Longhorn HIM - hilly (Page 4)

Favorate quote that day, overhead from one race official to another... "Never thought I'd see the day where I helmets floating out of transition..."

(We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.)

On the other hands, one of us HIM racers facing the possibility of a really long, one-armed swim really wants to see wetsuits allowed.

(By the way... anyone know what the swim cutoff is?)

When I rode the course, I found the hills to be mostly rolling, with only a few challenging climbs (cough, cough... mile 55!!!)   And there's definitely plenty of fast straights to even things out.  Either way, it's going to be a lot of fun.

Ok, I have riden the course 5 times now and have ammended my take on the course.  It is a backend loaded course and will hurt you if you attack too early.  Here is my update.

Mile 0-4 (Tran to 3177) are rolling and very similar to the rolling hills you will see on the whole course.  Don't hammer this section, just get settled, hydrate and start taking in nutrition.  Small chain ring and fast cadence.  This is important, if you go out hard here you will pay later on.

Mile 4-5 (3177 to 290) are slightly up an incline and steady, until the light at 290 and 130.  Keep the cadence high and get ready to push the speed and effort.  Don't hammer it here.

Mile 5.5-8 (290) At the top of the rise approaching 130 it's Hammer time, switch into big chain ring and fly down the road.

Mile 7.5-8 (290 through Manor) slightly uphill but short, it's good to get out of the saddle and push it up this hill. 

Mile 8-10 (20 past Manor) Settle back into hammer time.

Mile 10.5 (turn off 290 onto Old Kimbro)  Be careful here, you are coming down a big hill after several miles of high speed.  The turn is at the bottom of a hill and puts you at the bottom of your next hill.  It's a rough road that is under construction and is tougher than it looks going up.  It's a short hill but rough on the backside.  Attack this hill and the next.

Mile 12-14 (Old Kimbro/Littig/Parsons)  This is the first part of the nice rolling country hills.  Pick-up the pace after climbing the first hill on Old Kimbo and settle into "race pace"  Good spot to catch-up on nutrition if 290 was too fast or the hills were too hard.  There is one hill at the end of Parsons right before you turn left on Lockwood.  Drink and eat before you go up it.  This is a short but "steep" hill and will spike your heart rate.

Mile 15-18 (Lockwood) Get comfortable and hammer it again.  Small uphill around a corner but not too bad.

Mile 18--21 (Bitting School Rd/ Litting) Rolling hills here with a very nice and long downhill from mile 19-21.  Let it go!

Mile 21-24.5 (Litting to Upper Elgin) This to me is the worst part of the course.  The road is crap (chip seal and bumpy with lots of cracks).  Be very careful not to launch your bottles and nutrition here, there is still a long way to go.  It's flat but hard to maintain momentum with the road conditions.

Mile 24.5-25.5 (Right on Upper Elgin)  This is uphill after a turn again.  Be ready because you don't see the uphill until you are turning. There is an "S" curve after coming down the backside of that first hill that is blind and dangerous.  There is a hole in the road after the second turn that will end your race if you hit this section at high speed.

Mile 25.5- 30 (Monkey) Nice rolling section.  Good point to check nutrition (half way) and check heart rate cause you are going to need it in 5 miles.

Mile 30-36 (1704)  This section is FAST.  Even with the rolling hills, you can hammer here and be rewarded so go hard here.  There can be lots of traffic on this section so beware of bubba.  There is a big, long uphill after crossing the bridge that is the 2nd hardest part of the bike course.  It's a long uphill that rolls up with no recovery. If you took in nutrition 10 miles ago, you will be fine.  Don't hammer up this section or you will pay later.  There are two hills back to back, the first you see, the second you after you get to the top of the first.  Get into a comfortable gear and spin up to the top of the first hill, then get out of the saddle and attack the second hill.  Recover at the top until you reach the right hand turn on 969. 

Mile 36-40 (969 to Blake Manor)  Enjoy the downhill that you just climbed to the top off on 1704.   HWY 969 is all downhill so don't slow down.

Mile 40-42 (Blake Manor) This starts uphill and then rolls through pretty country side.  After riding this course several times, I think this hill hurts and is my 2nd hardest hill (so far on the course).

Mile 42-47 (Blake Manor to Taylor) This section is mostly flat.  Be careful with some tight turns around mile 43 and potential traffic at mile 45 with soccer or football games at the Sports Complex.

Mile 47-51 (Taylor to Decker Lake Rd) This part starts with a false flat then goes into some easy rolling hills.  Go hard here and you will be rewarded.  Be carefull with holes in the road and split asphalt.  Your day will end here if you hit one of these holes going 25mph.  You need to concentrate here and pay attention to the road.

Mike 51-52 (Decker Lake to Nez Pearse) Chip seal road, slightly uphill and bumpy.  There are some sharp turns and pot holes that will sneak up on you if you lose your concentration and start thinking about being done.

Mile 52-54 (Gilbert to (973)  The road improves dramatically as you get close to the new tollway.  After the bridge, go hard till the first of the last two hills.  This hill is the 3rd hardest on the course.  You have done #1 at mile 35 and you still have #2 to go.  Getting to the light at 973 is hard due to the slight uphill at this point.

Mile 54-56 (973 to transition) After getting up the 3rd hardest hill (get out of saddle and attack), you have a short recovery and fast downhill that puts you at the bottom of the 1st/2nd hardest hill on the course.  Pick a good gear for you at this point and spin up it as quickly as possible.  Make a right at the top onto Decker Lake Rd and start to spin out your legs for the run.  You stil have a small uphill into the park so do not get out of your shoes too soon.

My final take is that this is a great bike course, but it will hurt you if you ride it like Prairieman and then expect to run your normal pace.  The run course is just as rolling and difficult as the bike course.   My suggestion is the save some for the run and race the bike course by wattage or heart rate zones.  Nutrition will definately play a part at this Half.  If the weather cooperates, it will be a great race.

I definitely agree with you here.  If we can get some nice weather, I'm thinking there will be some really good times for everybody.