Hello All, I'm going to Panama City Beach next month for the first time and I'm looking for intel on the bike course and suggestions for a successful day. I've completed 4 half irons. This will be my first Ironman. Any suggestions about the course and conditions I might expect would be much appreciated. I'm not a rocket by any stretch. My Half PR is 5:40. For IMFL, I just want to cross the line at the end of the day. I'm hopeful of a 6:30 bike leg and a 13-14 hour overall finish time. Thanx in advance for all your advice!!!
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Re: question for Ironman Florida alumni [Poidog]
[ In reply to ]
Good luck out there, I did it last year.
Last year we had strong winds at times and rain. The winds were strongest at the start (a nice tailwind) until about the 10-15 mile point where you turn, a few mile later you hit the first hill, an overpass. There are a few false flats in the beginning. In the middle somewhere there are a bunch of rollers for about 20 miles. I was cruising at 19-20 at this point, and if I remember correctly, I'd drop to about 12-13 at the peaks staying in the aerobars being conservative. The next spot where winds were brutal was an out and back section, you can see it on the map. It reduced me down to 16mph or so until the turn around. A ways after this section is the rough sections of road. We had this combined with rain, so it was tough to see the potholes, but it's pretty crappy roads. Once this ends your at maybe the 80-90 mile mark if I remember right. You hit the overpass again, and it seems a lot bigger the second time after 100 miles. After the turn left to head back to transition the winds (that were a nice tailwind) were brutal. They were gusting and pushing me down to 12mph, I think I was coming in around 16-17mph in the headwind. All in all, I finished in 6:14 with a flat, and I wasn't a particularly strong cyclist last year, so it's a pretty fast course I think. I wouldn't worry so much about time, just keep it easy and take what the course gives you. I was amazed at how many people I passed on the bike, but I came out of the water after everybody, so if you're at the front, it will be a different story. A 6:30 is definitely reasonable out there, and will put you in great position to finish in your time goal. I finished in 13:38, with a horrendous swim (1:51), and a long run (5:12). The run is pancake flat, and if you have typical weather it will be very nice for running.
Hope this helps, a great resource for IMFL is www.mile141.com. Go to the florida/southeast page. There are a bunch of people that have been doing IMFL the past few years, and will have a better memory than me about the bike course. They're very helpful.
Have a great race,
Jack
---------------------------------------------------------
"What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind and body can achieve; and those who stay will be champions."
Last year we had strong winds at times and rain. The winds were strongest at the start (a nice tailwind) until about the 10-15 mile point where you turn, a few mile later you hit the first hill, an overpass. There are a few false flats in the beginning. In the middle somewhere there are a bunch of rollers for about 20 miles. I was cruising at 19-20 at this point, and if I remember correctly, I'd drop to about 12-13 at the peaks staying in the aerobars being conservative. The next spot where winds were brutal was an out and back section, you can see it on the map. It reduced me down to 16mph or so until the turn around. A ways after this section is the rough sections of road. We had this combined with rain, so it was tough to see the potholes, but it's pretty crappy roads. Once this ends your at maybe the 80-90 mile mark if I remember right. You hit the overpass again, and it seems a lot bigger the second time after 100 miles. After the turn left to head back to transition the winds (that were a nice tailwind) were brutal. They were gusting and pushing me down to 12mph, I think I was coming in around 16-17mph in the headwind. All in all, I finished in 6:14 with a flat, and I wasn't a particularly strong cyclist last year, so it's a pretty fast course I think. I wouldn't worry so much about time, just keep it easy and take what the course gives you. I was amazed at how many people I passed on the bike, but I came out of the water after everybody, so if you're at the front, it will be a different story. A 6:30 is definitely reasonable out there, and will put you in great position to finish in your time goal. I finished in 13:38, with a horrendous swim (1:51), and a long run (5:12). The run is pancake flat, and if you have typical weather it will be very nice for running.
Hope this helps, a great resource for IMFL is www.mile141.com. Go to the florida/southeast page. There are a bunch of people that have been doing IMFL the past few years, and will have a better memory than me about the bike course. They're very helpful.
Have a great race,
Jack
---------------------------------------------------------
"What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind and body can achieve; and those who stay will be champions."
Re: question for Ironman Florida alumni [Poidog]
[ In reply to ]
First of all - you have the correct attitude. Your first and only goal should be finishing. Anything quicker than that is icing on teh cake for your first Ironman.
IMF was my first Im and this is what I recall. Panama City Beach is a smaller town that is quiet this time of the year (no spring break) - if you and/or your family likes pee wee golf and go-carts, you will be in heaven. PCB airport is small and there is a decent chance that you and your bike will not arrive together due to the large # of triathletes on planes that can carry a small # of bikes. they end up trucking themin the next day.
Registeration was fast - fastest IMNA registeration I have ever been through. Volunteers were nice and supportive. Organization was nice too. A nice atheletes villiage. Gatorade has its practice swims in the a.m. All in all you will be well cared for before the event.
The race itself is not my favorite IM, but its still nice. The beach is like talcum powder. the swim my year (2001) was smooth with gentle swells. The worst part was the smell of the timing/press boats' fuel. Because the swim start is stretched out on a large beach, contact during teh swim is minimal, but definitely there.
The bike is hard - IMHO. There is no hills. The closest thingto a climb is the overpass you hit once going out and then again coming back in. Other than that, you could nearly do 112 miles in the same position, in the same chain ring - hell almost in the same gearing. That wears on you. The scenery is nice to start with, but after 75 miles of pine trees, you almost wish for a nice parking lot or suburb :) My year conditions were nice - little wind, slightly overcast and cool.
The run is nice. Two loops with the 13.1 mile point being the finish-line (so you pass people who are finishing while you start lap 2). I like the run as a good chiunk of it goes through a state park (more pines) and the road has a hard-packed dirt path next to it so you can save the knees a bit. You do run through some neighborhoods near the 1-3 mile/13-16 mile points, so you get some crowd support.
It gets dark early so even good times can finish in the dark. Finishers t-shirts and medals were nice. Hell...if it says Ironman finisher" and you earn it - it can be pink polka dots with yellow lightning bolts and you'll still love it :)
Good luck and have fun!
Alan
IMF was my first Im and this is what I recall. Panama City Beach is a smaller town that is quiet this time of the year (no spring break) - if you and/or your family likes pee wee golf and go-carts, you will be in heaven. PCB airport is small and there is a decent chance that you and your bike will not arrive together due to the large # of triathletes on planes that can carry a small # of bikes. they end up trucking themin the next day.
Registeration was fast - fastest IMNA registeration I have ever been through. Volunteers were nice and supportive. Organization was nice too. A nice atheletes villiage. Gatorade has its practice swims in the a.m. All in all you will be well cared for before the event.
The race itself is not my favorite IM, but its still nice. The beach is like talcum powder. the swim my year (2001) was smooth with gentle swells. The worst part was the smell of the timing/press boats' fuel. Because the swim start is stretched out on a large beach, contact during teh swim is minimal, but definitely there.
The bike is hard - IMHO. There is no hills. The closest thingto a climb is the overpass you hit once going out and then again coming back in. Other than that, you could nearly do 112 miles in the same position, in the same chain ring - hell almost in the same gearing. That wears on you. The scenery is nice to start with, but after 75 miles of pine trees, you almost wish for a nice parking lot or suburb :) My year conditions were nice - little wind, slightly overcast and cool.
The run is nice. Two loops with the 13.1 mile point being the finish-line (so you pass people who are finishing while you start lap 2). I like the run as a good chiunk of it goes through a state park (more pines) and the road has a hard-packed dirt path next to it so you can save the knees a bit. You do run through some neighborhoods near the 1-3 mile/13-16 mile points, so you get some crowd support.
It gets dark early so even good times can finish in the dark. Finishers t-shirts and medals were nice. Hell...if it says Ironman finisher" and you earn it - it can be pink polka dots with yellow lightning bolts and you'll still love it :)
Good luck and have fun!
Alan
As previously posted you have the right idea. My suggestion is continue to race the way you train. If you have a HRM use it and don't go out too fast. I did the race last year and while I had a poor swim at 1:10 I was amazed at how many people blasted by me at the beginning of the bike. I set my watch to go off every 15 minutes to remind me to drink my milk shake of Metrx, cytomax, and other stuff that equate to a 1000 calorie drink. I also made sure that I downed a thermotab every 30 minutes as it can get pretty humid down there. One thing you should not do is freeze your water bottles for the mid point bag hand off thinking they will be nice and cool by the time you get there. They will still be frozen. If you maintain your pace you will feel great towards the end of the ride and that is where the race beginns. You will pass everyone who went by you at the beginning. I ended up with a ride just over 5 hours. I took my time changing into running gear but as it was raining I developed a some nasty feet blisters on the run. I stopped took of my shoes and socks..popped them and went on. My feet felt fine after that. I recommend taking a break at the aid stations by walking through them while you drink. I alternated water or gatoraide on even miles with coke and water on odd miles. It worked well. I finished the run under 4 hours and about a half hour after it got dark. Watch the pavement in the neighborhoods as there are some poor sections of road and you do not want to twist your ankle. You should be pleased with the support along the way and after the race. It is not Hawaii but it is a Ironman and finishing is all that counts.
Greg
Greg