Ironman Wisconsin : Official Thread (Page 34)

Someone was asking earlier in the year about how to climb and ride the bike corse.  Cycling is my best sport, and I've been able to average 20.5-21.0 mph and 5:20-5:35 bike split over multiple Ironman Wisconsin races.  Hopefully some last-minute advice can help for race day.

The best advice I can give is: shift early, spin often, and keep your butt on the saddle.  If you need to stand to stretch your legs, that’s fine.  However, if you feel like you need to stand, count to 10 and the feeling will pass.  I only stand four places on the course, and I do so for very specific reasons and never for more than 15-30 seconds.  There are two corners and two climbs where I use a little more power to gain a little more speed to set me up for the next stretch.  I’ve found that the minimal effort will provide me with a minute or two gain over the bike.  I am often passed on hills over the first half of the bike, but I have never been passed by someone who has stayed ahead of me.  I have always re-passed them and stayed ahead until the end of the bike. 

I don’t have a power meter, but I do have a heart rate monitor that I wear on race day (usually not with training because I don’t pay much attention to it).  On race day, my heart rate is usually 130-135 bpm for most of the ride.  My heart rate is usually lower and stays lower than most other people, but I usually work much less on the bike too. 

They say that the Ironman race really doesn’t start until mile 80 of the bike.  The race before that is just a warmup.  If you follow that logic, which is good, worry about making nice circles until you get to Cross Plains the second loop.  Going a little easier on the bike will save you an hour on the run if you have to walk part of the marathon.

I look forward to seeing all of your fast, happy faces going past me at the Run Special Needs station.

Good skill!  (You don't need luck, you've got skill.)

What are these locations?  I assume it is two locations that you go through twice (once per loop)?  I plan on driving the course on Friday (with Mighty Mom!) and wouldn't mind knowing these locations so that I can watch for them.

I have ridden the course a few times on the computrainer and have noticed one tricky corner - after a long decent there is a sharp right and then righ into a fairly steep climb. (I think that is Garfoot onto KP?) And there were a couple of right hand corner during climbs that if you were on the inside would be pretty steep (Valley Rd onto Sugar River Road I think and White road onto County rd k I think).  There were also some short steep rollers coming out of Mount Horeb, but these are likely much harder on the computrainer.

You want me to share all my best secrets?  Only if it stays within the club.

I'll preface my strategy by noting that I'm looking to save a few seconds here and there and no more than a minute or two overall.  I'd only recommend occasionally climbing out of the saddle for someone who is looking to ride under 5:30.  I stand for a short burst on two corners that are steep on the inside and come and the end of a hill (don't they all?).  Both are ones you refer to above.  The first is Valley Rd. to Sugar River Rd. (just after leaving the special needs bike).  It is a right turn at the top of a short hill followed another short rise.  The inside is slightly banked, so I stand a bit to get a few bike lengths before a fast downhill.  The next is another right turn with a steep inside at the top of a hill.  It is Witte Rd. turning right on Hwy. J (just after leaving Mt. Horeb.  I also often stand going over the last two major hills between Cross Plains and Verona.  It helps me make speed over the top and onto relative flat parts of the course.

As far as descents, there are a few tricky ones on Garfoot Rd. and one at the south end of Timber Ln.  Turning left onto Garfoot from Hwy. J (just after Witte) the approach is slightly downhill, the turn is slightly downhill and steep on the inside, followed by a little downhill and can be a little fast is you're not aware of it.  Turning onto Garfoot again from W. Mineral Point Rd. (Garfoot jogs bank and forth a bit) is like the previous turn, downhill into it, downhill right turn with a steep inside, followed by more downhill.  NEXT IS THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE ENTIRE LOOP.  After a small hill, there is a slight downhill, followed by a steep, fast, right curve.  IF YOU DO NOT BRAKE, YOU WILL END UP IN THE FOREST.  There are volunteers that will tell you to slow down before the turn.  LISTEN TO THEM!!!  I usually come into the turn at 45 mph and slow down to 25-30.  It is impossible to see the entire curve until you are upon it and it is too late.  Be aware of the other riders around you that might not be as aware of the curve as you.  The last turn of caution is at the south end of Timber Ln.  There is a very steep short hill that leads into a  sharp left curve.  You can see the entire curve, so there are no volunteers to warn you.  There is also often gravel across the road on the curve.  As far as the other hills on Witte and Garfoot, I don't know how difficult you're expecting, but I usually get down to 9 mph climbing and 35 at the bottom.  They're not very long, so you won't burn up, but you will by the second loop if you've been standing on all of them.  Stay calm and carry on.

They can also get the transition bags.  DH got my bike and Transition bags for me at IMFL, but he can't remember if he had to go around to different places to get them or if they were all in one location.

The person picking up your bike needs the card you get in your registration packet.  They present the card and an attendant will bring up the bike.  You need to go to the rooms where you originally picked up your T1/T2 bags to get those.  Much easier to get the bags first and then the bike.  

Thanks for all the tips about hotels and rentals.  I really appreciate it! 

Thank you for this.  I've been meaning to ask about Garfoot.  I'll be printing it out and bringing it with us for our drive!  

So another month of training in the bag.  How did everyone's August go?.  Only 9 days left until race day!  Eeeee!  We are all ready.

August went pretty well.  Hit all my workouts in the last three weeks of the build.  Might not have hit the intended intensity, but I find doing the higher intensity stuff during this time was difficult.  Hard to get your legs moving fas when they are so tired!!!

Heading into taper, I got sick and missed a few workouts, but I think I did pretty well.  I'm starting to have pep in my step again and have had to runs at LT this week no problem!

August totals - biggest bike month ever with my two biggest individual weeks ever!

Impressive work there Daffodil.  Looks like u kicked my azz in hours on everything cept the swim.  Good job!  I'm really looking forward to IMWI and find myself thinking about it constantly now.  Anyway, out on the course I'll be one of the few people this year sporting a Donkey Jersey (big Donkey head on the front) with a tribute to 9/11 on the back.  If you see me slowly making my way around the course, don't hesitate to say hi!

Here were my numbers for August:

Bike:    33h 32m 58s  - 551.99 Mi
Run:    16h 01m 57s  - 99.01 Mi
Swim:    14h 36m 59s  - 40499 Yd

Scott

Thanks for sharing!

A. Don't think I've ever been mentioned in a blog before. I hit the big time! ;-)

B. Like I needed another distraction today.

Hey!  I wonder what the weather is going to be like.... :D  high of 75?

I'm seeing 78 or 79 as a high from some places, lows in the 50s, but still very nice and no rain.  Can't tell yet if it will be windy or not.

I had some big totals this month which was great.  Had 2 back to back 20 hour weeks to finish my prep and now tapering!  So here are my hours.

Swim: 15 hours and 24 minutes for 50520 yards

Bike: 40 hours for 750 miles

Run: 21 hours for 154 miles

Signed up for Bike SAG from 10:30 am - 1:30 pm (so do NOT get equipment failure or injured, dammit! ) with my eldest son, and looking to do a Run Marshal from 4 pm - 8 pm somewhere.

Just a little over 8 days, IronPeeps-to-be!  I'm excited for you.

Let all that hard work you prepared for guide you through to your destiny.

I still need to meet the great Irondonkey.  However, I hope that our meeting does NOT occur while you are on SAG!  Hope to see & meet you out there elsewhere!

Glad I could provide a workday distraction by helping you hit the big time!  And thanks for riding with me this year, it really helped in making some of those tough rides more enjoyable.

My Boyfried came up with this for the family's Tshirts. What do you think??

Thanks, and have a GRRRRRREAT race!  I'm checking into being a Run Marshal behind the Kohl Center/SERF area, past the tunnel/on the path somewhere from 4 - 8 pm - still looking into this to see if that is the spot they had listed.  Send me a PM with your bib # and I'll note it.

LOVE IT!!!  So creative.