Ironman Florida : Official Thread (Page 21)

I struggle bi-lateral breathing.  I can breath from both sides but take a breath every 2 strokes not the 3 required for bi-lateral breathing.  So, I usually go up one side of the lane breathing on the right then the other side breathing on the left.  Feel pretty comfortable either way but the right is my go to style.

Duane

In November, the winds typically come out of the north, NE or NW.  Which means calmer waters for IMFLA than Gulf Coast in May, when there are typically southern winds.  Southern winds will cause a much rougher swim than what northern winds will on Panama City Beach.  The wind gets knocked down by land and such and if they are out of the due north, the water almost seems glass smooth.  That being said, this is mother nature and she can do whatever she wants, whenever she wants.  If she throws out 20+ southern winds on race day, it will be a rough swim and a warm day, so the ability to breathe on both sides is always a weapon.

Bilateral breathing also promotes better balance in your stroke which makes it easier to stay straight and turn (because you can always see the bouy as you turn past it by breathing on that side until the turn is completed).  Many people feel they swim off course because they do not sight enough or are not good sighters, but most of the time, it comes from an unbalanced stroke often times caused by breathing only one one side and having a "weak side stroke".

Generally speaking, as the seasons change and the temperature drops, the winds will shift to come from the north (thats where the cool fronts come from).  In the summer, the winds comr from the south (thats where the warm fronts come from).

So, unless an early November warm front comes through prior to the race or on race morning, you should expect a headwind all the way up HWY 79, and then again on 388.  Now, the section on 388 wil either be aided or exxagerated by if the north wind is out of the east or west.  Out of the NE and you'll be looking at something pretty nasty all the way all the way to 20, BUT then you'll have a tailwind all the way down 20 and down 79.

Basically, you can just about bank on a north/head wind going up 79 and a tailwind coming back, other than that, alot depends on wether it is out of the east (also creating a head current in the swim) or the west. 

June Totals:

Monthly totals:
S:  16882.00 Yd - 5h 30m
B:  56.00 Mi - 28h 24m
R:  113.20 Mi - 15h 39m 39s

Pretty happy with June. I ended up getting Lyme disease so I missed a week of training and I also did a HIM so I had some recovery time and taper.  Oh....I don't keep track of mileage on the bike....hence the 58 miles in 28 hrs.  I'm up to 4 hrs long bike and 2 hrs long run.  I hope to reach 7-8 hrs swim, 30+ hrs bike, and 19-20 hrs run in July.  But I have major muscle soreness in arms after my 1st attempt in wakeboarding this last Sunday.  I'm not sure if I will be doing much swimming this week

In 2010 it was a NW wind...so all of 20 was a nasty nasty headwind....at a horrible point in the course! :D  I just remember being miserable until we got to head back down 79!

How is everyone doing? Thanks for all the posts in the last week or so, I love the community! I hope everyone is healthy and well. This is my recovery week so nice and easy workout sessions. It looks like the heat has finally broke up here in Michigan, only 2 days in the 90s for the next 10 days. 

Does anyone have any "B" races or other races coming up? I have a HIM at the end of Aug. that I will be using for a barometer for the IMFL. 

Cheers! 

Then we had a tailwind all the way back to T2 - which always helps.  Mentally, once I hit the beach, I am already thinking about the run...."get me off this MF'ing bike!!!!".  Having a head wind there is more mentaly tough than physically tough.  I would take 2010's conditions in a heart beat....including the 40 degrees at race start.

I would rather have the head wind on the way out.  And yes, last year 20 was tough all the way out.  Actually until the turnaround it was pretty windy the entire way - or felt like it.

Once we got within the last 6 miles or so the wind was brutal!  But honestly I didn't care that much because I was almost off the bike   But you really had to hang at times.

With all that, I'd take last years weather in a heartbeat (although 10 more degrees would be fine with me). 

enjoy,

Duane

the out and back section there is dreadful.  No 2 ways about it. Ka thunk Ka thunk Ka thunk. 

Who knows.  I gotta say it was better last year than in previous years FWIW. 

Also FYI for any first timers.  If you are going to finish after dark GET A LIGHT FOR YOUR HAT/VISOR.  It is SUPER dark as in pitch black dark in the tate park and you will NOT be able to see hardly at all without a light of some sort. When its late and your legs are toast and you can't see and running in unfamiliar territory that is a bad combination. 

I rode that too.  It was complete and very nice.  Smooth pavement, benches on the sidewalk.

Take special note of the road east of RD 2301. I guess that is RT 388 also. I just remember those 10 or 12 miles being extremely bumpy. The road surface needs a repaving very badly. Hopefully it will be taken care of before November, but I doubt it. I can remember seeing many co2 cartridges and water bottles on the road in this section. They were jarred loose by the constant pounding.

ETA: I guess I should have read all the posts before making this one since this concern has been addressed above.

Looking at the .pdf on the Ironman site, I think it is about 8 or 9 miles. This is also the section where you will get you bike special needs bag.

On 388, maybe 3.5 miles past Blue Springs and back (7 miles of bumpy hell).  My friend's rear hydration wings wiggled loose.

The rest of the route was perfect.