Questions re: Challenge Atlantic City
Hey Team-
Looking forward to meeting fellow EN'ers this weekend! Does anyone have any insight/perspective on the following questions?
1. Hazard a guess for this weekend: wetsuit or no? Anyone know what the water temps have been like this past week?
2. Any inside tips/knowledge to share about the swim? The course is seemingly different this year from last year and race reports from the team last year mentioned a current.
3. Anyone do the preview ride earlier this month? Any insight to share re: the bike course (I'm doing the HIM) aside from that it'll probably be windy?
4. Running on the boardwalk: Any insight into how this worked last year or things to consider/avoid/anticipate?
5. Run aid stations: the guide says that the Aid Stations are 1 mile apart. However, the course map indicates otherwise. Anyone have insight into how these will be laid out?
Looks like forecast calls for rain on Saturday (evening) but should be cloudy and cool for race on Sunday morning! 
Comments
What I can offer regarding the HIM bike course, is that if it is day with strong winds in any direction....just do everything you can to stay down as much as possible.
While they did change the bike course from last year where there was about a 30 mile into the head wind ride on the return trip....I was passing a ton of people that were sitting up riding into the wind. Just keep your effort as even as possible.
From the course preview ride and riding in the area this summer....Expect to get some false flat areas, just watch the elevation as you are riding and there are some nice long slight downhills where you can really move.
On Tilton Road the pavement is pretty nice for a majority of the length. Expect to get some wind one way or the other since you are going past the airport (huge wide open area)
Moss Mill Road is in pretty good shape. There is a short "steep" hill just after a traffic light at Philadelphia Avenue (County Route 563), but once at the top by a High School and a cemetery, there is a nice long down hill....just watch the pavement on that down hill, I was there yesterday and there are still some breaks in the pavement & some small pot holes.Elwood-Weekstown Road....you will make a right hand turn off Columbia Road....For the first 3/4 of a mile or so on Elwood-Weekstown Rd. you will be going slightly up hill but once you are past a township recycle center (on the right) it is a nice long slight downhill for a few miles where you can really move.
The same kind of thing happens when you make the right hand turn onto N. Lepzig Road off of Clarks Landing Road.....a brief uphill followed by a long gradual down hill.
Overall you will find that any place there is a slight uphill, it is more often than not, followed by a nice long gradual downhill.
@Robert - Thank you for the head's up re: the swim and the run aid stations. I had already planned on running with my fuel belt anyway (for a different reason than the distance thing) but it will help me time out my consumption in between aid stations.
@JB - Thanks so much for the reply! This is great insight into the bike course and I'll definitely get into turtle position to slip through the wind. From looking at the forecast for Sunday, it looks like wind will definitely be a factor.
@JW - Thanks for the details regarding the bike course! I was going to be pressed for time as it is so now knowing that it's not worth the time to preview (e.g. nothing technical, etc) I will plan my Saturday accordingly.
Looking forward to racing with you, Robert!
John is going to meet us at the swim as well; and breakfast!
Really looking forward to that breakfast:-)