Official IMRacine 70.3 Sign In Thread
Welcome to the Ironman Racine 70.3 Sign In Thread!
Please use this thread to introduce yourself to your fellow teammates, telling us a little bit about you, your goals for the race, etc!
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Welcome to the Ironman Racine 70.3 Sign In Thread!
Please use this thread to introduce yourself to your fellow teammates, telling us a little bit about you, your goals for the race, etc!
Comments
Hi...Bruce Thompson here. I live in northern IL so Racine is only 50 minute drive so I guess that makes me a "local". Racine is a nice course, but it can get hot and humid. The swim in Lake Michigan is a beach start so you actually run about 25 meters into the water that is ankle/knee deep then begin to swim. You swim about 200 meters out to the first buoy, make a right turn and swim parallel to the beach for 1500m. The water here is about 8-10 feet deep and you can see the bottom. You are also far enough out from the beach that you are beyond any breaking waves, but you need to be ready for rolling waves coming from your left. Another right turn heads you back to the beach to the swim out. The water temp is usually high 60s to low 70s..just about perfect for a wetsuit. The waves all depend on the wind that day...could be smooth as glass or 3' waves crashing on the beach. The run to transition is rather long maybe 250 meters. Transition is in a large asphault parking lot.
The bike course starts with a short but very steep hill literally just beyond the mount line so make sure you rack your bike in your climbing gear. You will see people who are grinding up this hill out of the saddle b/c they are in the wrong gear. The rest of the bike course is relatively flat with a few gradual climbs, but nothing like the hills @ IMWI. You can just get aero, and crank out you watts at a steady pace. The course turns a lot so you will have the prevailing western wind in your face, as a cross wind, and behind you during different parts of the race. At the very end of the bike course you come down the same very steep hill you climbed at the start. Beware - the dismount line is right at the bottom of this hill, and lots of people crash each year trying to stop. Just slow down before you descend this hill and take it easy b/c you might have other riders with dismount problems right in front of you. You might give up 3-4 seconds but IMO it is better to be safe here.
The run course is a double loop out & back. Pretty flat...just one hill (from the beach up to the bluff) per loop. But there is NO shade anywhere on this course so be ready to get baked if it is hot and sunny. The finishing chute is great since there is a nice hill on the right side of the chute that serves like a grandstand. It gets packed with people. The side of this hill is a good place for an EN tent or banner to serve as a meeting point. Other tri clubs set up shop here too.
This will be my 2nd time racing Racine 70.3. Last year it was 75*F at the start of the swim & 94*F by the run. I finished in 5:15 and got 2nd in the M 55-59 AG. I'd love to break 5 hours this year, but it all depends on the weather.
My goal for the race is to finish and not have to walk much. I really dont know a time but under 6:30 for sure.
See you in July!!!!
Hi All,
I'm a first-year EN member and this will be my first Racine 70.3 as I train for my first IM at WI. I live in Iowa City, IA. Bruce - thanks for the course/event overview -- it was really helpful. Quick question ... is the wind bad enuf to avoid using a disk wheel. Just curious if you see them historically knowing it all depends on day-of conditions.
Chad
@ Chad... welcome to EN.
It really depends on the wind on race day. I saw lots of disk wheels last year. If you are training with a disk on windy days in Iowa, you probably won't have a problem. If you haven't been training with the disk in the wind, I'd be reluctant to advise you to try it on race day.
Thanks Bruce. I haven't been out with the disk yet so I'll make sure i get some miles in beforehand to feel comfortable or go without!
Hey Racine Group,
After spending all last season on the sideline with some terrible plantar fasciitis, excited to be racing again. Just picked this race at random because my goal is never to do the same race twice!
Bruce, thanks for the heads up on the course!
Hello folks, I am doing Racine for the second time, thisa is also my second year training with EN, however, had some complications (Plantar F...) last season, feeling much better, but have not run so much to heal that. I am hoping for the same lake conditions as last year, and a bit cooler temps. Last year I missed the group pics, so I told Brenda I would be the race captain this year...maybe I'll get in the picture this time. Can anyone let me know where you folks ate last year, was it dinner or lunch? What would you like to do, I personally would prefer lunch so I don't eat too much at night.
Niels Heemskerk
My cell phone is 630-802-1724.
Niels
I'll be there to coach and support the team! Looking forward to it!
A post race dip in Lake MI is a great way to cool and clean off or you can take my cue and dunk yourself Ina barrel of Leinenkugels.
I'd love to join you all this year but my wife is due shortly with #3 so I just can't make it happen. Perhaps I can make it to dinner...let me know when you plan to do it. Racine is a fast course and great for getting a PB.
Cheers,
Matt
Niels
Gretchen: Great to have you on board, I agree with 5 mile road, it hurts when you are in the aerobars, but as many have pointed out, the folks in Racine are soo nice that you forget all about that. Enjoy your first HIM, hope you can join us for lunch in Kenosha on Saturday
Thanks Niels! Can you tell me when and where the lunch is on Saturday? I will try to make it.
Julie: Welcome to the house, come join us for lunch on Saturday at 1PM at Mangia Trattoria in Kenosha, here is the sign-up form so you'll get on the master list for the race:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...yenc#gid=0
Gretchen the lunch is at Mangia Trattoria in Kenosha at 1 PM, please enter your name on this list:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...yenc#gid=0
Niels
Bruce:
hope you enjoy EN, come join us for lunch at Mangia Trattoria in Kenosha on Saturday at 1 PM, and also sign yourself up on the list for the race, that way you'll get all the news.: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...yenc#gid=0
Hello All,
Joe Motz here Cincinnati Ohio. I too am a newbie to both HIM and IM's as well as to EN (joined Oct 2012 to assist in training for IMOO0 Been great really appreciate all the helpful mojo from you vets and well as the mutual transparency shown all the way around. Sorry thought I had signed in sometime back from my phone on this thread but can't find it-again a green horn.
Bruce your write up was especially helpful with course details. Really glad your going to be there to glean more info from other than you are in my age group
Will say hey prior as I know I won't see you again after the gun goes off. Questions
1)on the transitions: are they in a tent separate from the bike rack or should I plan on all at the rack for swim to bike and bike to run similar to a Oly?
2)Self strip of wetsuit or are there assistants?
3) Thanks for advice on wheel covers-was going to rent but I'm now thinking not: have never rode with covers and don't know wind. Wanted to as a test for Wis. Same question on areo helmet-worth it or not at this stage?
Thanks all I'm jacked up to see where I stackup with this race as I assume it will provide a gauge on IMoo. Neil I believe I'm signed up for both lunch and dinner on Sat- look forward to meeting all.
Joe
Joe - There is no tent for transitions. it is just a parking lot. Transition is just like an Oly. Rack your bike and have all your gear there.
Yes , they have wetsuit strippers and a few small plastic baby pools on the way to transition so you can step in them to get the sand off your feet.
The areo helmet is this biggest speed bang for your buck. Get that before a wheel cover, especially if you haven't ridden with a wheel cover before. Don't try it in a race for the first time.
One other thing about the course. You have to walk almost a mile north from transition to the swim start. Some people walk barefoot, but I don't. You may want to bring a very old pair of flip flops or even running shoes that you discard at the swim start. The pavement and sand can get hot and hard even in the early am.
Look forward to meeting you.
4 days before race- Latest intro ever? Doing Racine for second time, gunning for course revenge from 2010.
Looking forward to letting it rip. Good luck to everyone.
2013- Leons; Racine 70.3; IMWI