HITS--Ocala (Page 4)

I wouldn't worry about the gators.  They're out there, but all of the action and noise will drive them away.

That's what we tell visitors anyway.  Then we keep them in between us locals and the gators. 

I went out to Carney Island today to do some scoping, here's what I found.........

In general the park is in great shape.  The facilities at CI are relatively new and the people out there do a great job of keeping it up.  I've never seen the park look remotely run down and today was no exception.  It looks like they've made some repairs recently so everything is in place.  Here's the park website if you're curious what's there for families.

http://www.marioncountyfl.org/Parks/Pr_Directory/Park_Carney.aspx

Swim:

The water is low.  Lower than last year I'd say.  I saw some sand bars out there that I usually can't see.  Last year was an out and back swim, but this year's maps show a triangle.  Either way, depth comes very gradually in this lake so there's a fair chance you will be able to touch bottom for a lot of the swim course, but you will have plenty of depth of swim in.  The water is very clear and clean.  I put a food thermometer in the water at the end of the docks (about 100ft from shore) and I got 60 degrees.  The path from the swim exit to transition is about 150ish yds.  The grass is in good condition for most of it.  There's a small part that's mostly sand under oak trees right as you come out, but they raked it last year so it was soft and debris free.  Transition is in the boat ramp parking lot so you will have a *short* run through some paved area.  Most of the run is through soft grass.

Bike:

Roads are in good condition, pretty much the same as last year.  I Biked the sprint/oly route.  I've done the Iron distance route before, they're in pretty good shape too.

Run:

I did not run outside the park for the IM and HIM, I just ran the trail.  The path is in good condition, it's basically a well packed single lane dirt road.  It's in good condition.  There a few small places where it's a little soft but there is good grass right next to it if it becomes an issue.  I would say that even with two days of events the trail should be in good shape.  They have the means to drag the trail so they hopefully will.  I ran it a little after 9am and most of the trail was shaded.  I wouldn't skip the sun glasses though.  I saw 4 does and a bunch of turkey.  I was very comfortable running on the surface and maintained my normal pace without any change in effort.

I think that's everything.  I probably forgot to add some things, so if you have a question, ask.  I'm planning on going out there again early next week so I'll dip a thermometer again.

The RD posted on slowtwitch yesterday that there were 450 athletes doing the half and 100 doing the full. So pretty close--regardless, if a gator gets someone, it's a pretty chance it won't be you or me

In all seriousness don't worry about the gators. In fact here is a link to a video about Shark Valley which is a path that leads through the Everglades. You can see in the video that the people including kids walk and bike on the path and the alligators just sit there.

http://www.nps.gov/ever/photosmultimedia/sharkvalley.htm

Not that I would ever want to tangle with one. But like other posters have said with all the swimmers in the water anything in the water is going to get as far away from us as they can.

Wait there's alligators? I'm out! In all seriousness I do OWS in the Atlantic with pretty much 0 visibility I hear there's sharks? Only thing I worry about ever when doing an OWS is jellyfish. Won't have to worry about that in Ocala.

Getting excited for my first race of the season. Wish I had stuck with the half, rebounded from my marathon a lot faster than last year.

I'm signed up for OLY, my second race ever. 

Went out and ran that course this afternoon.  Fokker is on the money with all of his description, though I only saw 3 turkeys and no does.

As for gators, FWIW I grew up duck hunting about 2 hours south of this lake.  When the water was this cold the gators were never out moving around.  Also I've been boating on this lake a few times and haven't seen much of a gator presence.

I did a race in Clermont (1 hour south) last Sunday AM on a lake that's mostly a state park (few homes/boats, just natural lake) and there were zero gators. 

I swam in the lake this afternoon. It was pleasant, but a little chilly. I wore a sleeveless wetsuit and a silicone cap. I think I will return my neoprene cap. It wasn't necessary--especially if the lake is going to be warming up a little more this week. We were swimming past where I was told the staging area for the swim would be and there were parts that were still not even knee deep.

FWIW, my husband swam without a wetsuit and wasn't that cold. There were people there swimming for pleasure after BBQing also. Granted, it was 80 degrees out, but still. 

It was a big mental confidence boost for me since I was expecting to be very cold. It definitely didn't take my breath away. 

That's great to hear. 

Yes, that's the norm here.  The only catch here is that the forecast is for rain overnight.  Whatever is coming through may pass in the night time and we'll get what's left in the morning.

Like others have said though, it's way too early to tell.

I live a bit more than an hour from Ocala. Woke up to rain. 

Went out to the lake again today.  I got a water temp of 64F at about 1030 this morning.  I went out for a swim, water's pretty nice.  Wind was blowing across the lake to make some small waves, nothing major, just a bit wavier than a pool.  You can touch bottom for at least 150yds or so from shore.  I don't see the water temp changing much since it's going to be cooler than expected this week and a fair amount of clouds.

My wife ran the trail today while I was in the water.  She rarely runs on unpaved surfaces and she gave me the same assessment I gave you guys the other day.  We've had a little bit of rain, but it sounds like the trail is holding firm.

http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/hdfForecast?query=34480&MR=1

These guys are usually pretty accurate.  They say it will hold off until the afternoon which is typical for this area.

Great updates Jim. Thanks

Holy buckets! Just looked at Sat's forecast. High of 91? That's gonna be interesting. 

Wunderground, accuweather and NOAA all show a high of 81F.  Where are you seeing 91F?

Not sure who that is that's quoting 91F, but NOAA, accuweather and wunderground say 81F, weather.com says 82F.

91F is a pretty huge outlier, wherever you're getting that from.  Not sayin' it couldn't happen, but it seems unlikely.  It doesn't really matter, it's gonna be what it's gonna be....I've run/ridden in hotter/colder.

KateTri1 - 2013-03-21 8:19 AM

danimal123 - 2013-03-21 9:01 AM

Wunderground, accuweather and NOAA all show a high of 81F.  Where are you seeing 91F?

 

KateTri1 - 2013-03-21 7:43 AM

Great updates Jim. Thanks

Holy buckets! Just looked at Sat's forecast. High of 91? That's gonna be interesting. 

Saturday

91 | 63 °F

Chance of T-storms

30% chance of precipitation

 

81 sounds more reasonable though.. 

 

danimal123 - 2013-03-21 9:32 AM

Not sure who that is that's quoting 91F, but NOAA, accuweather and wunderground say 81F, weather.com says 82F.

91F is a pretty huge outlier, wherever you're getting that from.  Not sayin' it couldn't happen, but it seems unlikely.  It doesn't really matter, it's gonna be what it's gonna be....I've run/ridden in hotter/colder.

 

KateTri1 - 2013-03-21 8:19 AM

danimal123 - 2013-03-21 9:01 AM

Wunderground, accuweather and NOAA all show a high of 81F.  Where are you seeing 91F?

 

KateTri1 - 2013-03-21 7:43 AM

Great updates Jim. Thanks

Holy buckets! Just looked at Sat's forecast. High of 91? That's gonna be interesting. 

Saturday

91 | 63 °F

Chance of T-storms

30% chance of precipitation

 

81 sounds more reasonable though.. 

 

I got that number from the website Fokker listed above... Agreed, on what you are saying.. but that's hot!