Challenge USA Aqua-bike?

John Bayone

For 2014 I am registered for and am planning on racing IMLP on July 27th, and attending Patrick's training camp weekend 6 weeks before on June (12-15th).

My question is, I live in NJ and the Challenge USA event, (June 29th) in Atlantic City NJ is a little more than an hour south of where I live.  They have added an aqua bike option for their event for $350.  It is 4 weeks before IMLP and I am not sure if there is any real benefit to doing this, since the bike course is totally flat and as a race rehearsal for IMLP the temptation would be to go to hard on the bike since I would not be running afterwards.  While it would be an opportunity to gain some more experience, I am just do not think it fits into my overall plan for IMLP.  Would the better choice to skip it and totally stick to the training plan at that time just a month before IMLP? (skipping it is what I am leaning towards) 

Any Suggestions you may have would be great.

Thank you.

 

 

Gaudir8

Stick to the original game plan JB. It will be more beneficial.

Coach Rich

Posted By John Bayone on 18 Dec 2013 11:05 AM

For 2014 I am registered for and am planning on racing IMLP on July 27th, and attending Patrick's training camp weekend 6 weeks before on June (12-15th).

My question is, I live in NJ and the Challenge USA event, (June 29th) in Atlantic City NJ is a little more than an hour south of where I live.  They have added an aqua bike option for their event for $350.  It is 4 weeks before IMLP and I am not sure if there is any real benefit to doing this, since the bike course is totally flat and as a race rehearsal for IMLP the temptation would be to go to hard on the bike since I would not be running afterwards.  While it would be an opportunity to gain some more experience, I am just do not think it fits into my overall plan for IMLP.  Would the better choice to skip it and totally stick to the training plan at that time just a month before IMLP? (skipping it is what I am leaning towards) 

Any Suggestions you may have would be great.

Thank you.

 

 

If you were to do it, I recommend you hammer it vs doing it as a race rehearsal. 4wks of plenty of time and it would be a great training session...but expensive. $350 is a lot for an event that you could probably duplicate on your end. 

Short answer, I don't really have a con opinion of this, regarding distance, timing, etc, other than the cost. 

Paul Hough

$350 is high. I've done the GFT aquabike + 6 mile transition run on my own twice as race prep for upcoming ironman races. In 2014, I intend to do the GFT aquabike + transition run as RR2 --- two weeks before IMFL. With 4 weeks, I like Rich's suggestion to HAMMER it. GFT aquabike will cost me about $225 plus a hotel night, but it is the only way I can get in a real swim with competitors, and actual competition on the ride with catered water stops. Well worth it in my opinion, since there is no way for me to replicate the OWS portion within minutes of my ride.

John Bayone

Thanks guys for the advice. I think I might hold off on it....and just focus on LP and save a couple bucks for something else.

John Withrow

John- my timeframe is a little different as I'm doing IMMT instead. But I signed up for Challenge AC as a relay. It's 6 weeks before IMMT. I am just doing the bike leg. I plan to hammer the whole time and really try to see if I can do 112 miles at an IF somewhere in the 80's. I hope to make this a "could" bike split that will give me a lot more confidence to ride a 0.72 or 0.73 at IMMT as a "should" bike split as compared to the 0.67 I hit last yr at IMLP. I plan to then do my first RR the following weekend at the EN IMMT camp. It is a lot of $$, but I think it might be very helpful to do it and test one of your boundaries, then do your final RR the following week. Bonus that you also get an extra 2.4mi OW swim in. And yes it is flat, but remember, you're not running afterwards. Should be a fast bike course. And should also be a lot of fun!

Coach Rich

Posted By John Withrow on 19 Dec 2013 06:11 AM


John- my timeframe is a little different as I'm doing IMMT instead. But I signed up for Challenge AC as a relay. It's 6 weeks before IMMT. I am just doing the bike leg. I plan to hammer the whole time and really try to see if I can do 112 miles at an IF somewhere in the 80's. I hope to make this a "could" bike split that will give me a lot more confidence to ride a 0.72 or 0.73 at IMMT as a "should" bike split as compared to the 0.67 I hit last yr at IMLP. I plan to then do my first RR the following weekend at the EN IMMT camp. It is a lot of $$, but I think it might be very helpful to do it and test one of your boundaries, then do your final RR the following week. Bonus that you also get an extra 2.4mi OW swim in. And yes it is flat, but remember, you're not running afterwards. Should be a fast bike course. And should also be a lot of fun!

We are soooooo gonna place some bets on your bike split .

John Bayone

Thanks John,
I like the idea of just doing it and seeing what the "could" would be. Part of my thought was if the weather was gonna be nice that weekend, i could go to Placid for the weekend and ride there for a couple of days. Sounds like either way in the big picture... it shouldn't hurt me to race that event.

Thanks again.