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Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread (Page 47)
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 2012-03-19 11:11 AM in reply to: #4102827 |
Extreme Veteran  678    Rome, NY |  Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official ThreadMajor BC - 2012-03-19 10:43 AM Thats really too bad. GU is okay for Oly's and down but its so sweet (for me) that I have trouble with it on longer courses. Ill carry my Hammer gels rather than chance a GI mess.
I have never tried it before so i figured I would start playing around and see how it goes If not I can always fall back on Hammer gel !! And Clif Bloks |
| 2012-03-19 12:13 PM in reply to: #3637183 |
Expert 696 Sugar Hill, GA | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread I prefer hammer and will use it on the bike course. But yesterday I used gu for a half marathon and it was fine so I'll most likely be using gu during the run. I'll do a couple bricks with hammer on the ride and gu on the run just to make sure. |
| 2012-03-19 12:48 PM in reply to: #3637183 |
Extreme Veteran 567 Rochester, NY | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread I'll probably be giving it a go as well. I like to train with what they have on the course. This way if I want to live off the course I can. I did try a Gu for the first time on my trainer ride on Saturday and I have to see it is a lot thicker then the powerbar gels that I was using before. I'll definitely have to make sure I wash it down with water.
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| 2012-03-19 12:53 PM in reply to: #4101572 |
| Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread |
| 2012-03-19 12:55 PM in reply to: #4101572 |
| Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread TankBoy - 2012-03-18 2:39 PM SEADOCHA - 2012-03-18 10:05 AM Just kinda curious as to how much everyone is putting into their swims right now and what level they feel they are at. I don't feel like I'll be making a huge difference in my swimming until the race so I'm wandering if I need to swim more. What I need to work on is open water swimming, but that won't happen until it gets a little warmer. Mostly just two days a week for me, each day 3500~4500 yards, not a lot of straight through swimming, but right now more LT sets. The bigger straight through sets will be mostly open water starting in April/May. The 2 swims per week are more schedule-driven than anything - I would swim a third day if time allowed, but that would start to take too much time away from the bike. My coach gives me a 3rd swim workout each week just in case I can sneak it in - I haven't been too successful recently. I will start swimming more in late April, targeting a 5k that I would like to PR in mid-June. X2. With time constraints I'm only making it to the Pool 2X per week. Because of this I like to average at least 3,000 meters per session. If you're an 'okay swimmer' this volume is more than enough for right now. In may I'll start OPW lake swimming with the wetsuit - SPECIFICITY!!! And I'll try and add a 3rd swim for May/June and July. Come late July, keeping a 3rd Swim is a great way to stave off Taper Madness. I like swimming a lot the few weeks leading up to Race Day because it keeps me slighlty fatigues, promotes Recovery from Running and Biking; and gives me confidence that the first leg of the Ironman will go well. I also feel that last bit of Swim focus does give me a little extra speed just in time for Race day; whereas Swim Speed (which is lost so easily) will do nothing for me right now. As far as a benchmark, I think everyone should be able to get in a minimum of 2X Swim workouts around a minimum of 2500m right now. Unless you're an ex-collegiate Swimmer like Klassman (Kent). If you are a superior Swimmer then you're an exception to the Rule. If time permits and you are Swimming 3X per week, as well as Cycling and Running 3X per week HUGE KUDOS!!! I've been told by many a swimmer, to see real gains in the water you should be swimming a minimum of 3X per week. |
| 2012-03-19 1:04 PM in reply to: #4101577 |
| Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread TankBoy - 2012-03-18 2:42 PM It is funny - when I first got my tri bike several year ago I got a professional fitting and then immediately took it out for a 40 mile "maiden voyage." After about thirty miles I literally almost got off and threw it in the ditch. I hated it. It made everything hurt. Within a ride or two however I settled in and it quickly became soooooo incredibly comfortable. No sit bone problems, no back problems, no shoulder problems, no neck problems. I could ride in the aerobars for hour after hour. But this year my coach really beat me over the head about getting out and doing group rides more frequently, so I hung up my tri bike, bought a new road bike and have been riding it exclusively all winter. I had to get re-fit three times to get my positioned dialed in for Long Course from 70.3 and Oly back in 2010. And then each ride I'd be comfortable for only so long, first 40 miles, then 50 miles, then 60 miles, and so on. Now two years later my bike and position fits me like a glove. My kneecaps barely brush my elbows and I'm in an aerodynamic position where I feel I can generate a lot of power. If you find a good position, make sure to take a piece of electrical tape and place it on the bottom of you bike stem where it meets the frame. This way if your seat drops at all over the course of training (and it will) you can quickly adjust it. Over the next several months all of us will be doing a crap-load of riding outside. If you all of a sudden feel back pain or knee pain out of no where, first check your seat height to make sure your seat hadn't dropped. |
| 2012-03-19 6:45 PM in reply to: #3637183 |
Veteran 945 South Windsor, CT | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread I saw that the AVERAGE time for IMLP in 2011 was 13:04 splits= S-1:18 B-6:36 R-4:52 Something to think about... --------------------------------------------------- Also-- Anyone see these articles before? comments?? -------------------------------- Ironman Lake Placid Bike Course Splits: Where and Why your MPH Gets CrushedBy Raymond Britt -- Everything you've heard about the bike course -- from our analysis, and from others -- is true. This is what it looks like to ride Ironman Lake Placid's bike course, average mph by age group, section by section. Yes, it's downhill from there, so to speak. Your MPH, that is.  You can ride pretty fast on the first 36 miles of the course, but if you get carried away, as many do, you may be reduced to a crawl for those last 20 miles of the first lap. Not only that, but the effort it takes to cover those 20 miles past Whiteface Mountain saps your energy as you enter miles 57-92. Then, prepare to dig deep for the final 20 miles of what you'll agree is an epic 112 mile Ironman bike course. Better be ready; see our Ironman Lake Placid Bike Course Strategy for advice. ------------------------------ How about this? Ironman Lake Placid Bike Course: What to ExpectBy Raymond Britt The Ironman Lake Placid Bike course is one of the most beautiful, but also one of the toughest 112-mile Ironman rides you’ll ever experience. While the course features exceptional scenery and some very generous downhill sections, the course can demoralize and defeat riders on the last 10 miles of each lap. [see how IM LP bike splits compare: Ironman Bike Course Split Comparisons] In short, you can have a great ride on the first three sections, but you’ll give it all back on your way past Whiteface Mountain to transition. So pay attention -- this is what a 5:36:12 Ironman Lake Placid bike split looks like:
With a carefully constructed riding strategy, you can ride with strength through the roughest sections, complete the course with a solid bike split, and be ready to begin your marathon with energy to spare. That’s what’s presented here, in the form of a 5:36:12 bike split I rode in one of my six races at Ironman Lake Placid. I’ll break the course down into sections, describe what you can expect in each one, and provide actual splits to help guide your riding strategy. So let’s get down to business. Here’s everything you need to know about the Ironman Lake Placid Bike course. [For reference: Ironman Lake Placid Bike Course Map] For starters, the key thing is to break the course down into manageable sections. In each lap, there are four clearly defined segments to consider (distances are approximate): 1. From T1 to Keene: 14 miles 2. From Keene to Jay to Wilmington: 15 miles 3. The Haselton Road out-and-back: 14 miles 4. Whiteface Mountain climb to transition: 13 miles As we go through these segments, it’s important to consider the parameters: my complete split was 5:36:12, or about 20 miles per hour overall. I covered the first 56-mile lap in 2:44:00, or 20.5 mph. I slowed on the second lap to 2:52:12, or 19.5 mph. The data examples, e.g., noting that it takes 20 minutes to climb from miles 3 to 8, are in this context. These are my actual times; yours may well vary. So view my data as a relative benchmark. If you hope to ride a 6-hour split, for example, adjust my data to meet your expectations. Segment 1: Transition to Keene – 14 miles This first segment on the bike course is a mixed bag of uphills and downhills, with an emphasis on the downhill: a screaming descent to Keene. This segment is best seen as an additional four sections. Miles 1 to 2 -- T1 to Ski Jumps. Walk your bike through the transition area and do not mount it until you cross the official line in the parking lot on the south side of Lake Placid High School. Once you clip into the pedals, you’ll immediately roll down a steep decline from School St. to Colden Ave. You’ll be excited to start, but be very careful here. There’s a sharp left turn at the base of Colden, taking you onto Route 73. Go too fast at the start, and you’ll wind up crashing into hay bales before you’ve gone 200 meters. As you get going on Route 73, take some time to make sure you’re set on the bike. Nutrition in place, pull up arm warmers if you’ve got them, straighten the sunglasses, just settle in. Without trying to, you’ll ride fast. It’s less than six minutes out of town, at 21.8 mph, and then you reach the ski jumps. Miles 3 to 7– High Peaks These miles are a series of steady, manageable ascents of 150 meters or so, overall. Don’t push the pace here. Find a steady rhythm in a good gear, and plan on riding for 18 minutes or so. This climb is actually a good thing to settle all riders down. Few feel like passing, and you shouldn’t either. You’ll know this section is almost over when you see a sign for the Mt. Van Hovenberg Recreation Area on your right. Just ahead will be one gentler incline. Consider this segment of 5 miles as a warm-up. And not a fast one -- I finish it at an average speed of 15mph. Miles 8 to 10 – Cascade Lakes. At about the 8-mile point, you’ll enter a two-mile section of slight rollers that pass the scenic Upper Cascade Lakes on your right. Now’s the time to hammer a little. Let gravity work for you -- pedal hard on the slight downhill grades and you can pick up speed and start passing riders. I cover this part in 5 minutes at 24.0mph. When you reach Lower Cascade Lake, also to your right, you, yourself, are about to cascade downhill at a frightening rate. Miles 10 to 14 – The Screaming Descent. These are the miles you’ve been hearing about and looking forward to: the screaming descent to Keene. It’s the fastest 6 minutes you’ll ever experience on an Ironman course, and that equates to 40mph. And I ride this part cautiously. Riders will pass you going even faster. I don’t see the risks of riding 50mph as worth saving a few seconds. If the weather is wet and/or windy, be careful, stay under control. Accidents on this stretch could be very nasty, what with all the downward momentum. Sometimes riders experience a shaking of the front wheel, at high speed, and it's hard to control. To avoid this, try to keep your bike stable by hugging the frame with your knees on the way down. Be realistic in knowing that this descent will not make much of a difference in your overall bike split. If you ride it 80mph, you save only three minutes. So be safe, enjoy it, and it’s on to the next major segment. Adding it up from the start, I cover these first 14 miles at 24.3 mph overall, without working too hard. Segment 2: Keene to Wilmington – 15 miles Segment 2 includes the relatively flat and fast 10 miles from Keene through Upper Jay to the adjacent town of Jay, followed by a generally uphill stretch of five miles from Jay to Wilmington. Miles 15 to 24 -- Keene to Jay. This segment of eleven miles may be the longest, easiest stretch on the course , but you have to work a little. You can start riding at speed here, but, again, don’t hammer. We’re trying to be smart, and you need to keep yourself in check. You’ll enjoy the scenery of rocky streams for much of your ride from Keene to the town of Jay, as the course meanders gently right and left, through dense wooded passages and wide open spaces. Road signs will give you a sense of where you are: you’ll reach Upper Jay after about the 20 mile marker, and four more miles to Jay. Ride these miles fast, feel free to push it a little. A little. Even while not hammering much, I ride these 10 miles to Jay at around 22 miles per hour. Miles 25 to 29 -- Jay to Wilmington. When you enter Jay, you’ll take a hard right turn onto Route 86 toward Wilmington. From there it’s a 5 mile trip to Haselton Road. As you approach the turn, get into an easy gear, because you’ll need it for the 1-mile climb. Like the initial climb on the course, settle in here, and just spin. Once over the top of this 1-mile climb, the next four miles are rolling and fun, but still challenging. On balance, you’ll be mostly climbing as Whiteface Mountain begins to come into view on the horizon, to your left. I complete these 5 miles in 17 minutes, 17.6 mph. It seems slow, but others will be riding slower. You can use these miles to your advantage. Make sure to get the most of the declines. Begin to pedal hard as you crest the hills here, and hammer on the way down. You’ll pass many riders this way. They’ll coast; you’ll pass easily without working too much harder. Make the hills work for you. And my totals for this second segment – Keene to Jay to Haselton Road -- 14 miles, 21.6mph. Remember: the overall speed on this segment could be slower, unless you take advantage of the declines on the last few miles. Average speed from the start through 29 miles: about 22mph. Fast, but still in control. Arriving in Wilmington, you’ll be zooming at a fast clip toward the hard right turn onto Haselton Road. You’ll have to be careful on the turn because you’ll only have one lane; the other lane is occupied by riders coming the other way. Accidents do happen at this turn. Sit up, apply the brakes, and be careful. Segment 3: Haselton Road Out-and-Back -- 14 miles The next fourteen miles are, generally, a fast and fun ride. It’s also unique from the rest of the bike course, with nearly the entire distance under the share of tall trees. I remember this whole section as being the greenest part of the course. Really nice, visually. Miles 30 to 36. This can be another fast segment. The miles are gently rolling, for the most part. Again, get the most out of the rollers by pedaling over the top and hammering down the other side. Make gravity work for you. That’s how you’ll continue to ride faster here, and elsewhere on the course. Take the forward momentum, lock into a big gear and go. This tactic may make the difference between getting a Kona slot or not. Seriously. The course elevation map says otherwise, but I always feel the outbound portion declines overall. At least it seems to favor speed most of the time. But things to change in the last mile before the turnaround, when you do climb about 150 meters. You’ll know you’re approaching the turnaround as the volume of riders heading the other way will grow. It may seem like hundreds pass you on their way back, and it may feel very frustrating. Don’t let it get to you. If you’re riding smart, you’ll probably pass one or two hundred on the second lap. Seriously. Let them crush the first lap; many of them will suffer for it on the next 56 miles. You won’t. Miles 37 to 43. When you get to the turnaround, load up on nutrition and liquids. While heading back on the return 7 miles, you want to be fueling and preparing for the last 10 miles of the first lap. Also, soon after you pass the 40-mile marker, you’ll have a very taxing climb, perhaps the steepest on the course. When you get there, you’ll know it. Don’t panic. Get in your easiest gear, and just pedal smoothly and consistently. I ride the 14 mile out-and-back on Haselton Road in 38 minutes, an average speed of 22mph. I’m usually pretty consistent: 19 minutes out, 19 minutes back. Again, the difference is how I work the descents. A little extra effort pays dividends with a lot of speed. At this point on the course, roughly 43 miles have gone by in about 2 hours, at an average speed of 21.8mph. What was I saying earlier about Lake Placid being the toughest course? Seems pretty easy through 43 miles. That’s because . . . Segment 4: to Whiteface Mountain and T2 – 13 miles The large orange ‘Road Closed’ sign is marks the beginning of the end. Everything changes when you pass the orange sign. Buckle up, time to face the beast. Mile 44. Mercifully, the first mile or so is relatively flat, giving you time to hydrate, relax, and get ready to climb. If there’s any good news to share, it’s that the 300 meter overall elevation gain is spread out over the next 10 miles, and therefore doesn’t slam you too hard at any one place. You will work your way upwards, but it’ll have a sort of switchback feel, without switching back. It’s more like a ½ mile incline, ¼ slight descent, and the like. Over and over. You will see your average speed plunge. It just will. You’ll have to be mentally ready to give back a lot of the speed you had through 43 miles. But so will everyone else. And those who ride these final miles strategically will be that much closer to a great bike split. Miles 45 to 48. You may be hardest hit in the beginning. I ride miles 45 to 48 at an average of 15mph. You just don’t want to fight it too much. It’s too early. Sit up in the saddle, get out of the aero bars, try to relax and just spin as consistently as you can. Miles 49 to 52. Things should get better for you here. You’re still working hard, but you’ll have gotten used to the grind. I gain speed here, riding it a couple notches better, at 17mph. Miles 53 to 56. You’ve heard about the Bears, no doubt. Baby, Mama and Papa Bear. These are the names given the final, challenging climbs to face before the lap is over. Unless time has worn away the paint, you’ll spot the name of the next Bear before you get there. You will see it because you will be looking down much of the time, at that point. You’ll be digging for everything you’ve got as you slowly spin toward the finish. The lesson you’ve hopefully learned by now is that going uphill offers a significant opportunity to gain speed and pass people on the other side. The Bears each make you work long and hard, but when you crest the top, each time, pedal hard and hammer down the other side. Everyone else will be gliding. You’ll want to glide. Don’t. This is easy speed, easy chances to move yourself higher in the race standings. Still, you will be gasping for air one way or the other when you make what will be an extremely slow right turn from Route 86 onto Northwood Rd. You’ve made it at that point, really. The next mile back into town is a fast one as the adrenaline kicks in. I ride miles 53 to 56 at an average of about 18 miles per hour. These miles are perhaps the most daunting in terms of work as well as how late in the race they hit you. But you can hit back, and you can ride well. Getting to 18.5 proves it. That’s the difference a well-constructed riding strategy can make. You’ll know you’ve made it through one of the toughest Ironman Bike courses in the world. You’ll hear the cheer of the crowd as you near the transition area, and it will bring a smile. Except for one thing: you’ve got to do it again. At the end of lap 1, with 56 miles complete, I was at 2:44:00, an average of 20.5mph. A good start, but I’ve never found it easy to repeat it. Twice the Fun: Lap 2 Lap 2 for me was twelve minutes longer, 2:56:12, averaging 19.5 mph. Shoot for that. Map a strategy for lap 2 that has you riding about 5% slower. Total for 112 miles: 5:36:12, just about 20mph. The second lap feels relentless, especially the final 13 miles. It’s these last 13 miles that makes Ironman Lake Placid one of the toughest out there. When you’re at 100 miles complete, and you’re climbing, you’ll know what it’s like in the Tour de France: not the least bit easy, but worth it in the end. It’s a fantastic feeling to finish 112 miles in Lake Placid, and you’ll feel the rush of excitement as you head into T2 to drop off your bike. If you’ve ridden well, according to your race strategy, you’ll have plenty left over to run a sub-4 marathon. Yes, you will. |
| 2012-03-19 8:40 PM in reply to: #3637183 |
Veteran 526 Richmond | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread The speed dips on the last section looks like a brutal way to finish each lap, especially the second one. Is ending with some harder effort make it difficult to keep mentally tough for the upcoming marathon? |
| 2012-03-19 11:10 PM in reply to: #4103947 |
Master 2912 ...at home in The ATL | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread mdfahy - 2012-03-19 9:40 PM The speed dips on the last section looks like a brutal way to finish each lap, especially the second one. Is ending with some harder effort make it difficult to keep mentally tough for the upcoming marathon? Hi mdfahy - not at all if you train for it, at least I did not think so. But I have only done it once, so it could have just been a freaky day for me. Here is what worked for me - but I am sure there are many other ways you could approach this problem: For all of my long rides, I headed for the hills. If you have a choice between a hillier route home and a faster route, always take the hillier one. If you have mountains of any size within riding or driving distance, go to them. Often. Last year I made sure to get in the mountains every other week from April to July (I have to drive 1.5 hours) where I could get repeated continuous climbs that were at least 45 minutes in length, which is probably what you will be doing on the climb out of Wilmington headed back to town. And not to be TOO daunting, but you will actually be generally climbing out of the hole from Au Sable Forks all the way back through town and up to the top of the Keene descent - approximately 2 hours if you are planning on a 3 hour round loop. I actually think it is the second climb out of town that gets most folks, not the final climb back into town. It just becomes more obvious there. I would ride these kinds of climbs continuously for anywhere from 4~5 hours, and haul a lot of stuff (4~5 bottles, etc) with me so I had to stop as little as possible. I only did one ride that was 6 hours, and I think that gave me about 12,000 feet of climbing, which is about twice LP, depending on who you believe. Everyone of these rides was followed by a 15 minute DOWN HILL transition run. I found this beneficial when I came to LP as the run out of transition is fairly steep and will hammer your quads if you are not ready for it. And I will just say it even though I know it will jinx me for next year: I was surprised to find the LP bike course to be the easiest ride I did all summer. If you train to climb in zone 2, you will find it very pleasant, actually. If you just train yourself to ride long rolling rides in zone 2, you probably will not. I will admit that I also have climate on my side - most of my summer rides were in 95+ degree heat with extremely high humidity, and I found the LP temps to be really mild last year compared to that. It actually caused me to WAY over hydrate and I had to pee like crazy on the swim (yes, the SWIM!) bike and run. So don't let all our jibber jabber about the bike course freak you out - granted it is tough and you have to take it seriously, but if you put the training in on the bike you will be set up to have an awesome run! |
| 2012-03-20 12:02 AM in reply to: #4103826 |
Master 2912 ...at home in The ATL | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread dtoce - last year I POURED over Raymond Britt's info and found his course descriptions to be fantastic. His caution about going out easy on the bike cannot be overstated. I was curious to see if I suffered any of the same falloff from lap 1 to lap 2 the way his chart shows, so I just worked through my file from the race in TrainingPeaks to break out my splits the way his are in the graph: Mile 1-36: Mile 37-56 Mile 93-112 *this is actually kinda screwy, as I suffered a crash around mile 72. My Garmin says I was stopped on the side of the road for 19:45, which subtracted out gives me an average speed of 21.09mph, which explains the discrepancy between Speed, HR, and Power for that lap. |
| 2012-03-20 6:29 AM in reply to: #3637183 |
Extreme Veteran 678 Rome, NY | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread Lets remember Britt's info is with the Hasleton rd out and back which is not there any more. Now its the Ausable falls out and back. Whats the difference Hasleton gave you a break in your climbing. No wWith out that long out and back there is only a 2 mile recovery before you start climbing again.
ALSO BRITT Qualifyed for KONA several times he is not the Average JOE |
| 2012-03-20 7:29 AM in reply to: #3637183 |
Veteran 526 Richmond | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread Thanks Rusty, that is a good push to get me to drive to the mountains, they are about 1.5 hours away. I wanted to do it last year, but never did because it's already a day away from the family, but this would add 3 hours at least to the day, so I'm not sure if I will be able to get the spousal approval. I only have rolling hills near me and they worked out ok for IMCDA, but I didn't bike fast at all, just finished comfortably for the marathon. I'd like to make the most improvement on the bike leg this year (and T1!). |
| 2012-03-20 8:55 AM in reply to: #4104203 |
| Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread triguy1043 - 2012-03-20 7:29 AM Lets remember Britt's info is with the Hasleton rd out and back which is not there any more. Now its the Ausable falls out and back. Whats the difference Hasleton gave you a break in your climbing. No wWith out that long out and back there is only a 2 mile recovery before you start climbing again.
ALSO BRITT Qualifyed for KONA several times he is not the Average JOE X2. The course has changed and to be honest, for me, this is WAY TOO MUCH information. Here is my short synopsis ---> There are three distinct sections of Climbing per Loop. Downhill out of transition for a few miles. At River Rd starts a relatively tough CLIMB (#1) up-to the Keene descent. This section of climbing to get to the Keene descent is a good opportunity to eat. For this first climb, I just put it in my granniest gear and spun easy. Then you hit the 10k Keene descent - Like the Geico pig you'll be going: wheeeeeeeee!!! At the end of the Keene descent, make a left and it's all flat for a good portion with a gradual loss of elevation. Then the out & back which is mostly flat, some small rollers and false flats but very picturesque and easy to ride. After the out & back make a right and CLIMB up to Wilmington. This is a tough CLIMB (#2) but very short. Again, spin it easy. Then it's some rollers leading up to the 11-mile CLIMB (#3) back to town and the Bears. For me, this climb is NOT as bad as the climb up to the Keene descent because it's a "stair climb". You climb, then it flattens, then you climb again. It's longer then the climb up to the Keene descent, but manageable. That's lap #1. What I did last year was take Climb#1 section VERY EZ. Climb#2 the same, and just maintained a moderate effort on the final 11-mile climb section. Then on the second loop, I put in a "moderate effort" going up Climb# 1, and the same with #2; and then after 100-miles the final 11-mile climb was tough; I was 'feeling it' and I just maintained a consistent effort trying not too burn too many matches. And in the end this strategy got me two splits within 4 minutes of one another and a 6:05:01 OA Bike Split. LOTS of guys that went zipping past me on the first climb up the Keene Descent, I saw them hunched over and in misery while I passed them on the out & back come the second loop. Don't be that guy!! Save your energy for the second time up that climb; and even then, Stay Within Yourself. The Climbs at Lake Placid are not individually difficult for the average cyclist, and they are not steep. But they are mile-long continous climbs that wear you down. They are sustained efforts for a good stretch of distance. They are NOT 1/4 mile climbs you just go up & over - done. They are mile-long plus continous efforts that level off and then hit you again & again. If you can, try and find these types of climbs to incorporate into your training -- this is priceless. If you physiologically prepare yourself for this type of effort, you will have a strong Bike Leg come Race Day - and if you ride withing yourself, you'll have legs to run the Marathon. For anyone close to (for me it's 90 mins away) I like to train up in Harriman State Park. The Harryman loop is 14-miles with a +/- elevation of 1500 feet per loop. This is much more difficult than 14 miles on the LP course and I feel it prepared me nicely for LP. After riding the climbs in Harriman, and riding up Bear Mountain, the LP climbs felt much easier. Rev3 course was also great prep for the LP course. The Rev3 bike segment from mile 24 to 31 is similar to (but much harder IMO) than any of the LP climbs. The Rev3 course for 56 miles is also a lot more elevation loss/gain than 56 miles of the LP loop. So once again, for me, this was excellent prep for LP - physically and mentally. I think BRITT's analysis is way, way too detailed and is more suited for someone that has raced Ironman many times, or truly holds the potential to be competitive from the get-go. I honestly would not pay it any mind as it may be more confusing than anything. It's more equivalant to Triathlon Calculus when we're all still just trying to learn simple Triathlon Addition and Subtraction. So let's Keep it Simple Edited by Dream Chaser 2012-03-20 9:04 AM |
| 2012-03-20 9:29 AM in reply to: #4104422 |
Expert 696 Sugar Hill, GA | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread This weekend will be my first of many 3 Gap rides in the north Georgia Mountains. Over 3000 feet of climbing in about 35 miles. The first of three climbs, I think, is about 6 miles. I'm not really looking forward to the ride but I'm looking forward to how it'll prepare me for LP. Edited by Sluggo312 2012-03-20 9:30 AM |
| 2012-03-20 10:46 AM in reply to: #4104422 |
Member 52 | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread Dream Chaser - 2012-03-20 8:55 AM And in the end this strategy got me two splits within 4 minutes of one another and a 6:05:01 OA Bike Split. Britt positive split by 8 minutes on his ride--that's less than ideal and borderline poor pacing. Your 4 minute positive split is much, much better. Having ridden this course more times than I care to count, the second loop will typically be slower than the first because the wind picks up throughout the day, and a 2-4 minute positive split is generally indicative of evenly dosed effort. The most important thing for every person racing is not to overcook the first lap and specifically the first climb before the Keene descent. It's VERY easy to go too hard that first lap, and that can make for a long marathon. |
| 2012-03-20 11:20 AM in reply to: #4104703 |
Veteran 945 South Windsor, CT | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread 03djmorris - 2012-03-20 10:46 AM Dream Chaser - 2012-03-20 8:55 AM And in the end this strategy got me two splits within 4 minutes of one another and a 6:05:01 OA Bike Split. Britt positive split by 8 minutes on his ride--that's less than ideal and borderline poor pacing. Your 4 minute positive split is much, much better. Having ridden this course more times than I care to count, the second loop will typically be slower than the first because the wind picks up throughout the day, and a 2-4 minute positive split is generally indicative of evenly dosed effort. The most important thing for every person racing is not to overcook the first lap and specifically the first climb before the Keene descent. It's VERY easy to go too hard that first lap, and that can make for a long marathon. Many helpful comments/replies. Dave- How much HR drift over the bike course do you expect? (assuming average temps/winds etc) Nice race in 2010! Edited by dtoce 2012-03-20 11:43 AM |
| 2012-03-20 12:30 PM in reply to: #4104797 |
Extreme Veteran 678 Rome, NY | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread lets do a first name screen name list (I have no idea who Dave is.) Bobby - Dream Chaser Jeremy - Triguy1043
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| 2012-03-20 1:10 PM in reply to: #3637183 |
Veteran 202 Broad Brook | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread I have raced L.P. the last 4 years and from my experience in order to bike well on this course you must have a solid base. You can ride all the hills you want,but you still need to have a solid bike fitness. My plan for this year is to head into the race with a minimum of 4000 miles in the saddle. |
| 2012-03-20 1:17 PM in reply to: #4104955 |
Regular 304 | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread triguy1043 - 2012-03-20 1:30 PM lets do a first name screen name list (I have no idea who Dave is.) Bobby - Dream Chaser Jeremy - Triguy1043 Kent -- klassman |
| 2012-03-20 1:24 PM in reply to: #4104506 |
Master 2912 ...at home in The ATL | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread Sluggo312 - 2012-03-20 10:29 AM This weekend will be my first of many 3 Gap rides in the north Georgia Mountains. Over 3000 feet of climbing in about 35 miles. The first of three climbs, I think, is about 6 miles. I'm not really looking forward to the ride but I'm looking forward to how it'll prepare me for LP. Sluggo - this is where I did almost all of my long rides last year - you will find it to be fantastic training. If you park at Stonepile you get a 15 minute warmup ride before you hit Neels Gap which is your biggest (but not hardest climb) the next one (Wolfpen) is the toughest of the three - it has a lot more "bighty" sections, but it is in the shade during the summer. Woody gap is the last one of the loop, but you hit it in Suches already about 3/4 of the way up. It is the most fun descent back down to Stonepile. From Stonepile you can transition run down into the R Ranch. Steep down, but then rolling. Saw you guys have a Georgia BT crew going up - should be fun. We would have joined you but we are doing the Mountain Madness preview ride on Saturday. Would love to catch up with you all on the next one. I will let you know how the MM is; The Beast of the East course in Hiwassee is a good one as well, and offers a great swim venue to boot. |
| 2012-03-20 1:26 PM in reply to: #4105058 |
Master 2912 ...at home in The ATL | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread klassman - 2012-03-20 2:17 PM triguy1043 - 2012-03-20 1:30 PM lets do a first name screen name list (I have no idea who Dave is.) Bobby - Dream Chaser Jeremy - Triguy1043 Kent -- klassman Rusty - TankBoy |
| 2012-03-20 1:33 PM in reply to: #4104703 |
Master 2912 ...at home in The ATL | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread 03djmorris - 2012-03-20 11:46 AM Dream Chaser - 2012-03-20 8:55 AM And in the end this strategy got me two splits within 4 minutes of one another and a 6:05:01 OA Bike Split. Britt positive split by 8 minutes on his ride--that's less than ideal and borderline poor pacing. I thought this as well based on my (very limited) experience when I read it, but just figured that he must know what he is talking about based on his own broader experience. From Bobby's ride last year though it sounds as if he rode an even split as well. Again I think with the right training an even split (or even a positive split) would be the smarter way to ride this course. |
| 2012-03-20 1:41 PM in reply to: #4105048 |
Master 2912 ...at home in The ATL | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread davetri1 - 2012-03-20 2:10 PMI have raced L.P. the last 4 years and from my experience in order to bike well on this course you must have a solid base. You can ride all the hills you want,but you still need to have a solid bike fitness. My plan for this year is to head into the race with a minimum of 4000 miles in the saddle. ^^^^THIS^^^^ Absolutely. +1. "Like." I just think you are even better off if the volume is built on sustained climbs if possible. While I don't pay attention to miles (I have found that for me it is better to think about hours in the saddle and on my feet) I should have 200+ hours saddle time by late July if all goes according to plan. |
| 2012-03-20 2:30 PM in reply to: #4105086 |
Extreme Veteran 567 Rochester, NY | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread TankBoy - 2012-03-20 1:26 PM klassman - 2012-03-20 2:17 PM triguy1043 - 2012-03-20 1:30 PM lets do a first name screen name list (I have no idea who Dave is.) Bobby - Dream Chaser Jeremy - Triguy1043 Kent -- klassman Rusty - TankBoy Jason -- JMoney |
| 2012-03-20 2:31 PM in reply to: #4105048 |
Extreme Veteran 567 Rochester, NY | Subject: RE: Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread davetri1 - 2012-03-20 1:10 PM I have raced L.P. the last 4 years and from my experience in order to bike well on this course you must have a solid base. You can ride all the hills you want,but you still need to have a solid bike fitness. My plan for this year is to head into the race with a minimum of 4000 miles in the saddle.
Thanks for a number to shoot for, I'm going to have to make sure I get in more miles. |
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