So even though I am a stone's throw away I spent the weekend at Art Devlin's preparing for the race just two weeks out.
For those coming in I thought I'd provide some further update on the road conditions and resurfacing into Keene:
So you pick up fresh tarmac on the edge of the village and this roles for several miles all the way through the cascades - since I was there 2 weeks ago this surface is all painted now. As you start the rolling piece by the water you are still on old road surface but this is all OK. Next as you hit the main downhill you get fresh tarmac again, then wait two miles later it is the old stuff then another section of new tarmac before the old stuff returns a half mile out of Keene? I can only imagine they will fill the final pieces but time is getting close. To be fair the worst of the potholed sections is fixed so even if no more progress is made we'll all be OK. On the good tarmac I was dabbing the brakes at 35mph and felt very safe.
Moving on, and having ridden the loop many times now both race and training I thought I'd offer some advice - many people are way better than me and many have no doubt ridden it many more times than me, but here is some notes from yesterdays single loop if they help:
The first section out of town through the cascades is deceptively tough - use the small ring and get your legs - I always struggle here for some reason. My advice - take it easy there is a long way to go.
The next section down into Keene and note the above, can be fast or very fast if you are brave enough. I tend to go for slow and safe here as the few minutes potential gain isn't worth massive risk for me. My advice - stay safe, and thankfully this is a little easier than it was!
Once you turn left towards Jay etc this third section is really good - a few rollers then find your favourite gear, get aero and focus on getting some food onboard - this part of the course is effectively flat. My advice here - hold a fast steady speed and make some gains. This section in and out of Ausable Falls is your last chance for a real break - on the second loop I take that opportunity for the last few miles!
The next part is the hardest part of the course for me. The right turn onto the 86 and the instance hill up into Wilmington is a nightmare, what appears short and sharp is actually very long and ends with a long false flat. My advise - it will end but not for a while so lowest gear and spin - yesterday 3 people passed me at the bottom, I clawed them back by the top just by spinning my way to the top and didn't see them again. On the second loop I like to remind myself that starting triathlon was the most stupid thing I have ever done and if I didn't need the bike to get me back to civilisation I would happily toss it into the ditch right there! After a while you down hill into the village of Wilmington and do the whole weird Hastleton Road thing - use this to eat again it is an easy flat and slowish part.
Finally the turn back towards Lake Placid. There is a sign that says 11 miles and with the loop at the end back to Mirror lake your are about 12.5 miles from finishing at this point - easily under an hour with some good riding! The first few miles are downhill so get your breath and get ready. Once you see the KOA you have about 10 miles to go, Whiteface Mtn is on your right and the road starts tending up up and up! That being said this really is a beautiful place and short of a night with a boat load of Eastern European hookers and a large bottle of Vodka, riding this section really is as good as life gets! The 3 bears at the end are really only 1.5 miles of pain so, my advice - on loop one enjoy the scenery on loop 2 go down an extra gear or two and spin to the top.
I've said it before and I will again, I'm an average MOP at best guy and this one loop for me yesterday was 3h 11mins. Other than the people I caught back up only 2 people went past me and they were both going so fast they could well have been on motor bikes plus I did stop for 2 mins to eat one of Art's muffins. I rode a 36 to 26 lowest gear which I did use but wouldn't need anything lower!
See you all in 2 weeks!
For those coming in I thought I'd provide some further update on the road conditions and resurfacing into Keene:
So you pick up fresh tarmac on the edge of the village and this roles for several miles all the way through the cascades - since I was there 2 weeks ago this surface is all painted now. As you start the rolling piece by the water you are still on old road surface but this is all OK. Next as you hit the main downhill you get fresh tarmac again, then wait two miles later it is the old stuff then another section of new tarmac before the old stuff returns a half mile out of Keene? I can only imagine they will fill the final pieces but time is getting close. To be fair the worst of the potholed sections is fixed so even if no more progress is made we'll all be OK. On the good tarmac I was dabbing the brakes at 35mph and felt very safe.
Moving on, and having ridden the loop many times now both race and training I thought I'd offer some advice - many people are way better than me and many have no doubt ridden it many more times than me, but here is some notes from yesterdays single loop if they help:
The first section out of town through the cascades is deceptively tough - use the small ring and get your legs - I always struggle here for some reason. My advice - take it easy there is a long way to go.
The next section down into Keene and note the above, can be fast or very fast if you are brave enough. I tend to go for slow and safe here as the few minutes potential gain isn't worth massive risk for me. My advice - stay safe, and thankfully this is a little easier than it was!
Once you turn left towards Jay etc this third section is really good - a few rollers then find your favourite gear, get aero and focus on getting some food onboard - this part of the course is effectively flat. My advice here - hold a fast steady speed and make some gains. This section in and out of Ausable Falls is your last chance for a real break - on the second loop I take that opportunity for the last few miles!
The next part is the hardest part of the course for me. The right turn onto the 86 and the instance hill up into Wilmington is a nightmare, what appears short and sharp is actually very long and ends with a long false flat. My advise - it will end but not for a while so lowest gear and spin - yesterday 3 people passed me at the bottom, I clawed them back by the top just by spinning my way to the top and didn't see them again. On the second loop I like to remind myself that starting triathlon was the most stupid thing I have ever done and if I didn't need the bike to get me back to civilisation I would happily toss it into the ditch right there! After a while you down hill into the village of Wilmington and do the whole weird Hastleton Road thing - use this to eat again it is an easy flat and slowish part.
Finally the turn back towards Lake Placid. There is a sign that says 11 miles and with the loop at the end back to Mirror lake your are about 12.5 miles from finishing at this point - easily under an hour with some good riding! The first few miles are downhill so get your breath and get ready. Once you see the KOA you have about 10 miles to go, Whiteface Mtn is on your right and the road starts tending up up and up! That being said this really is a beautiful place and short of a night with a boat load of Eastern European hookers and a large bottle of Vodka, riding this section really is as good as life gets! The 3 bears at the end are really only 1.5 miles of pain so, my advice - on loop one enjoy the scenery on loop 2 go down an extra gear or two and spin to the top.
I've said it before and I will again, I'm an average MOP at best guy and this one loop for me yesterday was 3h 11mins. Other than the people I caught back up only 2 people went past me and they were both going so fast they could well have been on motor bikes plus I did stop for 2 mins to eat one of Art's muffins. I rode a 36 to 26 lowest gear which I did use but wouldn't need anything lower!
See you all in 2 weeks!