Ironman USA Lake Placid : Official Thread (Page 135)

Marvarnett - 2010-06-01 9:13 AM

Oh, on my  long ride this weekend, I practiced staying in aero at 50+ mph.  It was a bit unnerving at first but so much fun.  So it looks like the Keene descent will be done in aero all the way.

I figure if my Blue can track through sweeping turns at 50+, it shouldnt' be a problem come training camp.

scottgreenstone - 2010-06-01 1:56 PM Is there a sidewalk I can use to walk down?

PennState - 2010-06-01 2:41 PM

The real issue is with fast swimmers who are not confident cyclists. Many of them come out of the water in 55-65 min, and then the fast cyclists pass them on the keene decent.

Be smart, be careful

Marvarnett - 2010-06-01 12:17 PM

Well, my goal is to come off the bike between 5:15 - 5:30, so that means 20-21 mph average.

We will see how that goes after the training camp in a couple of weeks.

PennState - 2010-06-01 1:41 PM

The real issue is with fast swimmers who are not confident cyclists. Many of them come out of the water in 55-65 min, and then the fast cyclists pass them on the keene decent.

Be smart, be careful

AdCo - 2010-06-01 3:41 PM Staying to the right is the way to go if you will be doing VERY slow.  BUT, if you are carnying ANY type of speed, being to the right will be dangerous. There are lots more bumps and heaves on the side than the middle of the lane. FAR LEFT is for the really fast and nuts.  I absolutely wouldn't go far right if I was over 25-30 mph in a few spots, especially a few of the right hand turns, but if you are in the 30's - 40's the middle will be safer.  As everyone said, there will be some REALLY fast people who should be as far left as they can get.  

Also, use your judgement, if you are being constantly zipped by, then get farther right.  However, while I stay out of the fast people's way, and staying in on my line and not swerving, the person overtaking is responsible for not hitting the person in front.  If someone clipped me from behind, and I was going straight, I'd be pissed!  It IS race and accidents happen, but safety should be first. 

papson14 - 2010-06-01 8:49 PM

Man, I just remembered that I have to learn how to ride on the other side of the road again. 

papson14 - 2010-06-01 8:49 PM

Man, I just remembered that I have to learn how to ride on the other side of the road again. 

godekjames - 2010-06-01 9:34 PM I rode the LP course today for the first time, I am by no means anywhere close to being as good a rider as some here, but I went down the hill to Keene at 38-40 mph and I was scared Sh...less. It was raining rather hard, but with traffic and staying as far right as I could, the road was not good in more than a few spots. I guess on race day, more of the "good road" will be available, but I'll still stay out of the way of you 50+ mph guys. No way am I going that fast. Just a beginners point of view.

gopennstate - 2010-06-01 3:03 PM

Have you raced IMLP before? 

AdCo - 2010-06-01 10:08 PM Ok, I made my last post before I 100% caught up. 

- I absolutely agree that  the slower people do need to be aware that the faster people will be coming, especially if you are a faster swimmer than many. That being said, you want to stay as far right as comfortable.  After riding the course, - I think I topped out at 43 on open roads, and might be a little faster on closed roads, I felt that I would not feel safe or comfortable riding the white line on almost the entire decent, even in some of the places where you have a dip before the big hills, it is a little sketchy. At 25-35 mph, it is probably fine to be fairly close to the side, but there are some spots that were not great and much above that, I wouldn't want to be there.  

That is not to say that if I am getting blown by or there is a lot of traffic I wouldn't move over if I could.  Yes, it is hard for people going 50+ to see people going slower, but that doesn't mean they would be blameless, neither would the slowpoke weaving back and forth.  However, I believe that my riding where I am comfortable at a reasonable pace- reasonable being relative to the road conditions - I would expect that those who have the ability to overtake me also use some common scene when they do.  

I don't 100% disagree with others, but I don't 100% agree either.  I've seen far too many people go for speed over safety and while it is a race, I try to race safe as well, and would hope that others would.  If I was riding faster than you and taking cutting the apex of a corner and hit a slower person who was riding on the right side, it would be my fault if I didn't try to avoid him.  Accidents do happen, and we should all try to avoid them, even at the loss of speed and time.  

Of course, I'm the guy who stopped during both his HIM legs to share a tube and CO2.  

Dream Chaser - 2010-06-01 10:15 AM

 I can't get his song out of my head.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_SI2EDM6Lo    For my long Swims and Bikes I hear it over and over.  Driving me mad!!

WittyCityGirl - 2010-06-02 9:23 PM Where did you find that song?! It's not on the radio in our podunk town. =p