login
Training on the Silver Comet
-
No new posts
 2012-09-10 12:12 PM |
Expert  1164    Roswell, GA |  Subject: Training on the Silver CometJust a simple question: how does the Silver Comet compare to the bike course at IMFL in terms of elevation? Ive been doing a lot of my long rides there (bleh) in order to prep for flat roads and steady efforts and was curious about the flatness of both. Would you say IMFL is flatter or hillier? Or about the same? Or maybe I am just grasping at straws here  |
| 2012-09-10 12:50 PM in reply to: #4403659 |
Extreme Veteran 441 Roswell, GA | Subject: RE: Training on the Silver Comet The SCT has significantly more total climbing than IMFL. There are looong stretches of the IMFL ride that are completely flat while there are very few on the SCT. The grade on the SCT, however, is generally slight enough that it equates reasonably well and is the best place to ride if you want to simulate IMFL. The "bleh" factor also helps you to prepare. Once you get away from the beach road the ride down there makes the SCT seem fascinating. |
| 2012-09-10 1:06 PM in reply to: #4403766 |
Expert 1164 Roswell, GA | Subject: RE: Training on the Silver Comet The SCT has significantly more total climbing than IMFL. Thats what I like to hear! Once you get away from the beach road the ride down there makes the SCT seem fascinating. Thats what I don't like to hear... |
| 2012-09-11 9:26 AM in reply to: #4403659 |
Veteran 225 Decatur GA | Subject: RE: Training on the Silver Comet agree with above...but someone warned me wisely before the race last year that there were some hilly"ish" sections on the eastside so don't be surprised...of course my garmin wasn't working so I don't have the ascent info for you. you'll crush it! |
| 2012-09-11 11:00 AM in reply to: #4405328 |
Veteran 347 Atlanta | Subject: RE: Training on the Silver Comet I road the course 2 weekends ago and there one "hilly" section between mile 60-70. There like 4 or 5 rollers. But that's about it the rest I would consider relatively flat. |
| 2012-09-11 11:55 AM in reply to: #4403659 |
Extreme Veteran 547 Atlanta | Subject: RE: Training on the Silver Comet Look them up on mapmyride or something. (I did for B2B, and have a similar situation). My 80 miler on the comet was almost 1800 ft. climbing. From what I can tell, IMFL's bike course is around 950. (B2B is like 850). So signigicantly less I'd say. You'll do great! |
| 2012-09-11 12:34 PM in reply to: #4405750 |
Expert 1164 Roswell, GA | Subject: RE: Training on the Silver Comet jessica71980 - 2012-09-11 12:55 PM Look them up on mapmyride or something. (I did for B2B, and have a similar situation). My 80 miler on the comet was almost 1800 ft. climbing. From what I can tell, IMFL's bike course is around 950. (B2B is like 850). So signigicantly less I'd say. You'll do great! 1800? Thats crazy to imagine. I already think the Silver Comet is pancake flat as it is, without even looking at IMFL. I know FL is not easy necessarily, but it will be nice going from riding up in Milton/Alpharetta all the time, and doing IM Louisville and CdA to something with less climbing. |
| 2012-09-11 12:41 PM in reply to: #4403659 |
Expert 1164 Roswell, GA | Subject: RE: Training on the Silver Comet Oh, also I average 20mph on the comet, including having to stop at the road intersections. (did 80 miles in less than 4 hours on Sunday) This is about at a 75% FTP effort (high z2-low z3). So I take it, other things equal, my speed should be a tad faster in FL? Its 50 days, I'm thinking too much about it :P Edited by 15step 2012-09-11 12:42 PM |
| 2012-09-11 2:45 PM in reply to: #4405855 |
| New user 170 | Subject: RE: Training on the Silver Comet 15step - 2012-09-11 12:34 PM jessica71980 - 2012-09-11 12:55 PM Look them up on mapmyride or something. (I did for B2B, and have a similar situation). My 80 miler on the comet was almost 1800 ft. climbing. From what I can tell, IMFL's bike course is around 950. (B2B is like 850). So signigicantly less I'd say. You'll do great! 1800? Thats crazy to imagine. I already think the Silver Comet is pancake flat as it is, without even looking at IMFL. I know FL is not easy necessarily, but it will be nice going from riding up in Milton/Alpharetta all the time, and doing IM Louisville and CdA to something with less climbing. It's not flat. There are inclines and declines versus uphill and downhill, but it's definitely not flat. Here are a couple of segments with elevation: http://pathfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/1-highland-shopping-to-floyd-rd.pdf http://pathfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/3-new-macland-rd-to-hiram.pdf MapMyRun shows little differences in that, but esentially the same thing, not flat but no steep sections either. |
| 2012-09-11 2:51 PM in reply to: #4405871 |
| New user 170 | Subject: RE: Training on the Silver Comet 15step - 2012-09-11 12:41 PM Oh, also I average 20mph on the comet, including having to stop at the road intersections. (did 80 miles in less than 4 hours on Sunday) This is about at a 75% FTP effort (high z2-low z3). So I take it, other things equal, my speed should be a tad faster in FL? Its 50 days, I'm thinking too much about it :P Probably. I definitely rode faster on my sprint tri last weekend, but it was even flatter than the SCT (or it seemed so) and I was holding around 90% on the HRM, which is higher than I normally ride on the SCT. It was a race and I had people to chase. YMMV |
| 2012-09-11 3:34 PM in reply to: #4403659 |
Regular 107 | Subject: RE: Training on the Silver Comet I also rode the course with Chris a couple of weekends ago. The back part of the course is not flat. What I learned from riding the course is that I need to mix in some longer rides at Silk Sheets to prepare for the back part of the course. |
| 2012-09-13 7:15 AM in reply to: #4403659 |
Expert 1143 Wellington, Florida | Subject: RE: Training on the Silver Comet I have been thinking about doing some prep rides on the comet. Where is the best p[lace to put in? I live in newnan and would drive up. Like the thought of a flater ride compare to the constant rollers here in Newnan, was great prep for IMLOU last year but want to gget some flat rides in before IMFL...any info, thx. |
| 2012-09-13 7:51 AM in reply to: #4408914 |
Extreme Veteran 441 Roswell, GA | Subject: RE: Training on the Silver Comet The Cube - 2012-09-13 8:15 AM I have been thinking about doing some prep rides on the comet. Where is the best p[lace to put in? I live in newnan and would drive up. Like the thought of a flater ride compare to the constant rollers here in Newnan, was great prep for IMLOU last year but want to gget some flat rides in before IMFL...any info, thx. It depends on what day you ride. On the weekends, the trail is very busy with strollers, walkers, kids, etc. for the first 6 miles or so. I usually go out to Florence Rd (MP 11.2) and head west. There will be a little congestion at Hiram (MP 14.6) but otherwise you should be able to fly. It is never actually flat but the grade is light enough that you will be able to stay in your big ring the whole time. On weekdays you can put in anywhere and the trail won't be terribly crowded except right after work. There is water at MP 0, 4.2, 11.2, 14.6 (at the red-roofed building off the trail), 20, and 37. |
| 2012-09-13 8:07 AM in reply to: #4403659 |
Expert 614 Atlanta, GA | Subject: RE: Training on the Silver Comet I start at the bicycle shop on Floyd rd (mile marker 4). Since I've got 15-20 minutes of warm up I take it easy out to mile 8-10 and then I can start the workout. There's subtle grade changes throughout and brushy mtn area before rockmart is a noticable slight uphill segment. It's pretty fast though |
| 2012-09-13 1:54 PM in reply to: #4405871 |
Master 2021 Alpharetta, GA | Subject: RE: Training on the Silver Comet 15step - 2012-09-11 1:41 PM Oh, also I average 20mph on the comet, including having to stop at the road intersections. (did 80 miles in less than 4 hours on Sunday) This is about at a 75% FTP effort (high z2-low z3). So I take it, other things equal, my speed should be a tad faster in FL? Its 50 days, I'm thinking too much about it :P It is difficult to answer your question. The SCT is mind numbingly boring, and IMFL has so much going on (e.g. drafting, refs, trying not to get a card, pacing, etc.) that it is difficult to pay that much attention and there is much more important things to pay attention to. By and large, the first 60 miles are flat with a bridge crossing around mile 11 (e.g. an actual hill). The stretch between mile 50 and 60 (5 mile out and back, first mat is right after you pull a 180 on this section) is super rough due to cracks in the road. It does not matter where you ride, right, center, left, it is super rough. Between 60-100 you will get into rollers, and a few flat sections (the second out & back is pancake flat), etc, but nothing you should be worried about. Back over the bridge at mile 101-102, and basically flat back to T2. To answer your question above, IMO, your rides at the SCT should be much faster than at IMFL. You should be riding much harder than you plan to at IMFL, since you are not running a marathon after the SCT rides. That being said, all of this depends on what the wind is doing that day. If you have a headwind in the first 50 miles, that is going to be a completely different ride vs having a headwind in the final 50 miles. The wind is your X-factor. Be smart, and pace accordingly. |
|
|
|
View profile
Add to friends
Go to training log
Go to race log
Send a message
View album
CONNECT WITH FACEBOOK