Timberman - Half Iron : Official Thread (Page 4)

losta -

It's not the closest, but the Red Roof Inn in Loudon is very reasonable, and an easy 20-25 minute drive from Ellacoya. If you look at the map of the bike course, it is about 3/4 mile beyond the turnaround point, so to get to Ellacoya it is virtually the drive along about 50% of the bike course -- consider it earlyearly morning reconnaissance!

(And if it makes you feel any better about not being closer to the race site, at least Red Roof is not as far away as the offical race hotel, the Holiday Inn, which is in Concord!)

The number for Red Roof is 603-225-8399, and I think my rate was $89, or maybe $81; I can't remember. At the time they didn't have a record of a block of rooms being set aside with a special T-man rate, but the deal I got came with being 61 next year/and or AAA member. (You sure don't look like you qualify for the former...but maybe you've got AAA?) But by now, probably, they have gotten around to setting aside the block of rooms that is mentioned on the Timberamn website.Another good thing is that the cancellation policy is very lenient -- 6pm day of arrival.

Two more good things:
The cancellation policy is very lenient -- 6pm day of arrival - and even though the continental breakfast wasn't officially open at the ungodly hour that some of us needed it to be, the manager let us into the storeroom and we were able to grab some pastries and stuff and use the microwave either there or in the room. Juice was available to us, too.

losta, again -

I will second, third, and fourth elbi's recommendation of Musselman!!

The half is scheduled for July 11, and it is well worth the minor haul for you to get there. Jeff Henderson runs a terrific race with Musselman, and the course will be great prep for Timberman. The run is the most demanding aprt of it, and if you look at the run map at www.musselmantri.com, you'll see the tough climb at about mile 10. This will take you up through an apple orchard, which is at least calmly bucolic, and then it turns right onto a regular old road and continues upwards (but ever-so-gradually ) for about 200 yards......and then the rest of the course is downhill or flat. Wheeee!

The bike course is gorgeous, with no real taxing climbs, just the odd extended ascent at moderate grade, a few rollers, a bunch of flats, and I think three screaming downhills . And Amish carriages are here and there to dodge, which is unique if nothing else.

The swim can be a bit wild, depending on how the winds blow. 2008 found the water to be especially fractious, but that only added to the fun of the whole thing!

The accommodations in Athletes Village work really well, and even though there is the two-night minimum, that still ends up being less expensive than the cost of a regular motel. And you can't ask for better neighbors --- a few hundred other triathletes who only want to go to bed early and sleep well. No concern needed for the wedding-party-from-hell just down the hall....or next door! And the pasta feed the night before is one of the best anywhere, put on by the HWS food service in the main dining hall, which is a quick walk to whichever dorm you are in. (Book early-ish to secure a room with a-c.)

The cost of the race is incredibly reasonable, $155 between now and maybe March or April, at which time I think it goes up to $165. Can't beat that with a tire pump!

GREAT, great race!!!!

losta, once more -

September aquabike?

(1) At Chesapeakeman (www.tricolumbia.org), Sept 26 or so. This is where Eagleman is held, in Cambridge, MD. I just talked to a guy who as done the iron there twice and the aquabike this past September, and he says it is a first-class event. The RD is the same one who runs Columbia and Eagleman, so it is no surprise that Chessy is a class act.
(2) At The Canadian (www.somersault.ca), in Ottawa, Ontario (30 minutes from me). But this year it's on Labor Day weekend, maybe too close to Timberman for you. Very affordable, though, but the downside is the bike is 12 out-and-backs. (12, as in Twelve....) They are very scenic, on a closed course that runs right next to the Rideau Canal, but some people blanch at the thought of so many out-and-backs. (Good for mental toughness, however! )
(3) Check www.rev3tri.com and see if they are offering one at their new iron race at Cedar Point, OH, right near Sandusky. That is taking place on Sept. 12, and I know they are offering a full iron and a half iron; I just can't remember anything about an aquabike.

Thanks for the great advice everyone Musselman looks great for the Aquabike. I'll look further into the other recommendations too.

spriite -

Pat Griskus Tri, in Middlebury, June 19 --- does that count as "early June"?
www.patgriskustri.com. Great reputation, with a staunchly loyal following.

Rev 3 is having an oly on either the 5th or the 6th, along with the HIM there. The info is at www.rev3tri.com.

Interstingly, both Pat Griskus and Rev 3 run the races out of Quassy amusement park!

Lisa and Victoria-
Good to see you on board!
Just back from a long drive from TN for our Thanksgiving.  A lot of great cycling terrain...but I had no bike!
Peace,
~Sam

ate...too...much...turkey

Hope all had a great turkey day. I was able to sneak in a few quick runs... I need a good long run or bike to make up for the food fest I just finished.

Mike-
You bet.  Rock on.
Peace,
~Sam

Hey man! good to hear you're doing Timberman. After that finish at Marlton Lakes ya hadda figure it was only a matter of time before 70.3 came back into play for you.

I figured I would check it out this year too. Am I running late in getting my accomodations all set up?

I'd love to join, it'd have to depend on the weekend though.  I have an OLY 3 weekends before, and a sprint 5 weekends before, so if the 'training camps' fall on the weekends of 7/10 or 7/24 count me in. 

I might be in. If I can swing it, I will. Will let you know when you post the dates. Very cool!

I wasn't going to sign up, but being that the race suprisingly hasn't sold out yet, and I still didn't have any tri's planned for next year, I signed up today.

So I got a couple half-marathons in the spring, Timberman, and NYC Marathon. A very light race schedule so far.

Runnerx-
Congrats on your '09 Ironman and on your reg. for T.MAN.

Good to see another NJ participant in the Timberman!

I plan on doing Doc n Sok in May, Rev3 HIM in CT in June, Lavaman @ NJ shore in June, NJ State in July, Born2Tri and Timberman in Aug, and Nations Tri in DC in Sept.

I'll probably add another few local sprints in there, too.  Go Jersey Shore Tri Club!

I hate this cold weather.

JSTC...interesting. Where do you all ride/run?

i live in long hill township, morris county.  i usually run / ride in the great swamp, and swim at a local lake and in berkeley heights.

how bout you?

Random Ramblings

Had a cool coversation at the coffee shop this morning with my friend Ryan.  He's going to do the Steelhead, Ironman 70.3 in 2010.  This will be his first HIM, and only his 4-5th triathlon ever.  His longest to date is a sprint.  I'm sure he'll prepare well and do great.  I love talking shop with him and launching either new triathletes or triathletes going to new hieghts.

Spent some time on the indoor trainer today.

If you enjoy podcasts, Competitor Radio featuring Paul Huddle and Bob Babbits is one of the best.

Peace,
~Tri Sam

What's everyone's offseason program looking like--any particular goals, or just trying to keep a base?  I know we're months and months out from the race but you can never start prepping too early.  What kind of weekly hours?  Miles/distance per week for each sport?  Any offseason weight program?

I'm doing 8 hrs. a week right now, working my way up to about 12 by March, when I can start getting outdoors on the bike again.  6 runs a week (my biggest limiter), working up to 16 miles on the long run, 4 cycling sessions (Wednesday's doing a 1 hr. computrainer session that Dede G. is running, which I'm absolutely loving so far), 1-2 swims just to keep fitness and 1 weight session--all core and upper body as my legs just get absolutely shot for my running/cycling.

Is it bad that I already HATE winter training?  I can deal with the running, it's cold but bearable.  But cycling in this weather is just too much for me and the indoor trainer--even with a good movie going--is just...so...boring.  Spring can't come soon enough!

This time of year (Dec-Jan) is the toughest for me to train mentally - short days, getting used to the cold, and the holidays. My Dec plan is to weight train, run, swim 1x/week, and use the trainer (I don't know how to get around the boredom, although Spinnervals DVD helps me - you are working too hard to be bored). I want to maintain my base now, strengthen it in early 2010.

I try to take advantage of the snow and telemark ski at Sugarloaf (<1hr from me), and xc ski if I don't feel like running. I have a few trips into Baxter Park planned, one a grand traverse of the park that should be pretty awesome...I am looking at @6h training/wk now. I will ramp that up later.

For the Mid-Winter 10 Mile Classic to keep me motivated - in Cape Elizabeth Feb 7 - that is a really fun race and I tend to have a 1-2 month post-race honeymoon that keeps me training, and although March has it's snowstorms, it is a pretty good month to run outside - I am usually on my bike outside by April (baring any late winter storms), so that gets me "over the hump" so to speak.

Or at least that is the plan...