2014 IM Louisville Official Introductory Thread

Brenda Ross

Welcome to the IM Louisville 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!

Michael Johnson

Hello. This will be my 14th IM. Will do IMTX first. It will be my 4th IMLOU. Goal: 11:xx 

Michael Johnson

Hello. This will be my 14th IM. Will do IMTX first. It will be my 4th IMLOU. Goal: 11:xx 

Mark Lane

This will be my first full IM! I'm sure I'll have a million questions for you experienced folks. Goal- Finish

froggy97

Hi, I finished Louisville last year (my first IM) in 14:06.  This year my goal is to finish under 13 hours. Before the race last year, I saw Patrick's 4 keys talk about Louisville on youtube and decided to join the team in Nov. 

Good luck everybody!

 

jgsakelaris

Heading back for my third IMLOU after a year away doing IMCOZ.  I was there in 2011 when the weather was perfect and again in 2012 when it was HOT.  Maybe with some luck we will have milder temps this year.  Either way I'm looking forward to the finish on 4th Street Live!  

Barbara Spitler

Hi everyone! I have wandered back to EN participation, though I never really left. I am currently signed up to do Steelhead, but am leaning towards another attempt at IMLOU. A couple of you may remember that I did it in 2010 when it was the usual 'ungodly hot', and participants were dropping like flies. Michael, I do remember you there, that year. Anyways, because of some mistakes on my part (trusting a volunteer to my nutrition and glasses) I had to bike in prescription swim goggles with none of my Infinit nutrition. After 73 miles on the bike, I dropped out. I have heard some chatter on Facebook, that this might be the last year for IMLOU, atleast as a full IM. Some talk has it going to 70.3 after this year. As you can see, I have unfinished business there. Do any of you know the future of this race? Feeling that I better do it this year, before I lose any chance at redemption!

dmatthewfoster

Hi All:

New member here from Nashville, TN. I'm planning on being at Louisville this summer. It'll be my first Ironman. Excited for the course, a little nervous about the temperature. But at least we know what the weather will be - no guessing involved!

I live in Nashville, which is about 2.5 hours away. I'm planning to drive up there a couple of times over the next couple of months to ride and run the course. If anyone either (a) wants to join me, or (b) has done this before and has suggestions, please let me know or post here.

I may go up there in the next month or so to start recon. But I'm also planning to go up in May or June. I'll take my family and make a weekend of it - maybe enjoy some racing at Churchhill Downs!

Thanks, and happy training!

Matt

froggy97

Matt, a local tri club (IAMTRI.COM) puts on their own training days at Louisville. I went to a couple last year and it was great. They have aid stations setup and it only cost about $10. They also have a swim practice at the swim start, and organized runs on Sundays. IAMTRI is where I found out about EN.

Here is the 2014 page, they haven't released the training days yet
http://iamtri.com/group/ironman-louisville-2014

2013 page for reference
http://iamtri.com/group/ironman-louisville-2013

they have a Facebook page also
https://www.facebook.com/groups/214640271993540/

rosenmank

Hi all,

New member here from Minnesota! I attempted IM Arizona in 2008 but bonked on the run due to poor nutrition. So hopefully this IM will have a better ending than the last!

Karla

Barbara Spitler

Welcome Karla!  Yes, Bob Baney, of the Louisville Tri Sharks, puts on these training weekends.  I have gone to many.  He is a volunteer, and does this out of the kindness of his heart.  They are awesome opportunities to check out the swim, bike, and run.  He acts as sag wagon as well!  I highly recommend you take advantage of these training days.  If you do not ride hills where you live, you better find someplace that has them.  Louisville bike course is NO JOKE! 

rosenmank

How does this forum/thread relate to the IM Louisville Group?

dmatthewfoster

Hi Karla:

I'm a new member as well and will be at Louisville. It'll be my first ironman. I think this thread is for folks who will be there, to swap information, etc.

I saw these tentative training dates on iamtri.com:

Saturday 04/26 60/80 bike (no swim; Likely will meet up in Prospect, KY for start due to Derby Festival activities downtown)

Saturday 05/31 60/80/112 bike (swim TBD, water temp dependent)

Saturday 06/14 swim + 60/80/112 bike

Sat 06/28, Sun 06/29 Sat swim and 60/80/112 bike, Sun 10-15 mile run *

Sat 07/19, Sun 07/20 Sat swim and 60/80/112 bike, Sun 10-15 mile run *

Sat 08/09, Sun 08/10  Sat swim and 60/80 bike, Sun 10-15 mile run *

I am planning on going to at least one or two of these weekends since I live so close. I'm also going to check the Churchill Downs racing schedule to see if I can make the weekends "work and play" trips and bring my wife.

Matt

DW85614

New EN member. Third time BETTER BE THE ONE!!! Didn't drown at IM St George 2012 (highly unusual 4-6' waves unexpected wind storm - was it the Super Full Moon!?) swam 2H++ pulled out of the water along with several hundred others - it was an ugly day... IM Louisville 2012 finished in 17:15 - too darned determined to quit... back in 2014 for unfinished business. Even better yet, this year my UBER SHERPA daughter (now 18) will be doing IM Louisville 2014 with me - well she will likely finish waaaay ahead of me! Husband is signed up to be a late night finish line catcher. Since this is the family intro - my son & his fiance adjusted their wedding date to accommodate IM Louisville.

I'm a 80s/90s ultramarathon cyclist - did Paris Brest Paris in 83, RAAM 86 - triathlon is a "new" and different challenge. My daughter is a swimmer, does Xfit & a real power house stoker on the tandem.

We live in So AZ - my attraction to IM Louisville is... non-wet suit swim, beautiful bike course scenery and the wonderful Louisville community - volunteers & athletes... End of summer IM coordinates well with training in AZ heat. Also - not having to sign up soooo far in advance. PLUS after IM we can visit family in Ohio and go to CEDAR POINT!!! THREE days of IM recovery riding roller coasters! HANDS UP!!! YEAHH!!!

2014 goal - finish under 17H - beyond that - we'll see where training goes for a more specific number... so much can happen race day!! It's a road trip & staying at the Marriott Downtown (avoiding the Galt House chaos). Also doing Buffalo Springs Lubbock TX 70.3 - it's miserably HOT HOT there & hilly too!!

Looking forward to the journey with you all.

Wilddaizy73

Hi all!!

I will be doing IMLOU this year and am out for revenge on the course. In 2012 I was pulled off the course at mile 80 on the bike due to suffering some severe heat issues. This year, I will prevail!! Look forward to meeting and chatting with everyone!!

Mandy

Joseph Lombardi

hey y`all im jumpin on board the IMLOU bandwagon...i was targeting IMTX but some family health matters intervened so i am regrouping and targeting IMLOU instead...off of taoer into getfaster fun for a few weeks then pick up 12 week race prep with AGNationals in Milwaukee along the way...This will be my 4th IM and 3rd IMLOU....I really like the course (it was my first IM) and happy to share my experience/knowledge of my trips around the course (best time of 12:15 there in 2011)...

Lookiing forward to the build with y`all!

rosenmank

Hi all, anyone know where I can find the race reports from previous IMLOUs?

Joseph Lombardi

Karla,  Couple of places to look...First...there is an excellent course review in the Wiki under race execution- course guides...

Then in the forums in Race Reports Thread...you have to click through to the Aug/Sept time frames and there will be a bunch of RR's...(try going to around pages 10 (for IMLou 2013) & 21 (for IMLou 2012)....

Here is my sad report from 2012...

http://members.endurancenation.us/Forums/tabid/57/aft/9674/Default.aspx

Cheers

Mike Hester

Greetings
All;

Enough with
the improvising and following my training partners plans…this IM, I AM committed
to following the Advanced EN plan and our coaches’ guidance to the best of my
ability.   It will be tough, but having the strength of
the EN Louisville Team alongside will help conquer the challenges to come.  I’m training out of Key West, Florida, so OW
swims are just out the back door.  Training
for the heat and humidity of LOU will not present much of an issue either!  (Not mentioning that as if it is a good
thing!) No hills to train on of course, so I’ll have to make a road trip (or
two) for some climbing work. The wind, however, has been constant and fierce,
so I haven’t been lacking in bike resistance work the first 7 weeks of the
plan.  This will be my 3^rd IM
(first time doing LOU).  Pinch me; slap
me—but, I “believe” I can shave 1.5 off of my previous best time of 12:39 by
doing it right with the EN IMLOU team.  Looking
forward to the training and social adventures ahead!  Safe training, Mike   

 

 

rosenmank

Thanks for the info on where to find the race reports, Joe!
And welcome, Mike!
It's been so cool here in Minnesota that I think I'm going to end up running in a winter coat to prepare for the Louisville heat.
And I'm going to have to hunt out some hills as well!

kbaker1966

Louisville will be my first full distance IronMan!!! Very excited to hear my name as I cross that finish line in downtown Louisville. 

My sister did it in 2011 and I was her race manager/Sherpa, and I only hope our weather mimics hers!  I've done numerous half and Olympic distances over the years before taking a 10 year break - I got back into this fabulous lifestyle last fall and have had a great time dedicating my time/energy to something so challenging. 

I have a foot issue that may slow me down on the run but the EN plan of walking at each aid station will probably help me out tremendously. I live in Chattanoga and have plenty of hills to practice on....I did ride the Louisville course in May, 2014 so I have a visual of what to expect in August.

Happy training to you all and I'll see you at the finish line!  I would offer the uTube video of "Ironman - Anything is Possible" as a great reminder/encouragement of why we all do this ..... I listen/watch it every single day (sometimes over and over if I really need a 'push'). If you can't find it and are interested I can try and add the link to it here. It might be considered a plug for the IronMan brand but it really does explain why we do this.

BTW, is anyone here also on the Ironman Louisville Facebook page?

Cheers!  Kay