In, M35 - 39. I have had this position in this race before. If you are FOP, it can make for a very lonely day. PROs are long gone, you are near front of your wave, faster dudes from next AG are a while behind you.

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I do almost all my riding alone anyway :) but I'm not that fast of a swimmer- pr 30:46. Hoping to top that this time. I'll still have a fair number of guys on the bike in front of me! Passes will be more infrequent but more meaningful because they will all be in my ag!

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
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Damn, age group 40-44 is wave 10. Going to be crispy on that lake front with zero shade. I just hope they are offering ice sponges this year. Two years ago they offered and last year they didn't.

Wave #13 for me.. This will be my first HIM, do people usually wear wetsuits for this race? I really didn't want to as its a prep race for HIMVN

Yes.

Look at it this way, you'll be able to hydrate well and freely pee on the grass while standing around waiting for your wave to start.

Bring an old pair of flip flops for the walk to the start

Wave #9 here. I've barely swam this year so will probably be a PR, as in a personal record for slowest swim.

In as well, 40-44. I'll probably best your pr/ pw for the swim - as in, slower than you.

Not doing it this year, but last year I believe they announced 7-8 athletes would start at once, but it ended up only being 4-5. Maybe they'll have a wider entry platform this year. Good luck to all.

1st wave for me.
At least it'll be easy to gauge your spot in the age group.

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@christopher_borden •
Spinning Spoke • Dimond Bikes • Flo Cycling • Castelli Cycling

Damn Borden - I have to race you? I'm going down.

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New Training/Racing Log - http://www.earthdaykid.com/blog --- Old Training/Racing Log - http://colinlaughery.blogspot.com

Looks like you and Borden will probably both be up the road from me as anything under 4:30 I will consider full-on success.... Should be a great race though! Your'e in Boulder? I just moved here a few months ago, training with Eric Kenney. I know another Boulder guy going to NOLA - Jeff something... 30-34.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

I just hope I don't have to spend much time looking at the budgie smuggler.

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@christopher_borden •
Spinning Spoke • Dimond Bikes • Flo Cycling • Castelli Cycling

See y'all there! I look forward to this race every year—even though I'm no longer living in New Orleans, will always feel like a hometown race!

Kind of bummed we're no longer finishing in City Park but staying out on the Lakefront instead but oh well.

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Rusch Racing | website | @maggieru | Instagram
Ask me about: Alto Cycling | Cuore | Base Performance | XTERRA Wetsuits | Cadence Run Company | First Bourn. Coached by: Desert Dude

I'm in! Wave thirteen. Although its gonna be rough. Just coming back from a separated shoulder and broken bone in February. Haven't swam in awhile so we'll see how that goes next week.

Wave 1. I am going to get annihilated in the water, but the bike and run are ready to roll. Then come home for a short recovery and St. Anthony's 7 days later.

Really depends on your bike/run I guess. If you are going to ride/run near the front of the AG (say sub 2:22 or so), then you will see very few people all day.

Start near front of M35-39 wave and swim 31. You have passed nearly ever relay swimmer in the water, most people in front of you now are pros and people who started near you and swam faster than 31 (not many). If you ride like noted, really zero people in previous waves will catch you on the bike, you have a several minute head start and not too many people are riding sub 2:20. The only people that you will see are the ones in your wave that started near back and ride REALLY fast or the ones that swim a little slower and ride a little faster. Either way, you won't pass more than 5 people after mile 10 of the bike until T2. I am not saying this is a bad thing. I am just saying be prepared for it.

More of the same on the run if you continue to run near the front of the AG, though by that time, some of the over all AG contenders from the waves behind you may have made up some ground and have caught you, the dudes that started 10 minutes back of you but will finish the day doing 4:15.

I am not an overall contender. The following is all off memory, so don't shoot me if my details are imperfect, but I have done this race on this course in 4:35 and then with better fitness in worse conditions on 4:34 (both time in M35-39 once for 8th or so and once for 5th or so). I don't recall the exact splits, but something like ball park of 31, 2:23, 1:39 for last one. If you have splits similar to those, and start in M35-39, and do so at the front of M35-39, you will be racing by yourself for a long time.

Like I said, not a bad thing or a good thing (cooler temps maybe, less legal drafting maybe, lower winds maybe, who knows).

When I get a bib number I will post it so we can meet up before and after to swap strategies and war stories. I am a local (whole life), so if you need any local type info, please don't hesitate to ask.

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Of course you are right. We'll see how it goes. I think I am actually looking forward to a more lonely course. Would love to chat before the race!

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

wave 6 35-39 men..did it in 2011 with no swim :(

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"If you want to experience all of the successes and pleasure in life, you have to be willing to accept all the pain and failure that comes with it"

So I know it's a bit early for weather forecasts to be accurate, but right now they are calling for winds at 21mph gusting to 32mph. That is some really serious wind. I don't want to run my Jet 9 up front for that. I wonder if a 404 would be OK in those conditions? My shiv is already built kinda like a sail.

And also, it is supposed to thunderstorm every day between this Friday and race day....

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

The way the course is now, there really shouldn't be too many high speed sections/decents, probably just into and out of Transition.

We did a race here last week that went in a different direction and had us descending a few bridges (some high ride) about 10 times.

Coming down those in cross winds open to the lake was a bit hairy. For the 70.3, I will be Flo90 up front and disc in the back and not think twice about it.

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Wave 14 of 15 for me! Age discrimination! lol.

Maybe! But This is my 6th 70.3 and I have always started in the back in the 35-39 AG! This will be my first time starting up front.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

I'll be there...out of shape and slow but at least I get in the water early! M35-39

Old dudes rule. Look for me in the M35-39 wave. I will be in the big sexy racing kit (light blue and yellow) porting a De Soto T1 Concept 5 wetsuit. I will also be one of the shortest dudes standing on the dock, can't miss me! Say hey, love to meet anyone from here in person.

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