SBR Utopia ~~~~ Permanently OPEN!! (Page 41)

I say find someone local that can look at your swim and make corrections. 

Someone that has the ability to see you for 30min 2x week and tell you how to correct the form or what ever to get faster.  That is the ticket.  It can be a simple kid’s club coach, but someone that knows swimming dynamics well. 

I might be up for IMC again next year.  I think I could do much better now that I know what to expect on the bike course.

Re: descending... Chris, I know what you mean about the worry in the back of your mind.  My fear sense usually shuts off when I'm riding (didn't post my Strava yet but I think I hit 50mph at Canada this year).  And I do my own wrenching on my bike which helps with the confidence.  But wow, the guy I saw crash in front of me early in the race was not good.  That'll be in the back of my mind for a long time.  I don't know how that will affect my biking in future races.

The good thing about Canada is it won't be selling out anytime soon.

AFAIK, the NOLA 70.3 course will go back to finishing in Armstrong Park.  Not "in" the quarter, but adjacent I guess.  Should make the run nicer as it goes through neighborhoods rather than trying to string miles together on the lake.  Swim and bike wil be the same I believe.

This year was different because it fell on the same weekend as a big music festval in the quarter, so they had to move the finish.

2 hour ride yesterday which included 2 x 20' @ 270w and then this morning was another two hours starting with 2 x 15 @ 265w followed by 2 x ( 5 min hardish run, transition to bike with 2' @ 250w, 12' @ 285-295w, 1' ez, transition to 5 mins at run race pace + 5 mins ez).  The 285-295 was pretty much impossible, I hit 270 the first time but could only manage around 250 the second time.  I had the option of doing that 2-4 times.  Pretty sure I would have ended up in a ditch had I gone for more.  

Huh, shows what I know      I'd look at the course pretty closely as I think this might make it a less desirable race.  

Yeah, nothing glaring that I see there either.  You can often see major flaws in an above water video but since there isn't anything there for you, under water will tell the whole story.  If you do get another chance like that before you can get under water, see if you can get a side on view as well.

What was your effort level during that video?

x2 on this... Fred - you are a solid swimmer already, so I doubt anyone will find a major stroke flaw.

Two things jumped out at me from the above water video.  Good: you have a smooth entry/catch... there is no delay or overglide like you often see from people who learned with TI.

The other thing I was looking at is you don't seem to rotate your body very much.  It's kind of hard to tell with the video quality -- this is one of those things that would be more apparent with the underwater view.  Once again, it's just a minor nitpick.  Maybe the fish around here can evaluate...

I wasn't gona say anything since I'm no expert, and hard to tell, but it looked good except for perhaps a lack of rotation.  So what he said ^     Youtube the drill with the kickboard between your legs, acts as a sail and messages your degree of rotation.  Can't really see what's happening while your swimming but you can get a "feel" for it and also a video would show the rotation.

Hmmm, can't find a video.   this link dicsusses it in #4  http://breakingmuscle.com/swimming/4-common-swimming-mistakes-and-how-to-fix-them

So as you may or may not have seen on the news, Hawaii has two hurricanes heading straight for us.  Both expect to be tropical storms if and/or when they get here, but still enough to bring 50-65 mph winds and heavy rain.  My trip to the Big Island to ride up Mauna Loa is Saturday, and if the projections are correct, it would be the only time that *might* be possible to have the race.  The first storm should roll through the Big Island sometime Thursday, and the second storm wouldn't get there till around Sunday night.

Of course we're all hoping that the storm just rolls north or south and misses the islands as much as possible, but we'll see.

Yikes!

Would it give you a tailwind?

Nice work Fred!  That must be good for the confidence.  How are you feeling about things overall?

I think it's good to be realistic, especially since you have the history to know what can and does go wrong on race day.  That said, your training has been really solid and it must be tough to not be optimistic with the way everything has gone so far.  I hope you get rewarded with an excellent result.

I'm not sure what would be worse at this point.  Lots of wind, or lots of rain making it really cold near the top.  Of course, there is always the probability of both.  I suppose I was worried a bit that with the 8am start, it would be really hot...I think that option may have been the best scenario, and also the least likely at this point.  LOL.

...really cold...you crack me up.  

Better make sure you don't say anything when we complain about the cold this winter!!

On the bright side, you'll probably have a couple excellent days for surfers, just before and after the storm.

I was on Oahu in Dec 2009 when they held the last Eddie.  It's somewhat amusing.  Everyone cuts out of work and the whole island shuts down.  (I realize they only hold that in the winter, though...)

I've been to the top of Haleakala at sunrise and Mauna Loa is even higher, it can be really cold up there!