Swim - new course but end is the same - once you enter the harbor stay as far right as the guards on boards will let you, don't follow the buoy line. [ETA - looked at new course map, looks like this doesn't apply any more] Bring clear and smoked goggles, if its foggy go clear, sunny go cloudy as you'll be swimming directly into the sunrise into the harbor.

Bike - Patience, starts out with a couple little climbs (including a steep little f&*ker almost right out of T1), but mostly flat. A lot of it is false flat and if you burn matches here you'll pay later. Watch out for debris etc especially through the tunnel and the right turn after the Pulgas out and back. 3 "climbs" (not really climbs, all are done in just a few minutes), each one a bit longer than the last but each less steep. For me, the true mind fuck always comes between climbs one and two, it's a gradual gain in elevation with a bunch of rollers and always feels like I should be going faster than I am. Just looked at the website, if they are warning of bad roads they must be really bad as some sections usually are. Make sure your bottles are secure.

Pay attention to the speed trap/no pass zone after the second (I think) climb. They time at top and bottom and if you exceed the speed limit, you will be DQ'd (at least they started doing this the last few years, assume it will continue), and you won't know until the end. If you need to have mph displayed on a screen you can get to. It was surprising to me how slow <25 mph felt going down that hill. I'll leave the bitching and moaning to others :)

There's also another no pass zone on the bike path about mile 20 ish. It's short, and people will pass anyway. Never seen anyone there enforcing it.

Climbing all done by 42 ish then it's really fast hammer to the right turn to head back to T2 on Vandergrift. Stay in aero there, typically the section where the headwinds pick up as you are heading down a canyon into the offshore unless winds do something different. Always a lot of blown up folks here sitting up on their pads.

Run - Not really much to it. Mostly rollers, two steep climbs up to pier level. Can get warm on pacific avenue on the concrete with the white retaining walls. Great run course mostly along the water.

oh yeah, most importantly, there's a "hidden" restroom in the harbor area, between the first building that has a couple charter companies, and the other buildings with all the restaurants and shops to the west ;)

1) it will be cold in the morning - was freezing last year.
2) somewhat of a long walk to transition, if you have a Sherpa use them.
3) the roads are on the rough side, ride defensively, announce when passing.
4) run is pretty flat so go hard!

Have a great race!

WOW, thanks for that.

Thank you Chris.

One more question (not sure if you know this) - I'll be coming from a hotel in Carlsbad - what's the best place to park in the morning of the race?

---

Next races on the schedule: none at the moment

Hopefully others will chime in as I always stay at a hotel at the harbor. I think (?) they now give out limited # of passes to designated parking lots??

 
Watch out for the stingrays the day prior.

---

http://www.sweat7.com
Facebook Page: Sweat7
Twitter: @sweat7coaching

And the day of.

They are thick right now. It would suck to get stung in the first 30 seconds of your race while you're running in. Take a couple extra seconds to do the stingray Shuffle.

Also, there are some big f****** potholes and more debris than usual on the flat sections going up towards christianitos right now after the rain we had last week. Hopefully they will sweep some of that up before race day.

Long range forecast are holding about a 10% chance of rain, High somewhere in the upper 60s/lower 70s, low temp somewhere in the mid 50s. Expect the water to be somewhere in the upper 50s.

On the long-term swell forecast models, there are some grumblings about a potential swell. Hopefully it won't be big enough that they even consider canceling the swim. That would suck. ETA: just saw another surf forecast that has it at knee to waist high, so we should be good

Aside from what has already been said, try to conserve some energy for the first 20ish miles on the bike. It's pretty flat, even slightly downhill until you go through the Camp Pendleton Gates. The first real climb as at like mile 26-28. Not very long but it is pretty steep. Only 70.3 I can recall seeing people get off their bikes and walk.

Also, on the downhill stretch later in the bike (like miles 40ish i think..?) where they "ENFORCE A STRICT 25MPH SPEED LIMIT" they DO! I got DQ'd last year for averaging over 25mph on that stretch. It''s not long, so just sit up, ride your brakes, and make sure you avg less than 25mph.

That's about it. Run is pretty straight forward, bunch of good spots for family/friends to see and cheer you on. The run is a bit rolly, nothing crazy but it does go up and down pretty much the entire time you are off the actual Oceanside Boardwalk.

This will be my 4x doing the race, it is definitely my favorite 7.3 See you out there and good luck!

---

-------------------------------------------------------------
Tough Times Don't Last, Tough People Do.

I used to stay with my family at the Omni La Costa in Carlsbad. If you can avoid driving, I would parking is real tough around the venue and strictly enforced time wise. Also the race director sent out a letter saying something about the fact that many of the parking lots in the area have been redeveloped. I UBER'd it from my hotel in Carlsbad, if that doesn't work for you, I'd consider parking somewhere along Coast Highway in Oceanside, then ubering it from your parking spot down to T1. Parking will be tight.

---

-------------------------------------------------------------
Tough Times Don't Last, Tough People Do.

  
Would of thought you'd be ok the day of the race - with a couple thousand other pairs of feet they'll clear out. Wife got one in her lower leg Oceanside 2010, the day prior when swim famil. Missed her achilles sheath by .5mm. I still believe that (in combination with other factors) was a contributing factor to her SVT.

---

http://www.sweat7.com
Facebook Page: Sweat7
Twitter: @sweat7coaching

What did you do about your bike after the race, after Ubering to the start? Can I request an Uber with a bike rack?

Sorry for not being more clear. My wife/kids came to watch me finish, so they ended up driving to the race later.

If you do not have that luxury, I'd say to either get there early as shit (keep in mind transition is about a mile from the finish) and hope you get a spot, or try to find a good area a few miles from the finish where you can park, uber, then just ride to your car post race.

---

-------------------------------------------------------------
Tough Times Don't Last, Tough People Do.

In my experience as a sirfer, diver, lifeguard, nothing ever really clear some out. Some places they will just settle in for a while en masse. Remember they live, eat, sleep, and do everything else in the Surflines so splashing and stuff doesn't bother them much. If they do get startled, they swim about 5 feet and settle back down. The people in later waves will definitely be safer than the people in the first wave, but there's always that chance.

Of course, even knowing that, I may still get excited, caught up in the moment, and run in myself. It would be stupid of me though. Not like stupid has ever stopped me...

I wouldn't be surprised if that did play a role in your wife's SVT. They are nasty and the effect is so much more than just the immediate pain of the sting. Google photos of extreme close-ups of their stinger. It's basically a barbed dagger of nastiness covered with slime, Toxin, and bacteria

Disc or 90mm wheel?

Disc for sure

This is probably the most accurate post I have ever read on ST.

What's with not following the buoy line and staying as close as possible to the rocks? I am assuming it's the shortest distance back to swim exit? Aren't we supposed to keep the buoys on our right? or is it just the turn buoys?

You're right, of course. The "old course" had orange buoys going out, yellow coming back (or the opposite). Just looked at the map and it shows being left of the buoys

So based on this map that might not apply here

Ah, thanks for clarifying that. Yes, it does appear that in the old course buoys on the way back were kept on your left, but this time I'm guessing we keep them on our right.

Yeah, there was a big wide channel to swim in, and lots of folks swam buoy to buoy. Guards had a heck of a time keeping us to the left :P

Pre-race: Park near pier and take bus.
Bring throw-away flip flops or old shoes, put them on after putting on
your wetsuit. The asphalt is really rough. Kick them off just before the
sand (there will be a big pile).

Swim
1) The water will get choppy once you enter the harbor mouth. Until you clear the “Y” jetty it will remain jumbled, even if nobody is near you. Not a big concern, just be ready for it.
2) Once you make the right turn and head east, sight on the big condo building. It’s easily the tallest building around. Much easier than finding the next buoy, especially if the sun
Is out.

Bike
Lots of good advice from others. I would just reiterate DO NOT ride in the bike lanes or even within 5 feet of them once in Camp Pendleton. Tanks and other heavy military vehicles have made the road edges very sketchy. Flat tires and bent rims await!

Run
Relax and enjoy ... more little hills than you would imagine for a seaside course but you recover quickly.

Post-race
There will be a HUGE line to get to food. Skip it! Go around. Everyone is waiting for a micro-taco ( they don’t realize it yet ). Past the tacos are drinks and other goodies with no waiting.

Have a great race!

 
Endurance House Oceanside is the go-to for all things O'side 70.3, and about 1/2 mile from the pier, expo, etc. Shoot an email to owner Matt Houston... mhouston@endurancehouse.com.
They've got a bunch of events going on race week, check it out on FB
There's also the Oceanside Multisport Group. They've got a ride going up to Christianitos on Saturday March 31, so you can see the flat part of the course.

IMPORTANT if you want to ride the coastal part of the bike course, (up to Christianitos) Here's the form you need to submit if you plan to ride part of the bike course before race day, which takes you through northbound through the main gate of Camp Pendleton. I'm sorry, I am not certain what the protocol is for non US residents. MAKE SURE YOU BRING YOUR GOV'D ISSUED ID W YOU! Follow the bike route signs, obey all traffic signals, and stay in the bike lane. Oh, and if the marines tell you to do something, say yes and do it. And thank them for their service and for access to the nice bike route.
Prior to race day, nobody but military w sticker can ride or drive on the bike course past Christianitos Road, so be ready to turn around and come back. If you don't have ID, then you may have to ride on the freeway (no fun.)

Some fun, you say? When we have visitors, we usually take a surf lesson together, and Eli Howard is my go-go. We've had a couple of events here and taken private lessons. A good time was had by all, and it's close to VG Donuts, Besta Wan, and Cardiff Seaside Market for before and after eats.
For the biggest burrito? Gotta be Jose's Taco Depot.... it's in the Home Depot center. 3910 Vista Way #110, Oceanside, CA 92056

---

Karen ST Concierge

I have nothing other than "don't flat after having your bike disappear inside a giant pothole in Camp Pendleton"....other than that, ride your power and run your pace.

Also, pre-riding on Pendleton you are theoretically supposed to stay on Vandegrift and Stuart Mesa on a straight shot through, and no Las Pulgas for the out and back,

I may or may not have ridden Las Pulgas anyway...

You can also turn right on Christianitos and go as far as the gate.