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EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming?
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Hey All.

I grew up in the EM town of Cambridge. Left for a while and now live about 3 miles from the race. Even used to pull folks from the river into my 13' Boston Whaler at 12 years old when the race was in nearby Oxford (Olympic Distance at that time).

Racing for the first time this year - disclaimer, my wife was really jazzed to run so we are doing the relay as a husband/wife team. Trying to get her into tri and hoping all the hoopla will get her hooked on multisport.

The river is great. Been in about 6 times lately. Chilly for this time of year. Would definitely suggest a swim on Saturday for all. Visibility is about 1.5 inches due to all the rain and run off. But, us locals are really psyched to have you all this year.

Any questions regarding travel, accomodations, etc. just send an email - I'll be glad to help in any way.

Any interesting stories about past EagleMan races. Love to hear some to get even more jazzed about the event. What a great place to race. Welcome to all!

CH
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [Chubby Hubby] [ In reply to ]
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What about the swim. Is it as tough as I have heard and if so, what makes it tough.

Thanks for the info
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [bbaskin] [ In reply to ]
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The swim can be complicated by a few factors - current, visibility and chop. The race committee has commited to making a last-minute course determination based on the tide at race start so current should be OK.

Some folks from the pristine fresh water swimming of the mid-West or New York sometimes find it disconcerting to not be able to see their elbow under water, but you get used to it after about 10 years.

As for chop, those used to swimming in the ocean or flat water will not like it when the waves are between 8" and 2'. The water always seems to be beating at you and not letting you get air. This should not be a problem at 7 am. Oh, if the wind is blowing enough to get the water choppy first thing in the morning, the swim is the least of your worries - wait until you get on the bike.

Just get in the water and fool around before race day and you will get a feel for the conditions. Best to you and all the other participants. Enjoy the beautiful Eastern Shore of MD.

CH
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [Chubby Hubby] [ In reply to ]
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What's the current, expected surface water temperature in the choptank?

**********************
I was, now I will tri again!
...
Any time is a good time.
God Bless you my friend.
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [Goodtime] [ In reply to ]
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How are the road conditions on the bike course? Smooth and nice, pothole central, old, new, gravel?

I'm in NYC and the rainy spring is wreaking havoc on what are pretty crappy roads to begin with. Just curious about what to expect at Blackwater.

Thanks!


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Adam Duncan
New York, NY
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [Chubby Hubby] [ In reply to ]
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Overall I can't recommend the race more. Super well run, from start to finish.

The race itself?

Last year (my understanding was this wasn't always true) the water was super smooth and it was a fast fast swim. Though I did get stung by a jellyfish in the neck, which I then compounded by squeezing sunscreen on to it in T1 (hey, I thought it was sunburn). Not sure how to avoid that problem (the jellyfish, not my idiocy with the sunscreen).

Bike is flat, really nice smooth roads. Almost too much of a grinder--I remember switching gears more out of need for variety than anything else.

Run is a fairly boring out and back.

Overall, little to no hills.

WARNING--on the bike, particularly in the preserve far from official eyes, there was quite a bit of the inevitable drafting. One woman (in one peloton) clipped another and she face-planted at 25 mph. Her helmet came off in my hands in two pieces (I stopped as I'm an EMT)...
(that helmet saved her life--outside of some abrasions, a concussion, and shortlived short term memory loss, she was fine)
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [zee] [ In reply to ]
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Great color, zee. Thanks for the info. That will definately help with the tire choice.

Thanks again.


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Adam Duncan
New York, NY
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [aduncan] [ In reply to ]
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Adam,

Roads are smooth and very nice. The rain has not impacted them at all down here. For most of the course there's not enough traffic to generate pot holes.

The bike starts in town and will be some 90 degree turns early over the first 2-3 miles. Then it's out of town on great roads - mostly 2-lane highways with a 5 foot wide bike lane. You turn onto some back roads after about 5 miles but there is a good groove worked down by years of wear so even they are nice. Then 3-4 miles later you are back on pristine 2-lane blacktop highways heading out to the Refuge.

The roads around the Refuge and then back to T2 are smooth blacktop as good as you could want. But man it's flat, flat, flat. Every 6" requires work - which is why my Lake Champlain (NY) friends will not come down here. That and the potential for heat and humidity.

For the guys looking for water temp it depends on the amount of sunshine up to race day. I was in this week with my 2-piece full suit and it was perfect for racing. After 45 minutes, I was just crusing along with no heat issues. Sleeveless will not be a problem either.

As for the jellyfish, they are not here yet. Their arrival depends heavily on the salinity of the water and the spring rains will keep them out of the Choptank until early July. So the sunscreen remedy will not be needed for any stings.

CH
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [Chubby Hubby] [ In reply to ]
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Do a search in yahoo for "Choptank river water temperature" you'll find a site that monitors bouys at the choptank and surrounding waterways. Looks like the temperature is currently in the low 60's. That's freezing for a Miami resident. I guess I'll start acclimating by taking cold showers.

The Cuban Comet
(Comets are unbelievably slow over Cuba)
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [hpwvale] [ In reply to ]
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Here's a good link. There is a buoy in the Choptank that gives live data on wind, temp, etc. I guess 60s does sound kind of cold for Florida. Hey, there is just more incentive to set a PR in the swim.

http://www.cbos.org/index.php
(click on the Choptank buoy, about midway N/S on the East side of the Bay)
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [Chubby Hubby] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the great post, Chubby. The info is extremely helpful.

See you at the race!


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Adam Duncan
New York, NY
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [Chubby Hubby] [ In reply to ]
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Yikes! Thanks for the info, see ya there...

http://www.angelfire.com/.../355_rider/black.htm

**********************
I was, now I will tri again!
...
Any time is a good time.
God Bless you my friend.
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [Chubby Hubby] [ In reply to ]
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First time doing Eagleman, very excited. Coming out with a group of 6.

What is the traffic like on race day? Parking? We are staying in Ocean City but have rooms at the Tidewater for Saturday night. We are debating just staying in OC and driving in on Sunday AM.
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [efernand] [ In reply to ]
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I love downtown Easton so I would come back to the Tidewater and get closer to the venue. But in any case traffic on race morning will not be a problem.

As for parking, there is a YMCA on Talbot or Somerset that is only 2-3 blocks from the start. If that is not available, drive furter away from the river until you get to Glascow street and turn right - 2 schools and the municipal tennis courts are there and it's only 4-5 blocks away.

Also there is a great health food store in Easton if you need some last minute provisions - Railway Market. Just ask the front desk for directions.

Hope this helps. I hope you and your 5 fellow athletes have a safe trip to our wonderful land. See you on race day.

Steve
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [Chubby Hubby] [ In reply to ]
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This will be my first time at Eagleman, but I have heard many great stories from friends who have done the race before. As of this morning, the forecast for the area is 70 degrees with rain. So, it's looking like the no shade problem, won't be a problem. Due to my severe procrastination on lodging, the closest I could get without spending $170 a night was in Salisbury. I'm hoping the usual speed traps won't be out on Rt 50 for all the Ocean City folks. My question on the Cambridge area, is can you suggest a good place to eat? Preferrably pasta. There's no way I'm gonna risk eating crabs that close to a race. Besides I live in Baltimore, so getting good crabs isn't exactly hard for me. As far as me getting jazzed about the race, it's hard not too when you hear that Tim DeBoom, Lori Bowden, Jamie Cleveland and Andrea Fisher are racing there too. This is my first M-dot race, so that combined with the top pros being there are going to make this a real treat for me. See you all there. Have a great race.



- Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.
P. J. O'Rourke
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [chris in MD] [ In reply to ]
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Hey Chris,

Hey, glad to hear you are psyched. As for dinner, there are two places that have a good variety of food that are relatively inexpensive and quick. Pizza Palace on Route 50 (can't miss it) has a large menu with many pasta dishes and there is Big Marios in the Wal-Mart shopping center with a full italian menu. There is not much here and with 1800 participants and associated family it might be hard to find a restaurant at peak times.

Safe travels and good luck on race day.

Steve
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [Chubby Hubby] [ In reply to ]
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Steve, you are the man. Thanks for the info.

This is my first 1/2, confident in my biking and running ability, swimming, not so much.

I also heard last year the water was flat, are you saying that early am the water should not really be choppy? Need a major confidence booster buddy. Not sure if you swim that early, but how has it been this week in the morning.

Can you swim early afternoon on saturday to get used to the water?

I heard only good stories about this race and very psyched to finally race.

Adam, safe travels man, Im heading down Sat from NJ.

By the way, hows the expo?

Good luck to everyone.
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [zee] [ In reply to ]
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Zee,

Thanks for posting i was just in front of the girl when she wrecked last year. I heard the bang of the initial bike contact then saw her on the ground, I will not go into details but it was not pretty. That was very considerate of you to make sure she was ok.

This year there are 300 more participants, and drafting was rampant all over the bike course last year, it is sure to be a mess again. I am a slow swimmer and try to make up time on the bike, but its tuff when groups of 5 or more pass you in well organized pelatons and you are constantly getting out of their draft zone. When I speed up my HR soars and they are right on your tail. In any event, I am still doing it this year, hoping to get a non hawaii im spot!

Peace, Rockfish
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [mikeg] [ In reply to ]
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Mikeg,



you can swim at sailwinds park on saturday. there will be a handful of people there from about 10 am right up until the race party. I would definitely recomend doing it!

all the best,

Rockfish
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [rockfish] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks RF,

Will need as much preperation for this swim as possible and hopefully a decent easy swim will ease my nerves a bit... or kill my will to live.

Have a good race.
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Re: EagleMan Stories? Who's Coming? [mikeg] [ In reply to ]
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mikeg,

Last year the water was flat. Usually everything is what we call "dish calm" here in the morning, but there is no telling. Normally the wind will start to pick up around 9 am and build during the day - that is if it's going to be windy. Who knows. All we have had is rain here lately.

As for swim practice, I suggest going to the radio station about 100 feet from the transition area - look for the really tall tower. There is a small beach there. There is a small bay there to swim across to an island-like sandbar about 1/4-3/8 mile across called Rooster Island. And it's protected from the prevailing NW breezes, too. It's a great Saturday swim to get a handle on temp, etc. and you can do it several times if you like.

Hey, safe travels and have a great race. My wife is getting more jazzed by the day. She thinks she is simply running the last leg of our husband/wife duo, but she is unaware of the multisport virus in the air at these events. And there is no cure.

Steve
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