Ironman USA Lake Placid (Page 7)

Yeah, and I'm slow on a bike ......

haha. I'm hoping all the people in there will help speed me up...and not slow me down. I would really like to get out of the water before 1:20.

I have heard most folks have their fastest swims at LP due to the small size of the lake and our close friends all swimming together. I'm hoping it helps those in the back of the pack too.

Sadly, not everyone does.  I did 1:14 there last year (terrible for me), when I had done a iron-distance swim in like 1:07/1:08 a few weeks before raceday.

But for many of the "slow" swimmers I know, even those that don't ever swim, do better than expected.  Some that were expecting 1:40+ did like 1:30:xx for instance.  Those around 1:07ish-1:25ish are right in the thick of things and exact swim start placement has a huge impact on overall time (if you're can't swim under say 1:10, don't be near the front.  I started too far back last yearI though I was too far up front actually before the race but was wrong), lost a couple of minutes getting to the actual start line, and the constant contact for 2.4 miles where I couldn't break away from the pack killed my swim time.  It's probably the worst IM swim in terms of contact.

I suffered a grade 1 AC separation(so the ligaments in the shoulder joint were sprained, but not torn).  Full healing is around 3-6 weeks depending on what one reads and the accident
 happened exactly 5 weeks out.  So a lot will depend on how healed I am for raceday, and the aggressive PT schedule I'm on will hopefully help speed up recovery (and also getting my strength back). 

Before the accident, I was looking at an outside chance of break 1 hour (I have done an Iron-distance swim in 59 minutes) to more realistically, somewhere under 1:05.  I certainly have the base to still do that.  And PT is stressing the weakest part of my stroke, which can only help my overall swim speed.  Since I won't be able to swim hard until raceday (too risky), we'll see on raceday.  Unfortunately, the slower I go, the more contact my shoulder risks on raceday, which would be the worst thing for it.  So I might have to push it in the start. I will need to talk to my swim coach for advice on the swim start. 

So where do you suggest slow folks like me start...I was thinking back to right?

In the back, obviously, unless you like lots of people swimming over you, trying to kill you If you're in the back, I don't think you need to be all that much over to the right.  You certainly don't want to be in the middle, as if something goes wrong(cramp, swallowing water, etc.), there is no place for you to get out of the crowd.  If you look on the ASI page and see the pictures from 07, you will see lots were way off to the right from the aerial shots, and probably swam ~200-300 yards extra, which would be a good chunk of extra time that you don't need.

You are not a 1:20+ swimmer.  I fully expect you to come out in the top half of the field, which means around 1:16 or less.   

PennState - 2008-07-04 11:29 PM Lauren is going to draft off of me... so we will both do 1:0X

Haha. Sounds good. I'll be sure to find you before the race! I'm feeling a little better about my swimming today. It's just been a rough past 8 weeks or so in the pool. I think it started with a swim slump, followed by swimming that was being affected by overall IM training fatigue, followed by a few weeks of nearly 90-degree water in the pool. I haven't had a good swim in ages. Actually, I think I swam fairly decent in Mirror Lake a few weeks ago, but there were sooooo many fasties out there that I was getting passed left and right. I'm starting to get my head back into the game a little more about the swim. Come what may on race day.

Oceanannie -- it sounds like you're doing all the right things. I think you'll be fine on race day. How do you feel in aero?

docswim24 - 2008-07-05 9:44 AM I am starting front row but fully expect to get passed by a lot of people on the bike and run. Fred and Lauren - if you want to start behind me, I give off a good draft (lots of kick)

Thanks for the offer. I think I'll start a few rows behind you though .

Well I just finished my last long workout until the race.  A nice 20mile run in the books, and now I am ready to kick back, enjoy the TDF for a few weeks and take it easy (comparitively speaking).

I am planning on a 1:20ish swim and will probably try to line up somewhere behind the first 1/4 of the crowd.  I don't mind constant incidental contact during the swim, but if someone tries swimming over me, they are guaranteed an elbow to the face at least, and if they still pass me, some additional tomfoolery like grabbing an ankle firmly enough to keep it from kicking, etc. It will be fun either way 

That's what I heard! I may have to introduce the Normanator Machine to the Determinator Machine. Pretty sweet that he'll be there !

I'll be gunning for him on the run, cause we all know he can't run very well .

The Determinator Machine - very nice!