I'm pretty sure it doesn't require bike drop off that is optional. May require T2 / run gear drop off though. Need to double check.

Bike course isn't too bad to follow. Rather than GPS, I just made a cue sheet based on mymyride (0.27 turn left, 22.3 turn right on such and such.) Pretty easy to follow. Then end is shady though.... but no 4 lane roads.

I will try the run again Tuesday. Might do the bike Thursday. Not sure.

---

--
MyGearGarage - Track all your gear!

Good advice on cue sheet. Will do this time.

Since swim/bike and run finish are miles apart, I am going it alone and staying in providence, what makes more sense: Drop bike off day before/take shuttle from providence (no bikes on shuttle, I believe) or park at pond and try to find ride from run finish back to pond after race over? Thanks for advice!

In fact, here's my cue sheet (should be publicly accessible). Obviously adjust the mileage from the exact start point. The first turn out of lincoln woods is the first item. So you might be plus or minus some distance.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2191721/PVDCue.pdf

---

--
MyGearGarage - Track all your gear!

Thanks for the cue sheet. Really appreciate it!

Any update on water temps? Sounds cuspy, but we are getting close to the actual date and I don't think it is supposed to get too rediculously hot in the next 10 days.

the last few miles leading into town on the bike suck, very bumpy, potholes, I saw a fair number of bottles/co2 that popped out in there.
the swim is nice, last year they had a good number of buoys so sighting was great! not like 1 half a mile up, but 1 every 100 yards or so.

Any suggestion for a place to stay for the weekend?

No idea on water temps... my GUESS from swimming in another pond in Providence recently is that it will be right on the edge. Probably 76 degrees or so.... Hard to know though... I'm just guessing.

As far as places to stay go... depends on what you want. Ideally if you want to be near the finish line I'd see if theres room at the Courtyard Marriott in downtown Providence, or the Westin or Biltmore. Not cheap options, but not awful either and all within walking distance of the finish line.

If you just want a cheap place to stay and you have a car... look in Lincoln, Warwick areas as there will be lots of cheaper options there I would think.

Pretty much anything in Rhode Island NOT on the far southern or eastern ends of it is within a 30 to 45 minute drive of the finish and start areas.

I stayed about a mile from the T1. biked over to the start. my wife then drove over to T2.

keep in mind last year T1 was in Narragansett, whereas this year its in Lincoln. T2 is in the same place though. Last year's swim was an ocean swim (I wish this year's was too!), and this year's is in the pond in Lincoln Woods Park. Bike course is different too... but the last few miles are still pretty nasty as its impossible to get into Providence on a bike without some degree of nasty roads.

Not doing it this year

Is it possible/advisable to ride the course the day before the race? Thanks.

Yes!!! Especially if you are in my age group!!!!

Seriously though... there's no reason other than tiring yourself out you can't ride the course the day before. Just be carefull in the last ten miles or so as theres a lot more traffic and obstacles and crappy roads as you get closer to Providence.

Is it advisable? Riding 56 miles the day before a race sounds like a pretty bad idea to me! Not exactly the best way to taper and rest up for the race.

You'd be better off driving the course and taking your bike along to figure out any technical sections. I rode the course 2 weeks ago and it's pretty straight forward. You might want to look at the last 10 miles as Nick said because it can get tricky. Oh, and please don't ride the course the day before (unless this is something you do/have done). You should be resting of at most doing a little job to shake out your legs, not riding 56 miles.

---

_________________________
I got nothing.

Thanks. Just to clarify (and I realize my question was poorly phrased), I'm not racing on Sunday (my wife is). I was just curious if I could get a ride in on the course on Saturday (my plan calls for a 3 hour ride). Wanted to make sure there weren't any non-rideable roads on the course (like the West Side Highway in the NYC Tri). I might do the race next year so I figure a chance to preview it could come in handy too. Thanks again.

Oh, now that makes more sense. Yeah, you can ride the course. I'm not too sure if due to the race there will be any issues with roads but on any given day you can ride it without issues (except potholes, traffic, etc). In fact, I may ride the course on Sat as well (also not racing).

---

_________________________
I got nothing.

Couple questions for those in the know...

1. The bike course description appears to have A LOT of turns, are these more like "bear left, bear right" type turns or is it that twisty?
2. If I drive to the swim start and leave my car there, how easy is it to get back there from the finish, say via taxi?

Thanks.

---

Thanks to Euro-Sports for my H3Cs.

http://www.euro-sports.ca

1. There are a decent number of turns, but navigation isn't really all that tricky until the last few miles when you get into downtown. I have to imagine that portion of the course will be marked very well. It doesn't feel super twisty to ride other than the usual few turns at the very beginning and the last few miles. There are several sections where you are on the same roads for a long time.

2. The athlete guide is now available online at www.ironmanrhodeisland.com which details parking, shuttles and other info. I don't know if you will be allowed to park inside Lincoln Woods on race day, but assuming you are a taxi will not be inexpensive. My guess would be $25-50 bucks. I'm thinking I'll park at the finish line area or Amica HQ and shuttle to the swim start.

What I'd like to know are the EXACT locations of the bike aid stations. They don't appear to be available online anywhere other than a statement saying they are every 15 miles.

What's the situation as far as water quality, temps for the swim. I know there was a lot of concern about the swim and I heard the lake was close in early June due to high levels of bacteria. Is it OK now?

Looks like the beach was closed for one day this year. It should be ok if there are no downpours next week.

http://www.ribeaches.org/closures.cfm

Based on the way the roads are being described should I be riding on my training wheels w/ puncture resistant tires or will I be ok on my race wheels with race tires if I avoid potholes? Not sure if the conditions are so bad that it�s a no brainer to be on the puncture resistant tires (broken road, glass, potholes).

I rode the course on my race wheels... only time I was remotely worried about them was the god awful section of Central ave towards the end of the bike that looks like it just got shelled. Apparently they have called that area a "no pass zone" in the rules. I would ride slowly and cautiously through that area. Its so lumpy its like riding a bucking bronco with wheels. Its only about a half mile long but if feels more like 2 miles long.

I didn't see a lot of glass, and although there are some potholes if you're paying attention to where you're going you'll be fine. Be especially carefull of all the railroad tracks and junk on the road as you go through the last few miles into Providence at the end as like any other major downtown area there's a fair amount of crap in the road.

Again... stuff to watch out for is the Central ave section, and be aware and carefull on the last few miles into town. Other than that its much like any other course.

Looks like we have to pay for the shuttles? Really? A $300 entry fee and they want some more money from me so for a quick shuttle ride....thats crap, should be free for athletes

O wait! I can get a free shuttle from Amica in Lincoln, but there are no shuttles back to the parking lot after the race, this all makes so much sense

Acccording to the athlete guide, there's a bag for you to put your clothes in at T1 that you can pick up at the finish. Do they also deliver your wetsuit?

---

“Read the transcript.”