TRO Saracen wrote:
I’m there, not really researched the race yet (late switch from IMFL, actually turned out a bit cheaper than PCB, option due to my wife wanting a beach holiday).
Couple of early questions:
- I assume it has never been wetsuit legal?
- Are discs banned, unadvisable or worth a gamble if you can ride it well in the wind.
- 9:55 in PCB last year, any views on how much slower to plan for.
Thanks for any responses.
The swim will be quicker. Its point to point. Generally, the first 1/3 or so is against the current and the last 2/3rds with the current. There is an underwater reef that makes this happen. Don't go by last year. The wind was no out of its normal direction so we had a following sea. Fast by about 5-10 minutes. Typically people are about 5 minutes faster than a wetsuit swim but without a wetsuit. I know a handful of people who have done this and IMLP and IMMT and compared their times. Beautiful swim, you will see lots of fish.
The bike will be windy. Its still flat but very exposed. I understand PCB to be similarly flat but away from the water. It will be slower. Its a 3 loop bike (almost 2 3/4). Typically there is a strong cross wind on the back side of the island where there is little development and very exposed. You can see the ocean at almost all times on this stretch. With the different wind direction last year the cross wind wasn't as strong as it was coming across the island but still not much cover to slow it down. We did have it coming straight at us crossing back to the center of town when it would normally be at your back. So we had a bit less wind but longer exposure. Bike times were pretty similar to prior years comparing times. I went 5:18 on 164NP/161AP. Its 113 miles. You will be baking out there. I didn't feel hot but was caked with sweat, which only happens on the hottest days for me. I wore arm coolers.
The run is hot with only a bit of shade in the middle of the flat out and back. There is one rise but wouldn't call it a hill. 3 laps. The start and end of each lap are right in the town of Cozumel. Lots of spectators and things for your wife to do. The run turnaround is in the middle of the north hotel zone. We were south about a mile from T1 so my family saw me there and each lap of the bike before heading into town. T2 changing tent was a furnace. Good aid stations. I was expecting little bags of water that were used in the past but they had cups. Sun sets a little after 6 so a bit of relief toward the end even for fast folks as it starts to go down.
I think the age groupers started at 7:30, my Garmin data shows I was in the water at 7:44 and I lined up with the 1:10 group. Out of all the rolling starts I've done this was the worst job people did seeding themselves. I passed some people like they were just floating along and was not passed by many.
The bike has had a reputation for large draft packs but I didn't see it; but I was generally passing people pretty quickly. I was passed by 1 person per lap except for a few swapped positions plus Kinele and Weiss came by me on their last lap. Saw 1 guy blatantly drafting inches from someones wheel. I yelled at him but he didn't care.
My wild guess would be 15- 20 minutes slower than PCB. I just don't have many friends who have done PCB; at least fast ones who would have greater consistency to make a better judgement.
Had a great time. I would like to go back again some day.