Branson 70.3

Martin,

 Ride hills then repeat!  Did this race the last two years.  The hills are not overly steep just long.  Pace yourself.  What questions do you have?

August 26 2012 -- trailnet sponsors Tour de Wildwood a supported ride in that area. 

I'm headed to Branson next weekend for family time at the lake,  May have to scout the roads for the olympic distance.  A half is still too much for me to bite off.

I'm signed up for Branson too.  This is my first half and first year ever doing triathlons. 
I'm excited, but nervous for the hills!  It's coming up quick!  Hoping to break 6 hours.

Hey guys,

I am training for Branson.  Found this event as well.  It would be great to support this cause and could be some good training.  Any thoughts on going the full 150 miles?  2 weeks before the event, would this be beneficial or hurt me?  Should I just do one day 70 or 80 miles instead of the full event?  

My current mileage per week is about 100-110 miles, with 2x30 mile rides and a 45+ mile ride usually right now. 

http://bikeksg.nationalmssociety.org/site/PageServer?pagename=BIKE_KSG_Ozarks_Ride

So i'm doing the 70.3 race next month, as well...actually 32 days from today, heh.   So I drove the course in april and I'm so glad I did.  It is no joke.  I don't want to scare anyone, that isn't my intention.   It is very hilly.  I would say the first 48 miles is all up and down hills with nothing flat more than a quarter mile in distance.   If you aren't going up a hill you are zooming down one.   I have pushed my mileage up and i'm just going on the hills around ofallon, lake st. louis just north of 70.  Basically I do a combination of extending the alligator creek tri course out to st. paul and even further if I don't want to loop, otherwise I will loop it.    

Also, on thursdays, but I've been fitting it in elsewhere if thursdays don't workout I head to fort zumwalt park which gives a 1 mile loop that has a decent hill, downhill, then steep small uphill, then a minor 'bump' that catches ya off guard...then all downhill till the bottom of the biggest hill again...and repeat.  I've been trying to do this non stop until I just can't do it anymore..then bike home.   This has helped a lot.  It actually has helped me stay in my seat on hills a lot more.   Judging by my alligator creek tri bike portion of the race last weekend I was staying in my seat when other, just as fast, guys were out of the saddle.

I have also been hitting the bike and run during hot days occasionally...not all the time but I throw them in there cause who knows what sept 23rd will be like but I want to be ready.   I've upped my run mileage and bike mileage...my swim is actually beyond the 70.3 distance of 1.2 miles so no worries there....worked a lot to get my swim up and stroke decent.(2009 when I first got in the pool with thoughts of my first tri ever, alligator creek, I was panicing @ 40 yards, heh)   

I'm greatful the run in branson is not a hilly run.   My goal is not to walk on the run.   I do the swim, i do the bike, then run the run      Then next year i'll look at improving myself on the 70.3 distance.   Right now since this is my first 70.3, there are things I'm going to discover for myself...nutrition leading up to, before, and during race...how much did I put into the bike leg and what did my legs feel like after the bike on the run...could I have pushed more on the bike or did I feel like I barely finished the run without walking.   Sorry to ramble in this post so much, I just know it will be challenging in Branson and I want to finish strong, not necessarily fast, if you know what I mean.   

also, I did quartermax so I could experience an open water start for the first time.   It actually was way easier than I thought...again branson will be a much larger group start...but wow, I felt like I was in control on the swim.

good luck all and see ya in that fountain

P.S. Yes, I know I have a whole bunch of incomplete and way too long sentences and I use...way...too...much dot dot dot

If you outpace your fitness on that bike ride you will pay dearly on the run.  It's not a big deal, the "hills" are looong.....if you try to hammer them and you're not used to that much climbing it can be ugly.  Suffice to say that you will see people walking their bikes......lots of them compared to any other race I've done.  It's not a particularly hard bike ride, but you MUST stay within yourself.  The course itself is spectacular.....you get a 4 lane divided highway all to yourself....great pavement!

If it rains....bring flat fixing gear.  Last year there seemed to be someone fixing a flat every couple of miles because it rained hard the night before and the concrete is full of flint, which washes out with big rains....and cuts your tires and tubes.

Oh yeah....if you keep going past the finish chute and straight up the stairs there is a steakhouse with a nice bar.....people will buy you all the beer you want if you just stumble in there with your race gear on.  

I don't know how I know that.

Anyone up for an early Monday morning open water swim? Say like 6:15am?

I'd like to try my wetsuit out before Branson!

Have you been swimming there since the Big Shark sessions ended earlier this summer?