Well, I’m one of the unworthy who “qualified” for worlds. I’m seriously considering doing it. I would stay the week after and volunteer for Ironman. So my ?. The swim-is the current really strong. I’m a weak swimmer and I remember someone posting that the current would make the swim tough. Bike and Run I know I’ll do ok.
Car-necessary, unecessary, desirable, undesirable to rent?
How hard for folks who travel there is the time zone change?
Thanks,
Pat
There may or may not be a current, there may or may not be surf chop. Don’t worry about things you can’t control. As far as time changes my advice is to stay up as late as you can your first couple nights here. People that go to bed at 9 pm wake up at 2-3 am and just sit there. If you have a good physician a lot of people that live here use Ambien for a day or two one way or the other. My bigger problem is going East where my body wants to stay up until 2-3am then have to function at 7am .
The best job at Ironman is the finishers area late at night.
Congrats on the “qualifying” and staying for IM should be a blast.
There is a new swim course, a much improved swim course I might add but it is more of an open water swim with possible strong currents. It’s a gorgeous course though and very safe, you’ll enjoy it and swim congestion should be WAY down. Thank a friend of mine for convincing the RD to finally change it to the new course last night. I’ll post on ST later about the new course. Will post an elevation profile on ST soon as well for the bike.
Time zone is easy, you’re already ahead so stick with it and waking up early will be no problem.
Car, I’d rent one as you’ll probably stay in Waikiki and although Waikiki is fun and the race venue is right down the street the real Hawaii is definetely not Waikiki. A trip out to the North Shore will probably be the higlight of your trip and you’ll need a car for that.
Tai,
I was speaking to Jay P today and he said there was some applied “pressure” to RD yesterday/today to go back to Kaimana swim. Is it official? They need to update their website pronto.
With potentially many more than expected athletes now attending, a Queens beach swim it would be a nighmare, even for me as a slow swimmer.
So the new swim course is actually the old original swim course, if that makes sense.
Look forward to the elevation profile for the bike course too - thanks.
Did you get your uniform e-mail?
Mark
Go ahead, show Trillini the newsclippings from Waikiki Roughwater Swim a couple of years ago 
Sorry, that was evil, but I thought it was funny.
The swim doesn’t go far out from shore like WRS, right? So even if there was a freak current it shouldn’t be any problem for the Worlds.
Trillini - Swimming in Waikiki is beautiful, you’ll enjoy every stroke.
Go ahead, show Trillini the newsclippings from Waikiki Roughwater Swim a couple of years ago
I was there Sept 2003 - it was a freak current. I did not need to be rescued, but a DNF is tough. Of 947 swimmers, 590 did not finish the swim.
See http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Sep/02/ln/ln04a.html
OMG Mark…I was kidding. We don’t want to scare away the competitors…or do we…?
Thanks guys, I know that you take a chance with weather and varying currents so that link doesn’t horrify me-though I know I would have been pulled. I just don’t want to go out for a swim course that I can’t complete on even it’s easiest day. Would an “endless pool” part of the course be a probability? Sounds like it’s uncertain where the swim will be so no answer may be possible huh.
Thanks,
Pat
but I thought helicopter rescues were fun!
Didn’t get rescued that crazy day at the roughwater but drifted halfway around Diamond head with this guy who was too tired to keep swimming, finally got him a ride on the outrigger, no not on an outrigger on THE outrigger, or a canoe. Then it was the looooooong swim back in.
Don’t worry though, the swim doesn’t go that far out. There may be an irritating current on the return to shore portion but that’s about it. Same course honolulu tri used in 2004. Much better for the huge amount of people we’re having as it’s a one loop course and is wider than the 2 loop Queen’s beach course they used last year. There is a break that can get pretty big but it doesn’t break hard, or usually at all, in the channel and we’ll be in the channel. So when sighting if there’s whitewater ahead of you, you’re going in the wrong direction!
Our masters evening session was closed all last week so I was basically swimming the course everyday. Never had much a current any day we were out there.
Hey Tai, You seem to have the inside scoop there on the worlds course,is there any chance that the water will be under the wetsuit temp min. I believe it is 78 degrees. There seems to be no definitive info on the USAT site. I’ll be bringing it anyway, just wondering about last minute swim training. No wetsuit= lots more kicking and hand swimming, with wetsuit= lots more pulling and butterfly… Oh ya, have to remember the extra razors for the shave down too…
Also very interested in the bike profile, for some reason just thought it would be fairly flat, but doesn’t the rd to Diamond Head go up a bit???
Hey Monty, you know of the wetsuit question I guess it depends on when they measure the water temp. In the morning when the first waves go off it might just squeak under 78 but by mid-day, and I’m guessing heats will be going off all day, it’ll be over 78 and to hot for a wetsuit anyways. I’ve used my wetsuit here in the mid afternoon and it was NOT a good idea, I was getting ready for Wildflower trying the suit on.
Anyone out there know how they figure this out on an all day race. Am I just imagining the water temp difference as in such a large body of water it shouldn’t matter?
You know USAT, I’m sure there is a rule, but they usually make it up as they go along. I think they are supposed go to the middle of the course somewhere, and measure so many feet underwater in the morning before the race. They should then make the wetsuit call the day before. But who knows what they will do. As for wearing it in hot water, unfortunately if you want to be competitive, you have to. I remember in the late 80’s at the US cahmpionships in Hilton Head. It was about 85 degrees in the water and half the pros opted not to wear suits. I mean, it was really hot, but I wore my suit, just lost the cap early in the swim and surffered through it. We had a 2 minute gap on the non wetsuit guys, and they never got back into the race. A tough lesson for them on that day. You may get hot, but in the end you just can’t make up the difference you lose not wearing one…
Any info on that bike course profile???
There was some discussion on the bike course on this forum earlier in the year. Was talking to somone familiar with the course while in KC who says it’s flat with one big climb up one of those “heads”. Not worth adjusting your gearing according to that guy.
Do not adjust your gearing for the climbs. Both are reasonably insignificant in the overall scope of the race. The first climb is immediately off the swim over Diamond Head. It is deceptively tough, but doesn’t require anything special in terms of equipment. The second climb is in Hawaii Kai. It is a 2-3 minute climb at the most and in shape riders will have no problem with the hill.
Do not stress about the swim. It does have a couple of unique qualities regarding course and sighting, but anyone can figure them out with a couple of days of swimming there and watching the currents. I cannot imagine that waves will be an issue at that time of year, though you can have two to three foot surf in that area.
Wetsuits: If the past is a predictor of the future, they will probably allow wetsuits.
Well if they measure the morning of it’ll probably be wetsuit legal and although at the Honolulu Tri us Hawaii guys made sort of a pact not to wear wetsuits, I’ll be suiting up at Worlds. It is kinda embarressing though when all of us in our wetsuits storm the beach and kick the little kids and tourists in surf shorts out of the water;)
I’ll get the profile up soon. I’m working on a special non-USA version to post here (damn gave it away) with a 2,000ft climb in it! Okay okay, so the climb is probably only 200-250 ft and as Kage said just a few minutes. I’m riding a 11-23 and will muscle up it but during my normal rides I’m usually in my 39/25 up the hill so if you are in doubt run the 12-25 cassette. This hill is right before the turnaround, you basically go up it, go halfway down the other side and make a u-turn. The hill early in the race up Diamond Head is a little longer but you can do it in a 23 no problem, even a 21 is doable. Otherwise it’s flat with one really really mild grade for a mile or so.
I would have thought that since this is an ITU AG race that ITU rules would prevail, just officiated by USAT. According to ITU 2005 Competition Rules for a 1500m AG swim wetsuits are forbidden above 22C (72F). Also, Water Temperature must be taken one (1) day prior to race day and race morning one (1) hour prior to the start of the event. It must be taken in the middle of the course at a depth of 60 cm (about 2 feet).
hmm, you’re making some very good sense here Mark. Don’t know why we’re looking at USATri rules… If it’s a 72 degree cutoff there is no way it’s going to be wetsuit legal.
If you go to the 2005 Honolulu AG web site at the RACE INSTRUCTIONS page it does mention and directs you to ITU rules, which implies ITU are applicable.
See==> http://www.honolulu2005.com/article.php?story=raceinstructions
I agree, at a 22C or 72F cutoff there is no way Hawaii will be a wetsuit swim.
OFFICIAL ITU RULES
For ITU rules and regulations please visit www.triathlon.org, click on downloads and 2005 ITU Competition Rules.
hmm, I know at Honolulu Tri they used the 78 degree cutoff for the age-groupers and 72 degrees for the pros which is pretty common and happens allt the time at Xterra races as well. I don’t know if I’m hoping for wetsuits or no wetsuits…
But 72 degrees no way it’ll be that cold.
Mark, what are you doing responding in under 5 minutes, aren’t you at work? I’m working from home so I have an excuse;)
Mark, what are you doing responding in under 5 minutes, aren’t you at work? I’m working from home so I have an excuse;)
shhhhh…and just about to go for a pool swim workout too…I have a cardboard cut out of me at my desk. Hopefully no body shall know I am swimming.
Home office is the way to go!