It's a classic, epic event. The top solos and teams are pretty amazing. Much of the bike ride is downhill & fast. Bucket list race for all Oregonians. Yes I'm sure you know all this ... Sorry, been many years since I was a semi-local. Now you have me daydreaming of skiing in May in a Tshirt at Bachelor ...

Wonderful event. What do you need to know? Everything from Olympians who do the thing around 1:45hrs to multi-generational families and 80 year olds(?). Advice? Skate the XC ski, not classic! Practice skating a death hill at the end. The alpine, bike, run and paddle are easy in comparison. I've done business/co-ed/age group mens/and pair. I'm just working out team logistics for this year. If it doesn't come together i'll solo for the first time. Let me know if you need other info.

I have been to the Nordic area at Bachelor twice this season, but both times on my classic skis (what I own). I was planning to take a skate lesson some time in March or April and use skate skis for the race. I think I have been on all the trails in the nordic center, nothing really seemed killer. The longer loops do have some real rollers on them. The only other nordic center I have really skied at is the Lake Placid Olympic Nordic center, which has much harder hills than Bachelor.

Death hill? Do you mean a descent or uphill? It is kind of a long uphill grind back to the Nordic lodge from most of the ski loops, but the grade is pretty gentle so it is just a matter of powering through. I think of a death hill on XC as steep and serpentine downhill. I figure in May the snow should be soft and the solo division races first, so traction should be decent (although slow).

I am going to need two support people for the solo division. Note sure how I am going to work that out. I feel kind of bad asking friends to take up that much of their time just to help me race. I was thinking of trying to hire some local kids in Bend and pay them to be my support.

unless you skate ski regularly (which i know you don't), then you will probably be faster sticking with classic in that time frame. You'd really need to make the investment in the proper equipment and then do it fairly regularly. I wouldn't suggest taking a lesson and then showing up on race day and renting skate ski's. That won't go well.

Well. I was originally thinking of the last hill up to the Nordic Center. This hill might seem a breeze on your average Sunday afternoon stroll... but it gets a lot taller and steeper and squishier after a heart pounding 20-30 mins during PPP race day. But you bring up a good point. The downhill from the transition near the lifts is a lot more drop than the typical nordic trails at Batchelor. Once you go around the parking area, there are a couple of downhill sections with hairpin curves that are 'interesting' at speed!!! What this means is a little practice of moderate downhill XC, and stepping thru turns is required. Assuming you live near PDX, practice at Teacup (Mountain View) or Mt Hood Meadows (Cheese roll?).

It's an incredible event, and everyone in Bend is out to celebrate. Good luck with the support team. Consider a team or pair... Check in on PPP's FB page to ask for team mates, maybe support, or other help.

It's a blast. Did it last year with a buddy of mine. I skate skied for the first time the day before, and then did the skate ski portion of the race. Got passed by several 10-ish year old kids. Luckily, I destroyed them on the bike. Made me feel better about my life.

I just moved here. When is the race?

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

Always third Saturday in May. Put it on your calendar for as long as you live west of Vermont. This year May 18th. More info at http://www.pppbend.com/

(btw, i liked the guy who recently asked if he could do the alpine leg on XC Skate skis, thereby avoiding the boot/ski transition. It has been done, but suicide for sure. It's crispy (aka "hardpack") up on the mtn that time of year!)
Tigerchik, as said above, this is Oregon Bucket list for sure. Must do event.

P.S. the hardest thing about the race (depending on whether you are in contention for a mug) is trying to figure out whether to wear shorts / tshirt on the Skate or not. Weather is changeable.

Funny. I turned myself inside out trying to keep up with a 10 year old boy in a one piece green suit a few years back. I am still haunted by boy in leprechaun suit kicking my butt on the hill. I must admit my second race (12 years ago?) i ditched the backcountry metal edged XC skis, and rented Skate skis on the mountain on race day (err... maybe my second or third day skating). But, of course (no sarcasm), not something I'd recommend to mr. tri_yoda. :-) (KAlber is right)

15 year PPP veteran here, having competed in the elite solo division the last 5 years. This race is one of the top 3 days to be in Bend all year for sure. The first year you do the race solo, it is all about learning the little tricks to make you successful. The solo elites use rear entry boots that we slide our skate boot into in order to make a speedy transition from Alpine to Nordic. The time it takes to swap boots is generally longer than the whole alpine leg and you will lose big time without this setup. Finding rear entry boots for sale in the spring in Bend is near impossible. Skate skiing is way faster than classic and if you can get competent enough to not fall every 20 feet, then that is your best option for sure. The bike is all downhill with the exception of a short little steep climb about 5 miles in. There is some serious time to be made on the bike though if you have good gear and good legs. The run course is new this year and should be a lot more scenic and enjoyable. Then there is the kayak. You really need a fast boat to do well here. We use surfskis. Make sure you are comfortable paddling your boat though, because the fastest boat in the world won't do you much good if you are swimming next to it.

Feel free to ask me any questions about the race.

Andrew

When it says "alpine leg" does that mean downhill ski? I can XC ski but can't downhill ski...

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

Andrew, I always wondered... I assume you take the liner out of the rear entry boots? Otherwise where do you find a rear entry boot that can fit a size 13 skate boot? :-)

Yep, liner out. Usually you need to go up 2 sizes still, so finding a size 15 is going to be a battle. My skate boots are 9 and rear entry boots are 11.

Yes. Alpine = downhill. You can also snowboard. Or, pair up with tri-yoga. Or... Find a team / pair at school... Or via the PPP FB site... Or... I may be looking for a XC Ski leg woman on our women's team. We are just sorting out logistics now. (We are trying to get a husbands on one team, wives on the other team, but that isn't working out so cleanly).

Makes me think we could put together a pretty competitive ST team one of these days.

Last time, until the 'run out' at the bottom of Century drive, I averaged 30mph on my road bike (final average was 28.3mph over the 22 mile course). Can't wait to try it this year on the SliceRS with a pointy helmet!!! (Assuming there is no snow on the road, of course.) I am also trying to figure out what helmet/eye cover/calming music setup I need to allow wifee to join me on the bike tandem one year. I hit 50mph on the road bike, and the tandems LEFT ME IN THE DUST. (There is a tandem division, you only need to tandem one leg (the bike or the kayak), or you can tandem both, and take turns on the rest).

I'll second the comment on a decent boat for the water leg. The year I did it it was in a crappy canoe and I got embarrassed by slower people in faster boats.

Awesome race overall though. Grew up in Bend, but now that I'm in Seattle we've got Ski to Sea. Same idea, but more events.

No, I will be much faster on skate. Not even close.
I appreciate your help in slowing me down, but it isn't going to work;)

I have skated before, it is not hard. One lesson and I will be on form.

I need helpers. I will cover your Friday night lodging and your bar tab.

I am planning on racing elite solo. Looks like mostly only Benders do it, but I plan to bring it from Beaver town.

I figured the Alpine to Nordic is going to be kind of clusterf*ck, but to me it is not worth the trouble to a new pair of boots to save 90 seconds.
So people wear nordic boots inside rear entry downhill boots? What do you need like size 15?

I am just going to have to rent a kayak, so I will take what I can get. I know how to swim, so whatever happens, happens;)

helpers for what?
I just rode 2h30 :-) love flexible grad school schedule

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

If you are solo, you have to have two support people, one to take your gear at Bachelor (skis) and then one to take your bike in town.

Rented some skate skis this weekend and pounded out 30K at Bachelor. Only fell down once, so I think I am good to go. Reserved skate skis for the race.
Some people are just born athletes, I consider myself lucky.

Looking for a team mate for a duo.
I don't think I am ready for the solo division this year, but still want to experience this and I am in pretty good shape.

Okay, so I did a real practice, with four trips up the death hill (screamer on Strava). Okay, it is a little tougher than I remember it, the fourth time up kind of sucked.

did you check out the young guy on the Facebook page asking for a duo team? Or was that you?

We are ready. One male, one female team! We will have fun!