American Zofingen 2014 Race Thread

scott dinhofer

Brenda/ Rich/ Patrick, please move to other forum if this is posted incorrectly.

For those of us doing the AmZof, aka Chris Gleason Memorial Duathlon:

As in the past I have arranged a group rate under the name “endurance nation” at the Hudson Valley Resort & Spa. The hotel is on the race course, but not very convenient to anywhere. This is usually the graduation weekend at SUNY New Paltz, so getting rooms in town are impossible.

The regular rate is: $149

The special rate they are giving us is: $119

Most of us usually stay there for one night (Saturday May 17)

Please call Kathy at 1-845-626-8888 dial for reservations and tell them you are with “endurance nation”

Please pass this on to anyone you know who is doing the race this year.

John Withrow

I decided to do a very very bad thing. I made the insane decision to step up to the Long Course this yr... Anyone want to join me? My only goal will be to finish, alive! This might actually require me to book a second night in that dump of a hotel just in case I'm not able to drive home...

John Bayone

Looking at the run course elevation on their web site, it looks like you are going up a cliff. It is really that steep?

Peter Wick

I don't know, John. That doesn't sound healthy. 1 lap running, 3 laps of the bike or something. 3 laps of the run? I don't know all the details but I'm having a hard time contemplating the CG F1.

 

Steve boer

Posted By John Withrow on 17 Jan 2014 04:20 PM


I decided to do a very very bad thing. I made the insane decision to step up to the Long Course this yr... Anyone want to join me? My only goal will be to finish, alive! This might actually require me to book a second night in that dump of a hotel just in case I'm not able to drive home...

Bad news JW, unless i'm mistaken, there's no med tent setup there like at IM, so you're going to be on your own after the race

Good news: theres plenty of beer and bbq to substitute

Al Truscott

Posted By John Bayone on 17 Jan 2014 04:40 PM


Looking at the run course elevation on their web site, it looks like you are going up a cliff. It is really that steep?

14% - Steep enough to make you think twice about going back out again after T3 (or is it T4?). The Good News is the worst part is at the START of the loop.

Peter Wick

Oh, well that's not bad at all, really.

Al Truscott

Props to anyone who runs up it on the third go round.

Keith Wick

I think you can change your race selection up to about 10 days before the event, so at this point I'm sticking with the Chris G distance. However, based on training and weather I may consider joining you Withrow. There is no way in hell I'd do the long course if the weather is like last year. My logical brain is saying....."It's only 5 more run miles and 29 bike miles", while the part of my brain that has seen the course is quivering in fear. I do think there is something to consider in that you don't have to run between bike legs which says to me that might be easier for some odd reason.

Peter Wick

OMG, that actually makes some sense. Of course, it's easier for me to buy it not having seen the course but who knows? I've run a course similar to that trail and cannot see myself doing it three times straight.  But if we're going to have at least 2 of us doing such a silly thing...

Steve boer

for entertainment, you have to check out this classic race report from JW's friend on amzof.
http://members.endurancenation.us/Forums/tabid/57/aft/8856/Default.aspx#110605
his 2013 race report can be found here http://rovingbugs.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/amzof-13-v2.pdf

Any time that you have a shot of jameson in the middle of the race, you know its something "special"

cgres123

I want to finish my part of the Chris G and watch JW crush the rest of the compatition... Go on John Boy I'm taking pictures...

cgres123

BTW thx Scott for the post and the hotel arrangements.

Brenda Ross

Guys, I have created a group for this race. Please go to groups and sign in through the welcome thread. I have also taken this thread and created it in that group. Thank you Scott for arranging this. Please make all communication from this day forward in that group, as that is the info I will be using to communicate with you. Thanks everyone.

scott dinhofer

I just finally booked my room at the Hudson Valley Resort & Spa, the only other room that had attached to the group was Keith Wick. Let's ally try to rally and stay together, dine together and raise a glass on Saturday night to Chris together!

the details are:
Hudson Valley Resort & Spa - 845-626-8888
www.hudsonvalleyresort.com

when you call go to regular reservations and tell them you are getting a room under the "endurance nation" group rate for Saturday night May 17

Peter Wick

Just called them, myself, and left a voicemail since their reservations line was busy. Thanks for the reminder, Scott.

Peter Wick

Hey! Let's walked this thread up. Who is doing what course?

Keith Wick

Chris G as of now, cuz....

Peter Wick

I'm conflicted. I don't know if I can handle the long course version. I should probably be wise and do the F1. Is anyone else doing the long course besides John Withrow?

By the way, I know the trails are said to be steep but what are they like in terms of surface? Rocky? Loose rocks? Packed dirt? I'm doing what I can to run trails but it is killing me. ;-)

John Withrow

Of the 5 mile loop, at least 2 miles is a bridle path, which is wide and smooth enough to drive a golf cart on. About 2-2.5 miles is easily runnable single track as far as the surface goes. Much less than half a mile is actually rocky or technical. If you were just doing this 5 mile loop as a run on fresh legs, you would run the whole entire thing at full speed. However, after 5 hours, the flattish sections seem steep and the steep sections feel like you are scaling a wall. Not to mention by the last lap, the smooth sections feel technical and the technical sections have little rocks that spontaneously turn into boulders...

Peter Wick

Oh, so it's pretty easy. Thanks.

Keith Wick

Posted By John Withrow on 23 Apr 2014 12:04 PM


Of the 5 mile loop, at least 2 miles is a bridle path, which is wide and smooth enough to drive a golf cart on. About 2-2.5 miles is easily runnable single track as far as the surface goes. Much less than half a mile is actually rocky or technical. If you were just doing this 5 mile loop as a run on fresh legs, you would run the whole entire thing at full speed. However, after 5 hours, the flattish sections seem steep and the steep sections feel like you are scaling a wall. Not to mention by the last lap, the smooth sections feel technical and the technical sections have little rocks that spontaneously turn into boulders...

that description just gave me a trauma reaction---why am I doing this thing again?  thanks for the reminder, reality kick in the nutz check!!

Al Truscott

And, Keith, if you're lucky, it will be nice and drizzerable like last year. You do remember that, right?

Peter Wick

Just wtf did you talk me into, Keith?

Keith Wick

I just looked at my old run file----first 3 miles is where all the climbing on the run is....with the 3rd being climbing and descending........last 2 miles is almost all downhill when your quads are SHATTTERED!!! The log across the road is actually a stick and you can't pick up your legs enough to get over it, so you're praying no one is behind you to watch the face plant that's about to happen.

Peter Wick

Hi all,

Has anyone gotten an email from the race organizer asking for payment confirmation? Apparently I managed to register without paying in January. Hmmmm... Maybe the universe is telling me something.

Peter Wick

So I was thinking during today's sorta RR that I sure was a dummy to let myself get talked into this thing. Must have happened when I was still in that post-IMMT haze of feeling like I could actually be a decent triathlete.

Now I'm laying on the couch hoping I come to my senses and become smart enough to DNS this thing before it's too late... 

5 miles of running road hills, 2 hours on the trainer and then another 8.5 miles of running hilly trails and roads. After last night's rains the Reservation was extra mushy-gushy and it is damn hard to tip toe across the rocks on dead legs. Do they have propofol to go with the beer?

Peter Wick

Wake up, people! Let's get a roll call going. Who will be there and doing what to yourself?

Keith Wick

Posted By Peter Wick on 26 Apr 2014 08:06 PM

 Do they have propofol to go with the beer?

No propofol cuz, but on each lap there is a huge bottle of Jameson on the table next to the water and gels......not a race for the weak!!!

John Withrow

Recruited two new EN victims, um, I mean participants for AmZof... Fellow Team ReserveAid'ers and EN'ers, Steve Boer (CWD) and Gareth Doran (Middle Dist) just signed up...

Doing the Long Course this yr, might just be the first race I am actually afraid of... Less than 2 weeks to go and I feel like I need to add some long runs into my schedule. How the hell did I forget to do any of those leading up to this race. Dammit!

Peter Wick

Well, I'm going to have to drop out of the long course and switch to the moderately awful course. Two reasons. My wife won't be with me to drive home if need be and just this week my right knee developed a troubling pain on the medial side. I'm having to shut it down for several days and then check on it. Bad bad timing for an injury. I can't figure out how it developed either. Just suddenly painful and running is not possible this week.

Boo...