Ironman 70.3 California : Official Thread (Page 9)

Well if you're a Vet you'll finish. Get the muscle memory to kick in. Just prepare as much as you can these next two weeks. For race day just put your head down, pace yourself and chip away! You'll do fine.

Yes, and it is explained in the Athlete guide on the site now.  When you get out of the swim, you put everything you don't need for the bike ride into the swim bag (wetsuit, goggles, small towel, ear plugs) and leave it in T1.  Do not leave anything outside the bag.  Put on what you need (race number, nutrition, bike) go.   You will not come back to this area.  At the end of the race, they will transport these bags you leave in T1 to an area adjacent to T2 with your morning warm up bag (for things you are leaving before you do the swim, since you can't just hang out in T1 after 6:30 and you will still need stuff to wear since some racers do not start until well after 7am) and swim bag together so you have easy access to pick up your stuff.

The key is to put everything you leave in T1 in the bag, or kiss it goodbye (also, write your name and phone number on your wetsuit anyway, and shove it into the bag when you're done.)

Rode the frontside today (well, most of it, can't go in the Del Mar gate and there was some construction after the harbor gate with a detour, so not the first 5 miles or so). 

I always forget that even though we say the front is "flat and fast," there are several little bumps to contend with.  It is not AZ or FL flat, that's for sure.   One area in particular is the stretch from the Las Pulgas gate to the campgrounds.   For the most part just a steady 1% or so grade that will sap your legs if you don't watch efforts.   Las Pulgas turnaround is a subtle uphill as well. Oceanside will destroy you if you hammer the front.

Wind was a steady onshore providing a bit of a headwind in both directions

Most of the pavement is in good condition with the MAJOR exception of the hard right just after the Pulgas gate.   The bike path sucks, the asphalt sucks.  This area is the equivalent of several car lanes wide, there was a strip right in the middle that seemed to be in decent conditions, honestly not sure what rules apply here but I am planning on riding there.   Ironically, right after this section is the old landing strip, smooth as silk concrete.  Then it gets bad again.   Watch your bottles here.....  This is also a very hard right turn at the bottom of the hill after the pulgas gate, sharper than 90 degrees, there will be gravel, and there is an aid station here.   Lots going on.  Saw a woman lose control and go down here last year.

The campground always seems longer than you think it's gonna be.  Watch out for indicators at the curves.   Tip, there are bathrooms here, no waiting like at portapotties

Ran one loop of the run, It's a good course.   Again, they say it's flat but there are a couple rollers (in addition to the pier ramps and going up and down from the esplanade to Pacific on Seagaze and Wisconsin).  The first 1.5 miles is downhill to flat though, don't sprint out of the gate.

no change tents

clear or dark depends on conditions. If its sunny use dark. I it's cloudy -most likely - use clear

no outside assistance. You can't draft, for example, just because you aren't going for the podium

Ill take anything but wind. But I'm sure there's no way out with wind in this race.

Dug this gem up from last year, 2012 course video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFB4snmOh-E&feature=channel

Thanks for posting that.

Somebody posted this last year, it's a good video too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SPFqMZBBxA 

I swam at Alamitos on 3/11, 3/15, and this morning 3/18. I brought a thermometer and measured the temperature as 62 degrees. Friends who swam at Corona del Mar this weekend said the water temp down there was posted as 58. I suspect Oceanside will be closer in temperature to CDM than to Alamitos but I am hoping that Alamitos is cold enough for some adaptation to kick in.

Good luck to all who are doing Oceanside! (including me)

That one's good too! I liked seeing the course footage and the aid stations.

Bikes for the pros, looked pretty annoying, especially that one that Rinny had to run by

4-5 feet or so. You should be able to see people as you come by them or they by you   

BTW, bring your rain gear    

(waiting for the forecast to change, but keeps going back to pesky rain)

Suggestions for rain gear please?  I don't think I have any.