Ironman 70.3 Syracuse : Official Thread (Page 3)

Finally we are getting some nice weather in upstate NY! I hope everyone's training is going well. It's getting close! Remember to do some hill work on your runs

This is going to be my first 70.3 and I'm feeling pretty anxious about that opening 2-12 miles of the bike, is it feasible to ride the course ahead of time?  Or maybe someone in upstate NY could recommend another spot that has a similar hill?

For those of you that have ridden the bike course - do you happen to know the grade on the first big hill?  Just trying to find something comparable to train on here.  Thanks!

I've done the race the past two years, and I have to say the first hill is not as bad as it looks,  the thing is that it's just feels like consistent climbing for the first 14 miles even when you look straight ahead and there is no hill you still feel like you are climbing.  Just don't go all out in the beginning and you will be just fine.  As well as that funny hill somewhere after mile 25 I believe where it's like a Big U you go down and hit some crazy speed only to almost immediately stop and may have to come out of the saddle if you don't gear correctly.  I'm 1 for 2 on that hill,  the first time I hit it, I was what the @#%#.  I was more prepared the second time but I wasn't sure exactly when I was going to hit it. 

Continuing through training, trip planning and more training - only my second half and looking to finish while having fun.

That said, looking forward to my longest ride - 60 miles this weekend with a 10 m run the next day - could make for a nice nap afterwards

How is everyone else training?

I did a road trip to the course this weekend with a friend. It's supposed to be a recovery week so I decided to take it easy on the run - run one loop - and then ride the bike course. Arrived Saturday afternoon and HOLY WINDS!!! We did the run - I missed the turn and basically ran 3 miles down the road only to realize and turned around and ran back to make the turn. The one hill (that we have to run twice) is a challenge but fortunately I have something similar I'll do here to prep.

Today we rode the course and your description is PERFECT. After the first little climb I was like "That's it?" Cocky girl. Then I turned on to Sweet Road and climbed... and climbed... I kept the effort easy to save my legs and truth be told - it was long but not too bad. Pretty smelling flowers on the way up. What surprised me is that everyone says it's "rolling hills" after that point. Those are rolling hills???? I'm used to short steep hills but those things just go on. And today was WINDY! Is it always that way??? Whenever you had a chance to gain some speed a 30km/hour gust would shake you all over the road. Basically a constant headwind. I got to the U and tried to really race down it, didn't gear down fast enough and dropped my chain half way up the other side. Almost tipped over and couldn't gain enough momentum to start in the middle. I had to walk a portion until I could get moving in my freaking granny gear!

Anyway - I was told this course would be WAY easier than the Muskoka half which I did two years ago well... my time was EXACTLY the same. 4:21 Crazy. I just hope it's less windy on race day!! Beautiful countryside though. Really fantastic scenery.

Edited by kimmax 2013-05-26 8:51 PM

Anyone ever stay at the Extended Stay America or at the Comfort Inn carrier circle? Want to book a room this week. Almost game time!

I stayed in Lafayette a couple of years ago. It was super convenient, restuarants, shopping and a back route into the reservoir on race morning meant minimal traffic to get in.

Anyone have an idea of the water temps in the reservoir? Is it looking wetsuit legal?

I just saw a post saying the temp was 68 on Tuesday so wetsuit legal

Bib numbers are up along with the waves at the website of the race.

BTW, swam in another CNY lake today and it felt quite cold. 2 weeks out, I would think record heat would be needed to turn this not wet suit legal. And no record heat in this weeks 7day forecast

For once I'm not the last swim wave, M45-49, and the last group to finish the race!! Is this a common swim wave pattern?
For all who have not seen/done the course, RUN HILLS practice!!! A couple of months back I ran the course one day, and did a bike/run brick the following day of the course. The run felt completely different after the bike course; it was really challenging. Good luck everyone, remember to smile for the cameras....

I went and rode the course and ran one loop on Sunday. We are definitely in for a tough day with that run course. I didn't go in the water, but I spoke with one of the lifeguards and he told me the water was 68 that day. I would predict a wetsuit legal swim with the moderate temperatures all week.

See now I feel fine with the run course - I've modified my training to include some crazy hills but the bike hills haunt me.  I hope it's not windy that day!!!  The day I rode the course it felt like we had a constant headwind... except for when we had 30km crosswinds!!

Geez!  I'm in wave 5 after the pros - I'm going to get passed like crazy on the bike as all the younger men and women are after me!  

Hey guys im in!
So nice to see familiar faces here and people i raced with in LP last year! Playmobil, jmoney!
We are 1.5 weeks away! This is my test drive for cedar point full!

I'm in wave 9 and I'm glad I'm not starting first or last. Hopefully we get a decent day weather wise the course is tough enough without the weather having to factor into it.

Good to see you again, I wish I could say I will be ready for this race but so much has been happening in the family side of things I haven't been able to stay consistent. I miss LP I'll be up there this year volunteering, and will probably sign up for 2014. How has the training been going for you? I can't believe it's less than a week and a half away.

Wow - 1 week left! Anyone else nervous? I have these repeat nightmares of hills, hills, hills!!!

We leave for Syracuse Friday - Can anyone recommend a good restaurant for Saturday night?

I am definetly nervous! Hopefully the hills won't be as bad as we think, cant help you on a restaurant but would also love some suggestions!

This is going to be a challenging course I hope everyone's training has included plenty of hills on the bike and the run.

Quick question to those who got a chance to ride the course before hand, how are the conditions of the roads there? Were there any spots where we'd have to worry about sand or potholes? I'm sure there are some but asking more about anything obvious that we'd be looking to avoid.

I can't speak for as to current road conditions but the roads were pretty good when I raced last year.