2018 IM 70.3 Steelhead Welcome Thread

Brenda Ross · May 23, 2018 2:04PM

Welcome to the 70.3 Steelhead Sign In Thread!

Please use this thread to introduce yourself to your fellow teammates, telling us a little bit about you, your goals for the race, etc! and

Do not forget to check out the Half Ironman Race Page, your one stop shop for all things, dates, actions and resources related to your big race. From there you’ll be able to find all of the relevant resources, get critical dates, find out how to connect with the Team and much, much more.

If you need additional support, please let us know using the support tab on the right side of the page.

Athletes Listed as Racing
@Scott Liston
@Larry Peters
@Sue Chapman
@Brenda Ross
@Cheryl Turpin
@Barb Spitler
@Doron Preker
@""Bill Manard"
@Trish Marshall
@Yvette Metz

If I have missed your name, please chime in here and I will add you to my list.

Cheryl Turpin · May 23, 2018 2:23PM

Thanks @Brenda Ross

Looking forward to the race and post race shenanigans!

Barbara Spitler · May 23, 2018 4:35PM

Thanks @Brenda Ross! Still not sure if I'm pulling the trigger on Steelhead yet or not, but leaning towards it!

Bill Manard · July 5, 2018 2:01PM

@Brenda Ross I'm in for it! My training for it sucks (work, vacation [try doing a 3 hour ride on a gym bike...]), but I’ll be there!

Chris Ciannella · July 5, 2018 2:05PM

Group - I've done this race 4x ('10, '13, '15 and '17) so happy to answer questions.

The bike course can make your teeth rattle.....

Trish Marshall · July 5, 2018 2:30PM

Chris, do you have elevation on the run? I've done it once, but my watch was janky. I know there are 3 hills, but thats all I recall! Thanks!

Brenda Ross · July 5, 2018 4:27PM

@Chris Ciannella - what do you mean by the bike course will make your teeth rattle? Bad roads? And the 3 hills on the run - at what miles?

Cheryl Turpin · July 5, 2018 4:36PM

How big are these hills on the run? @Trish Marshall have you done this race before? If yes, what was your impression?

Cheryl Turpin · July 5, 2018 4:39PM

@Trish Marshall oops, I just read where you said you had done this race.....was there shade on the run course?

Chris Ciannella · July 5, 2018 4:42PM

@ Trish Marshall - unfortunately, my Garmin sucks too so I have no elevation data. WAIT, my 2015 race info says a whopping 312 feet of gain

@ Brenda Ross - yes, the roads kinda suck. However, I just looked at the bike map and it looks like the bike course has changed from all the previous years I did it. Let's hope it's for the better.

There are only 3 "hills" I think we need to worry about, worry might be to strong of a word. The first one is before mile 1 on the run, which is downhill on the way home. The 2nd and 3rd "hill" are the same hill - you get to run twice, yahoo! and that's around mile 5.5 and mile 10.2, which is located right after you exit the Whirlpool campus, but before you turn on M63 - most people walk it. Its very short, but very steep. I wouldn't worry at all about the "hills"

The whirlpool campus is full of shade, but there are plenty of open areas too so overall not to bad.

My 2-cents
Chris

Trish Marshall · July 6, 2018 10:56AM

Thanks for the details Chris! And thanks for the heads up on the bike course change. Hmmm. I wonder why they changed it? Part is on a bike path now. I raced it in 2013 so many years ago. Looks like a little less elevation on the bike and it was a fast course then! Hopefully the new roads are less chip seal and in better shape than before.

@Cheryl Turpin I am not a goat runner, so a curb is a challenge for me. I am also running much slower now and was in better run shape in 13. The hills are as Chris described. Challenging but doable or walkable. I think I walked part way up on loop one, and ran it super slowly on loop two.

The heat can be an issue and it can be hot here mid August. The bike is fast so at least we will be running earlier than on a hilly hard bike course!

Carol DeFazio · July 6, 2018 11:55AM

@Brenda Ross Turby and I are both doing Steelhead this year. Looking so forward to seeing everyone! We did it last year, and although I ended up walking the last 5 miles of the "run", we really enjoyed this race. I do need to start running on some hills :-)

Brenda Ross · July 30, 2018 1:52PM

Hello gang, I am sending out an email this week with this information in it, but just in case you miss that email I wanted to let you know that we have decided to have lunch at 12noon at The Mason Jar Cafe. It has vegan, gluten-free options, so hopefully, everyone will be accommodated. It closes at 3 pm on Saturday, so the time is not negotiable. If you think you can make, please let me know via the google document link below. We can not make reservations, but if I call ahead on Wednesday they will make note that we are coming on Saturday and will do the best to seat us quickly.

I have checked the schedule and you can drop your bike off as late as 5 pm on Saturday, so this should work out perfectly.

I have created a google sheet for you to RSVP. Please respond there, whether it is a yes or not, not here.

Julian Cass · August 4, 2018 1:40PM

Hey Brenda, hi all

I am racing Steelhead again this year. This will be my fourth Steelhead, it’s close-ish to home and a good race. See you all there

Cheryl Turpin · August 4, 2018 3:39PM

@Julian Cass

i see on the Steelhead page from the RD that this years bike course has changed from previous years.....basically more bike friendly and less turns. Could you let us know what has changed on the course?

Julian Cass · August 4, 2018 8:11PM

I have not ridden the new course. Looking at the map it has more distance along the Lake front than previously. Elevation looks very similar. There are less turns for sure. Previously the bike course has been fast and one I enjoy a lot, some rolling hills but none of them significant.

Cheryl Turpin · August 5, 2018 2:17AM

@Julian Cass

Thanks! I love a hilly course even if it’s all rollers with some straight sections to mix it up.

See you at Steelhead! Hopefully at the lunch on Saturd

Cheryl

Doron Preker · August 9, 2018 10:52PM

We going to have good weather and good race/time, temp around 70-75deg, wind 2mph and water temp at 75deg.

I’m planning 4hr drive to Benton Saturday.

Last 6 week I did not run, I have some old injury I'm trying to recover (no medal for me this time).

Good Luck! See you all Sunday.

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?w0=t&w1=td&w2=hi&w3=sfcwind&w3u=1&w4=sky&w5=pop&w6=rh&w7=rain&w8=thunder&w10u=0&w13u=1&w14u=1&AheadHour=0&FcstType=graphical&textField1=42.1164&textField2=-86.4462&site=all&unit=0&dd=&bw=&AheadDay.x=19&AheadDay.y=13

https://seatemperature.info/benton-harbor-water-temperature.html

Larry Peters · August 10, 2018 3:33PM

How did I miss this thread all summer!?! hmmm.

Well, I appreciated all the insights shared by many of you. I raced the course last year and I"m very excited to do my first repeat 70.3.

Hopefully that water temperature stays below 76.1!

Excited to meet you all & race with you!

Larry Peters · August 10, 2018 3:36PM

Here is my run strava file from last year:
https://www.strava.com/activities/1132408085/overview

Bike file (but as people pointed out, a big chunk of the bike course is different:
https://www.strava.com/activities/1132408112

Make sure you get on the STeelhead group-me thread if you are not yet!

2018 IM 70.3 Steelhead Welcome Thread

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