14 weeks.. anyone know the water temp? 112 mile bike course maybe?
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Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [xcchampion11]
[ In reply to ]
xcchampion11 wrote:
14 weeks.. anyone know the water temp? 112 mile bike course maybe?Right around 112 miles. 2 w/kg should get you a 4h20 split on this course. ;)
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [xcchampion11]
[ In reply to ]
Shit, 14 weeks? I need to start training.
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [eganski]
[ In reply to ]
Once, I was fast. But I got over it.
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [xcchampion11]
[ In reply to ]
Are we outing ourselves as participants now for the official Cersei Shame Walk towards the start line?
(also where are you staying in the Woodlands? And where does one fuel up for IMTX there?)
Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
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I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx
(also where are you staying in the Woodlands? And where does one fuel up for IMTX there?)
Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx
Last edited by:
Dr_Cupcake: Jan 19, 19 12:13
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [xcchampion11]
[ In reply to ]
I definitely have a few questions at about 4 weeks out.
Water Temperature: What are the odds of a wetsuit swim? If so, it'll still be a pretty close call so probably best to lean towards a thinly insulated suit?
Bike Course: Tire pressure for clinchers, not sure how the heat is going to play. I also heard there are some relief cracks on the toll road that can pop a tire pretty easily
Run: Are flats/relatively minimal shoes out due to concrete? I heard there was a gap in one of the aid stations, does anybody know where that gap occurs.
Any revision by Ironman to prevent the peloton riding of last year? Sure some people went fast, but it's obviously against the spirit and that one guy who crashed got clobbered (some may cite karma).
Any other tips or advice people have for this course would be greatly appreciated.
Team Zoot 2023
Water Temperature: What are the odds of a wetsuit swim? If so, it'll still be a pretty close call so probably best to lean towards a thinly insulated suit?
Bike Course: Tire pressure for clinchers, not sure how the heat is going to play. I also heard there are some relief cracks on the toll road that can pop a tire pretty easily
Run: Are flats/relatively minimal shoes out due to concrete? I heard there was a gap in one of the aid stations, does anybody know where that gap occurs.
Any revision by Ironman to prevent the peloton riding of last year? Sure some people went fast, but it's obviously against the spirit and that one guy who crashed got clobbered (some may cite karma).
Any other tips or advice people have for this course would be greatly appreciated.
Team Zoot 2023
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [aerobean]
[ In reply to ]
aerobean wrote:
I definitely have a few questions at about 4 weeks out. Water Temperature: What are the odds of a wetsuit swim? If so, it'll still be a pretty close call so probably best to lean towards a thinly insulated suit?
Bike Course: Tire pressure for clinchers, not sure how the heat is going to play. I also heard there are some relief cracks on the toll road that can pop a tire pretty easily
Run: Are flats/relatively minimal shoes out due to concrete? I heard there was a gap in one of the aid stations, does anybody know where that gap occurs.
Any revision by Ironman to prevent the peloton riding of last year? Sure some people went fast, but it's obviously against the spirit and that one guy who crashed got clobbered (some may cite karma).
Any other tips or advice people have for this course would be greatly appreciated.
Since the move to April the chance of horrid heat won't be as high. If I remember this right since the move to April, it has been wetsuit-legal once, and not once. (Meaning we only have two data points so at this point its 50%).
I ran 85psi on 25mm GPTTs with latex tubes in my Enve 7.8s last year and this was not any problem at all. (I weighed 145lbs on race day). The run is entirely on concrete and asphalt paths with one very short exception where you run up a grassy hill (once per lap). If it's raining be prepared for that hill to be a muddy slippery mess.
I happened to speak to one of the Ironman officials at Ironman Florida who assured me they have a plan in place to fix the peloton problem. What that is, he wouldn't tell me but he said they did have a specific plan. Not sure if that helps much but it's what I got.
Other tips: the lake is kinda gross. Try not to drink it. Especially when you get into the canal.
The bike is absurdly fast even without pelotons. The road surface itself on the highway is very smooth and lends itself to high speed.
It will be hot on the run but in all liklihood not brutally so. If you are from a cold part of the world you won't be used to the change in temperature/humidity. Nothing you can do about it but suck it up.
Be prepared for an uninspired experience. Swimming in a retention pond, riding on a toll highway, and running around a shopping mall is not a very scenic experience.
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [g_lev]
[ In reply to ]
g_lev wrote:
Be prepared for an uninspired experience. Swimming in a retention pond, riding on a toll highway, and running around a shopping mall is not a very scenic experience.
No issue with the toll road discussion. Old course was much better but with construction and other issues the tollway is a good, safe alternative. However, found the above interesting. Why did you say this? The run is three loops along the waterway, around the lake through residential sections, etc. Along the waterway path are three or so restaurants with outdoor seating - is that why you think it was a mall? In my opinion, pretty fan friendly along the waterway and lots of people in the local and surrounding community come out to support the run, as well as volunteer. Did someone accost you during the run asking for you to come to check out their skin care product?
I miss you "Sports Night"
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [Quo Vadimus]
[ In reply to ]
Quo Vadimus wrote:
g_lev wrote:
Be prepared for an uninspired experience. Swimming in a retention pond, riding on a toll highway, and running around a shopping mall is not a very scenic experience.
No issue with the toll road discussion. Old course was much better but with construction and other issues the tollway is a good, safe alternative. However, found the above interesting. Why did you say this? The run is three loops along the waterway, around the lake through residential sections, etc. Along the waterway path are three or so restaurants with outdoor seating - is that why you think it was a mall? In my opinion, pretty fan friendly along the waterway and lots of people in the local and surrounding community come out to support the run, as well as volunteer. Did someone accost you during the run asking for you to come to check out their skin care product?
Oh sure it's "fan friendly". That isn't in dispute. But the run course goes along a goose shit and trash-filled canal, up that grassy hill to go around the back of some office buildings, out onto suburban sidewalks to a park where you run past a row of pre-race portopotties that have been baking in the sun all day, through the park along the lake, then back out onto suburban sidewalks before going back around to the lake, then out into some suburban mansions, before making its way back to the goose-shit-and-trash canal and through the mall area. Sure the last 2 miles of the run loop are through some spectator crowds, which is cool, but that doesn't fix the fact that this course taken as a whole is "Ironman Random Suburb". It's boring and uninspired. It could be any suburb in the country.
I stand by my assessment - you swim in a gross retention pond and canal, ride on a highway, and run around a random suburb. It's uninspiring.
I have done this race twice now (who the hell knows why).
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [aerobean]
[ In reply to ]
Interesting reading the athlete's guide that the zipper rule is now "may be unzipped to any length provided the zipper is connected at the bottom of the uniform at all times and the top of the uniform covers the shoulders."
I've been told the riding on the toll road is boring and has the drafting issue but otherwise wasn't too rough. Several overpasses make for small climbs.
First full for me as a deferral from IM FL 18 so I'm curious to hear advice too :)
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I've been told the riding on the toll road is boring and has the drafting issue but otherwise wasn't too rough. Several overpasses make for small climbs.
First full for me as a deferral from IM FL 18 so I'm curious to hear advice too :)
Blog | Strava
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [g_lev]
[ In reply to ]
Given the choice it definitely wouldn't have been what I picked. I work for a youth health and wellness summer camp, so there's a big block of summer where I can't race or train. I could have done Boulder, but that's where I live and I wanted to get some benefit from elevation training. I agree, the course doesn't seem terribly inspiring, but the timing worked for me.
That being said, the run course does look very spectator friendly and should allow my wife to not have to wait ungodly periods between seeing me. The swim can't be any worse than when I used to do races in the Potomac river in the DMV area. I suppose the fast surfaces make up for the bike being a touch mundane.
Team Zoot 2023
That being said, the run course does look very spectator friendly and should allow my wife to not have to wait ungodly periods between seeing me. The swim can't be any worse than when I used to do races in the Potomac river in the DMV area. I suppose the fast surfaces make up for the bike being a touch mundane.
Team Zoot 2023
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [trihawg]
[ In reply to ]
Don't everyone be hatin' on our race here. Yes, I am a local, and have done the race very year (one of the remaining 19 who have). BUT, I can say that some of the comments above are justified. Yes, the swim is nasty, dirty, slimy, gross in the canal. Yes, the bike is boring, oh did I say BORING, on the toll road. Personal conversation I had with the RD who said that drafting this year will be much better enforced. The run is okay, nothing spectacular. 3 loops all on pavement, but is extremely flat. Good crowd support when you get near the waterway, but otherwise pretty quiet on the backside. Heat and humidity are the big factors for those not familiar with Texas gulf coast weather. Take your salt, and hydrate.
As for wetsuit or not...... well that's always a borderline question the morning of. Also, depends on cloud cover or not, so you don't bake in a suit under the sun.
Be sure to get sunscreen applied out of T1 and T2.
Team Zoot-Texas, and Pickle Juice
As for wetsuit or not...... well that's always a borderline question the morning of. Also, depends on cloud cover or not, so you don't bake in a suit under the sun.
Be sure to get sunscreen applied out of T1 and T2.
Team Zoot-Texas, and Pickle Juice
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [Taugen]
[ In reply to ]
Hah so don't get me wrong. I don't *hate* the race. I only said it was uninspiring.
Hell as I said I have done it twice now and I am from the northeast, which means I voluntarily traveled a bit far for it... twice
In my case the timing worked out the right way, which is why I chose it. I certainly didn't choose it for scenery :)
Hell as I said I have done it twice now and I am from the northeast, which means I voluntarily traveled a bit far for it... twice
In my case the timing worked out the right way, which is why I chose it. I certainly didn't choose it for scenery :)
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [aerobean]
[ In reply to ]
I live in CA and really like IMTX, and this will be my 6th time. I got into a serious accident during the bike leg last year (completely unrelated to any type of drafting), but it hasn't dampened my enthusiasm for the race. The only other races I've done are Santa Rosa and IMFL. Texas is by far my favorite, just from that limited group of races.
Yes, the swim water is gross, but I really like swimming in the canal with all the spectators on the sides cheering you on. I must be strange because I really like riding on the toll road :-) It's very smooth and it's cool to ride on a freeway, especially when you get to the far turn around and you see the downtown Houston skyline ahead. Not scenic at all, but it doesn't bother me at all.
The run is great, and there are lots of fun spectator areas like the Moxie bridge and hippie hollow. ~4 miles of the run is through a nice area with shops and restaurants, and my family very much prefer that area than the spectator experience at Santa Rosa and IMFL. Especially while waiting for me to finish the bike.
I'd love to do IMLP or IMMT in the future, as they look amazing. Also IMWI. But, I just really like IMTX and will always go back if I'm able.
Yes, the swim water is gross, but I really like swimming in the canal with all the spectators on the sides cheering you on. I must be strange because I really like riding on the toll road :-) It's very smooth and it's cool to ride on a freeway, especially when you get to the far turn around and you see the downtown Houston skyline ahead. Not scenic at all, but it doesn't bother me at all.
The run is great, and there are lots of fun spectator areas like the Moxie bridge and hippie hollow. ~4 miles of the run is through a nice area with shops and restaurants, and my family very much prefer that area than the spectator experience at Santa Rosa and IMFL. Especially while waiting for me to finish the bike.
I'd love to do IMLP or IMMT in the future, as they look amazing. Also IMWI. But, I just really like IMTX and will always go back if I'm able.
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [Taugen]
[ In reply to ]
It's been much colder here in the DMV than in Texas, so my rule for the past couple of weeks has been to look at the two regional weather conditions and if there's more than a 20 degree gap, I wear an extra layer than I normally would (or not turn the fan on if riding the trainer).
Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx
Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [g_lev]
[ In reply to ]
g_lev wrote:
Quo Vadimus wrote:
g_lev wrote:
Be prepared for an uninspired experience. Swimming in a retention pond, riding on a toll highway, and running around a shopping mall is not a very scenic experience.
No issue with the toll road discussion. Old course was much better but with construction and other issues the tollway is a good, safe alternative. However, found the above interesting. Why did you say this? The run is three loops along the waterway, around the lake through residential sections, etc. Along the waterway path are three or so restaurants with outdoor seating - is that why you think it was a mall? In my opinion, pretty fan friendly along the waterway and lots of people in the local and surrounding community come out to support the run, as well as volunteer. Did someone accost you during the run asking for you to come to check out their skin care product?
Oh sure it's "fan friendly". That isn't in dispute. But the run course goes along a goose shit and trash-filled canal, up that grassy hill to go around the back of some office buildings, out onto suburban sidewalks to a park where you run past a row of pre-race portopotties that have been baking in the sun all day, through the park along the lake, then back out onto suburban sidewalks before going back around to the lake, then out into some suburban mansions, before making its way back to the goose-shit-and-trash canal and through the mall area. Sure the last 2 miles of the run loop are through some spectator crowds, which is cool, but that doesn't fix the fact that this course taken as a whole is "Ironman Random Suburb". It's boring and uninspired. It could be any suburb in the country.
I stand by my assessment - you swim in a gross retention pond and canal, ride on a highway, and run around a random suburb. It's uninspiring.
I have done this race twice now (who the hell knows why).
I could not agree more with this assessment. I live here, spectate every year, and I refuse to do this race, even though it would save me a ton of money versus traveling to other races. The course is terrible unless your only goal is to a post your Ironman PR.
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [Dr_Cupcake]
[ In reply to ]
The whole foods in the Woodlands is an excellent place to get white rice and plain tofu to show everyone how hard you've been dieting for the race.
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [HoustonAg]
[ In reply to ]
This is why I'm pretty disappointed Ironman Now is going to be live covering this race instead of something exciting and unique like St. George 70.3. I'm a little biased there cause I'll be racing the latter, but regardless of how fast pros to, it just won't be a good race to watch online in my opinion.
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Benjamin Deal - Professional - Instagram - TriRig - Lodi Cyclery
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Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [realbdeal]
[ In reply to ]
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [HoustonAg]
[ In reply to ]
I wish I had done this race back when the bike was on the old course - have to settle for the OilMan bike now.
For me the ability to race this event without having to take any time off work outweighs the negatives of the course.
Maybe once I don't have middle school age kids I'll have the time (and money) to experience a destination race, but for now its The Woodlands.
Anyway I'll be going so fast on the bike I won't even be able to see the scenery (here's hoping they do have a plan for managing the bike course)
On the advice side - has anyone bothered doing the pre-swim on the Friday and found it useful from a sighting/course perspective?
If so any recommendations for parking on the Friday morning?
Also was given a recommendation for having some listerine/mouth wash to clean out the less than pleasant water and avoid sickness that some participants have picked up in the past.
I was planning on parking at the mall for athlete check-in and maybe the swim - I won't need to park anywhere on race day (no parking at the mall on the Saturday per IM).
For me the ability to race this event without having to take any time off work outweighs the negatives of the course.
Maybe once I don't have middle school age kids I'll have the time (and money) to experience a destination race, but for now its The Woodlands.
Anyway I'll be going so fast on the bike I won't even be able to see the scenery (here's hoping they do have a plan for managing the bike course)
On the advice side - has anyone bothered doing the pre-swim on the Friday and found it useful from a sighting/course perspective?
If so any recommendations for parking on the Friday morning?
Also was given a recommendation for having some listerine/mouth wash to clean out the less than pleasant water and avoid sickness that some participants have picked up in the past.
I was planning on parking at the mall for athlete check-in and maybe the swim - I won't need to park anywhere on race day (no parking at the mall on the Saturday per IM).
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [g_lev]
[ In reply to ]
g_lev wrote:
aerobean wrote:
I definitely have a few questions at about 4 weeks out. Water Temperature: What are the odds of a wetsuit swim? If so, it'll still be a pretty close call so probably best to lean towards a thinly insulated suit?
Bike Course: Tire pressure for clinchers, not sure how the heat is going to play. I also heard there are some relief cracks on the toll road that can pop a tire pretty easily
Run: Are flats/relatively minimal shoes out due to concrete? I heard there was a gap in one of the aid stations, does anybody know where that gap occurs.
Any revision by Ironman to prevent the peloton riding of last year? Sure some people went fast, but it's obviously against the spirit and that one guy who crashed got clobbered (some may cite karma).
Any other tips or advice people have for this course would be greatly appreciated.
Since the move to April the chance of horrid heat won't be as high. If I remember this right since the move to April, it has been wetsuit-legal once, and not once. (Meaning we only have two data points so at this point its 50%).
I ran 85psi on 25mm GPTTs with latex tubes in my Enve 7.8s last year and this was not any problem at all. (I weighed 145lbs on race day). The run is entirely on concrete and asphalt paths with one very short exception where you run up a grassy hill (once per lap). If it's raining be prepared for that hill to be a muddy slippery mess.
I happened to speak to one of the Ironman officials at Ironman Florida who assured me they have a plan in place to fix the peloton problem. What that is, he wouldn't tell me but he said they did have a specific plan. Not sure if that helps much but it's what I got.
Other tips: the lake is kinda gross. Try not to drink it. Especially when you get into the canal.
The bike is absurdly fast even without pelotons. The road surface itself on the highway is very smooth and lends itself to high speed.
It will be hot on the run but in all liklihood not brutally so. If you are from a cold part of the world you won't be used to the change in temperature/humidity. Nothing you can do about it but suck it up.
Be prepared for an uninspired experience. Swimming in a retention pond, riding on a toll highway, and running around a shopping mall is not a very scenic experience.
Dude... Don’t be a little bitch.
Ironman Texas is a damn fine race in an exceptional setting. Toll road isn’t the best course, but everything else about the race is top notch.
I am so damn sick of triathletes complaining about “gross” lake water.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Training/Racing Log - http://www.earthdaykid.com/blog --- Old Training/Racing Log - http://colinlaughery.blogspot.com
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [g_lev]
[ In reply to ]
I agree and have vowed to never even consider doing that race again.
"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Elliot | Cycle2Tri.com
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"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Elliot | Cycle2Tri.com
Sponsors: SciCon | | Every Man Jack
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [colinlaughery]
[ In reply to ]
colinlaughery wrote:
g_lev wrote:
aerobean wrote:
I definitely have a few questions at about 4 weeks out. Water Temperature: What are the odds of a wetsuit swim? If so, it'll still be a pretty close call so probably best to lean towards a thinly insulated suit?
Bike Course: Tire pressure for clinchers, not sure how the heat is going to play. I also heard there are some relief cracks on the toll road that can pop a tire pretty easily
Run: Are flats/relatively minimal shoes out due to concrete? I heard there was a gap in one of the aid stations, does anybody know where that gap occurs.
Any revision by Ironman to prevent the peloton riding of last year? Sure some people went fast, but it's obviously against the spirit and that one guy who crashed got clobbered (some may cite karma).
Any other tips or advice people have for this course would be greatly appreciated.
Since the move to April the chance of horrid heat won't be as high. If I remember this right since the move to April, it has been wetsuit-legal once, and not once. (Meaning we only have two data points so at this point its 50%).
I ran 85psi on 25mm GPTTs with latex tubes in my Enve 7.8s last year and this was not any problem at all. (I weighed 145lbs on race day). The run is entirely on concrete and asphalt paths with one very short exception where you run up a grassy hill (once per lap). If it's raining be prepared for that hill to be a muddy slippery mess.
I happened to speak to one of the Ironman officials at Ironman Florida who assured me they have a plan in place to fix the peloton problem. What that is, he wouldn't tell me but he said they did have a specific plan. Not sure if that helps much but it's what I got.
Other tips: the lake is kinda gross. Try not to drink it. Especially when you get into the canal.
The bike is absurdly fast even without pelotons. The road surface itself on the highway is very smooth and lends itself to high speed.
It will be hot on the run but in all liklihood not brutally so. If you are from a cold part of the world you won't be used to the change in temperature/humidity. Nothing you can do about it but suck it up.
Be prepared for an uninspired experience. Swimming in a retention pond, riding on a toll highway, and running around a shopping mall is not a very scenic experience.
Dude... Don’t be a little bitch.
Ironman Texas is a damn fine race in an exceptional setting. Toll road isn’t the best course, but everything else about the race is top notch.
I am so damn sick of triathletes complaining about “gross” lake water.
Meh. As a pro you got a better experience than us FOP amateurs. The lake water was gross, but I was still the guy who came back for a second go at this race. I am used to swimming in shitty water. It's not really a complaint, more an observation. The setting is uninspiring no matter how you slice it. That said, my posts on the subject were only critical of the setting. The race is well organized and well run. That doesn't mean it's interesting.
Re: Ironman Texas 2019 Official Thread [HoustonTri(er)]
[ In reply to ]
HoustonTri(er) wrote:
I wish I had done this race back when the bike was on the old course - have to settle for the OilMan bike now. For me the ability to race this event without having to take any time off work outweighs the negatives of the course.
Maybe once I don't have middle school age kids I'll have the time (and money) to experience a destination race, but for now its The Woodlands.
Anyway I'll be going so fast on the bike I won't even be able to see the scenery (here's hoping they do have a plan for managing the bike course)
On the advice side - has anyone bothered doing the pre-swim on the Friday and found it useful from a sighting/course perspective?
If so any recommendations for parking on the Friday morning?
Also was given a recommendation for having some listerine/mouth wash to clean out the less than pleasant water and avoid sickness that some participants have picked up in the past.
I was planning on parking at the mall for athlete check-in and maybe the swim - I won't need to park anywhere on race day (no parking at the mall on the Saturday per IM).
I parked at the Whole Foods for the practice swim. Honestly I only did it because my coach put it on my schedule. Not because I felt like it helped any. I would probably skip it otherwise. It's just a random lake. From the Whole Foods you have access to the industrial park to do a bike shakeout so from there it was worth it.
For practice swim most people probably park on the shoulder of Lake Woodlands just west of Northshore Park - since if driving any distance they most likely have their bike with them for bike check.
Biggest thing to remember for the practice swim is your timing chip. No chip, no swim.
I have swam in that lake probably over a dozen times and found it easy to site. Did race in ‘14 when it was still mass start and only more brutal race start was an Xterra National run from shore start. Now with the rolling start looks to be so much better so won’t be a washing machine.
Only unique item is finding the canal but it is basically across from the swim start and there is usually a big arch at the start so easy to see. Once in the canal sighting is not an issue.
I miss you "Sports Night"
Biggest thing to remember for the practice swim is your timing chip. No chip, no swim.
I have swam in that lake probably over a dozen times and found it easy to site. Did race in ‘14 when it was still mass start and only more brutal race start was an Xterra National run from shore start. Now with the rolling start looks to be so much better so won’t be a washing machine.
Only unique item is finding the canal but it is basically across from the swim start and there is usually a big arch at the start so easy to see. Once in the canal sighting is not an issue.
I miss you "Sports Night"