Ironman Texas (Page 25)

I know "everyone" has given there point of view.  This is another from a well know coach in the Woodlands, scroll to the bottom of his blog.  I believe this is a mixture of the one TJ posted and the one Erin posted from Map my ride.  I would ride this route or the one TJ posted.  The one from map my ride has an out and back on 149.  The return trip back to Montgomery on 149 is easier than going out because you are going towards the lake.  We drove around fish hatchery road today looking at a new school site in the district we work for and the roads are nice.  TJ has already posted this, but right before you get to 2854 on fish hatchery you need to turn left (you can see the bridge being built/ there is a sign) on leah road then right on honey egypt then left on 2854.  There is construction where the preposed intersection is for fish hatchery and 2854. 

I saw Keith out running out on the Town Lake trail this morning.  How dare he actually take time for himself when we're waiting on those maps!! 

Riders beware..........I did a long ride Saturday on what might be part of the IM course (probably not, but who knows?), and was chased by a pack of Jack Russell Terriers. I was riding into Dobbin from Tri-Lakes on Old Dobbin Road, and about 1/4 mile before the turn onto 1486, I see a small dog laying in the middle of the road. I wasn't sure if it was asleep or fresh road kill, so I slowed down to take a look. As soon as I get close, the dog jumps up and barks a signal to the rest of the pack, who must of been waiting in the bushes on the side of the road in ambush.

Those Jack Russell Terriers may be small, but they've got HUGE JAWS. I thought it was kind of funny until I looked bshind me and saw six sets of snapping teeth, all fixated on my ankles. I ended up dropping them, but the pack gave chase for about 200-yards. It was a good sprint! What they lack in stride length they make up for in cadence.

25-miles further up the road, I got caught up in the middle of a wagon train / trail ride on FM 2819 between Anderson and Richards. I think there were about 25-wagons of various types, and close to 200 people on horses strung out for about a mile or so. It was kind of neat passing all the riders. I rode back to Richards on 149, and you could tell the wagon train had passed that way earlier in the day. It was one crappy road! 

Word on the street is that the maps will appear towards the end of Oct.  Thought you'd want to know.

Long time reader; first time poster.  I am making the trip from Atlanta to do the race...

I had a couple questions that I had not seen discussed yet.  The swim.  My understanding is that it is a point to point, but that seems to be all I know.  Does anyone know if the race is planned to have a mass start or wave start?  Also, I cannot seem to find historical water temperatures.  Does anyone have this detail?

1. More than likely a mass start.
2. Temp will be above wetsuit legal temp. 

There seems to be some discussion on a 2 loop swim right now, but still point to point. Mass start. No chance for a wetsuit swim. The sprint race that takes place in the same spot at the beginning of the month is always close when it comes to wetsuits. 3 more weeks of heat and a temp rule that is 2 degrees colder and its a safe bet you can leave the wetsuit at home.

TJ,
did the bird let you know if the route you explained for the ride was still good?

So we really need 3+ weeks of cool temps and a lot of luck/prayers for the race to be even close to wetsuit legal  

This really isn't meant to sound like criticism, but I'm sincerely curious: why do people seem so incredibly attached to their wetsuits? If the water is in the high 70's, it's probably just as warm as the pool you train in. I'm guessing you don't use your wetsuit in the pool. I know lots of people swim faster in them but if nobody gets to wear them, it is still a level playing field right?

Secondary question...are there any other IM races that are typically not wetsuit legal?

Kentucky& Cozumel maybe Brazil are no wetsuit. Not definitive but the first two are no wetsuit

Nope. Wetsuits benefit poor swimmers far more than good swimmers. I may pick up 3-6 minutes with a wetsuit while friends I train with have benefited by 20 minutes.

for the most part. The route is still short a few miles, so there will need to be some changes. I think the meat and potatoes portion, 149 through the forest to Richards and 1486 back will hold. I think the little stuff will move around. The talk of a 2 loop swim was a little surprising, but interesting at the same time. It would be great viewing if it goes under the LW Bridge.

TJ if it really only gives that much benefit I agree with you.  This is my first IM and figured the any way to conserve energy would be helpful...

A wetsuit swim is much easier.  A good wetsuit puts you in a very nice swim posture, making you more efficient which certainly conserves energy.  It corrects many flaws for those of us who aren't well trained and experienced swimmers.

You have a lot of time to work on your swimming skills , I suggest joining your local masters program or coaching sessions to correct your stroke. Then put in 6 or 8K a week and you'll be good to go. If you train a lot, the swim could be the portion where you beat most of the field because this is where the gap opens up between wetsuit and non wetsuit races.

Despite all my flaws, I'm still a way better than average non-wetsuit swimmer.  I just prefer the ease of a wetsuit swim.

I'm not willing to spend the time and money necessary on the portion of an Ironman that only accounts for 10% of my total time.  It sounds dopey to me when I hear people talk about how they have swam 12,000 meters per week and spend $1000 on a swim coach and improved by three to five minutes. Working on my transitions is free and arguably just as effective.

I agree that winning positions in the water does not define the race, but you can certainly loose a race in the swim portion. Good swimming volume will give you an aerobic engine that you'll not get from running or cycling. That being said, the gains you get from paying attention to the swim (often the most neglected) will far exceed your time savings before hitting t1. Otherwise, why do you think the pros swim 5 times a week but only cycle 3? Also, you don't have to spend lots of money in coaching. Here in Dallas there's a swim coach that will get you 10 secs faster or better per 100yd in two sessions, just by filming your swim underwater and later talking the details with you.
Just an idea...

In all fairness, I already lost the race when I registered.  

I'm never going to be a podium contender.  My running is what holds me back far more than my swimming.  My swim and bike times are in line with folks that finish a 70.3 in 5 hours or less in my AG (M40-44).  Then I run 20 or 30 minutes slower than they do and give all that time back.  That's where I need to work.

My swim times are usually in the top-25%, wetsuit or not.

I didn't spend any money on a swim coach, but I did swim 10-12 K per week in my IM training and it paid off. I felt fresh coming out of the water and my pace was similar to previous Half Ironmans even though I was doubling the distance. I had underestimated how much the swim was taking out of me due to poor form and fitness. The great thing is that it didn't take that much extra time for me to get in an extra 3-4K a week. It's only 45-60 minutes per week. Wish I had taken the swim more seriously a few years earlier.

Please share the name of this coach.

Edited by docshock1964 2010-09-29 3:14 PM