The plan for the afternoon today was to get some video footage for My Athlete of me riding and wearing the g-unit. I rode a fair part of the ironman course here and here's my take:
It's a very fair course, similar in terrain to southern Connecticut with lots of bumps, or short hills, one after another. This type of course is a strength course and you need to have your cycling fitness behind you coming into this race. If you are fit, you can roll over these bumps early on in the race keeping your heart rate under control and the lactic acid at bay and save the effort for the latter part of the ride and run. If you are lacking cycling base and strength, this course will eat you up.
The course is a lollipop - you ride out to a loop that you do twice then return on the same roads you rode out on. it offers up some nice farmland scenery, with lots of cornfields and meadows. Today was beautiful with sunny skies and fluffy white clouds rolling through. During a race, I could really care less what scenery there is on a course. Personally, it doesn't make a difference - I'm more focused on the race. In Hawaii or Lake Placid, I'll take in the views occasionally but it isn't something I need on race day.
Pro's of this course: as i said, it's an honest course for a strength athlete. It's definitely a challenging course. This course is a nice medium between Florida's and LP's bike courses.
Con's: too many roads on the out and back section to the loop, and the road surface isn't great. There are lots of cracks and splits in the pavement.
I had a few people yell from their cars at me; "save it for tomorrow!" I always get a laugh out of this when I spectate an IM race and I'm out training the day before. People are too concerned with others. Maybe it eases their pre race nerves a bit.
Should be fun watching this race tomorrow. It's supposed to be another nice day.
Time for Sushi.
Cheers,
EH
2 comments:
I heard you call my name when I went up the hill by the school. That was nice. Myathlete wasn't working during my bike -- user error -- I was sure I didn't engage the battery when I checked in my stuff the day before, but alas, I had. I think it was when I showed Mike how to put the battery in backwards that I actually then put mine in the right way. I realized it in the morning, but since my number was attached to the belt and I had another battery in my run gear bag, I wore it anyway and then I switched batteries for the run. Mike's mom was tracking us from Vermont and she was so worried about me because, as she said "your green square just didn't move." It was a long day and I finished! Mary P.
Congratulations Mary!
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