Stef
Mifiremedic= Curt
ericcooper - Coop
tjtryon = TJ
emd9702 - Erin
nickster = Nick
McFuzz - Mike (Volunteering Fri/Sat)
BAMBAM66 - Beth (Volunteering Fri/Sat)
DaveH=Dave
jtaddei-Joel
miamitri= Jeff

Brad,

I like your plan. I just have some clarification questions.

1) Where should the swim start from? The Pier?
2) For those who dont want to swim, where will we meet to drive the course? I have a feeling the parking lot at the park will be closed.


I cant wait to meet everyone, and get this race started.

Curt

The pier seems good to me. It looks like there might be some parking at Tiscornia Park. We could swim there, and then meet there for the course drive.

Or maybe we should have one of the people who is arriving on Thursday pick a good meeting spot. Do you think we could get the word out to everyone on Thursday night?

don't forget if the current is coming from the north you're going to have to meet at rocky gap park.

There aren't a lot of landmarks outside of the park unfortunately.  If you walk south down the beach a little bit from Jean Klock there is a pretty cool driftwood structure that stands out that would be a good meeting place for folks.

I wont be there for the swim or course drive but i'll keep my ear close to the thread about dinner plans.  I dunno how local everyone is but I have a friend that lives in St. Joseph (that is racing as well) that can probably recommend some wicked places to eat.

Finally get to meet the famous Trixie. This will now be a great race....

Everybody sure is being quiet today.

race week jitters?

I'm LOVING this taper this week.

10 Day Forecast for Benton Harbor MI:

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Sat
Aug 1

I know it's a ways out and can easily change, but just thought i'd share.

I havent gotten the pre race jitters, yet... I would have bet that this thread would be busy this week with everyone getting ready for the big day.

Waiting for my bike to get back from the LBS so I can take it for a little spin.

Taper is nice, but feels like I should be doing something. ughh

Curt

Enjoy your taper (I am jealous). Unfortunately, I won't be tapering because, for me, this is a training race as I prepare for IMKY.