Sorry if there has been a thread on this in the past but couldn't find anything good, and wanted to ask some questions particular to me anyways, thanks in advance for any help/insight.
I have two athletes to spectate for in lake placid. I have done two IMs myself (not LP - MT and FL), but never actually been a spectator at a big full distance WTC event so i'm looking forward to it very much but am curious as to what it's like, especially in lake placid.
For background - I'm very, very familiar with the town of lake placid, so that's good for me. Been there I think 4 times, trained on/know the course, know the lay of the land in and outside town, surrounding areas, etc....but i've never been there during the race in any capacity. The place we're staying is unfortunately far - down near I-87, I guess Elizabethtown being the best landmark - about 50 minutes away. Closest we could find for all our needs. And as last bit of context - my athletes are on the slow side, so i will be there until the bitter end of midnight, most likely.
1. What is the ideal parking plan? The athlete/spectator guides mention the lots along old military at the school/hospital/firehouse with shuttles, is this the best move? i figure parking any closer is impossible, and perhaps having the shuttles would allow us to go back to the car for supplies if needed throughout the day? it's only like 1.3 mile walk from the oval so not bad location it seems. but are there other options that WTC just doesn't discuss?
2. If I park at those lots, since i'm going to be there until midnight most likely, is there any possibility to move the car any closer as night falls? would that even be worth it?
3. is it at all possible or worth it to bring a road bike to get around town during race day? I assume crowds will be huge, but is it possible or worth it? to get to/from the car wherever it is parked (if needed, see Q4), and potentially to get to less-crowded spots around the outskirts of town to spectate? Is it at all possible to get around the run course on a bike to watch?
4. Are restaurants/food places in town do-able for meals throughout the day? I figure with the crowds they may be madhouses and wondering if stashing picnic food in my car (with the shuttles, or esp if I have a bike to go back n forth) is a smarter option.
5. I assume getting in/out of town (i.e., to and from our lodging down near I-87) is impossible during the race, is that true? we'd have to take 73 thru Keene, is that realistically passable on race day while the bike leg is happening? I ask not because I plan to leave but others in my athletes' crew who are less experienced with these events may have delusions of coming into town later in the day, or leaving halfway thru the day to go back to our place of lodging and come back for late night finish, is that reasonable at all?
6. Coming into Lake Placid on race morning, up from Keene, are there any major traffic delays? We plan to get there early for sure probably driving in around 430a, but so is everyone else so want to be prepared for any delays. Will I be able to drop my athletes off close to transition, then proceed to parking lots where I then take shuttle to transition, or is it just impossible to even get near Town on race morning?
I'm sure there are aspects I haven't thought about, so any other tips are appreciated. I'm not worried about the "what to do" part - I love watching events and between watching my atheletes, the pros, and everyone else, and luckily I don't have any kids or uninterested people to entertain. that's not the part I'm worried about. Just want to be as logistically prepared as possible on the day. Thank you.
I have two athletes to spectate for in lake placid. I have done two IMs myself (not LP - MT and FL), but never actually been a spectator at a big full distance WTC event so i'm looking forward to it very much but am curious as to what it's like, especially in lake placid.
For background - I'm very, very familiar with the town of lake placid, so that's good for me. Been there I think 4 times, trained on/know the course, know the lay of the land in and outside town, surrounding areas, etc....but i've never been there during the race in any capacity. The place we're staying is unfortunately far - down near I-87, I guess Elizabethtown being the best landmark - about 50 minutes away. Closest we could find for all our needs. And as last bit of context - my athletes are on the slow side, so i will be there until the bitter end of midnight, most likely.
1. What is the ideal parking plan? The athlete/spectator guides mention the lots along old military at the school/hospital/firehouse with shuttles, is this the best move? i figure parking any closer is impossible, and perhaps having the shuttles would allow us to go back to the car for supplies if needed throughout the day? it's only like 1.3 mile walk from the oval so not bad location it seems. but are there other options that WTC just doesn't discuss?
2. If I park at those lots, since i'm going to be there until midnight most likely, is there any possibility to move the car any closer as night falls? would that even be worth it?
3. is it at all possible or worth it to bring a road bike to get around town during race day? I assume crowds will be huge, but is it possible or worth it? to get to/from the car wherever it is parked (if needed, see Q4), and potentially to get to less-crowded spots around the outskirts of town to spectate? Is it at all possible to get around the run course on a bike to watch?
4. Are restaurants/food places in town do-able for meals throughout the day? I figure with the crowds they may be madhouses and wondering if stashing picnic food in my car (with the shuttles, or esp if I have a bike to go back n forth) is a smarter option.
5. I assume getting in/out of town (i.e., to and from our lodging down near I-87) is impossible during the race, is that true? we'd have to take 73 thru Keene, is that realistically passable on race day while the bike leg is happening? I ask not because I plan to leave but others in my athletes' crew who are less experienced with these events may have delusions of coming into town later in the day, or leaving halfway thru the day to go back to our place of lodging and come back for late night finish, is that reasonable at all?
6. Coming into Lake Placid on race morning, up from Keene, are there any major traffic delays? We plan to get there early for sure probably driving in around 430a, but so is everyone else so want to be prepared for any delays. Will I be able to drop my athletes off close to transition, then proceed to parking lots where I then take shuttle to transition, or is it just impossible to even get near Town on race morning?
I'm sure there are aspects I haven't thought about, so any other tips are appreciated. I'm not worried about the "what to do" part - I love watching events and between watching my atheletes, the pros, and everyone else, and luckily I don't have any kids or uninterested people to entertain. that's not the part I'm worried about. Just want to be as logistically prepared as possible on the day. Thank you.