Ironman 70.3 New Orleans : Official Thread (Page 7)

physically and mentally ready here.

anxious because this will be my first HIM, but otherwise looking forward to going out there and having fun biking/running past my alma mater and old neighborhood.

stressing a tiny bit over stuff like the weather, wind, and if my bike will arrive intact, but those are all out of my control so...why worry?

Looking forward to IMNO - should be a decent race with the swim portion figured out.  4 weeks - bring it!

Also, KandK - What software do you use to track your workouts?  I use Garmin, but am not familiar with the calendar view as you have posted.  

Gjones138.

The calendar post is here on BT. I copied and pasted.  Click on "Calender" above on your blog page and it will show you all that you have logged.

Other than that I use a Garmin to tack my running miles/time....

On the bike I use a normal cycloputer " Sigma on my Kestrel SCI200 on a trainer in the house". " Bontrager on my Trek Speed Concept 7.0 Tri bike on the road.

Swimming ,,well I guess at that,, most of my swim training has been down on a Totalgym machine "extremely effective" but now I do a pool swim on Saturdays leading up to the race to reaclimate myself.

Dang, I wish I got that many miles in on those hours!! I do on the swim and close on the run mileage/hours, but the bike... not happening. I'm just slow. I either ride at a hilly park or on the trainer and both are not speedy miles. So I just try to get the time in.

I'm definitely "finish" ready. My only concern is the wind. Low wind and I'll have a decent bike split. After several long rides getting beat to heck in high winds, I'm really hoping it is a breezy 5mph day - not a gusty 25. I've about had enough of that!

I feel the same way about the wind. I know I can finish but if I want to finish in my goal time the wind will have to be <15mph. Historically it's unlikely but I'm going to stay optimistic for now. The swim and run I'm ready for though.

Gjones138,

Man that sounds nice to have that pool.  I thought at one time of building a tub on my back deck for tieing up and swimming in one place.  My wife said,, no way,, ha,, then came the Totalgym machine and I was hooked.  Gotta tell ya,, when I trained for the Florida IM in 2011 and the lake waters were too cold to swim here in central SC during the winter months, I did all my swim training on the TG "bout 7 months"  prior to that 7 month period I did a lot of open water swims upwards of 1.5 to 2 miles.  After the 7 months on the TG indoors, I got back in the water in May and tore up a 1.9 mile swim as if it was nothing....I then realized that I really didn't need the water that much,, only to re-aclimate myself to it.

I just can't stay focused on swimming in a pool and much more prefer almost all of my swimming in open water.  I am in the pool on Saturday mornings up to the race because the lake temps are too cold.  My last pool swim will be with my wet suit on,, crazy,,ha

Time Trial Start for the race. I can't wait! I enjoyed the start at IM Louisville, though I must say I got hit just as many times there as a mass or wave start.

Hopefully I can use some of the 30-40 year olds in front to get a legal draft on the bike. Anyone know how much space there will be for passing? Will it get crowded on the bike?

I hope everyone is enjoying their training.

Just saw that the athlete guide is out...hooray! Looks like the swim exit will be a lot closer to T1.

But had some awful luck today. Crashed my bike and bent the hell out of my front wheel. Heading to the bike shop now to see if they can do anything. This was my last ride on the TT bike before I was shipping it off. Just my luck...

Be careful out there.

Hope you are ok! Wheels can be replaced. My friend crashed last night and is now awaiting surgery for a broken elbow. Sadly, she will not be going to IM NOLA. And I had just been thinking that I need to not to do anything dumb (like run a half marathon next weekend) to reduce the risk of injury at this point. I have missed a race due to injury and it was so frustrating.

Kandk - sounds like a great review on the Totalgym machine.  I may have to try one while training for my next IM - I like trying new things in the early part of base training.  

Pool swims in a wetsuit - outstanding.  The looks from others is even better!  Good luck on your lake swim and in NO!!

It's out...

Looks like the swim exit will be MUCH closer to transition and it will be a time trial start.  You can have someone else pick up your bike, but they will need a special wristband.  

Lucky for me I'm in the 5th wave, M35-39 right behind relays, paratriathletes and the pros.  Hopefully that will help with trying to stay cool.  

One thing I did not see, will there be a shuttle service from the finish back to transition after the race?

Hope everyone is doing well, sorry to hear about the 2 crashes.  Hope the bike is OK and hope surgery goes well.

odpaul7

Incredible!.

I am not even close and I won't use my age of 58 as an excuse.

My swim will by about 37minutes. Only pre race bfast 2 to 3 hours before.

Bike will be something like an 18.5mph ave. taking me a bit over 3 hours.  I carry 2-4oz flasks of Hammer Perpetuem bout 55cals there and Accel gels in a pouch on the bike.

Run,, ha ,, maybe ave 8:45 a mile, eat off the course.

I could ad more detail here but don't have time right now...

you go guy!!!

Wow.

Well I got off pretty lucky compared to your friend - that would be incredibly tough to handle. Luckily, I'm feeling okay today, just a sore knee and a few gnarly scrapes and bruises. May try to run on it again to test it out (I got my brick run in yesterday after the crash) but if I miss a run or two it is nothing compared to a broken elbow. I am thrilled to say that the mechanic at my LBS was able to true the wheel. 

odpaul7

 Some corrections from what I wrote before and more details as know I have more time to write:

Incredible!.

I am not even close and I won't use my age of 58 as an excuse.

My swim will by about 37minutes. Only pre race bfast 2 to 3 hours before.  I like the idea of a time trial swim,,not many people in the way or me in their way.... I don't like the fact that the 50 and over are the 11th group though,,but will be cool if and when I can pass some in the other groups that started before me either in the swim on the bike of on the run.. that will give me some motivation to finish strong out there.

Bike will be something like an 18.5mph ave. taking me a bit over 3 hours.  I carry 2-4oz flasks in holsters mounted to my double bottle cage behind my saddle with Hammer Perpetuem bout 540cals there and 4 Accel gels = 400 cals in an aero pouch on my bike frame. Will take in something like 300 cals an hour.  One of the bottles in the cage will be water and the other a mixture of Gatorade, FRS and Hammer Endurolytes.

Run,, ha ,, maybe ave 8:45 a mile, eat off the course.  I used to run marathons and when I was 37 completed Detroit in 3:12 qualifying my for Boston.  Again in Columbus,OH, 3 weeks after Chicago in 3:18 qualifying me for Boston again.  But nowadays I ave about 8:30 in my long runs..  Would like to think I could ave about the same in the half IM but want to be realistic.

This will be my second HIM.  I did MiamiMan in late 2011.  Finished that one in just under 6:30.  Learned a lot from that race.  My goal going into NOLA was 5:45, however training has really taken a hit the last 2 weeks.  After my HM on the 17th, I got sick and have really not rebounded.  Racing again last week in the OLY didn't help.  I'm finally starting to feel good again and should get back on track this week.  I know I can finish, just not sure how much better I'll be than the last one.

Swim - 2:00/100 yds should be around 40-44 minutes

Bike - 18-20 mph depending on the wind should be between 2:50-3:10

Run - 10:30 min/mile should be around 2:20-2:30

If all goes well and can hold my training times I could see a sub 6 hour finish.  But no matter when I finish, I'll be having a Purlpe Haze and some crawfish afterwards!