Galena Triathlon

I am!

Coming up after Wildflower to be with my girlfriend who lives in Chicago...so I'll be there!

Not this time. I signed up for a bike event series this year, and the first one is on the same day.

Dusty, you should do well here if you know not to expect the typical Illinois flatness. Usually get a number of strong age-groupers at this one.

Thanks...totally new to racing out there but coming off Wildflower, I'm sure I'll be prepared for any hills they'll throw at me. Just planning to have fun really....not too serious about this one. At least I say that till the gun goes off

Haha, that should be a nice warm-up race! Good luck with it. This one will be roller coaster hills the first half of the bike. ~1 mile climb up in the second with a lot of downhill after. Lots of up & down on the run with Nasty Grade Light coming right away.

So for anyone else looking to do this, yes, train for hills. Know how to carry speed into and out of them along with managing your effort.

Got that email too, so took a look. What they did for the bike was cut out from that monster downhill, where we were hitting 47 or so. Everything before that is the same. Don't know what the new section looks like though. Looks like you'll have to run down that big hill and then follow the old bike route to the same finish line. Wonder if it was too much commotion for the area? What I really don't like is that now T1, T2 and the finish are all separate. And none are easy walking distance from each other. Be interesting to hear how they handle logistics with the busses. 

Yeah, I saw that.  And basically, nothing is in the same place. So now they will have the finish line and I'm assuming post race party, but then they are going to have to bus everyone to T2 so they can get their bike.  So now it is everywhere. 

I'm really hope they change it back when I think I can do it next year.  If not, I'm not doing it.  It is already quite difficult for family to watch.  My wife now no longer goes to the swim start and just hangs out at the lodge and watches everyone come in off the bike and go out and back in on the run.  Well, now she would only see the finish line. 

I really have to wonder why they did this.  It either has to be safety, or the Territory complained about how it was shut down and they did this to alleviate any issues.  Either way, I'm glad I'm not doing it this year. 

I will be interested to hear your feedback.  Have you done it before?

Just checked out their facebook page and they are claiming it is due to the intersection of Wachter Road and Eagle Ridge Road?  Sorry, but I've never had, nor seen an issue there.  At least not because of cars.  I've had to scream at a few spectators for having their heads up their butts and stepping out in front of cyclists.  But not cars.

I did it last year. Can't this year because the Arcadia Brute ride is the same day.

I don't see a safety issue at that immediate intersection. It's uphill going into it. However, I picked up some serious speed wobble on the downhill just before it. Went over 40 on that one, as well as the big one a couple miles earlier. Also could be having the runners and cyclists going against each other? The bike section cut out was really fast. I was ~30 or better pretty much the whole section. These shouldn't be an issue, but who knows.

In looking at it from traffic, that part is shut down for the duration of the event, but I don't know how opening it really changes anything. Right there at least, because it would be that entire section of Wachter that would be affected, up to Territory Ln. There are people in there that would be virtually stuck for awhile.

I know what you mean on that hill.  I popped 47 last year going down it.  And almost hit 40 the year before when it was raining.  Definitely feathering the brakes that year.  But that is the course.  And frankly, there are a few hills in the first 1/2 of the course that you can go just as fast.  If you can't handle speed, then sit up and brake.  I just can't see it. 

And as to the notification, the people that live there know about it WELL in advance.

Hell I don't know.  I just can't wrap my head around it.  And frankly, last year was the first year in 4 years they HADN'T changed something with the course.  They screw with it every year.  Mainly the run, but now the run AND bike.  I don't get it.

I really wish I could have done Galena this year.  I only live in Sterling which is around an hour SE of there.  Really once you go north of Sterling it starts to get hilly very quick.  There are two or three guys from here in town that are planning on doing Galena.  If only I didn't have to work or had more vacation days...

On a side note I love the town of Galena.  Hopefully the weather is cooperating for all of you who do the race so that once it's done you can enjoy the atmosphere there and drink some wine and eat some good food.  There is a burger joint down there in town that has all sorts of kinds of burgers and they are one of the best tasteing imo.  Can't think of what it's called but it's towards the Gate side of town.

The only reason I am doing this race this year is because I already pre-paid my hotel.  This new course change is pretty much ridiculous.  I am just gonna tell the wife and kids to stay at the hotel pool and just come pick me up around my expected finish time and then we can spend an hour or two driving all over galena picking up my gear.

This will be my fourth year at this race and I think they have changed the course every year.  I don't think many people have caught on to this change yet as there hasn't been much talk... or maybe people really don't care haha.  But for me it is a game changer and will definitely make me stay away next year if the course stays the same.