Ironman 70.3 Racine : Official Thread (Page 13)

FYI - the latest forecast is showing winds from the East at 7mph on Sunday. Will be interesting to see how the lake responds to the cool front approaching this weekend!

A couple of quick questions for someone who has done this race before:

- How far away from transition is parking? I'll be up there by myself before the race start (gf has a wedding night before, might not be there before race start) and may have to run a bike pump back to my car after filling my tires.

- Is there a bag drop for your stuff somewhere, or do you just leave it near the transition area? If I bring a backpack with all my gear to set up transition, does that bag just sit there all day, or can I check it in somewhere for safe-keeping?

- If there isn't a bag drop, will I be able to get away with just keeping my car key in my seat bag and having a chance to run everything extra back to the car before race start? I'm in the 8:08 wave start, so I may have time for that...

- Will I be good to just wear my run gear (shorts and lightweight running t-shirt) over my bike shorts in the morning, and then just take them off when I put the wetsuit on?

- At T2, do we rack our bikes in the same place as before, or do we just hand the bike off to a volunteer and run to change?

- At T1, what do we do with the wetsuit and goggles? Do they just sit on the towel after we change and head out on the bike?

- Hotels.com kind of screwed me on my reservation and I'm now 45 minutes away instead of like 10. If I'm in an 8:08 wave start, do I need to be there exactly at 5 to start getting ready, or will I be good showing up closer to 6? Will parking be a big factor in this decision?

- How detailed is the live timing available online? How often does it mark your progress?

Hey Baumer,

Going to try to answer most of your questions...

Yes parking is tough race morning. Plan for time to find a spot especially if you are going to run back to drop stuff off. You have a late enough start time that you don't need to rush the the start unless you want to watch the pros go off. Someone else can jump in here or it may say in the athelete guide but I think they have a bike tent if you need a pump. There is no bag check.
If your bag is small enough to wad up and tuck under your tire you can do that. If it's large and is getting in the way of your neighbors transition area I would either not bring such a big one or put it back in the car.
Most people shove their wetsuit into their transition spot or hang it over the rack where their bike came off, you see it all. As long as you don't toss it on your neighbors transition area knocking their stuff over or on their bikes should they still be racked you should be good.
I'm not sure on the shorts/shirt question what you are asking and are you changing from tri shorts to running shorts?
Yes you re-rack your bike in T2 in your spot.
Not sure how accurate the live tracker is so someone else might be able to answer that one.
The biggest thing would be getting there early enough that you are comfortable come race start. If you can't find a spot to park and run into transition 5 minutes before it closes... not a good start to the day. It's a personal choice but to me more time in the morning is better than not enough.
Hope this helps. Is this your first half?

Thanks for quick reply and all of the answers. Yes, it is my first HIM and first triathlon period. I ride centuries, so the extremely short bike distances in the shorter events seemed to easy to start with one of those. Flawed logic perhaps, I'll find out on a Sunday...

BaumerS4,

Welcome to the forum. What's your Bib # and wave start?

Cynner

You're welcome! The bike will likely be easier for you then but don't underestimate a run after. Hope this is a great experience for you and you enjoy it all. If you haven't already, please read the athlete guide. The rules are critical to follow for a good race for you and everyone else. It's a different world than century rides and everyone is crazy serious so I wouldnt want you to get caught unprepared for something. Also there are race talks on Saturday at the packet pick up venue you may want to join.

It's finally here!!!

Heading up to Racine in the morning.
Good luck to everyone competing, I'm looking forward to a fun race and some great weather.

Bib 1879. 8:04am wave.

Packing the van and leaving within the hour. Time to turn off the laptop. See you all there!


Matt
Bib #1890, but #1 in your heart.
8:04am Wave

Please see the official statement below in reply to my email to Ironman re: shoes and helmets in transition....

Hi Matt,
Thank you for reaching out! I apologize for the conflicting information provided in the Athlete Guide. Since there are no gear bags, we will allow athletes to clip their shoes into their bikes.

All the Best,


Ann Parks
Coordinator, Athlete Services
World Triathlon Corporation
2701 N. Rocky Point Dr. Suite 1250, Tampa FL 33607
www.ironman.com

Yes, it will be interesting to see how the winds affect the swim. There's a wave height forecast here: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/greatlakes/?c=map&l=lm&p=a&m=wh&z=201307211...

just select the day.... Good luck to everyone this weekend!

Jessica
Bib #778
7:28 AM wave start

Edited by Diesel J 2013-07-19 3:51 PM

Just finished my race-checklist. Going to pack tonight and hit the road early tomorrow.

Also, Dave, Bib #1836, Wave 18!
Giddy up!!

Edited by julio26pt2 2013-07-19 3:52 PM

Safe travels to everyone heading to Racine this weekend!!! If anyone needs ANY information (i.e. restaurants, bars, liquor stores :-) ) at all about the surrounding area, please send me or gordon_mom a PM!!!

Also...as an FYI: anyone coming up from the south on I-94 tonight, be ready for some heavy traffic from the Illinois/Wisconsin state line until about Highway 142. It's down to 2 lanes for our constructions season. Fill up you patience bucket!!

As a reminder, we'll be meeting at the beach concession tomorrow about 10:30 for anyone interesting in doing a group swim.

Parkie,
Thanks so much for the information. Good to know that a bike gear bag won't be required!

Cyndi

Good luck to everyone!!

I'm driving up tomorrow morning. Bib # 542.

Think I forgot to share my bib #.

Bib #258. Wave 7:10 (As they say.....W50-death). :-)

Driving up in the morning myself... Staying near Milwaukee due to Hotels.com issue, anything worth seeing up there while I'm in town? Besides the breweries of course; that would make for a bad before-race-day plan I think...

-Brandon

Bib #1917
Wave Start 8:08

Haven't been on here much this year and haven't really gotten to train much at all since April due to an incredibly busy work season. Should be interesting to see how this goes. Good luck to all

Bill
Bib 2097; 8:12 start
Once in the water, you won't mistake my yellow cap for that of a the Pro men.

Bib #1455. Troy. at salutes downtown "carb" loading now. Lots of blue wrist bands. Start time 7:48. Pink swim cap.

Has anyone been in the lake? What's water temp like?
And good luck all!

Mark #1261 Lucky Wave 13

I got to the water around 9 a.m. this morning and it is cold. I heard someone during the day say it was around 58 this morning, not sure about that but it was cold and I don't believe it was just because my Texas tail end isn't use to cold water. I spoke with a life guard who said the water temp. had dropped over 7 degress in the past two days. Going to go again tomorrow for a little in hopes of acclimating but my 2 15 minute stints this morning did not help much.

That said I'm still pumped up and still getting in the water Sunday morning regardless of how cold it is

Edited by Hunting Triathlete 2013-07-19 9:16 PM

Strong west winds the last two days have pushed the warm surface water out which gets replaced with the cooler deeper water. I wouldn't hope for much more than 60 on race day. The forecast is for wind out of the ESE on race day which could help a little but also means we get to swim into the wind.

Either way it doesn't matter to me. I've been training hard and am ready for whatever the lake throws at us. Bring it on.

Good luck everyone.
Swim start 7:54
Bib 1594

Edited to add that the forecast for Saturday is for the wind to switch to a strong North wind by late morning which typically makes the lake pretty rough so if you're going to swim Saturday I would get it in early.

Edited by Dangerjim71 2013-07-19 9:33 PM

Hey Troy, mine is blue- I'll trade ya after the race, we'll be back in the pool next week!

Ditto, I'll be hoping for some warmer water.

http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/michigan/m61.html

Looks cold to me! Packed the sleeved wetsuit this morning. Driving up for course talk and to drop off my bike after work. 8:00am swim start. Bib #1682. See you all there!

http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/michigan/m61.html

Looks cold to me! Packed the sleeved wetsuit this morning. Driving up for course talk and to drop off my bike after work. 8:00am swim start. Bib #1682. See you all there!

It's going to be a cold, "CHOPPY" swim Hope you all have practiced pushing through breakers. (Dive under/through them)

LMZ645-646-201630-
NORTH POINT LIGHT TO WIND POINT WI-
WIND POINT WI TO WINTHROP HARBOR IL-
334 AM CDT SAT JUL 20 2013

TODAY...NORTH WIND 5 TO 10 KNOTS...VEERING NORTHEAST 10 TO 15

KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 20 KNOTS IN THE AFTERNOON. MOSTLY
SUNNY. WAVES 1 TO 2 FEET BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FEET IN THE AFTERNOON.

TONIGHT...NORTHEAST WIND 10 TO 15 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO AROUND

20 KNOTS. PARTLY CLOUDY. WAVES 2 TO 4 FEET.

SUNDAY...EAST WIND 10 TO 15 KNOTS. PARTLY SUNNY. WAVES 2 TO

4 FEET SUBSIDING TO 1 TO 3 FEET IN THE LATE MORNING AND
AFTERNOON.