Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread (Page 58)

I'll probably bring my wetsuit as a backup, but am going to start OWS training here soon with out it.  Ocean temps have been about 55-56 here lately and steadily rising.  I remember during Oceanside the water temp was about 56 I think, and wanted to take it off after 15 minutes.

I know the difference will be significant in swim time, but if I'm going to feel miserable for almost 90 minutes wanting to rip the thing off, I'll just hate myself in the end... We'll see though after a preview swim when arriving there.

One way to kind of prep and see if need something during the swim would be during finks "do 3k straight" swim set.  If you feel like crap at the end, next time that swim comes try taking a fluid at the 2k mark / gel.  Personally I hate having something in my stomach right before a swim so I won't be taking anything after the 1st lap / before the 2nd... Thats what T1 will be for.

Can I just say how excited and amped up I am?! Oh. My. God.  I'm DIEING!!! My training isn't there right now but I wish it was tomorrow!!

Is it too much to ask for perfect weather that day? My first experience and I don't want 90+ degrees or an absolute downpour.  I'm needy.  I want perfect weather!

OK, just wanted to say that...carry on!

asock325 - I also can give a solid thumbs-up to TriBike Transport if they are picking up in your area - I used them last year and can not say enough positive things about their service. They picked up in Atlanta just 5 minutes from my house on Monday and my bike was right there at the oval ready to go when I arrived to pick it up on friday morning (it was actually there on Thursday). Great guys, and they let us stage out of their area all day on friday while we were swimming, picking up all of our stuff and doing our tune up rides. I was all ready to use them again this year, except one of local shops has decided to run a shipment to the race as they had enough local racers that were interested. A little less in cost, set up in the same area, and a nicer transport rig. And we like to support our local shops when we get a chance. But in most cases I will always be using TBT from now on if it is an option.

If that is not an option, we have also flown with our bikes countless times for races and vacations. We have owned a set of Tri All Three "Velo Safe" cases since about 1993ish and they are still in great shape after being beat to death by airline baggage handlers, UPS, and FedEx. With these particular cases I have always felt confident when flying with our bikes. We used to pack the cases pretty full of other stuff, but in the past 12 years the inspectors have begun to unpack it if they cannot clearly see all inside the case, and you can trust in the fact that they will not repack it with the same care as you. about 5 or 6 years ago I had my rear wheel taken out and it was put back in backwards with the cassette against my down tube - awesome. I leaned my lesson, and other than that one incident, we have had no other issues, but I do now check an extra equipment bag as well.

Aw, come on Cornick - "perfect IM weather" would include lightening, hail, flooding of biblical proportions, and perhaps even a medium-sized plague of locusts. I mean, who wants a dime-a-dozen, run-of-the-mill Ironman? What kind of stories would we have to tell with that??? For example, just think of the 2008 IMLP crew, now that was a race - they have some stories!

But on second thought, maybe you are right. I am being selfish - we should let them have their stories.... why take that away from them? You convinced me - I second your vote for perfect weather.

Just read the last pages of posts; concerning the wetstuit non-wetsuit water temps, FWIW, despite the swim being non-wetstui legal for Pro's and AG Kona Qualifiers - the Lake water did not feel warm; especially once you left the shallow beginning and headed toward the middle of the lake.  The middle of the lake was cold.  I 'accidentally' left my tri-top on under my wetsuit.  I literally didn't realize until 2 mins before the gun went off, so their was no turning back.  I'm someone who gets hot real easy, real quick.  I didn't feel hot at all during the swim wearing a fully-sleeved wetsuit with my tri top on underneath.  I don't know if that makes a hill of beans difference to anyone, but if the lake is the same exact temperature as last year, I can promise you you're not going to step into Mirror Lake at 6:45 AM and say "This feels like bath water."  It definitely felt crisp and cool, to me, and once we entered the middle of the lake it was refreshingly cold. 

But the real hypothetical question for April is what would you do in the event of wave starts? Are you really going to spot me 15 minutes???

There is some good advice that can be taken from golfing...and applied to triathalon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A3M-d_eIqo

Wear proper attire

Putt  Swim with Authority

Listen to Sound Advice

Drive  Bike with Confidence

Avoid Overconfidence

Keep Moving Forward

...and of course, never yell "Ratfarts" 

I did LP in 2008, and I remember it well. Rain, chilly, streams running down the middle of the road on the bike, mud three inches thick in the oval, and the driest I was all day was during the swim. Great memories!

A.) So that's why I bonked for 10 miles on the Run!! I was slightly dehydrated from the wetsuit swim; so it's wasn't the nutrition scrw-up.   I kid.   But seriously, this could very well be a silent inhibitor.  Kent's analysis may be spot on.  There is not a table between swim laps to rehydrate, however there is one when you come out of the swim and run up transition a bit (if I remember correctly) and there is definitely rehydration options in the transition tent. 

B.) I missed the whole wave start thing. 

C.) Does anyone know of a WTC legal skin suit that doesn't cost 300 bucks?

A: The one you borrow/rent from a friend. 

Hey all,

Looks like a portion of the bike course is getting resurfaced this spring. The ride back up from Wilmington and over the Bears should hopefully be a little smoother (though not any less hilly.) 

"A 12-mile section of Route 86 between Lake Placid and Wilmington will receive "pavement preservation treatment" this year at a cost of $3.5 million, according to a Tuesday press release from the governor's office."

http://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/530198/Sections-of-routes-86--30-will-be-repaved.html?nav=5008 

Good luck to all of you in training and on race day.

UGH! So we have to assume our lovely NYS Gov't will get this done in april when it was supposed to be done in Sept??? .... Hope we're not riding on oil slicked roads with fresh tar and binder.

Dream Chaser-I've been looking at the same thing, since I'm doing LP and Vegas this year I figured it would be perfect time to invest in one, but don't have tons of money to spare.  Here is a quick overview I found, although not 100% up to date it goes over some of them and their prices: http://triathlons.thefuntimesguide.com/2009/04/speedsuits.php

Also, looks like I'll be seeing you at LI Half Marathon in addition to Harriman!

I would LOVE a wave start if they did non-wetsuit/wetsuit. I am a swimmer by trade, so it is my "strength" so to say--and I would ditch the wetsuit in any case where it isn't warranted. Plus, it would greatly spread out the crowd, which I hear is crazy. My plan is to try to get to the front quick? Not sure if that would work, or is worth the energy expenditure...but again, swim is my strong point, and I'm hoping to go around 1 hour or a little less (of course this depends if a wetsuit is allowed as well).

Question: If the water temp is 76 or above, do the overall age group rankings take this into account? I know you can't qualify for Kona if you use a wetsuit, but for overall rankings, do they list/order based on non wetsuit/wetsuit? I really don't care; my husband just thinks based on principle, they should order rankings non-wetsuit first :p

don't they do a time trial start at IM Louisville? wouldn't a wave start just be a larger time trail start?

Ah okay, just read about that on the IM page and how its done, thanks for pointing me there Andy

I was returning from Monroe today when I turned onto 7 Lakes Drive.  I was feeling a  
little tired and fatigued from this morning's bike ride throough Harriman w/ some friends.  Frisky pace on the return home, which had about 2000' climbing.  I
always like taking this route as the scenery is always fantastic.  About a mile
or so into the 4 mile climb back to Lake Tiaroti, I see a cyclist making his way
up that "grinder" of a hill.  I get closer and it is Dan Gade, from West Point,
who I met in January.  He lost his right leg at the hip joint while fighting in
the war in Iraq.  Yes, he was riding up that hill w/ one damn leg.  I stopped to
talk with him for a few minutes.  He kept riding...never missed a pedal stroke.  He told me that he was scheduled to mountain bike in Texas w George Bush at the end of the month (He is
currently borrowing my mountain bike for that race.  Maybe GB will sign it!),
but was out training for Race Across America (RAAM).  BAMF! 

It was the inspiration I needed... Suddenly, I was no longer tired! :-)

Anyone do Isolated Leg Drills on the trainer?  Imagine doing an IM while pedaling with one leg!