i would bike from the terrace and do 1 loop…that’s about 75 miles vs 80 miles just doing two loops…the first part out on the course is deceptively hilly…best to get a total view of the course.
then you can run right from the terrace too…stay at the Concourse, Best WEstern or Hilton and you’ll be right on the race site…the Howard JOhnson also works.
have a great time - stop by the Memorial Union Terrace too…probably some music and lots of beer with pretty girls all over…not a bad spot to recover on.
I would just start in Verona. There is little about the ride from Madison to Verona that you cannot get from a drive of the course. Just get an appreciation for the hills on the way back to Madison. They look like nothing, but in the noonday sun after a century it is nice to know what is coming.
Standard place to park in Verona is Fireman’s Park. Corner of Paoli St. and Bruce St. just SW of downtown Verona. Look on Yahoo Maps - it shows the park.
If you are just coming in for a ride then stay in Verona - or check rates at the Sharaton on John Nolen Dr. or the Clarion on Rimrock Rd. There is a Super8 in Verona. I am afraid not many places are cheap. You wil probably be paying 65 bucks minimum unless you are government or maybe student?. Do a travelocity search. Sometimes the BW Inn on the Park has cheap rates - it’s right downtown Madison.
You can run the course. But you will be on sidewalks for much of it because the roads are regularly trafficked roads. The part on the UW grounds will be pleasant. Make sure you have a good map. It is somewhat tough if unmarked.
I agree with the other post in that you should just park at Fireman’s Park in Verona. It’s easy in and easy out. When I go to Madison to train I often stay at the Road Star Inn in Madison…last weekend it was $55/night with continental breakfast and cookies! It’s on the Beltline in Madison and is only a 10 minute drive to Fireman’s Park. Have fun!
-Matt
AAARRRGGGG!! I hate it when they do that (happens around here all the time as well)!!! Thanks for the info, I’ll probably take you up on that PM offer. Is the bike course well marked? I mean, are there easy-to-follow street signs?
You’re going there for big race sim, right? If so, don’t go clear up there and not see the whole course - ride from town! Last year I did it (in June) based on online discussions with Gordo. Here’s what I did:
Stayed at the Sheraton on John Nolan for $50/nt - priceline.com (it may be too late for you now)
430am - prerace breakfast, everything the way I planned
630am - ride out to Verona (low, easy HR); ride first loop (right at or just below race HR); ride second loop (right at race HR); ride home (hold race HR). That will be about 110 miles of basically building your HR throughout the ride, sort of the Gordo/Rich Strauss method. I would advise riding the whole course so that you see how hard the second loop is, and how hard it can be to hold you HR on the way home.
Noonish - shower, stretch, eat, sleep
330pm - 2hr run one loop on the course. Even if you can’t do the exact course, be sure to run the main outline of it, and include Observatory Hill.
Next morning - ride out, do one loop of the course, ride back - all 70miles easy recovery just to cement the course into your head one more time. Get back to hotel in time to shower before checkout. If you’re real tired, you could drive out to Verona and just do one loop.
Next afternoon - drive to Champaign, head directly to Murphy’s, drink black&tan, repeat
Nope, no set schedule. I’m doing 115 bike/ 6 run on Sat and 20 run / 35 bike on Sunday. I’m not sure if I’ll be staying up there for the long run or not. The more triathletes up there, the better, I say!! What are you thinking?