Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread (Page 10)

SAquavia - 2010-02-15 4:43 PMLots posted on the course, so I'll keep my two cents shortish and just focus on a couple of key points:

The 3-4 hills in the loop are challenging but not crushing.  The "big one" is very manageable if ridden smartly.  The first half of it will lull you into a false sense of security.  Everyone has different strengths, so this is just for me, but I should have gone to a smaller gear sooner on the second half of the climb.  I gave up too much momentum shifting too late and paid the price having to muscle up the final pitch from a near stand-still.  That said, as badly as I rode the hill from a strategic standpoint, I was quickly recovered once it was done.  There are some nice rolling flats after that before the final uphill section on 18 and then the glorious downhill.

The Chip Seal and bad road conditions will hurt your speed.  You'll look at your computer and think, "I should be going faster."  On the occasion where the road does smooth out, you'll see your speed spike up considerably.  My mantra will simply be to take what the course gives me.  Average speeds will be slower on most of the loop, but you'll make it up on the downhills and I think overall, average speeds on the bike will be pretty good. 

The run will be a challenge, no doubt, with some climbing out of T2 that will take the spring out of my legs.  But, what goes up will come down, and aside from a few steeper pitches, the downhill on diagonal is very manageable and shouldn't cause too much pain in the thighs and knees.  You're HR should recover nicely on the return trips and regardless of how the rest of the run goes, I'd suspect many will cross the line running and smiling because of the nature of the downhill return. 

VegasJason - 2010-02-14 3:48 PMSo got a chance to visit the course again yesterday (3rd visit). The area and course is beautiful and as we all know challenging. The weather was great and air clear. Couple of things to keep in mind for those who aren't as lucky to be so close...1) They are on Mountain time, which I had forgotten about having come from Las Vegas.2) There is some altitude there so if you are coming from flat lands you might notice a difference in your breathing.3) A lot of the road is chip seal or poorly paved. This will slow down your normal speed vs effort. The exception is on 18 (almost all downhill) which is freshly paved. Anyone have any thoughts about tire pressure and how it might help or hinder a ride on chip seal?4) This is a hilly course for both the run and bike. Which to me means that we will need to work on both uphill and downhill training. I really think that there is a huge advantage on the downhill parts of the bike course, but I also think that those who are comfortable riding it without the brakes will gain the most.5) We saw tons of runners and bike riders through out the day. The local community is very active and I hope this translates to some big turn outs for crowd support.Should be a great day with lots of self growth, cant wait!!

VegasJason - 2010-02-16 8:20 AM I have a stock 52/38 and a 12-25 which I will use on race day.
Although there was a minute or two out there when I wish I had another lower gear to bail out to.....

tcovert - 2010-02-16 11:37 AM

Hmm...so far I've been planning on running the spec 53/39 and 12-25 on my Kestrel (which I've been training on)...but this statement gives me pause.

tcovert - 2010-02-16 11:37 AM

Hmm...so far I've been planning on running the spec 53/39 and 12-25 on my Kestrel (which I've been training on)...but this statement gives me pause.

Kido - 2010-02-17 10:45 AM

I haven't started making arrangements yet...  Mistake?  I plan to stay at the Best Western I always stay at when racing  up there.  I know were all the good places are to eat around town and that area.

I seriously plan to probably make the drive the day before the race (from Vegas).  Then leave the next morning, or if my wife can come, have her drive me  home that night to sleep in my own bed.

BTW, this is my second IM.  So far the training is going GREAT.  It actually seems easy so far, and I'm following a more aggressive plan than I did for my first.

Kido - 2010-02-17 8:49 AM

I'm sure a 12-25 is fine.  BUT if you are riding a 12-25, I guess I don't see any harm going to a 12-27.  Gain one more gear with no losses...  Unless you have to buy it, of course.  Then stick with what you have.

gcirongirl - 2010-02-17 10:00 AM

NASTY!

Question: How do I tell what gearing I have? Does it say on it somewhere? I just ride the thing.