OK, pulling up an old thread since I don't want to re write for the 17th year in a row....nothing changes for 2015 other than dates. Actually a few minor changes for the Thursday evening options. We have learned through trial and error that summitting Whiteface on tri bikes with negative braking in cold New York thunderstorms is not a great idea. The backup plan is a reverse loop with a toll gate climb, or a 2 hour run...whatever everyone agrees to. If we do the 2 hour run, then we shorten the running on Friday's "main event". Preference is the cycling "prologue" option. Other than that, everything stays the same....see below

Looks like I need a Director of Marketing for this stupidity because clearly I am doing a much better job marketing semiconductors than an outrageous round of training for the 17th year in row.
Dev

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This is what I wrote in 2012.

Hey guys,

I've intentionally avoided posting much about Epicman, hoping that we end up with a smaller group given that Lake Placid is a bit sensitive about skinny guys with shaved legs in large groups inundating their town. But for the 14th year, we are on for Epicman. My life has been crazy busy with a variety of professional and family related items and wasting time in different forms of medical rehab to get over last year's crash injuries is not helping with available time, but here we go....I'm largely copying as pasting from last year.....CHRIS GLEASON WILL BE MISSED!!!

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Whiteface + Epicman June 4/5 Lake Placid

Some of you guys have been asking for details on our annual Epicman training day outing to Lake Placid to �scout out the IMLP race course�. There are enough vets kicking around that you can ask questions, but I promised to post something in the last few weeks of lead up, so here we go. If you post more questions on this thread, myself or others who have gone can get you answers on how things work.

This is your chance to pay homage to ST celebrities like Chris G (this is copied from last year...he'll be missed....we'll try to pay homage anyway) of Kalber, or Murphy's Law who can make you hurt on the bike or in the bar! Coach Patrick McCrann may also make a celebrity appearance.

In today�s triathlon era of 365 day advanced sellouts, 6 day hotel minimums, catered training camps, training by numbers, on line live event coverage and designer nutrition programs, there are some things that actually have not changed.

Stripping things to the bare essence, triathlon is about you, the water, the bike and some running shoes.

When Collins and the boys did the first Ironman in the late 70�s that�s what it was. A bunch of guys getting together and pushing themselves over what seems like an insurmountable distance.

We�re now on year 14 of Epicman in Lake Placid

Epicman is a grass roots training day with a bunch of guys and girls getting together to train on the course fully self supported.
No registration, no timing, no awards, no aid stations, no on course neutral support vehicle. Imagine yourself out there training all day on the Ironman Lake Placid course. Now add a bunch of like minded people that just happen to show up to join in on the fun.

Course

We cover ~3K of swimming in 50 minutes (or beach to beach to beach, whatever gets you out close to 50 minutes ), 180K of riding and 21K of running. Since this year the out and back is closed due to construction, on each loop we'll climb up to the whiteface toll gate (EDIT: this is cut and paste from last year....out and back section to be finalized soon....may be toll gate may be the second out and back we used in 2010, or one of each). This will make the ride tougher than the actual race day at Ironman Lake Placid. Run starts after you are done the ride on the IMLP course. You can do as much or as little as you want. If you finish the full 50 min swim, full 2loop bike with 2 climbs to the toll gate and full 21.1K run, my friend Chris Macknie has a surprise gift for you.

Who do I ride with?

Contrary to previous years, we won�t have any large groups aiming at 5:30, 6:00, 6:30. Just grab a group of 3-5 friends or jump in with some other folks and ride together. Quite frankly the intimacy of a small group of people works out better than being in a train with 30-50 people, and we consume less road space which is a good thing given that local drivers don�t like to take a detour around skinny guys in lycra with shaved legs�.everyone wins with smaller groups on the road.

Other Details

Here are the rest of the details for the training day:
This is a self supported grass roots training day that I concocted in 1999 and we want to keep the same spirit. There are lots of organized camps that you can pay big $$$ for much higher service. I�m just inviting you to train on the same day as a bunch of us.

Things we will do and you should know of:

1. It is self supported...bring your own nutrition
2. Your car is your Tzone....park it by the beach
3. Swim starts at 6 am , June 5, 2015 at Mirror Lake
4. Bike starts at 7 am sharp
5. Please ride on the right side of the road
6. Bring a pump and patch kit. There is no support and no one to bail you out. Imagine that you are going to ride solo.
7. You can stop wherever you want with your friends for breaks. Consult the guys and gals in your group on where they want to stop
8. Do not attack the bike course, pace yourself out and have consideration for the guys you are riding with. Try to ride with people of similar ability. If you are a 10 hour guy, don�t ride with 13 hour guys and hammer them into the ground
9. Put some "aid" on the run course by the horse crossing sign on River Road fofr the run...assume that whatever you put out there might be consumed by others
10. Bring your breakfast, there is nothing open at 5 am in LP on Friday
11. There is no cost and no timing. This is just a group of dudes arriving at the same place at the same time to train.
12. Bring digital cameras and take lots of pictures....you could be the star of the post event write up
13. If you have not done an Ironman before and if you think that you cannot finish Epicman in 9 hours or so, it is highly recommended that you cut the run short. It is better to do that than to do an 11+ hour training day and be shelled for all of June which is your key month for Ironman LP. You pretty well need to be "trained" to race LP next weekend to do this day and recover quickly.
14. Bring extra goodies in your car to share with other athletes: gels, coke, chips, pretzels, banana, gatorade, water, infinit, chocolate bars, old pizza...whatever you think might help yourself and other get through.
15. Pack all your nutrition for the day and have bags for gear for each sport just like you would do for an Ironman...easier to find in your car which WILL become a mess if you share the cars with another athlete.
16. You can do as much or as little of the day as you wish. No one to report to but yourself. Drafting, fins, neoprene socks and gloves, all of which might get you DQ�d on race day are permitted. In fact, get it out of your system NOW!!! If you have a loved one to give you outside assistance, no worries. If you want to draft a transport truck riding up through High Falls Gorge, no one will stop you J

Since this is a training day where you do everything yourself, there has, nor will there ever be a cost or registration.

Whiteface Mountain Hillclimb on Thursday Evening

If you can get to Lake Placid early come join us for a climb of Whiteface mountain on Thursday at 4:30 pm from the tennis courts at Mirror Lake beach. This climb is identical to Alpe D�Huez in difficulty and duration and elevartion�.just less switchbacks and more steady climbing. Times range from 50 minutes to 75 min or so. Perhaps one of the best rides in the North East that many triathletes never do. This is your chance. Many of us do the Whiteface climb and the Epicman swim+bike, and do a shorter run�.you�re choice. But if you go to Lake Placid enough, not doing Whiteface is a missed opportunity. Recommended gearing is 34x27 or a triple, although you can survive grinding it out in a 39x25. You can read about the 2009 climb here:

http://www.xtri.com/...p;CAT=27&xref=xx

Some guys may also do a single loop for the IMLP course