Race Week Planning

Al Truscott

Thoughts on what training to do after arriving in CDA, and a call to make a group effort of it. Specifically, look at Thursday on the week 12 schedule, where it says "Bike 150 minutes". First of all, I really think that's a typo, and RnP mean 1.5 hours, especially when you read the details:

"Ride up to, but no more than 30 miles of the bike course. Drive out to where the critical section(s) is located in your car, then get to riding. Note that you must ride at goal race effort/watts...be very careful to not blow your energy. The goal here to get an understanding of how effort/watts of X feels on this particular hill; how fast you can take the corner here, etc."

Now, the best place to do this is on the hilly 22 mile part of the course, which makes a pretty convenient loop (sometimes called the "Ohio Match Loop", in honor of the road when the course makes its turn-around). I've found that driving up to the top of English Point Road, and parking there in a large gravel lot by some hiking trails at the corner of English Point and Lancaster is a great place to stage. This makes the full loop END with the hill up English Point, which is the steepest and longest hill on the course. Doing it at the end gives you the feel for how it needs to go on the second loop.

So I'm putting out a call to meet as many of you as want to on Thursday for an EN ride-the-course session. Personally, I like to do this starting the ride about 11 AM, so I get to ride as it warms up. And if my wife is along and has her bike, she can cut the loop short by just cutting over on Lancaster back to the parking area, cutting off the southern portion of the loop. Or, the loop can also be shortened by going straight down Rimrock instead of doing the southwestern portion of the loop (Lancaster-Gov't Way.)

pgiesin

@Al: I think this sounds like a great idea. I am staying with a bunch of other ENer's and sharing a couple vehicles so will just need to work out the logistics of getting my bike to the starting point. In addition, this will provide my wife, the Team Photographer, to get some action shoots of people pre-race day. I am sure she will be willing to SAG people as well if needed.

scottwstewart

@ Al, I like the idea of doing a ride on Thursday. I'm driving over to CDA on Thursday, so 11am would probably be the ealiest I could make it. Even then I would need to leave the Seattle area by about 5am. A little later is preferred, but I can deal with 11am. BTW, the beginner training plan calls for a 90 minute bike that day (no more then 30 miles) so you're probably right about your plan being incorrect.

I think we should also do a group swim. It looks like the Friday swim is listed as a "Recon Swim at Race Venue," so that seems like a good day to do it. Does Friday morning work for people?

tuckerm

@Al, perfect points as usual. My crew at my house are all planning on riding the main parts on Thursday and would love to join you. The only issue we have is that us non-local folks are more than likely using Tri Bike Transport. According to their website we can pick up at 1PM so no way we could make 11AM. Can we work around that? I will also follow up and see if we could get in there earlier.

@Scott, yes lets setup a swim.

This is what Beluga is for right boys? On site planning.

TRIAJH

For some odd reason Week 12 of the Intermediate plan only has a 45 minute ride on Thursday!! I am trying to get that sorted out with RnP. Anyway........

I would be very interested in riding part of the course on Thursday. But I will only arrive in CDA around 1:00pm. Then I have to collect my bike from TBT. So, is anybody interested in riding the route Al suggests say at 4:00pm?

Adrian

kurshing

Al...I will plan to be there. I have a friend who is not an ENer who I am sure will want to join us if that is alright. Can you put up a post specifically for this ride? That way, on Wed when I get in, I can check in and get my head and body ready to go...

J.T. Thompson

Well - great idea by Al, but afraid I can't make it at that time Thursday, since my son is graduating from high school Wed night, I'm not flying into Spokane till early Wed afternoon, so earliest I can even get to CDA is probably about 2:30.... I'll either try to get the ride in late that afternoon, or on Friday.

I'm in for the swim Friday morning....

ghernand

Al: looks like the 11am start time works well with my plan.  are you making a left on honeysuckle to get to the initial part of the loop?  my brother, carlos and i will be there either with car and start from there or will plan to get to that point by bike, join you guys and then peel off once on government way (since our hotel is just off govt way).

thanks very much for sharing this loop and your time with us.

GH

thugbuster

I'll be getting there in the evening on Thursday, so I'm out for the Thursday ride. I would be interested in a Friday swim and would tag along for any sort of bike ride on Friday.

jrprice

I am shipping my bike with TriBike Transport and will not be able to get my bike until after 1:00 p.m. on Thursday.  I plan on getting my bike and then driving up to ride the hills. 

scottwstewart

It's looking like with this many people in the group, it's going to be impossible for everyone to agree on a time to do the bike loop. There seems to be some people that want to do late morning (11am) and others that want to do mid afternoon (maybe 3 or 4pm?). How about setting two different times on Thursday, then everybody can choose which one to do?

For the swim on Friday, do you guys want to start at 7am to get a feel for where the sun will be at the swim start? That would be my preference.

tuckerm

I spoke with Tri Bike Transport and no way to get bikes any earlier. So either the early crew waits for us or we setup a second later group.
That time for the swim works Scott. Good idea. I'll still be on east coast time so that is late which is better.
Al, Gil, Rob are you on Beluga? Stephen? We need to get this all setup preferably this week.

drwhiddon

I'm up for the Thursday afternoon ride. I, too, have to wait for TBT to open up. There will probably be a few of us waiting....

drwhiddon

I'm up for the Thursday afternoon ride. I, too, have to wait for TBT to open up. There will probably be a few of us waiting....

Patrick Hayden

I am good on the Thursday ride too, but will be waiting with the rest of you for TriBike Transport to grab my bike. Friday morning swim sounds good to me as well.

ghernand

tucker:  i put my name in for beluga earlier, but don't know how to use it nor if i was added to whatever list.

thanks!

gh

Coach Rich

Drive out to the turning circle or the golf course. This is where the hill start.

Ride the course:

• Very easy on the flats
• At race watts, cadence, etc on the hills
• Sample the turns, road surfaces, etc

IOW, you're using your bike as transportation only to get you to the parts you need to preview: the up's of any hills. Everything else...total JRA, very easy, etc.

Do this Thursday if possible...or Wednesday...or Friday morning. If I see anyone out there riding the course on Saturday I'm going to punch you in the nuts. That's a promise...

tuckerm

@Gil, you've been invited for months. Have you downloaded the App yet?

ghernand

@tucker:  no, i didn't know that was part of the deal.  i'll download it and then see if i can figure out the rest.

 

thanks!

 

gh

TRIAJH

I propose the following plan. Let's split Al's Thursday ride into two groups: an 11:00 am group and a 4:00 pm group, both groups to meet at the top of English Point  Road and ride the Ohio Match loop. I intend to ride in the afternoon and would be glad if some of you would join me. Adrian (Cell: 678 628 8707)

tuckerm

Ok so I spoke with TBT and they told me 1PM. My buddy spoke to them today and they told him noon. So who knows what will happen.
It seems like everyone who is saying 11AM is fairly local or someone who knows the course. I think I speak for all of us people who don't know the course that we sure would like someone with a little local knowledge to lead us around. Just throwing that out there.

scottwstewart

@ Tucker, I'm thinking that 11am is going to be a little early for me (since I would have to leave Seattle really early to make it) so I'll most likely join the afternoon crew. I rode the course for RR #1, so I'm familiar with it. Is 4pm the time then? It doesn't seem like it would take that long to get your bikes from TBT if they open at 1pm.

tuckerm

@Scott, agreed. I'd like to get the bike ASAFP then head out. I've got a wife and 2 kids there and don't want to be constantly gone if I can help it. I'd love to load up bikes and get moving by 1:30 at the latest.

kurshing

Where do I go to start keeping up with that Beluga communication tool, and when do we start that?

pgiesin

@Stephen: An invite has been sent to kushing@aol.com. The easiest thing to do is down the app for you smartphone, assuming you have one, and then create an account using this email address.

pgiesin

@Tucker, @Scott: I will be in the TBT line as well. 4pm is fine with me, but I am good any time after I have my bike. Having a local WSM is a great idea.

Swanie

I am not arriving until late Thursday night (that damn work thing) , My motel is about a mile from the start of the "hill" loop up in Hayden so I figured I would get up early on friday and get a loop of the hills in just to cement my hill power gears and then probably meet you all for the swim. Just got my bike back from LBS for it's pre-race tune, it's amazing how well it shifts now and amazing how shitty it was shifting last week. I hadn't noticed that it wasn't shifting right until I got it back fixed. I am making a new Joule mount for the aero bars to get the computer out in front so I can see it better.

Everyone stay healthy and remember....THE WORK IS DONE! You can only hurt yourself or damage your equipment with more work now.

ghernand

so, i downloaded beluga to my phone.  and not exactly sure what the next steps are...

the EN website is the extent of my social networking and also email.  i have a facebook account only because strauss asked us to do so at one point.

where is the official EN sign up for Beluga or do we sign up along with the entire world on the facebook page?  that's weird, man.

i long for the days of carrier pigeon messaging.

gh

scottwstewart

GH, I'll try to re-invite you to the Beliga pod. Check your email soon.

autospa1

I'll be there, trying to make the drive up from Salt Lake to CDA Thurday Morning. The 1:30 or later time seems do-able. Please add me on the Beluga, I've downloaded the app to my phone.

ghernand

thanks, scott and michael for the welcome to beluga.  i turned it off now until race day.

hope everyone's taper is going smoothly.

gh