I’m doing the Vineman 70.3 at the end of the month. Does anyone have any advice on the course, anything to look out for, any hills in particular besides the one at 40th mile on the bike. Any good insights would be appreciated.
A couple of things:
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There is a short, steep hill right as you exit T1; you might consider running your bike to the top of the hill and then mounting it. I took one look at it and decided that was going to be the best strategy for me.
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Slow down - way down - for the right hand turn from River Road to Sunset Ave (I can’t remember how far it is from T1, but I think its about 3 or 4 miles); it’s a doozy.
Na, hills are not that bad, unless you are a total flat lander.
Since the weather can be super hot, take off on the run at a slower pace. I know last time I went,
I went out too fast and really bonked at the end of the run. Very little shade on the course.
Dave
I’m also doing vineman. I have a question about the swim. They say to add about a minute because of the current going out. I swim a mile in 22 minutes and change. What should I expect to have here for a swim times. the water looks murky and not much room if there are alot of people swimming. Thanks!!
Let me answer a bunch of the questions and add a course description:
Swim: because of the lower CFS of dam releases (becasue of low winter rains) the current is VERY Very slight and your swim times shouldn’t be effected. Water has not been that murky (we have been there when it is sunny) … if we have marine layer it looks different. Water quality is good right now. Swim waves have 150 or less folks (some much less) and waves are spread by 8 minutes so not very crowded.
The bike turn onto sunset is @ mile 5.1 … Yes, SLOW DOWN 
DETAILED COURSE:
Swim Course:
The swim of course takes place in the Russian River. The river is relatively shallow, has very little to no current, and you can stand up in many places. Because you can stand up in many places it is very safe, especially if you have any technical problems. Other details:
-The course is an out (upriver) and back (downriver) run in a counter clockwise direction keeping the buoys on your left.
-Sighting is easy because there are a number of large orange buoys and the large green redwoods that surround the river provide a great back drop.
-Water temperature could be anywhere between 74-82 degrees and is largely dependant on race week weather conditions. We have only had one year that wetsuits were not age group legal. Current water temp is 79 degrees
Overall the swim course is easy to navigate and very safe.
Bike Course: (1700 vertical feet of climbing)
-Miles 1 thru 5 is perfectly flat NOTE: there is a sharp right hand turn just past mile 5 on to Sunset Rd. followed by a short STEEP uphill after the right hand turn on to Westside RD.
-Miles 5 thru 27 contains a mix of flat to rolling terrain
-At mile 27 you will have a gradual 1 mile climb up Canyon Rd.
-Mile 28 thru 40 is mostly flat, overall downhill w/a couple small rollers near mile 40.
-Mile 40 begins Chalk Hill Rd. where you find some rolling terrain followed by three quarters of a mile up a 400 foot climb. This does have a couple steeper spots but is not very long.
-Mile 45 to the transition area is virtually downhill and flat with a couple of very small hills to go over.
Run Course: … this run is hillier than most people expect. Don’t be surprised
-Miles 0-2 are virtually flat
-Miles 3-6 are a mix of flats containing a couple short hills and rollers. NOTE: just shy of mile 4 is the toughest hill on the course.
-Mile 6-7 is a flat loop around the La Crema Winery property ponds and vineyards.
-Return same course going back to finish.
We are expecting hotter than normal weather this year, The past 4 years we have had normal to below AVG temperatures (AVG high is 85 degrees … yesterday it was 100 degrees)
Best Wishes …
I’ve done the race many times and ride the course frequently. Here are some observations on the bike course…
- Use the first 4 miles to settle in. It’s flat and has no wind.
- The right turn off River Road can be dangerous. Slow down and watch out for the carnage. It happens every year.
- The steep hill after the right turn is steep, but very short. No need to walk it.
- The roads between River Road and Geyserville are pretty tore up right now. They got worse over the winter. If you have a late swim start, be careful passing the slower riders. It will be dangerous.
- After you cross the bridge (around mile 32), prepare for a long stretch of head wind and a slight false flat. I typically try to take in as many calories as I can on the long downhill and short stretch before crossing the bridge. Prepare mentally for things to get a little more difficult. The winds get stronger later in the day.
- Chalk Hill Road (about mile 40-42)… Ok, if you have had poor pacing or are not a strong rider, this “hill” will hurt. But, it’s not long and it’s really not a hill. I have been shelled going up this hill during training rides and it’s hurt like hell. I have also hit it hard during the Full Vineman and barely noticed it. It’s also a great place to pick up a few positions.
- The roads after Chalk Hill road are rolling and very bad. I was up there last weekend and took a different route because I was so sick of the potholes and large cracks.
- The last 4 miles to T2 are pretty flat. It will be hot out there; so take it easy and start preparing for the run.
Good luck!
- Crichton
even if you’ve done a few half’s already, i suggest reading gordo’s packing your first 1/2 IM article:
I did my first 1/2 at vineman in 2005 and using these pacing strategies paid off with a 4:39:18 (and not to mention totally falling apart for the last 3-4 mile of the run - even racing what i considered a conservative race) The hills and heat will affect you, sooner or later!
http://www.coachgordo.com/gtips/race_strategy/pacing_your_first_half_ironman.html
Agree with the swim comments, no real big deal and waves are very manageable. I had a 103F fever the day I raced so I could have been delerious, but, I remember a long more gradual hill that no one seems to be mentioning about mile 28 or so that in my opinion is worse than the short push up Chalk Creek. I train in the mountains and I ain’t no sissy but that is the hill I would scout. Run is kinda rolly and has a few short pushes on the way out, so, I would reinforce the go out controlled come back hard approach.
Tons of information in the search function:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=163496;search_string=vineman%20course;#163496
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=793977;search_string=vineman%20course;#793977
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=1313977;search_string=vineman%20course;#1313977
More threads if you seach vineman course or vineman bike.
clm
Slather on the sunscreen. There isn’t much, if any, shade on the run and it tends to get pretty warm in the afternoon. It might be foggy before the race but it will burn off quickly. There are typically a few lobsters walking around after the race.
Thank you for all the great advice. A few people mentioned a little bit about the wind. Does it get pretty rough out there? I hate head winds. Haha.
Thanks for all of the tips. This will be my first HIM. Couple of follow up questions regarding the bike.
First, will I need a 12-27 cassette or would 12-25 suffice…I have both, so it would not entail a new purchase. I live and train in Austin (Texas hill country), so I’m relatively used to hills.
Second, with all of the comments about the torn up roads and bad road conditions with potholes and cracks, I’m wondering if I should leave the carbon race wheels at home?
Thanks again,
FB
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Hills are relative; so bring along the 27 if you feel that you want a bail-out gear. A 25 should be fine though.
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The race organizers typically mark the really bad pot holes very well. So, just pay attention and your carbon wheels should be fine. You’ll definitely hit a few that you won’t be able to avoid, but hell, race wheels are supposed to be raced.
Thanks for all of the tips. This will be my first HIM. Couple of follow up questions regarding the bike.
First, will I need a 12-27 cassette or would 12-25 suffice…I have both, so it would not entail a new purchase. I live and train in Austin (Texas hill country), so I’m relatively used to hills.
Second, with all of the comments about the torn up roads and bad road conditions with potholes and cracks, I’m wondering if I should leave the carbon race wheels at home?
Thanks again,
FB
12-23 suffices, 12-25 is a choice, 12-27 is complete overkill. Wind is not that bad. Wheels depend on your handling and alertness but plenty of people use their normal race set ups.
Thank you for all the great advice. A few people mentioned a little bit about the wind. Does it get pretty rough out there? I hate head winds. Haha.
The wind usually doesn’t kick up until later in the day, but a couple of weeks ago, it was blowing at 9AM. Ask again after tomorrow as we are riding two loops tomorrow.
clm
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Race with whatever cassette size train with … 12-27 / 12-25 is only different at the 21-24-27 OR 21-23-25
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WHEELS → See my bolded comments about pavement … i’d ride the most aero wheel set up you have!
-Miles 1 thru 5 is perfectly flat - good pavement NOTE: there is a sharp right hand turn just past mile 5 on to Sunset Rd.)
-Miles 5 thru 27 contains a mix of flat to slightly rolling terrain. (average pavement mile 5 - 13.5, 17 miles thru 19 miles, very good pavement thru mile 27)
**** Rough pavement is at about 13.5 to 15 miles then again at 16 miles for maybe 1/2 mile … yes this part is VERY crappy. The overall quality of the pavement is always embelished (except the sections mentioned above and Faught Rd mentioned below) and yes the beginning of westside rd has been re-paved. The problem is the bad parts are what people remember … not the 28 miles of good pavement.***
-At mile 27 you will have a gradual 1 mile climb up Canyon Rd. (very good pavement)
-Mile 28 thru 40 is mostly flat, overall downhill w/a couple small rollers near mile 40. **(this is all very good pavement) **
-Mile 40 begins Chalk Hill Rd. where you find some rolling terrain followed by three quarters of a mile up a 400 foot climb. Some narrow & techinical sections of road on chalk hill Rd … Chalk Hill does have a couple steeper spots but is not very long. (average pavement with some smaller rough patches, county does a good job fixing pot holes we request to be done)
-Mile 45 to the transition area is virtually downhill and flat with a couple of very small hills to go over. (below average pavement for 1.5 miles at the end of Chalk Hill Rd and beginning Faught until you turn on to East Shiloh … East Shiloh to T2 is good to very good pavement and flat)
It’s amazing the amount of stuff people lose off their bike on the couple rough sections AND not so rough sections. Folks ride these roads ALL the time around here and VERY RARELY does stuff ever come off of bikes. The reason people lose CO’2’s / tires etc is because their race set ups rarely get used and items aren’t tightened down well. On that note and in all honesty …some of the pop top sport water bottles don’t hold well in certain bottle carriers so i could understand that happening off of rear bottle launch holders
not to hijack the thread, I really enjoyed coach gordo’s tips for pacing your 1st Half ironman. I checked his website for a similar pacing stategy for an Olympic distance race but could not fina any just 1/2 and full iron. Can anybody point me in a good direction for some Oly pacing ideas?
Thanks, Dutchy
the run course is hilly, and hot. the bike is rolling hills but it seems the rolling hills are just long enough to make you start working towards the top of the hill and then they flatten. so just enough to keep you honest but they don’t really push you much. As far as that Chalk hill is concerned it is not much of a hill. I did the Vineman for the first time last year and I wasn’t even sure if I had climbed chalk hill. As I was expecting a really big hill climb. the run has not shade it is all on asphalt except the loop in la Crema and it was hot last year. And worst of all this year i am going last wave!!!
lets hope the wind doesn’t pick up and it is not 100 when i start running!!!
- The roads between River Road and Geyserville are pretty tore up right now. They got worse over the winter. If you have a late swim start, be careful passing the slower riders. It will be dangerous. <<
Yes, $80 in the hole for me today, not to mention the wasted time and blown training plans. Two blow-out flats in 30 miles, hitting something on the road both times that you couldn’t see–maybe a hole on the first one; definitely something the second time since my front wheel went sideways and it shredded my tire and blew out my front tube and dinged up the (NEW!!) wheel! We were unable to repair it the second time, so STers A and L went on and I was going to walk the mile or so back to the Dry Creek Store to hopefully get cell service or use their phone to call Trifaster, but a nice lady from Healdsburg whose husband is a cyclist gave me a ride back to my truck. Drove back to SF and my guy at the LBS trued up the wheel. The day sure didn’t play out the way I anticipated.
clm
Sorry to hear about the flats. At least you weren’t injured and your training wasn’t REALLY derailed. I had thought about going back up there again this weekend, but the Bovine bakery was calling my name.
- The roads between River Road and Geyserville are pretty tore up right now. They got worse over the winter. If you have a late swim start, be careful passing the slower riders. It will be dangerous. <<
Yes, $80 in the hole for me today, not to mention the wasted time and blown training plans. Two blow-out flats in 30 miles, hitting something on the road both times that you couldn’t see–maybe a hole on the first one; definitely something the second time since my front wheel went sideways and it shredded my tire and blew out my front tube and dinged up the (NEW!!) wheel! We were unable to repair it the second time, so STers A and L went on and I was going to walk the mile or so back to the Dry Creek Store to hopefully get cell service or use their phone to call Trifaster, but a nice lady from Healdsburg whose husband is a cyclist gave me a ride back to my truck. Drove back to SF and my guy at the LBS trued up the wheel. The day sure didn’t play out the way I anticipated.
clm