General Discussion Triathlon Talk » It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!! Rss Feed  
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2012-11-16 1:24 PM

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Subject: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!
I am in!


2012-11-17 9:32 AM
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Subject: RE: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!

This might be my IMLP tuneup race. Timing is perfect.

eta: Pulled the trigger. I'm registered. Like mbbrad I am (almost) baaaak!!



Edited by BrianRunsPhilly 2012-11-17 9:48 AM
2012-11-19 6:49 AM
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Subject: RE: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!
Oh wow - really?? BB was my first half - would love to do it again!!

ETA - I wonder why only 300 slots for the half??


Edited by jsnowash 2012-11-19 6:50 AM
2012-11-19 5:43 PM
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Subject: RE: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!
So, any idea about the bike course in the hush-hush thread? 
2012-11-21 7:29 AM
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Subject: RE: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!
BrianRunsPhilly - 2012-11-17 10:32 AM

This might be my IMLP tuneup race. Timing is perfect.

eta: Pulled the trigger. I'm registered. Like mbbrad I am (almost) baaaak!!

I registered and this is also my IMLP tuneup race.  Anyone have any details on the bike course? I'm assuming it's tough, just wondering how tough.

Thanks.

2012-11-21 7:40 AM
in reply to: #4505809

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Subject: RE: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!

Go out and do lots of hill work around Blacksburg/Christiansburg area and you should be ready for it.  The terrain is comparable.

ETA:  I'm doing the Oly as my first at that distance.  All the race reports I have read about it say the bike course is "challenging".



Edited by leatherneckpa 2012-11-21 7:41 AM


2012-11-21 8:01 AM
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Subject: RE: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!
leatherneckpa - 2012-11-21 8:40 AM

Go out and do lots of hill work around Blacksburg/Christiansburg area and you should be ready for it.  The terrain is comparable.

ETA:  I'm doing the Oly as my first at that distance.  All the race reports I have read about it say the bike course is "challenging".

Thanks.  I am fortunate that I'm surrounded by hills here - should help me get ready for Black Bear.  My target race for 2013 is IMLP - this should be a great one to do prior to that.

I am not a very strong hill climber.  That's either going to change or I am going to be in serious trouble next year!

 

2012-11-21 8:13 AM
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Subject: RE: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!
mdalsey - 2012-11-21 8:29 AM
BrianRunsPhilly - 2012-11-17 10:32 AM

This might be my IMLP tuneup race. Timing is perfect.

eta: Pulled the trigger. I'm registered. Like mbbrad I am (almost) baaaak!!

I registered and this is also my IMLP tuneup race.  Anyone have any details on the bike course? I'm assuming it's tough, just wondering how tough.

Thanks.

Tougher than Placid

2013-05-14 8:17 AM
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Subject: RE: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!

Can't believe this race is almost here.

On the main website, it says that there's a pre-race meeting at 3pm on Saturday.  In the Athlete's Guide document, it says there are pre-race meetings at 10am & 2pm.   Anyone know which is correct?

Also, does anyone know the current water temp? I know its cold, just not sure how cold.

Thanks.

Mike

2013-05-14 9:07 AM
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Subject: RE: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!
mdalsey - 2013-05-14 9:17 AM

On the main website, it says that there's a pre-race meeting at 3pm on Saturday.  In the Athlete's Guide document, it says there are pre-race meetings at 10am & 2pm.   Anyone know which is correct?

I sent them an email - they responded that the website is correct, so the pre-race meeting is at 3.  They are going to be revising the Athlete Guide and sending out an update.

2013-05-14 2:03 PM
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Subject: RE: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!
Major setbacks in training do to illness have lead to a DNS for me this year. Not happy, but at least I'm getting back to regular training. Hope everyone has a great day!


2013-05-14 2:51 PM
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Subject: RE: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!
The Black Bear Triathlon facebook page just posted 64 degrees for water temp.  That is much, much better than I had feared.
2013-05-14 4:35 PM
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Subject: RE: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!
mdalsey - 2013-05-14 3:51 PMThe Black Bear Triathlon facebook page just posted 64 degrees for water temp.  That is much, much better than I had feared.
Especially since the USGS monitoring station has been reporting 51-54!
2013-05-20 8:49 AM
in reply to: BrianRunsPhilly

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Subject: RE: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!

So how did everybody do?

I had a good swim and bike. Water temp 63 made it hard on my catch. The run was another story. Start of the second loop my feet were kill me. I did not realize the run course was so much rocky trail. Lessons learned know the course. It really would have not made much of a difference. Me running on rock is hard on my feet.
2013-05-20 9:16 AM
in reply to: tasr

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Subject: RE: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!
Great to see you James!

As you know, I had basically the reverse of you. Swim was fine until last 50m or so, when both calves locked up on me. Turned the end of the swim into an adventure and T1 into a 15-20min ordeal. Surprisingly, was able to collect myself and go onto a decent bike-run. Feet are a little sore today for the same reason you mentioned. Other parts (esp. calves) are even more sore, though.
2013-05-20 9:52 AM
in reply to: JohnnyKay

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Subject: RE: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!
Wasn't my best day. I got vertigo during the swim and stopped twice to recover. Never had that happen before, maybe water temperature had something to do with it? Bike was about what I expected given my swim/run focus up until two weeks ago. Run I expected problems as I'm still dealing with a hamstring pull that happened at Boston, so I took it slow and walked the hill up by the dam.

It was my first half, I finished, and I don't feel that bad today. My coach wanted me to treat this as a long training day rather than going all out and either getting injured or missing a week of LP training. So I did what I was told. The good news is I have nutrition worked out for LP, I got to practice water bottle exchange twice, and my first HIM is on the books.

My friend who I drove up was 4th OA and 1st in her AG. We celebrated with cookies and Starbucks on the drive home. Boy it tasted good.


2013-05-20 10:07 AM
in reply to: BrianRunsPhilly

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Subject: RE: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!
There is no shame at all walking up that "hill" (more like an inclined wall!) by the dam. I walked it both times until it turned to the left (walked the steepest part of a short hill section in the woods on the second loop, too).

Congrats on your first HIM finish! And at Black Bear, no less. Definitely on the list of tougher courses out there. And the cold water added to things. I'm thinking that certainly helped in causing my cramping. Certainly wasn't dehydration or electrolyte imbalance at that stage.
2013-05-20 12:04 PM
in reply to: JohnnyKay

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Subject: RE: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!
Thanks. I swear they advertized a flat run course

Whatever my time was, the fact that I toughed it out under lousy conditions was good for moving into the heaviest part of the training schedule for LP.
Three of my friends DNF'd at races yesterday, two of them are elite athletes, the third is a very experienced AG'er. I feel like a bull today. Or maybe a mule

What a crazy sport.
2013-05-20 4:25 PM
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Subject: RE: It's baaaaaack... Black Bear Half!!!
Great job by all in less than ideal conditions.

I had a good race in the half, very happy with 2nd in my AG. Good swim, good run (except for the mini cliff at the bottom of the dam). Lots of hill + lots of turns + wet pavement + me not being a very strong ride + me being very cautious on the bike = a pretty mediocre bike ride. But all things considered, I am happy with this as a stepping stone to IMLP in (gulp) less than 10 weeks.

Edited by mdalsey 2013-05-20 4:25 PM
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