Ironman Kansas 70.3 : Official Thread (Page 13)

Gmax I have ridden the course around 10 times and can tell you 2 things that really stick out in my mind:

1. It's hilly, but not unGODLY hilly. Make sure you are shifting smoothly as you'll likely use ALL of your gears.

2. Save a little for the hill at mile 50 up the dam. It's a doozy.
 

So, I'm reading the Athlete Guide from last year and they said there is 2 Transition Areas about 1/2 mile apart.

So we will have to set up in 2 different areas the morning of the race?

I know we check our bikes in on Sat and we come out of the swim into the 1st Transition Area.  Will be have to go/walk to the 2nd Transition Area before the race and drop our shoes and stuff off there?

Then I guess after the race, we will have to collect whatever is left over in both transition areas?

Yes on race morning you set up 2 different transition areas. T1 is down by the lake and T2 is close to the finish line. I'd recommend setting up T2 first (really just run shoes, hat/visor, nutrition - shouldn't be anything too bulky) and then make your way to T1 and stay there until the race start.

Last year the race organizers issued a plastic drawstring bag and said whatever you placed in the bag at T1 (during the race, mind you), it would be transported back to the finish line for you. This worked well, but it does take a few extra seconds to shove a WET wetsuit into a tiny bag.

You also have the opportunity to collect your own belongings from T1 after the race.

You will pass T2 on your way to T1 in the morning, so just setup your stuff on your way down to get ready for the swim.  They will have volunteers bring your stuff back to T2 if you stuff all of your stuff in a bag, if you don't, then you will have to retrieve it yourself.  As hot as it was last year, I am glad I didnt' have to walk back down to T1 after the race. 

Cool...thanks.

Yeah I was just reading some posts from last years race.  Seemed like the best thing was to just leave ur stuff in T1, instead of putting it in the bag.  It's a time saver and less of the chance of it getting it lost.

Times getting closer.  Getting excited and a tad nervous.  Once I get the swim overwith, I'll feel a lot better.  It will be close to the farthest I've swam, but this being my first Half, I just want to finish, then knock an hour off my time in Branson later in the year.

I somehow tweaked my back pretty bad 2 days ago carrying my twins into to doctor's office(was rushing cuz only a small window to get them in to an appointment).  I can't even bend over to put my shoes on today.  Hopefully it goes away soon.  Looks like it's going to be a stretching day today

FOOD!!!!!

So where is a good place to gorge myself afterwards?  I was looking on Tripadvisor and saw that Free State Brewing Co. was pretty highly rated.  I'm open to any suggestions

Anyone have an idea of what the lake temperature is??  I know the race is still a few weeks away, but hopefully we will be able to wear our wetsuits.  With the wet spring we have had, hopefully that have kept the lake temps down. 

Did the rule change this year on wetsuit legal races.  Last year it was 78F, is it 76F this year??  Hopefully it won't be a game day decision this year like it was last year.

 http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/cl/daily.cfm

 I got that from the Ironman Kansas Facebook Page.  No wetsuit for me either way...

Lisa

How is the road surface?  Is it pretty rough?  Am I going to need a mouth guard to keep from rattling my fillings out?

For what it's worth, I won't be leaving my stuff down in T1 this year as I did last year. First, after the race was over I was tired. The last thing I wanted to do was walk/ride all the way back down to T1 and then haul all of my stuff back up the hill to our campsite. Second, T1 is completely taken down once you get back down there (no bike racks at all) so your stuff is just laying out there unwatched with no identifying location (I believe someone had there wetsuit or some other item taken b/c of this).

If you place your items in the bag, they are taken back up to a "guarded" area next to T2 and placed in the same order as they were in in T1. I will definitely be going with this option and taking the extra time to jam my wetsuit into the plastic bag.

Correct me if I'm wrong Lisa, but the roads are in pretty good condition with not too much rough chip seal roads. I biked the course last month and I can't recall having any issues with the road surface.

Yeah, another good point. I think it is a lil too late in the game for me to get a wet-suit and comfortable to wearing one.  The colder water doesn't bother me at all, but not sure how much more a wet-suit wld allow me to float more.  So, with no wet-suit, I wld just have a swim cap, goggles and a towel...nothing I wld care much if it got lost for the most part

I've used the T1 one bag the past two years, and both times, all my stuff made it to the pile after the race.  I would be hesitant to leave my stuff down in T1, as last year I noticed the volunteers were pretty anxious to start tearing it down (you could see them doing it on the run course as you loop down there twice).  If it was just goggles and a swim cap, who cares, but if you have a wet suit, I would recommend using the bag.  As someone else pointed out, I know I wouldn't have been in the mood to walk back down there and back following the race. 

Road surfaces are fairly good, although last year, the night before the race, someone intentionally (allegedly) spilled oil out on the bike course, so there was a mandatory hop off spot that you had to dismount and walk around.  Going in and out of the park, for me, was the most annoying road condition, as there are those asphalt cut lines about every 15 to 20 yards that jar you a bit and gives you a little splash out of your aero bottle  

I HIGHLY recommend Free State! It's right on Mass Street, you'll get a good feel for the flair of Lawrence. Which in my opinion, is an amazingly funky/cool/college town. Plus it's "local" so you're supporting the Lawrence economy. And if you don't like beer, they do offer a full bar not to mention pretty tasty food.

If you're looking for something less "sit down" there is a Chipotle on Mass Street as well as a bunch of other fast-ish chains like Jimmy Johns and Cold Stone.

There is also a big bike shop (Sunflower Bike) and a running store (Garry Gribbles) on Mass St if you forgot something they don't carry at the expo.
 

Last year I made the mistake of taking my regular gear bag down to T1 - I wanted it just in case I needed something extra at the last minute.  However, volunteers would only relocate the official bags that were handed out.  The provided bags that they will transport are big enough for a wetsuit, but will not fit a lot more.  My gear bag and wetsuit combined were not small enough to fit into the official bag, so I had no choice but to leave everything at T1 and return after the race to grab everything.  Thankfully everything was just fine for me (I stashed my bag on one far edge of the transition area)...nothing was touched. 

My advice: if you can, avoid leaving anything extra at T1...it is plenty hot when you finish and it is a long haul with a pretty good hill thrown in just to wear you out even more.  Not fun.  This year I will carry only the necessities down to T1 and will borrow someone else's pump on race morning.  Unless you're gunning for a PR, it is worth the time it takes to stuff your wetsuit into the transfer bag before you leave T1 and have it all waiting for you up top at the end of the race.

I LOVE beer (too much).  Great, sound like a plan for Sunday night.  Thanks. 

When will they post the swim waves?  Or am I just missing it on the website.

Training for the Kansas Ironman with my IT Band flaring up a couple of weeks ago. Does anyone have any advice?

I rode the course on Saturday.  I am really light on the bike miles heading into this race so I was a little concerned about these hills I'm hearing about.  I'm not a hill person (given my lack of time in the saddle) but I must say I was pleasantly surprised of how "doable" the hills are.  They are not that steep but just longer than some of the rolling hills I have been on.  The last one on about mile 50 is tough since it's near the finish.  But you just gear appropriately and patiently grind your way up.  If you don't mind being trashed on the run you can hammer it if you want, but you got six more miles after that, including on more small climb at least (check elevation map).

But I guess tough hills to some may not be so tough to others so you have to take this with a grain of salt.  I think I saw Lisa out there so she may have some perspective on it.

The roads are fine.  A few sections are extra smooth due to recent roadwork.

I was out there yesterday!

Some of the roads seem to be a little worse than I remember, but nothing bad at all. I found myself riding down the center of the lane where it was more "smooth" for a few miles on the first half. Some other places were pleasantly smooth and obviously newly re-done.

Also the course is a solid and exact 1 mile short of 56... everyone's computers and Garmins registered exactly 55 miles. But we started AND ended in T1 so maybe the extra mile is to T2? I seem to remember the course beeing a smidge short last year - not complaining either way

Happy taper!