Whirlpool Steelhead 70.3 Triathlon (Page 3)

well i did it.  I'm all paid up and registered.  I didn't think i'd do it and that i'd just plan this until it was too late and registration was full, then I wouldn't have to really train.  I did it and now I have to train and now I have to show up and now I have to finish.

Silver... you really put things into perspective with your sig.  Can't wait to see everyone there and have a drink after the race.

Anyone planning on getting one of those group house things?  Know if they are little dog friendly?  I'm all for camping but I don't think the soon to be wife is too keen on it.

Whooohooooooo!!!! Congrats!!!

I swear - I'm terrible for bragging about it right now ... although it's pretty much all that can get me out of the house in the cold.... "Yeah - I'm training for a 1/2-Ironman"  *laughing*

I'm really excited to meet everyone!  

yeah someone at work (who is originally from michigan) asked me about the steelhead tri because she has a friend doing it and knew I did races.  I told her that I actually was doing it.  Then she asked since when I became a workout machine.

I guess wearing bigger dress clothes and not bragging about working out all day can really paint a picture of being sedentary to your peers.  Bragging about the training will be nice when people are confused when i'm running for an hour on the treadmill at the gym.

They have been really close to water temperatures where wetsuits are not allowed for a couple of years, and I think that they even bent the rules one year to keep wetsuits allowed. You should probably keep the possibility of no-wetsuits in the back of your mind so it is not a complete shock on race day.

You may still want a wetsuit.  I'm not as familiar with the lake changes in that area, but I know further up north that Lake Michigan can be quite nice one day and then a wind shift comes along and chill things off in a big way the next.  Doesn't take long and I've seen it happen quite a few times at a summer home my folks own.

In 2008 the conditions were ideal and beautiful on Friday for Steelhead, most everyone wore a wetsuit for our little day before race meet and greet, I left mine in my backpack as the water was that nice, but probably would've worn a wetsuit if I were racing.

rottieguy - 2009-02-24 8:24 PM No strippers unless you go into town, I'm sure there are some fine establishments in Benton Harbor

I've heard rumors about this town...

I'll definately have my wetsuit ready to go.  I'd rather have it and not need it than want it and not have it.

Will there be a BT party that night?

I have heard from a few locals that it is common for the lake to suddenly "flip" and the cold water from deeper in the lake replaces the warm water on the surface. As the race gets close this is a very useful website to monitor water temperatures in that area:

http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/twomichigans.html

I would agree that you want to have a wetsuit available and make a last minute decision on using it.

hey folks, i took a look at the map on the steelhead website and it was very much unreadable.  Well i just tried interpret the CR and HWY and numbered roads the best I could and I came up with this:

Steelhead 70.3 Bike Course Map

If anyone has any corrections please make them and repost it.  I've never been out there so this is my best guess.  Hope it helps!

Question for those who have already competed at this event.  With regard to the water stations on the bike portion, does the event supply the water and gatorade in bottles?  If so do these fit, and stay, in a standard water bottle cage on your bike?

 I am also trying to figure out if people just utilize the bottles that are handed out, or if they transfer the water/gatorade from the bottles to their own bottles.  I can see it being difficult trying to transfer fluids from one bottle to another on the bike.  I would imagine it would be much easier to just use the bottles supplied and not have to deal with transfers and carrying extra bottles throughout the race.     

I hope this makes sense.  Looking forward to meeting some other BTers at the event.

 Greg

 Thanks for the information. One follow up question.  Are you given water and gatorade at the start of the bike leg?  The reason I ask is I don't want to carry my bottles or have to wait until mile 15 to hit the first water station.  Either that or I would take along some old bottles which I wouldn't mind throwing out further down the road. 

Greg 

Unfortunately this has varied between years. In 2007 they had lots of bottles of Gatorade Endurance Formula in the transition area before the race and you could load up. Last year they had no bottles, only a few coolers with GEF to sip from.

Swimming and running are coming along great.  I'm slacking on the bike, which oddly enough is my strongest event.  I'll come through just fine.