Ironman Coeur d'Alene : Official Thread (Page 41)

I went from a fuji newest ~$600 to a Cervelo P2 ~$2000 and I had a huge jump in MPH and ability to hold speed. The difference was more about position than anything for me. The comfort level on my P2 is way better than my fuji all around. Kind of like the difference between driving a ford escort vs some luxury sports car. Both will get you where you want to go, but one will get you there faster and more comfortable. Doesn't mean run out and spend $2-3000 on a bike just some feedback for you and my 2 cents.

If you were just only going out to do the hill for strava purposes I bet you could hold a lot higher speed. I mean if you started in town and rode for 20-30 minutes and then attacked the hill I bet you would be 12-13mph if that was all you were doing which I imagine that is what they did.

Well last year I did Lake Steven's 70.3 on a 2007 specialized allez triple (paid $375 2011) with carbon aero bars. Beyond michelin pro 3 race tires the rest was stock. Did it in 2:52 and change. Could I of been faster on my tri bike i bought after the fact? Not sure. could I of been faster on the run? Perhaps as a tri bike uses a little bit different muscles.

Now you say touring bike... is it a steel frame? If so than getting a bike with an aluminum frame would really help you out. a proper fit might also help too if you have not done that. different gearing is as well an option if you aren't able to get that optimal gear or you don't have the right gears for hill climbing.

My tri bike which cost me 1500 weighs pretty darn close to what my road bike weighs. I mean maybe a pound or two different (guessing).

A test for me would be to ride from spokane to St. John where my Dad lives. I've ridden it twice on my tri bike with below avg results compared to my HIM. the distance is within a couple of miles and both times I have been way slower averaging under 18 each time. Granted the actual roads, elevation gain loss might not be the same as Lake Stevens but still it will be interesting when I ride my road bike down there this summer and see how my times are compared to my tri bike.

so the question you do need to ask yourself... are you a biker and like to bike more than anything or are you going to stick with tri's for more than 3-4 years? If you say stick with tris than sure save up some money and start looking on craiglist after of course you can determine what size of tri bike you need.

I only bought my tri bike after I did my 4th tri. I enjoy doing them and figured that the investment was worth the price as I will continue to do them down the road. Will I podium? Depends on the size of the race and for lack of better works quality of athletes in my age group. I did last year at Race to River but I can't say that there was a big group of athletes that would usually enter the race and beat me but choose to not enter last year.

Anyways hope some of my thoughts help you in determining what you need for a bike. Your friends want you to spend the money to keep up with the jones. One other thing can you keep up with your friends?

Very true. Comfort will get you more speed if you can stay in aero that much longer. For myself, I can't say I am any faster on my road bike than on my tri bike. I like to think I am faster on my tri bike though since I invested 5x the amount into my tri bike so I should be 5x faster right?

But both cars will get you there just as fast as long as the engine is right ... well to some degree.

Two things. First, it's too late in the game to run out and buy a Tri bike for this race. All of your training has been done on the bike you have, to change now and expect your body to adapt in less than four weeks is asking for trouble. Second, how serious are you about triathlon? If you're in it for the long haul, then a tri specific bike should definitely be on your shopping list. Just my 2 cents.

That is the absolute truth. The motor is what counts. Also like someone else said it is most likely too late in the game to change for CDA and allow your body time to adjust to the new position. When it comes down to it I miss having a road bike, but I don't miss the lunky frame, the crappy shifting, and the uncomfortable seat.
I'm sure there will be many people on the course with differing arrays of bikes from $5,000 or more down to a freebee. I'm also fairly sure they won't place in order from most expensive bike for first place down the chain of cost. Spie34 posted some great thoughts about the subject and everyone is different in their reasons for buying the different bikes. In the end it will be up to you and your budget. Good luck with that one.

I just upgraded from a 2008 Cervelo P2SL to a full custom carbon TT bike. I've found that I average about 1-2 mph faster. But the more important thing is how I feel during and after the ride. On my Cervelo, after about 5 hrs, I'd have to negotiate with myself "just 15 more min in aero and then you can stretch/stand up/ etc". I did 7 hrs on my new bike last weekend and was comfy the whole time. Better yet, the next day I was barely sore. I've also had my fastest mile splits off the bike (after a hilly ride) with my new bike. I don't think this has to do with my improved fitness - I think most of this is because my bike really fits me and my ride is optimized. So in a nutshell, a new bike may not make you a whole lot faster, but it could save your legs (or be more comfortable) which will help you on the run.

Thanks everyone! Great advice. My two loves are open water swimming and running. I enjoy biking only to the degree its part of Tri's and I do like Tri's. This far in training I think we all are saying to ourselves, maybe if everyhing goes right I might be able to reach a PR/Goal. If all goes well I hope to break 13 hours. It seems the bike portion is the best area to make up time.

I will keep working on the MOTOR, and stick with the car I have.

Last big week coming up before starting to taper. I plan to do a short 30 minute swim later today. The week went pretty good. Cut back a few minutes here and there due to some time constraints (rather more so not getting my @$$ out of bed early enough). How did everyone's week go?

So the special needs bags for the bike and run. Think we have talked about this a little bit before.

I read that you can pick them up on Monday like 12-3 or something like that. I'm not really wanting to drive back over to CDA that day (4 days in a row driving that far is way more than I drive in a typical month lol).

So I'm trying to figure out what to put in mine and if I grab it and use it, so be it if not I am not out a bunch of money on stuff I left behind.

I figured on the bike, some PB GU perhaps, CO2 cartridge, maybe bike tube, duct tape or electrical tape. Some chamois cream

The run -- maybe some bag balm/vasoline in case I blister along with duct tape to cover the blisters... I don't think I would want any food beyond what would be on the course but maybe that wouldn't be the case so like pretzels.

What are others going to put in their bags?

Basically taper starts for me this coming week. Last big run and bike are done. The next 2 weeks are more typical in terms of volume (typical to my off season base of ~10hrs). Tomorrow I sleep in for the first time in long time...

As far as SN bags, I'm thinking much the same. Bike will be CO2, tube, 2nd bottle of nutrition, and chamois cream. Run will be advil, athletic tape and perhaps warm clothes depending on weather. Nothing I will not mind losing.

What/where do you put items you get rid of in the transition tents? I am probably bringing my arm warmers for the bike but don't want to lose them... I assume the items you exchange / drop in the transition tent go into your day of bag?

Last big workout for me will happen after work for me in a little over 1.5 hours, running home for 18 miles.

I am putting basically the same sort of things you guys talked about, keep it simple and stuff I don't care if I lose.

When you are in the changing/warming tent, you put your stuff in the bags which have your numbers on them, and should be able to pick them back up after the race.

Three weeks from today! One more moderate week for me (14-15 hrs) then the taper begins in earnest. I'm thinking of mostly the same stuff for special needs, maybe a red bull in the run bag. I know it sounds terrible, but a warm shot of sugar and caffeine has bailed me out in races before. For the bike bag, probably CO2, maybe some sealant, and some tape.

Just got done my biggest week ever with 24 hours and biggest month ever. Last 20 mile run tomorrow and a 16 hour week this week finishing with one last good paced 75 mile ride 6 mile run brick next Saturday then it's cruise control.

I usually put a spare nutrition bottle, tube, CO2, and salt tablets in my bike special needs but only stop if I launch a bottle or drop my salt tablets. I have yet to pack a special needs run bag as the smorgasbord on the run has everything I need.

Some cool ideas for the SN bags.

Forgot about:
athletic tape
advil
salt tablets

I plan to have advil and salt tablets on board with me but if I lose them somehow I can grab more. Athletic tape is good cuz who knows I might need to tape my plantar fascia... sometimes have issues with it but lately been fairly good.

I thought about spare bottle for nutrition but all my nutrition will be solids. I have been practicing with solids for nutrition and water otherwise which has suited me very well.

May was my biggest month and would have been bigger had I not missed some workouts.

SWIM 12h 52m 23s - 40675.00 Yards
BIKE 35h 04m 47s - 585.82 Miles
RUN 22h 17m 47s - 159.65 Miles

Body completely broken down. Three rough weeks in a row.

Week 3 is over.

One word: Taper.

Pretty much thinking the same as everybody else as far as special needs... but, I plan on putting an extra pair of socks in the run bag, I've heard a lot of people say that some dry socks made a huge difference.  Also plan on having some body glide and duct tape in there to deal with blisters.

TAPER!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!

100/6 Sat, 20 Sun, DONE!!

I've never been so happy to have time to do errands lol This week will only be 14-16 hours of training. I have a whole day of errands planned for Monday as soon as I get out of work!!

I was in a recovery week this last week and man did it suck. Just felt like the little work outs I was doing didn't go well. I have a another small week that ends with a big bike day saturday then full on taper starts on Sunday the 11th.

The only thing I know I need in SN for the bike will be pringles. I know it sounds stupid, but I've been having trouble with salt and salt atblets leave me feeling bloated, but I can have half a can of pringles and I feel great for some reason. I found this out about 2 months ago on a 80/10 brick. and it worked well.

On a happy note last monday was my last big workout with a 82/15 brick planned. I hit the 55 miles mark on the bike and my right arm rest sheared a bolt. Last friday a friend and I were able to extract the bolt and find decent replacements. I am soo happy this happened before the race. I don't spend all my time in aero, but damn I can't spend too long on the bullhorns or my hands go numb woulda sucked to have that happen in the race.

May totals were big on the bike for me, but not as big as some of you folks.
Bike:498.01
Run:79.69
The run should have been about 15 miles longer, but I had to miss a big run.

Last week right after my huge workout I was ready to do the race. After only one week of recovery/taper I feel like I'll be lucky to finish. It's funny how my confidence goes away so fast with the decrease in distance of bike or swim.
Have a great week everyone.

I just wrapped up my 18-day block (with no rest days), which included 2 x 20 hr weeks. Ugh.

Yesterday was my final long bike ride and it was a doozy. 100 miles and 6300 ft gain with what felt like 30+mph winds that were ALL headwinds for the first 2 hours and then head/cross winds for the next 2 hrs. It was an organized ride and I had to have a long pep talk with myself at the turn for the 100 and 62 mile courses. I made the turn for 100 and it was ok, although riding 4 hours and only travelling 48 miles really really sucked. Fitness is looking good, though. There was a hill that I've ridden in the past at mile 85 and my HR was a good 12 bpm lower than previous rides (which were shorter in distance). And then I ran 3.5 miles and felt ok. Woot!

May distances:
Swim: 16h 09m 51s - 48144.06 Yd
Bike: 38h 27m 16s - 545.74 Mi
Run: 12h 41m 39s - 67.12 Mi

Run is a bit low, but we're playing conservative since I broke my heel a year ago.

My totals....

Running 130 miles - 22 hr's
Bike 500.5 -30 hours
Swimming 11 hours??
Other 6 hours
Weights.... 3-4 sessions.

Kinda hard to be exact on those.. i went from my Polar watch to a Garmin so there is some math involved but damn that is by far the biggest month ive had.. especially in the running. No wonder i feel like ive been getting my azz kicked.

Good month...

I hope I'm in the taper

Swim - 15 miles, 26400 yards
Bike - 493 miles
Run - 125 miles

The last brick I did was 100 mile ride, I did in 5:45 and then a 10 mile run.

I'm tired, I'm tired of training, I'm tired of getting up early, I'm tired of worry about Ironman....tired

But I'm excited about IMCDA!!!

Brad

Last 20 mile run done and at my best pace ever. It may actually come together with taper.

May totals:
Swim: 16h 43m 15s - 50428.08 Yds
Bike: 40h 55m 25s - 784.35 Miles
Run: 23h 05m 24s - 180.01 Miles

Unfortunately for me, taper is exactly where I worry the most about race items. Did I train enough, is that never before felt pain in my foot a stress fracture

I've yet to master the art of tapering. Always seem to feel flat on race day, I think it's due to diet during taper so this time I am trying to really watch what I eat. That should resolve at least the feeling of sluggishness on race day. Stopping my brain from running wild with all sort of imagined injuries - that won't stop until race morning.