Beach2Battleship Iron Distance Triathlon : Official Thread (Page 8)

Oldteen - 2011-09-09 7:46 PM Sorry if this has been discussed earlier in the thread, but any recommendations for sight seeing in Wilmington area?  DW & I will be getting in Weds.  Looking for something 'touristy' to do to keep her from being bored- and me from getting too nervous about my 1st IM attempt

Airlie Gardens
http://www.airliegardens.org/

If you want to try muscadine wine you could do a Duplin winery tour.  Personally, I'm not a fan of the stuff but the tour is free and we pass a tiny bit of the vineyards on the bike course (at least there was a sign) -- http://www.duplinwinery.com/.  When I did Cycle North Carolina that was one of the evening activities.  I decided to hang out at camp but people seemed to really like it.  Then again, it was our last overnight and free alcohol was involved...

Front Street Brewery also has tours so you could at that to the list:
http://frontstreetbrewery.com/

Someone already posted Fort Fisher.  That's kind of neat because you get there and you are like -- this was the fort?!  The aquarium there is nice too and I actually like the beach there quite a bit.
http://www.ncaquariums.com/fort-fisher

(edited to make links clickable)

Jayne & alltom1- Thanks for the tips!  Not much of a wine fan, but the Fort & brewery sound good. 

Just 4 more weeks until taper.  I've had to be creative in trying to follow Fink Intermediate so hope my training's been enough.

I too, am a little worried, particularly about getting in enough hours over the next few weeks.  I did have a decent HIM on Saturday, so at least that is good.  

Hope everyone's training is going well. 

Also, does that mean that you have a three week taper?  Who is going with three and two?  I am making my own plan up as I go, as I did in 2009, so probably going with a true two week taper.  Should work for me, as I didn't really taper much until the week of the HIM.

peace

ben

Sorry to hear about the struggles for training time, but glad to know I'm not alone!  For me, it is the swim training that gets skipped when I run low on time.  Like oldteen, I've been following Fink Intermediate, but have really been struggling to even stick to the Fink Beginner schedule for the swim.

As for taper, I generally follow the "rolling taper" philosophy -- run taper first, then bike, and lastly swim.  I'll probably start run taper three weeks out, then the others each following week.  We'll see if it works.

Cotton Exchange is another option but not something your wife will want to do ahead of time -- let her do that on race day or while you are checking in.  It's just some shops and restaurants across from the Hilton but semi interesting and she'd have found it on her own away.  OK, I'll be honest, I think that they had a better mix of shops years ago but still, a decent place to get out of the weather if you are looking for something to do.

if you were following the BT (intermdiate) IM plan, looks like 3 weeks out they start the taper:

4 weeks until race:  179 miles bike, 22 miles running, 12,050 yds swim

3 weeks:  101 miles, 14 miles, 7300 yds

2 weeks: 48 miles, 25 miles, 9900 yds

race week: 28 miles, 4 miles, 3400 yds

this seems light, as my long runs will be almost the same volume as the whole week of the BT plan. 

In 2009 there were supposed to be no spectators allowed at the beach start for the full.  I know I saw a few "violaters", but did that change in 2010 and for this year as well?

thanks,

ben

Last year too.  There is no real parking at the swim start.

DH plans to watch T1, T2 and I think that he will probably stay at the Battleship.  There were spectators in front of the Hilton and at the park between the Hilton and the riverfront restaurant area (near the 3, 10, 16, 23 water stop).  There were also some at the cobblestones (between miles 3 and 4) and some at the 2, 11, 15, 24 stop as well.

The water taxi line was pretty long after the half last year.  It could be that they want to stay on Water Street for 3, 10 and 16 and then check the line and decide if they want to head over for the finish or stay and see you pass at 23.  It really depends on when you are finishing and how fast your are running.

http://www.beach2battleship.com/files/MAPS/b2bfullrun.pdf

there were  a few spectators last year at the swim start.  it wouldn't be that crowded to park in a nearby neighborhood and walk over to the start.   

and yes, the poster above is correct, its the water street area that was a blast to run thru w/the encouragement of the spectators, especially after the climbs up & down to that section, omg, who said the course is flat?

i keep hearing the run is not flat.  how would you describe the bike and run course??

bike - couldn't be much flatter and in fact, wouldn't want it to be as you do want an occasional rest from steady state rpms.  late in the course last year we picked up a tailwind and sailed back to town.  its definitely a very ez bike course.

run - well the birdges and then the elevation change up & down to the waterfront area are challenges.  the bridges are steep, but seem to pale in comparison to the climb down & back up off the riverfront area.   you almost have to walk down the slope to protect your quads from the beating.   once you clear that its pretty flat w/only changes being as you run through the park/lake area w/its foot bridges, curbs, and slight elevation changes.   also, I would wear good shoes and not light weight trainers on the run as the bridge grating & cobblestones will deliver a beating.  flat & ez are not adjectives I'd use to describe the run.

The bike is flat (unless you count the false flat on the long return, or the headwind that we had in 09 on that last 30- 40 miles , outside of one bridge.

The run is NOT FLAT.  On each of the two loops you cross two big bridges in each direction (up and down out, up and down back x 2) and also have a steep one block up and down in town that you hit on both loops.

peace

ben

A friend of mine is looking for a group needing a cyclist for the full.  If any relay teams out there are lacking a cyclist, Jim's your man!

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=238488

Okay I am putting this behind me but just wanted to let folks know what happened to me this past weekend at The OBX HIM...Swim fine I am slow but felt good out of the water, pushed my bike as I had a chance to PR the Bike portion, and it was a good bike...now the bad I didn't rest or taper properly been surfing OBX all week, I didn't hydrate or eat as as much as I should and totally crashed on the run, now it was hot that day got up to 88 but the run was supposed to be my strong leg and I was about 30 minutews slower then what I expected on the run....well first let me say I am stupid in the way I approached this race over confident thinking, I am training for a Ironman this HIM will be a piece of cake...wrong answer.

So I learned and will slow my pace, eat every 30 minutes and drink like a fish on the Bike portion of B2B....so no matter how good you feel stick to your nutrition and hydrate on the bike... I hope The disgust and shame I felt on the run should not happen to anyone....Lesson Learned humbled

Kenney the Jet was turned into a broken down crop duster.

FWIW, it was COLD (45 degrees or so) last year and I had NO trouble running to T1 after the swim. Walking over the sand to the swim start was painful, but after an hour or so in the cold water, the cold road was a non-issue for me. I guess it depends on your comfort level but I was worried about the cold run and didnt even notice any cold on my feet. But if you can find the swim exit before the race, there are places to stash shoes.

Mr. Cropduster,

The bike split PR may have had more than anything else to do with the run blowup. Think about it.

I've done a spring sprint tri past few years which includes indoor pool swim then ~150M run across parking lot to T1.  One year we came out of the warm natatorium into brisk & breezy 38F morning.  That cold on the wet body has a way of waking you up quick .  But the excitement of race day carried the athletes' uncomfortable feet across the cold pavement. Wasn't that big of a deal.

I know B2B T1 run is longer, but anyone concerned could train for the T1 run by running 400M with wet bare feet on cold asphalt. 

Given the cold water temps, you might consider neoprene booties that you wear on the swim and then keep on during the long run to T1.  Besides, the booties would provide additional buoyancy & displacement improving swim speed.  I wore gloves last year.  I saw folks with hoods also.