Ironman 70.3 Augusta : Official Thread (Page 11)

Soccerphan:  Thanks for that update on the spill.  I must have missed it before I posted the link about the "new policy" article.  I must have missed your article.  That's good news!

Great news indeed!  We will have another big group swimming the course on Wednesday evening at 6:30...all are welcome to join.

It's your real name OBI-WAN KENOBY??

Just recovering here from lower back injury...... and you are so right about the great priviledge of doing what we do. Let's not take it for granted, we might one day be called "IRONMAN" (I hope one day soon) but we are still so fragile. My goal now is to be able to train, be able to start and finishing in one piece would be awesome!!!! As far as beating some one..... I might be beating my shadow, it depends on the time of the day when I cross the finish line!!

2 more weeks. Time is flying. Had my last double digit run today and last long bike ride tomorrow. Taper time starts monday. Everything will be short and fast.

Shouldn't we know our start times by now?!  Come on WTC!!

Last race for Augusta yesterday (TTP Tanner Sprint, 3rd AG) good effort. Ready for taper to start with my coach. Easy 24mi ride today.
All is looking good for the 2 weeks leading up to race day. Weather turning cooler here in Atlanta, less humidity.
Cant wait.

FM
"The" Cube

yep getting a little excited, No getting really excited and a little nervous...But I am ready...2 weeks, man time has flown by..Any pointers for first timers..what to bring, what not to bring etc..you know above and beyond the normal stuff.



Edited by GaDavidRN 2010-09-12 8:23 PM

Hope everyones training went well. I'm probably not going to taper until next weekend since I'm doing Ironman Cozumel. The current in the river will likely be slower than last year but it will still be a fast swim. The bike course is still pretty nice roads. For first timers don't let the first 12 miles or so fool you. Have fun tapering and get ready to have some fun.

That's an excellent tip about the bike, thanks!  First timer, my goal is to basically to put enough effort into the swim to stay afloat in the river, keep the bike around 15.5 or so (which will be difficult as it will feel like I'm not moving), start off basically crawling on the run and hope to not walk.

Anyway, any other tips for myself and the other first-timers on here about this race or HIM in general?  All the info. that everyone has been posting on here has been extremely helpful. 

"For first timers don't let the first 12 miles or so fool you."
 ________________________________

csharp - Fool me, how?  

Edited by JM2 2010-09-13 10:59 AM

I'm ready for it!! It's been a long, hot summer of training. I will have one more long run and one more long ride middle of this week, then I'm ready to taper for 10 days.

This is my first HIM also. I ask the same questions as earlier posters about any suggestions from those more experienced, especially those specific to this course, are greatly appreciated.

Thanks, csharp!  Don't love hills but I've been training on them.  I'll try to enjoy those first 12. 

OK...oldie but a goodie.
Not as good as the videos but it might help a few of you....see you all in 2 weeks!!

OK...some are missin me, so here ya go.... Augusta 70.3 thought this might help.
I did the ride back in july (09) and have posted this on other forums.....enjoy

OK....
Just back from riding the Augusta 70.3 Bike Route (1 loop, 56mi.)
Right off the bat, let me say this. I have been doing Tri's for 5 years now and have lived and trained in Georgia for those 5 years, so those people reading this from other states please remember I write this from a "Georgia" training on hills, point of view.
People who live and train in Georgia are going to LOVE this course. Its nothing you haven't seen or trained on already. Let me say that again, ITS NOTHING YOU HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE!!
On a Georgia difficulty scale of 1-10, I gave it a 5!!! Fun, challenging, but wont kill you.
If you have done the West Point Lake Oly, that 24mi course is HARDER then this one.
Who ever laid out the route, Congrats!! There is something for everyone. Flats, short leg burner climbs 6-8%, longer grinder climbs 2-3%, slight downhill sections to max out the big ring -1-4%, etc.
I did the ride with my wife Ann and she is still building for Augusta as this will be her first attempt at a 70.3.
So we just took it easy and made it an enjoyable ride/day.
We stopped twice. Once at the Hot Spot on Whiskey Rd at about mile 24, and again at the quickie mark on Pine Log at about mile 40.
Time: 3:38:52
Total Distance 55.28mi (from transition at the rowing club)
Avg Speed: 15.1
Avg HR 119
Max HR 153
Now for some details:
* Your first real climb isn't until mile 17.2!!
* Heading out of T1 its mostly flat and Old Jackson Hwy is mostly flat and big ring funable. Only a few slight 1-2% rollers. But don't take it out to fast suckers!!!!
* First climb is once you turn on Rt 1 at 17.2 miles. Short 1/4mi climb at about 5-6% Then again at about the 20mi mark.
* Rt 1 is also a bit chippy road surface wise.
* It's mostly flat/rollers thru Whiskey Rd, Old Whiskey Rd, Cherryville Rd, and Woodland.
* Your next hills begin on Gray Mare Hollow, couple of nice grinders at 3-5%, about 1/4 to 1/2 mi long.
* Once you make the turn off Gary Mare onto Silver Bluff there is a good grinder at about 6-8%, short 1/4 mi. Wife threw the chain downshifting.
* On Boyd Pond I say open it up. Nice downhill, twisting sections of - 3-5%. You can easily hit 40mph.
* Biggest longest grinder is on Horse Creek, 2-5% that goes on and off for 2-3 miles.
* New blacktop on Herdon Dairy, nice and smooth.
* Pine Log is mainly flat and can be Hammered. But it is also choppy surface wise with lots of little bumps. We had a slight wind in the face.
* There is a nice, short, downhill section on Pine Log JUST before you hit Atomic. Take advantage of it as it ends into a BIG grinder of 8-12% for about 75-100 ft.
* The first 1-1.5 mi on Atomic heading back into T2 is on rollers then it flattens out and you can really Hammer it or use it as recovery time before crossing the bridge back into Georgia.
* From miles 49 thru 56 is a drop of about 300 ft in elevation.

So there you have it.
Print it, copy it, study it and come prepared!
Also, there are a lot of cool little restaurants in downtown, 2 blocks from the Marriott.
Its going to be packed and I can tell the vibe is going to be great, cant wait.
(on a personal note, got my 2010 ride yesterday!! Dreams do come true!!)

FM
"The" Cube

I think he may be implying that the first bit of the bike is really fast paced. Roads are relatively flat in the beginning but as the course goes on there tends to be a little more undulation. There is a topography map on the site and if you have a lot of time someone has posted a drive through of the course on youtube.

The first portion of the bike course is fairly flat and fast.  I think he's saying don't take the course too lightly based on the first 12 miles, before the hills get introduced.

Thanks for the post Cube, good stuff

Thanks everyone..These little tidbits are confidence builders for me..and the other first timers.
David

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Thanks a lot for such detailed description. I rode it once about a month ago and I hardly remember all those details, Awesome!
Cube, please make an exception for "all the people that train in Georgia" I live in Savannah and this is flatter than a pancake!!! A couple silly bridges and that's it! But your are right about the rolling hills, even for some one coming from the "low country" they didn't feel that bad. It is a beautiful course around farm country, really looking forward to ride there again.
And thanks God no hills on the run!!!!
Would be great to meet some the people from BT in Augusta. It's been a lot of fun training for this challenge with your support.
I feel very lucky to be healthy again and be able to resume my training and hopefully make it to the start and finish.
I'll print your course description and use it for reference and pacing, THANKS
JB

Th Cube's description is right on target. The only thing I can add is that the four lane on the way back from Pine Log on 125 before hwy 278 is a little rough. I have ridden this course all summer and the road does not look that bad but it gets a little bumpy on the couple of descents. If you are not comfortable in the aero bars on descents, you may want to come out of them for this short section. Again, you cannot see the rough road but you can definitely feel it.

The first section, as in 20 or so is pretty flat with just a couple of small rollers. Sometimes there is a pretty strong tail wind as there was last year and will give you a false sense of strength and speed.
My two cents is the first third is flat, the next third is mostly hills with Old Gray Mare Hollow as a relaxing descent then the last third is basically flat with a little descent back into T2.

Looks like it is going to be on the hot side this year. I dont trust what the weatherman says about yesterdays weather never mind 2 weeks out. We can still hope and pray for a cool front. We should get a BT get together planned. Maybe a group swim on sat or just plan a time to all meet at the expo or pre or post race. time goes fast on race weekends hard to plan a meal. Thanks for posting your course review again Cube. Im from flat south Fla and really found this course to be alot of fun last year. Just take it easy and remember you still have a half mary to run. Very easy to get caught up in it and "race" everyone around you.