Training for an Alohaman
I'm considering doing the inaugural Alohaman (hixtri.com) on December 7, 2019. The bike is 125 miles with 12,000 feet of climbing. It's on the Big Island and starts at Hapuna Beach goes over the Saddle Road down towards Hilo back towards Hawi and back over the Saddle Road to Hapuna. That time of year it will probably be in the 40's at the top of the climb or possibly colder and there is a good chance of rain during the ride so it looks like a challenging ride (and frankly it's the part about this race that scares me the most). Of course after that is a marathon+ (the RD is now saying 28.5 miles) probably going up towards either Hawi or Wiamea with 3,000 feet of climbing (on the road not trails). The thing that concerns me about this is the timing and training on the bike. I can do a lot of training in late summer and early fall but the weather here starts to get really wet about 7 weeks out from this race, especially in the mountains. I could probably go down to California in late October or early November for a big bike weekend and get in some serious climbing, but if I do that 5 or 4 weeks out can I maintain the fitness/climbing strength with more intensity and less volume? I'm not as concerned about run volume because I can do that in the rain. Yes I know it will be different than the race because the heat and humidity in Hawaii, but the good thing is that I'll probably doing a good portion of the run after dark. ;-)
So, before I pull the trigger on this I would like to have a strategy for training on the bike for those last 7 weeks short of going to Hawaii and training there (which would be nice but it ain't going to happen). Thoughts?
Comments
Mark, You'll do what you have to do to get the bike volume in, trainer, outside when it’s 40 and above rain or shine, trip for camp, I hear Tucson is nice, but besides the 40 degrees and rain you will see, it’s all about the wind. I drove that saddle a couple days after KONA and it was 50 and raining (wind normal 20-30)at 6k. The day Simon went thru the Kohala's at UM which is what the course sounds like towards Hawi (really like to see the map) I had thought I had seen a new level of wind. Very freaking scary . But the very next day brought even stronger winds descending on the run from Hawi, I felt like I was running sideways and could barely stay in the breakdown lane on my feet. I have descended Hawi on bike 8-9 times now but I don’t think it would have been possible on that day. Got winds, rain, climbing at 40-50 degrees? Can’t wait to see the full course maps!
Many here have done almost exclusively indoor training for early season IMs. Robin Sarner comes to mind, who did almost all his work inside during the Pac NW winter for IM Texas, where he had huge success. Hit him up in person or online, Im sure he's got advice for managing the transition indoors to outdoors heat, assuming you are willing to be on the trainer 6 hours at a clip.
You could also consider a few rides in iffy weather on the gravel roads in Capitol Forest on your MTB, to build your tolerance to adverse cold/wet conditions. That gets you a couple thousand feet at a pop up to the top where the microwave towers are. A decade ago, when I was doing both the Xterra WC and late season IMs in Oct/Nov, I did that a lot, and didn't seem to have any ill effects when it came time to race on the road.
@tim cronk I'd like to see the maps too. He says they'll be up before registration opens. Any ideas who could give me tips for good rides around Tuscon? ;-) You make the course sound really appealing, I think. I just got on Strava and plotted a map from Hapuna to almost Hilo and it was 125 miles with almost 12,000 feet of climbing but it was just an out and back. I'm not sure where the part towards Hawi comes in. I guess we'll see.
@Al Truscott Good point about the MTB. I was thinking about some hybrid rides where I would start on the trainer and then go outdoors. I'm about 7 miles from the start of the climbs into Capitol Forest so I could hop on the MTB here and ride up there and get some climbing and seat time in and ride home. If I needed some more I could hop back on the trainer and finish up there. It would also simulate the heat, cold, heat that I'm likely to experience. Who knows, if I do this I may have to see if I can get invited to Snowmass in September and climb up to Independence pass a couple of times.
@tim cronk the Alohaman maps are up at hixtri.com
Ironically the Day 2 route for the UMHC just got posted as well. It incorporates the same saddle, imagine they were working with the authorities together.
The Swim- should prove to be spectacular, kinda bummed its a 2 loop deal , on an "extreme triathlon"
The Bike - no Kohala's = a good thing, cant avoid the wind/rain/cold but I like that out and back, their is also a big break down lane and the pavement is perfect from what I remember driving it (was thinking I'd like to ride this).
The Run- only thing I didnt care about was the comments on the narrow road vs. traffic to Waimea and back. I remember that to be kinda busy, but should have plenty of room on the sides.
Looks like a great race.