Yes, this is the same setup as last year. Hard to say about the wetsuits this early on.

Yep, I'm a yellow cap too...By the time I'll hit the run it's going to be hot as hell. Just pray for a cold front!
I think wetsuit chances are going to be close to 0.

I'm racing in wave #24 of 25 at Miami and wave #22 of 27 at Augusta.
Kinda blows. I understand the need to get certain folks on and off the course as early as possible, but sometimes this creates a bit of a safety issue with other waves coming through the field on the bike like a freight train. I'm not looking forward to the single lane country roads at Augusta, trying to pass packs of people.

Ohhh the joys of stacking the fastest age groups last so the race finishes sooner and it's more exciting for spectators since it's less spread out.

---

TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com

Seems about the same as last year, down to the color of the swim caps. I was M25-29 wave 1, so after setting transition I went back to my hotel and chilled out for a bit. Over under last year on the wetsuit was not a bet you'd want to take, and yet look what happened. Bring the wetsuit. And check for the current from the tide, it was going out last year so I made sure to sight enough coming back toward shore before the last turn in.

And look out for the railroad tracks around 4 miles into the bike, and again at the same spot on the way back in. There's two sets of them and I launched the BTA bottle because they were still putting mats out.

---

Abell

is this the same exact bike course they used last year? I know they had a different one for the first year or two, that brought you south to Homestead. But this one takes you out the NW side of the city and North to Griffin road in west pembroke. Decent road surface? I'll be down there a couple more times prior to the race, but if anyone knows of specific points to pay close attention to on scouting trips, give a brother a heads up.

Yeah, it's the same course as last year. Last year road quality was back and forth and there was some construction going on, but overall it was smooth even when it wasn't fresh asphalt. The only things that caught me off guard were the railroad tracks (even though I had read about them I had to bunny hop the first set and the rubber mats screwed me on the second set) and coming back into downtown the wind was bouncing all over the place off of the buildings, but it was windy last year. It's a flat and fast out-and-back "L" shaped course, not too much to worry about when scouting.

Oh, and there's a gun range after the turnaround, so that's what that noise is you'll be hearing.

---

Abell

I'm coming to Miami for this race. We are staying on South Beach, does anyone know of any group rides or routes in that area?
Is the bike course safe for a training ride? I'm from the UK so riding on the other side of the rode and different traffic laws throw me a little.

Thanks

There is really one place I would tell you to ride in miami, and that's Key Biscayne. It's boring, and (mostly) flat, but it's the safest place in Miami to ride. I am down there for work a lot and when I bring my bike, I call my wife to tell her I love her and if she doesn't hear from me in 2 hours, call Jackson Memorial Hospital to look for me. That place is a death trap everywhere else. At least Key Biscayne has a huge shoulder through most of the island. I cant stress this enough: don't wear headphones, and keep your head on a swivel. The drivers in Miami are rated by AAA as the worst in the nation. They don't pay attention, lots aren't insured, and NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE GOING. There was a really tragic death last year where a guy was driving home from South Beach around 7am and mowed down a couple riders on the Rickenbauer Causeway, killing one. The guy didn't stop, drove home, covered his car up, <sobered up> then turned himself in with his attorney hours later. I am telling you, Key Biscayne all the way. I don't trust the Beach group ride because I don't trust the drivers over there.

End Rant.


WHO'S READY TO RACE, HUH!?!?!?!?!?!

What this guy said!
I do all my riding in Weston. I live half way so I could get to KB in the same amount of time but I prefer Weston because there's no traffic, wide bike lanes and the drivers are not all bloody idiots.

What nhoya said - the actual course is on a highway so I'd stay away until race day. Key Biscayne is the way to go, and you can swim over there too.

---

Abell

any updates regarding water temps? it's still a long way to go but 2011 was no wetsuit, 2012 wetsuit.. 2013?

best of luck, 9 am start sucks...by the time you hit the run, its already 12pm and have to do wonderful run in hot/humid weather.

not sure on wetsuit, its been quite hot past week. reaching 90 degrees since saturday.

I actually think that's fine. I've had horrible runs early in the morning all summer because of high humidity but I've moved all my runs in the afternoon and felt great because humidity was in the 50%-60% which is very manageable at least for me. It's been getting better and better lately so by the end of the month it should be fine. It's still going to be 80 degrees plus but at least it will be dry.

I've found some stuff that struck me weird on the ironmanmiami.com website and in the Athlete Guide. According to the Rules section of the website: "Wetsuits may only be stripped to the waist and completely removed in the changing tent." There's a changing tent!? Last time I did a 70.3 (in Augusta a couple of years ago), there were no changing tents; furthermore, there were wetsuit strippers. Of course, the race probably won't be wetsuit-legal anyway, but the "changing tent" bit threw me for a loop. Are they trying to make the 70.3 races more like the full IM events now? Except minus the wetsuit strippers?

The Athlete Guide states: "Helmets, bike shoes, and other cycling gear must be placed in the provided Bike Gear Bag." So they're using gear bags now, and you can't arrange your gear beforehand?

Sounds like the transitions are going to be a lot slower now.

---

-----
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
Which is probably why I was registering 59.67mi as I rolled into T2.

I have not read through it yet, but maybe its a cut and paste job from another event?

Possibly. The part about the gear bags also appears in the most recent Athlete Guide for IM 70.3 Augusta, although I don't remember gear bags being used there.

It would be nice to know one way or the other, for those of us who like to plan out every detail in advance.

---

-----
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
Which is probably why I was registering 59.67mi as I rolled into T2.

There were no gear bags used for Augusta 70.3. They gave you a "morning" bag to place items that you wanted to have at the finish line. I'm assuming it will be the same for MIA 70.3, and that the bit in the athlete guide is just a generic template they use for the 140.6 races.

Low water temp last year was a bit of a fluke caused by a tropical weather system that moved thru area in days before the race.
Here is link to nearest weather station showing current water temps at 83/84 degrees.

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/...ge.php?station=vakf1

Looks like a choppy swim and windy bike ride for Sunday ;)
Water temps are 83 degrees now but could get lower with a cold front moving in Wednesday but I doubt it will be wetsuit legal.
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=AMZ630

Im looking forward to a little of the elements thrown into the race to keep things interesting. Im not sure the family likes the sound of "cold front" moving in, but it should be a great visit to Florida.

Don't worry about the "cold" part, it will still be in the 80s by noon. It just means it will hopefully be dry instead of sauna humid. You want a cold front, trust me! :)

I would not worry about it being cold or even cool. The high today is 90. A "cold" front will hopefully bring us down to the mid 80s.