Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas : Official Thread (Page 28)

It was the exact opposite Sunday. The winds were brutal all the way up to Richards (avg 12-14 mph). Once we turned south onto 1486, everything changed. We had a tail wind like no other the whole ride back to 105.  The chip seal is horrible in the southbound lane only, of course. I was tempted to hop over in the northbound lane that's smoothed over like no other but knew better. I was flying up to speeds of 28 mph. This is coming from the girl who averages no more than 17 mph on any given day. This just shows how Texas weather/temp/winds changes from day to day. I'll prepare for the worst, but hope for the best.

For sure.

I asked this question last week and got the following response from Ironman:

Yes, all athletes will be getting a backpack similar (yet slightly different) from the last year's bags

Wow, that's interesting. The only tail wind we ever has on Saturday was coming down 1488 back towards the Woodlands once we turned off Jackson Rd. At that point we were smoking 25 mph without much effort. Riding West towards Anderson once we left the shop in Anderson was miserable. Those winds were more than I ever saw riding the most of Winter/Spring south of Pearland and along the Gulf in prep for 70.3 Texas.

I'm literally ready to just roll with whatever the good Lord throws at us. I've rode through it all at this point out there, including a 2 hour downpour.

It's not a drawstring bag man.  They're nice.

And the answer I got about the practice swim

Sara Striegel, May 03 01:20 pm (CDT):

Hi Shannon,
I just had our web team add the practice swim to the schedule, since not everyone looks at the Athlete Guide. All of the information you have is correct. Also, remember to bring your timing chip with you. For your safety, we keep track of every athlete that goes in/comes out of the water during the practice swim.
Let me know if you have further questions.
Thanks!

Sara Striegel
Coordinator, Athlete Services
World Triathlon Corporation | 2701 North Rocky Point Drive
Suite 1250 | Tampa, FL 33607
www.ironman.com

I don't think this has been posted yet, but these are really helpful course previews of swim, bike, and run.

http://outrivalracing.com/ironman-texas/

First time in the pool after my bike crash a week and a half ago. I felt like I was going to drown. Otherwise I am feeling amazing.

Haha.  I had a 1:45 run (really easy) yesterday.  It took me until mile 5 to feel normal. 

First totally off day during the week (scheduled) for me since Galveston.  Feel fat and lazy.

I think this is kind of normal. The last 2 years as I went into my taper, it was like I felt worse before I started feeling better (and last nights run SUCKED!).. sounds strange but it almost took me a week before I really started to feel the effects of the lighter workload. Just my n=1 experience.

I ended up with a nasty head cold two weeks before my HIM last October.  Shut things down for 4 days.  I remember feeling rediculously fresh when I got to race day....maybe would've been that way even if I'd tapered according to schedule, but I came away thinking it was a total blessing.  Therefore not sweating the fact that the rest of you seem to be doing a lot more volume than I'm scheduled to do this week!   Just going to keep taking it nice an easy...

On a separate note....check out that forecasted weather (pay no attention to the projected wind gusts from the south)...

Earlier someone said don't be fooled thinking this will be wesuit legal. Though it is 81 in The Woodlands right now, it feels like 93. Ouch

Its changed since then ;-) .. I know .. shocker, right?