Ironman Chattanooga : Official Thread (Page 5)

Originally posted by cjkelly0729

I believe I found on the Army Corp site that in Sept, the average river temperatures varies between 70-75. My guess is that they will continue to sink that gauge as low as it needs to go to get to a wetsuit legal temp. That said, unless its a very unusual summer, pretty low chance of the river exceeding that 81 mark - where wetsuits are absolutely prohibited. I suppose it could be above 76.1 but you can still wear a wetsuit unless you are shooting for age-group awards ... etc.

Originally posted by Rogillio

I live about 2 hrs downriver from Chattanooga. My boss is an avid boater and has an ap on his phone that keeps a log of water temps in the TN River. He said yesterday the air temp was 84 and the river temp was 80 degrees. I asked him to let me know what the temperature is the next couple of weeks.

He told me the temps from the last several years in the mid-Sept time. He said it varies depending on how hot the summer is and on how much rain they got up river from us. If they get a lot of rain they have to open the dams and let water out. This tends to release deep and cold water. He said this tends to put cool currents in a few places.

I believe we will be swimming between Chickamauga and Nickajack Dams. There are 3 dams up river from Chattanooga and 6 dams downriver. All of the dams are operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

Fort Loudoun Dam impounds Fort Loudoun Lake
Watts Bar Dam impounds Watts Bar Lake
Chickamauga Dam impounds Chickamauga Lake
Nickajack Dam impounds Nickajack Lake
Guntersville Dam impounds Guntersville Lake
Wheeler Dam impounds Wheeler Lake
Wilson Dam impounds Wilson Lake
Pickwick Landing Dam impounds Pickwick Lake
Kentucky Dam impounds Kentucky Lake

This has been your Tennessee River education moment. :-)

Originally posted by Duanerice

Regarding Hotels. Most of us that have hotels got them from the IM travel link. I booked the Hampton from this site. Others hotels that are not on that site normally don't take reservations until 50 weeks out. There are some exceptions like the Sheraton.

Looks like anything close will be booked or will book up at 50 weeks out. I do know some of the hotels are taking waiting lists but don't guarantee anything.

Originally posted by Iwannarunlikeforrest

Ok guys I need some help to make sure I'm on the right track. I'm using Fitzgerald's book (which I really like so far) to set up my training for next year. My wife and I are both doing IMCHOO and want to do Raleigh 70.3 as well (june 1st). All of Fitzgerald's IM training programs are 24 week 3 phase programs. His HIM programs are 20 weeks. So here's my thought:

start a 20 week program for Raleigh and see it all the way through. Raleigh is 17 weeks out from IMCHOO so I could then take an easy week after Raleigh, and jump into the 24week program at week 9, or the beginning of the 2nd phase (essentially skipping the base phase). I feel like 20 weeks and a HIM can justify skipping the base phase and starting the "official IM training" 16 weeks out, especially if I extend some of the riding for the 70.3 schedule.

Does that make sense? I had a coach for IMTX (which I DNF'd..long story) but cant financially justify one again since my wife and I are both doing it, she needs a new bike, etc.

I like Fitzgerald's programs and philosophy, I just want to make sure what I'm doing makes sense.

Originally posted by Iwannarunlikeforrest

Ok guys I need some help to make sure I'm on the right track. I'm using Fitzgerald's book (which I really like so far) to set up my training for next year. My wife and I are both doing IMCHOO and want to do Raleigh 70.3 as well (june 1st). All of Fitzgerald's IM training programs are 24 week 3 phase programs. His HIM programs are 20 weeks. So here's my thought:

start a 20 week program for Raleigh and see it all the way through. Raleigh is 17 weeks out from IMCHOO so I could then take an easy week after Raleigh, and jump into the 24week program at week 9, or the beginning of the 2nd phase (essentially skipping the base phase). I feel like 20 weeks and a HIM can justify skipping the base phase and starting the "official IM training" 16 weeks out, especially if I extend some of the riding for the 70.3 schedule.

Does that make sense? I had a coach for IMTX (which I DNF'd..long story) but cant financially justify one again since my wife and I are both doing it, she needs a new bike, etc.

I like Fitzgerald's programs and philosophy, I just want to make sure what I'm doing makes sense.

Originally posted by godekjames


Sounds like a good plan, I am using Be Iron Fit by Don Fink and will also being doing Raleigh. I did it last year and it was good race.

Originally posted by Rogillio

So only 1 year and 1 week till we toe the line at IM Chatt!

I have set the bar pretty high for myself and it's a little embarrassing but I will share my 'storey'.

At the doctor’s office 31 July '13 and I weighed 350 lbs. Yikes. The doctor said I was too heavy. Thank your Doctor Obvious. I am 6'3" and have always been a big guy but I was 255 when I did my last IM in 2008. So starting in August I started swimming regularly. When they announced IMChatt I thought that was the thing I needed to keep me focused. I needed a deadline to keep me from procrastinating.

So now I am swimming 3,000 yds 5x a week in the morning, walking for an hour 4 times a week in the evenings and biking 30 min/day at lunch. I’m staying to about 1,500 calories during the week and no alcohol. On the weekends I let my hair down and eat pizza and have some beers or wine or JD. I’m down 30 lbs so far and have a sporty goal of getting down to 200 lbs by next Sept. My plan is to continue with the s/b/r for weight loss and base building thru the fall and winter and then start serious training in the spring. I want to lost most of the weight before I start training as it is hard to lose weight and fuel your runs and biking gains. I’m worried that my knees are not going to hold up to the runs…..I’m still too heavy to start running. I’ll wait till I get under 275 before I start running again and then mostly on the TM so I get the cushion of the springboard.

I have only run and biked few times in the last 2+ years. I'm almost going from couch-to-IM....or IM-to-couch-to-IM. As long as I am careful and don't get injurred, I know I can lose the weight and be in IM shape come next Sept. I can swim the 2.4 miles now even at 320 lbs so I'm not worried about the swim. The run worries because I've had knee issues.....surgery on both knees. My thinking is, if I can get down in the neighborhood of 200 lbs, I will hammer the bike...and give myself enough time to run/walk the marathon.

I will continue to post my weight over the next year as I see that as critical to my success next Sept.

Originally posted by cjkelly0729



Sounds like you've worked out a very ambitious but acheivable goal and I am sure I speak for everyone that we'll be encouraging you and everyone else along the way this coming year. You made a really good point about weight loss and IM training. Such a myth that IM training will automatically result in weight loss and we'lll all look like Craig Alexander on the starting line. To effectively train, you have to fuel and when I did IMFL, especially after my training bike rides, I couldn't eat enough afterwards to feel satisfied.

I remember the show the Biggest Loser used to end the season by having the finalist train and complete a marathon. They showed how most of them were getting up and eating in the middle of the night ... etc., and the trainers were bashing them for their lack of self-control. Trainers admittedly have never done a marathon, which was both idiotic and revealing of them to not understand that training for a marathon, especially by people who are new to a healthier lifestyle is not the best formula for weight loss as they were constantly hungry.

Anyway, I am also using the Fall and Winter to try and get to a specified race weight as I know once training starts in earnest, it's not the best focus for training.

Good luck!

Originally posted by Iwannarunlikeforrest

Rogillio - you're in Alabama? you plan on riding the course this fall/winter? My wife and I plan on trying to do it a few times before spring. we're thinking a pedestrian pace ride of probably just the loop (so 45ish miles). anyone is welcome whenever i get that planned!

Originally posted by emferg

I may have convinced my husband to take a trip there in the springtime to check out the course.  I would love to get togther and ride with someone who is familiar with the area.

Will this likely be a start similar to Louisville?

Originally posted by Rogillio




I don't think so. IMKY was a TT start on ~ 2 second intervals. I think this is gonna be a barge start where they put a few hundred on a barge and drag it out to the center of the river, sound the horn and everyone jumps in. I'm not sure how they decide who is on what barge but presumably it is by AG.

Originally posted by Rogillio So only 1 year and 1 week till we toe the line at IM Chatt! I have set the bar pretty high for myself and it's a little embarrassing but I will share my 'storey'. At the doctor’s office 31 July '13 and I weighed 350 lbs. Yikes. The doctor said I was too heavy. Thank your Doctor Obvious. I am 6'3" and have always been a big guy but I was 255 when I did my last IM in 2008. So starting in August I started swimming regularly. When they announced IMChatt I thought that was the thing I needed to keep me focused. I needed a deadline to keep me from procrastinating. So now I am swimming 3,000 yds 5x a week in the morning, walking for an hour 4 times a week in the evenings and biking 30 min/day at lunch. I’m staying to about 1,500 calories during the week and no alcohol. On the weekends I let my hair down and eat pizza and have some beers or wine or JD. I’m down 30 lbs so far and have a sporty goal of getting down to 200 lbs by next Sept. My plan is to continue with the s/b/r for weight loss and base building thru the fall and winter and then start serious training in the spring. I want to lost most of the weight before I start training as it is hard to lose weight and fuel your runs and biking gains. I’m worried that my knees are not going to hold up to the runs…..I’m still too heavy to start running. I’ll wait till I get under 275 before I start running again and then mostly on the TM so I get the cushion of the springboard. I have only run and biked few times in the last 2+ years. I'm almost going from couch-to-IM....or IM-to-couch-to-IM. As long as I am careful and don't get injurred, I know I can lose the weight and be in IM shape come next Sept. I can swim the 2.4 miles now even at 320 lbs so I'm not worried about the swim. The run worries because I've had knee issues.....surgery on both knees. My thinking is, if I can get down in the neighborhood of 200 lbs, I will hammer the bike...and give myself enough time to run/walk the marathon. I will continue to post my weight over the next year as I see that as critical to my success next Sept.

Originally posted by blueyedbikergirl

Firstly - congrats on how far you've already come Mike - being down 30lbs since July 31st is freakin' impressive! 

Secondly - keep at it.  You know you can do the distance, you've done it before, you can do it again.

Thirdly - Don't worry too much about the run right now.  Get yourself to where you can hammer on the bike and do what you have to do to finish the marathon.  This coming from a girl who's had her right knee reconstructed twice and I know what it's like to run on joints that are less than 100%. Not fun.

Fourthly (is that a word?) - You ROCK and I think it's awesome you're taking on this challenge!!