IMTX RR - solo ride

[Deleted User]

Hi Coach - 

I couldn't make your camp week, but I want to drive up to the Woodlands this Sunday to complete the IMTX RR.  Thought you might have a good idea of where to plan your rest stops to refill.  If you were to plan a solo ride, where would those stops be (gas stations/convenience stores/etc)?  I am working with two bottles/hr.

Thanks!

Ashton 

Mark Roberts

Ashton,

I rode the course last weekend -- Detour off Lone Star Parkway onto Buffalo Springs Crossing to his a shell station at about mile 31 -- Then rejoin course left on 1097 right on 149 - Its barely out of the way and doesn't change the mileage. Then there is a small store in Richards about mile 53 or so. Load up at one of these places because then there is nothing until mile 78 or so when you get to Dobbin. Next stops are mile 90 or so and there are several gas stations as you get close back into the Woodlands. Have a good ride!

Chris Davis

Ashton,

I agree 100% with what Mark says. south of highway 105, there's a gas station every 10 miles or so (at the furthest). It's not until the north half of the course that it's spread out a bit. If you've watched the Outrival Racing videos of the course, they tell you where the gas stations are that Mark is talking about.

I'm a 1.5 to 2 bottles per hour guy myself. My plan is to have my aero bottle, and then 2 regular bottles on the seat post and down post. I'll also put the wing on the back of my bike to carry Endurance powder in empty bottles. I put 1 bottle worth of powder into a ziplock bag, and carry as many ziplock bags as I think I'll need (plus one or two, just in case).

vickaiser

I've always thought the one thing that's not really true about a race rehearsal ride is how you carry all the hydration needed for a 6+ hour ride. You're not going to have all those bottles with you on race day. You're not going to be stopping at convenience stores for refills. You're not going to have to mix your drink, especially if you're using on-course Endurance.

Have any of you tried a camelbak. I purchased the Osprey 14 http://www.ospreypacks.com/en/product/mens_1/raptor_14_1?tab=specifications hydration system that can hold 14 liters. There's also a 10L and a 6L model. For a 6 hr RR ride, I'd fill that thing up with about 6.5 liters of Gatorade Endurace and just GO! The rest of my nutrition (salt, gel, bars) can be on board in my jersey or bento.



What's the downside of using a camelbak for a RR ride? When I read how much @Chris is carrying and then how many times you have to stop, just seems like the camelbak is all upside.

Chris Davis

That's a good thought Vic. I've never worn a camelback, so I just dont know how it would feel, but I've always thought that the pack would cause me to sweat more, and build up heat quicker. Plus, you're carrying all that extra liquid weight. I guess for training purposes that's not a bad thing.

Truth be told, I think this weekend I'm not going to do the actual course due to rain. I'll probably do a 26/27 mile loop including Woodlane blvd and the Lake Windcrest subdivision off of 1488. I'll have bottles stored in my car for a quick change, rather than a 15 minute stop at the gas station.

vickaiser

You'd be real suprised how cool and comfortable the camelbaks are. They all have venting on the back. I've also frozen my reservoir before which keeps your back REALLY cool. I have found though that the pack is so insulated that sometimes, it doesn't all melt and I end up at the end of my ride with gatorade ice.

[Deleted User]

Thanks Mark, Chris and Victor. Will check out the route with those stops. The camelbak seems good - just thinking about the added weight on my shoulders/back over the course of 6hrs...

donymo

14 liters of fluid weighs about 30 pounds.
How does that throw off the race rehearsal accuracy?
That's a lot of weight on your back!

I would think the most accurate way would be to setup a 20 mile loop that you can repeat with your car staged on the loop with an ice chest of bottles waiting...like a real aid station

vickaiser

I'm really crazy. The model I have holds 100 oz. The link I put above was for a hiking model. So, my 100 oz would work for a little more than a 3 hour ride. Come to think of it, I've never done longer than a 4 hour ride with it.

I agree Don that this is the optimal execution wrt fueling. For those of us lucky enough to be able to ride our actual IM course, it's just carry a TON or stop a LOT. Maybe the solution is just to stop a lot but when you do stop, don't fart around. I'm a chit-chatter so my stops can quickly turn into a social event and basically a cooldown. I need more hustle.

Coach Patrick

Great discussion here guys, thanks for contributing. In my mind there's a descending list of priorities related to a race sim ride:

1. Getting consistent nutrition in like you will race day.

2. Nailing your pacing plan, particularly the first and last hours of the ride.

3. Spending as much time as possible and your turn to get Reese position so you can properly judge fatigue, fit Etc.

I have no issue with you carrying six bottles, when I carry on my bike, so that you can run three straight hours. You just want to make sure that you have a bulletproof place to get the bottles you need for the next three hours. :-) It's okay if you stop for 10 or 15 minutes during the race, it will still be hard if you place it properly given your current fatigue.