Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread (Page 9)

Thanks all for the advice!

Yes, I will be racing the IMLP-2012. Quite excited since it will be my first.

Yesterday and today I called a couple of places in Lake Placid and Wilmington but either the places were booked or exorbitantly priced with mandatory stay for at least 4 nights.

Any leads that I should try? I am looking for a room just for myself preferably within $100/night. Am I expecting too much this late?  I don't have any particular preferance for the place. Anything rustic will do for me.

Thanks again!

X 1000.  George is just really being nice.  Staying in Plattsburgh the week of the race is doable.  But the night before is a really crazy-silly idea.  YOU ARE DOING AN IRONMAN!!!  You want to make the logistics of getting up that morning as easy and stress-free as possible.  There are LOTS of smaller economy motels all over Lake Placid, that are within a few miles of the Oval Center and Mirror Lake.  Google Lake Placid lodging and start dialing.

You can also ask to bet put on waiting lists for motels.  Right around two months out, which I believe is the last time in which you can get a partial refund from WTC, a bunch of reservations get cancelled and rooms open up.  Every year rooms do become available as the the event gets closer. 

I think the sports institute or community college offers dorm rooms in LP for reasonable price. Call the Lake Placid Chamber and see if they can direct you.

LP is great venue with super community support and gorgeous course, down side is finding lodging is challenging and expensive.

Yes, seriously - the drive to and from Plattsburgh is a PITA, a good hour , not to mention mostly over two-lane country roads (i.e. One moron driving 30 in a 55  can back up everyone.  We call it an "Adirondack Traffic Jam.")

I know it's easy to for me to say since I live a two-minute walk from the Oval, but PLEASE try to find something closer, at least for the night before.  Have you checked Saranac Lake?  Even Tupper would be a bit closer.

I stayed in Saranac Lake last year when I volunteered and the prices were the lowest I could find and it is only a 10 minute drive into LP with none of the main roads on that side of town being closed for the race either. I plan on doing this again this year for when I race and I figure I will have no problem getting in on the morning of.

X2.  Monty is wise

I ran a 1:29:07  half marathon stand-alone time on May 2nd, 3 months prior to Lake Placid.  My marathon stand-alone time was 3:15 nine-months prior.  My IMLP marathon time was a 4:27    I was well trained for LP.  Had a solid 1:12 swim; I even split the bike with a 3:01 first lap and 3:04 second lap, for 6:05.  I felt great for the first 10 miles of the marathon, averaging a 7:50 pace (which I run all the time in training) and then I got a wicked side stitch around mile 11 and was walking and nauseous at mile 12, and walked another 10 miles before gutting it out and running the final 4 miles.  

So, yeah, up until MILE 124, around 9 hours deep, I was having the perfect first Ironman Race.  I was well trained, nailed all my paces and did't over exert myself, perhaps ate a little too much on the bike (dunno) but I focused on my nutrition, and I still bonked.  Why?  Cause it was unchartered terroritory for me, really.  But I think I've learned from it.  We'll see this July. 

This is a 140.6 mile, anything can happen.  If you put the training in, then sure, plan to start at a 9:00 pace for the Run.  Hopefully it will feel easy and your heartrate will be in an aerobic zone.  And hopefully you won't bonk like I did!!   

Monthy & Dream Chaser thanks for your thoughts and ideas.

I was not sure if I was setting my self up for failure or being realistic??

All I know is I want that 4:00 marathon but I do know how difficult Placid is. Its not my main goal it is a with in the race goal that may have to be adjusted.

Thanks

Jeremy

Thanks for the info, I'm feeling a little relieved now with the decision.  So now I only have 637 more things to worry about until race day.

247 days to go.

1/3 of the IMLP training year done!

A little late to the party here - another Saranac Lake person for IMLP weekend - thanks to my brothers' in laws letting us stay in their house.   Heard LP is on the mend after Irene took out many roads along the river.  Anyone else following Jorge's plan this winter? Hoping it'll help me up those hills! Im also trying to maintain/lose weight over the winter - I don't need to haul any extra lbs. around come July.   It's far to early for me to even think about goals for the race yet - a given would be faster bike split than run split. I did IMFL 2 years ago and it was close. 

It may seem like a long time away but Im heading up for a training weekend the weekend of June 8-10th w/ Start-Tri, a coaching company I work with.  It's our 5th season doing the camp and many years host 2 weekends of camps.   You can find us on Facebook - or PM me for more info! It's a great training weekend right on course.  Hope to meet some more BT'ers before race day!

Same here - hoping to drop another 5 pounds before race day. (I'm 4'10, so that's like 10 pounds on most other people.) I also just got a wicked deal on a carbon-frame Madone.  (I have an aluminum frame tri bike but I really don't like her for hilly courses. I just climb better on a roadie.)

And cool - I run and bike by the Start-Tri house on River Road all the time. Might be fun to train in a group - I always go it alone.  No tri clubs up here, believe it or not!

Friday brought in some good news for me.

I called several places in the LP area this week as was suggested on this forum and finally, this afternoon, confirmed a room reservation at the North Community College dorms in Saranac Lake region. Many thanks KathyG and others!  

If anyone is still looking for an accommodation, here is the link to the dorm room reservation system specifically for the IMLP event :

https://reservations.meetingslakeplacid.com/start.php?i=19

(I have provided the above link with permissions from the Visitor Services, Regional Office Of Sustainable Tourism, Lake Placid)

Thanks again all!

cheekymonkeys1 - 2011-11-18 10:33 PM

kristinc0916 - 2011-11-18 2:27 PM

It may seem like a long time away but Im heading up for a training weekend the weekend of June 8-10th w/ Start-Tri, a coaching company I work with.  It's our 5th season doing the camp and many years host 2 weekends of camps.   You can find us on Facebook - or PM me for more info! It's a great training weekend right on course.  Hope to meet some more BT'ers before race day!

That's the weekend I'll be there for my first marathon! I figured since my plan is to volunteer this (2012) year so I can sign up for next year, it would be a great place to do my first Mary. The course is almost the same as IM. They also have a half marathon that day that would make a great training run

Great idea! Im looking forward to cheering for all the mary runners that weekend.  Good luck

Pink Princess - that's funny that you know the Start Tri house.  The owners live about a mile away from us in NJ and we're good friends and coaching partners. So far, it's an all girls weekend. Only girls have signed up!

Hi aynsley_oh - can't help you with number 1 & 3, but I can try with #2: the marathon course. It was something I really wondered about last year myself. Here is a link to my 310xt file from last year:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/129923086

Here is what I can remember.

1) Immediately coming out of T2 there is a pretty sharp downhill for the first couple of 400 meters or so. I imagine that this part of the course smokes a lot of quads if you are not ready.

2) There is a little up after that, but then it is mostly flat (maybe gently downhill?) to the horse park at about 1.75 miles.

3) From there you have a steeper downhill (maybe 500~600 meters) to Riverside Drive. You can stretch the legs out a bit here, but don't go crazy! Take a left on Riverside Drive.

4) Riverside Drive is a mostly flat out and back, but there is one little bump at about 3.5 miles. it is gradual going out, but on your way back it is short but will feel a little sharp.

5) The route follows right along the river, so it stays pretty flat, and the furthest bit out is fairly shaded. The turnaround is further out than it seems on the first go round, I think around the 5.5 mile mark. The Inspiration Zone is just a little bit before the turn around (maybe a half mile?) So be ready for dancing, and cheering - just when you need it.

6) At about 7ish miles, you go back up the little bump, and I would take it easy here at least on the first go-round. Even though this thing is short, it can really get your HR jacked, and right when you don't need it, because you are about to make a long pull back into town. It looked like there were quite a few dreams crushed on this little bump in the road. The good thing about getting to the top of this little hill is that you get to see the ski jumps which is a good reference point to remember on the second loop - it lets you know right where you are on the course.

7) From there you cruise on to the end of Riverside Drive (mile 8.75), where you take a right and IMMEDIATELY start the long pull back up toward town. The Hill is not steep, but it does go and go. If you managed your HR well while on the out-and-back, you can cruise up with no problem.

8) You top out at about 9.5 miles, and then you have a long, relatively flat pull to about 10.5 miles where you hit a short down hill, then back up at 10.75.

9) When you turn the corner at 10.75, be ready to climb the ladder - it is VERY steep for the next 100 meters, then  steep for another 300, but you also run into a huge crowd to cheer you on in town.

10) at 11.25 miles, you turn right for the out and back on Lake Placid Club drive, which is absolutely flat as a tabletop. Both bike and run special needs are just a 100 meters ahead, but honestly I cannot remember if you grab your run bag as you go out or when you come back in as I did not use bike or run SN bags. The turn around is about a mile out, then back to to the start line.

11) If you are on the first loop you take a left to head out and do it again; if you are on the second you will hang a right and go down the hill and into the oval. There will be tons of people here as well, soak it in, and zip up for your finishers photo.

12) You will run about 1/2 a lap around the oval, but the transition tents and stuff will keep you from seeing the finish line until you have less than 100 meters to go. If you are not racing for a Kona slot, take your time and get some space around you so you can really enjoy that last 60 meters.  Look up at the clock when you hit the straight away. Listen closely for Mike Reilly. Don't even touch your watch until you are well through the finish chute.

Hope this helps, and like I said - I have only run the course once and it is from memory. If anyone else has anything to add (or if I have gotten something wrong) fee free to chime in!