IMLP 08 vs IMWI 06

Triathlon Forum
1

Anybody who raced both dare to compare/contrast? Which was tougher? I think there were more DNFs at IMWI in 2006 and they said that IMWI 06 was the coldest IM race ever.

I raced IMWI in 2006 (first IM). It rained all day and the temps were in the 50’s. I didn’t have enough calories or clothes. I thought it was a pretty brutal day. I remember shivering almost the entire bike. Watching IMLP over the internet brought back memories.

I also remember this quote from someone somewhere… “There is no poor weather…only poor clothing choices.”

2

It did not rain in Wisco the entire day. However I think that it was much more miserable. LP was not that cold and there was no wind at all, it was just wet. It all depends on what you are ready for. I raced in 06 and only had arm warmers on to keep me warm. Everything else was standard tri top and shorts. I know that I get cold and hot sometimes and most of the time I can overcome those extremes just by not worrying about them.

3

Yes I did race both. IMWI was colder, but I had arm warmers and an extra under jersey for the ride so it wasn’t too bad. I think the rain stopped by the run at WI also. What sucked about IMLP 2008 is that the weather report was totally off and there was no chance to “prepare” for the foul weather…The huge downhill to Keene was a lot scarier than the hills in WI.

4

I did both. I agree with the other two comments. It rained A LOT more at LP. It was A LOT colder at WI. I would estimate at least 10-15 degrees colder and much more wind at WI. I have never been so cold for so long as I was at IMWI 2006.

I bike course at IMLP this year was much scarier than IMWI 2006. That rain (at LP) hurt and made those long descents pretty nerve-racking.

The only time I was warm at IMWI was during the swim. They were pulling people off the course left and right with hypothermia.

In my opinion, the colder, but less rainy WI was the worst of the two. It was just so damn cold. People were trying to do the run with blankets and garbage bags over them.

5

I shouldn’t post since I didn’t technically race LP this year, but I was one of the few in IW '06 who didn’t even have arm warmers on. Just tri top and shorts. I had arm warmers and gloves in T1 bag, but made a very stupid choice and didn’t bring them along.

I remember shivering and shaking on lap 2 of the bike, but didn’t mind the run.

Hats off to all who finished LP this year.

6

Mike,

I will tell you unequivocally that MOO 06 was much worse than LP 08. As you recall, it did not rain the entire day in 06, however, once you became wet, you stayed wet, and the low temperatures simply took everything from you in 06. I was hypothermic very early into the race, around mile 30 of the bike in 06. The only similarity between the races was rain. But the difference is that in 08 it rained the entire time. It rained much harder than in 06, so by the time you reached the descent in to Keane it was very nerveracking descending at those speeds, yes the rain hurt, but after 10 minutes of descending you were back on the flats to Jay without wind, you actually started to warm back up. In 06 I remember the winds just cutting through me and chilling me more and more. Although I didn’t make it to the run in 06, I didn’t think that the rain was that cold on the run in 08, maybe only towards the 7-8pm time period did it start to get cold. The only thing that I regret this year is that although my mind and body didn’t feel cold all day, the temperature and rain did affect my knees, and because I opted not to wear knee warmers on the bike, my legs completely seized at mile 12 and by mile 15 I was only able to walk the remaining 11 miles (another lessoned learned).

E

7

I participated in both, and agree IMWI 06 was much worse! Ironically, I was not able to finish either, both DNFs were not weather related. That’s weird!

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I also remember this quote from someone somewhere… “There is no poor weather…only poor clothing choices.”

06 was my only IM and my second triathlon ever. I had brought a jacket “just in case” and was ready to ditch it at T1 because I didn’t think it was that cold out after the swim. A guy changing next to me suggested that I wear it and that I could drop it off at an aid station if I didn’t need it. That was VERY good advice.

I wore a jacket the entire ride. I finished before dark and was a good enough runner to be able to keep the pace up (7:30-8:00 miles) during the whole run that I was fine in just a running singlet and a running hat. The worst stories I heard were from those that flatted and had to sit still for 5-10 minutes while changing and those that finished late. There’s a big difference between running at 6pm and walking at 10pm. I was also told that the skies opened up again at night time.

I had two friends who did their first IMs at WI the following year (those bastards and their prefect weather!!!)

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I had two friends who did their first IMs at WI the following year (those bastards and their prefect weather!!!)

IMWI 2006 was my first IM. I was back for IMWI 2007. All the volunteers I encountered in 07 were stunned that I was back after 06, but, I knew it could not be any worse and needed to get my revenge on that course. IMWI 2007 was truly a magical weather day (w/ the exception of some strong wind on the second loop of the bike). It was redemption day.

10

I did both.

As others said, IMoo was a lot colder and a lot more windy. The rain started just as I got out on the bike at IMoo. It was mostly just steady throughout the day, with periods of no rain. It did pick up again on the run with more wind.

I was aware of the forecast and packed arm warmers and a beanie for the bike, both of which I used. I also borrowed a cycling trick and put vasoline on my legs. I was fine on the bike by staying in the aero position and not stopping with the one exception at the bike special needs. People who stopped for porta-potties or mechanicals were doomed to hypothermia.

For both races, people found out that they pee a lot more on the bike in cool and/or wet conditions. This causes constant lines at the porta-potties, and further increases the likelyhood of hypothermia setting in. For me, I was at the fine line of comfortable-cold. If I had stopped, I would not have gotten warm again.

In T2 at IMoo, I had a technical tee in the bag which I put on underneath my tri top. I also kept the arm warmers on, figuring I could roll them up and ditch then later on at special needs. I rolled them up after about 2 miles, and rolled back out after a couple of more miles.

The finish area at IMoo was a shiver fest. You couldn’t make it past half a slice of pizza before it got uncontrollable. The wind was still whipping and it was still raining. I passed on hanging around to watch the late finishers. I just wanted hot food, warm, dry clothes and no wind.

For LP this year, I went without arm warmers and the vasoline. I had a Chrono aero helmet with just a few vents and the De Soto Cool max cap. My head stayed dry until well into the second bike loop. To me, I thought the air temp was around 70 and quite comfortable. Still, after I finished, I got one slice of pizza down and then the shivers started. So, it was time to clean up a little, get the massage and change into the dry clothes. Met the wife, went back to the room, showered, changed, held onto the mylar blankets for later and then off to the LP Pub for a cheeseburger and a beer. Back to the finish line and watched and cheered for the rest of the night.

11

Wasn’t Lake Placid in 2003 very similar conditions to this year?

Support Crew

12

The best line I heard about LP 2003 was that it was the first wetsuit legal bike and run.

:wink:

13

I competed in both and can tell you without doubt IMWI 06 was by far harder. The 15-20 degree lower temps + wind made that day borderline insane. IMLP 08 was almost refreshing compared to WI. Both were tough, but WI was FAR more difficult.

14

In reading through the posts on this thread and other similar threads, it amazes me the number of triathletes who are ill-prepared with the right apparel for these sorts of conditions, or make poor choices on race day( put the jacket in the T1 bag, then choose not to put it on for the bike . . and so on).

It’s pretty clear to me: If the air temp on the bike is going to be 20C or less, the standard tri outfit of tri-shorts and a tri singlet is not going to be enough for many. Keep in mind, you can always take off, what you put on. If you don’t have it with you in the first place, then you are doomed. It takes an extra 30 sec - 1 minute to pull on some of this extra stuff in T1. You should at no point be cold or shivering on the bike.

15

Nice job at Placid Parke…I am doing IMOO in September…NO REDUX OF '06 on the weather please!!!

16

I agree that being more prepared makes sense. However it isn’t supposed to be 50 degree’s in WI in early Sept. Are you just supposed to pack everything and bring it with? Most people are there a few days prior to the race. The forcecast changes.

I know that the local shops and expo sold out of the arm warmer’s. Once people realized it was not going to warm up they tried to get stuff.

17

I agree that being more prepared makes sense. However it isn’t supposed to be 50 degree’s in WI in early Sept. Are you just supposed to pack everything and bring it with? Most people are there a few days prior to the race. The forcecast changes.

I know that the local shops and expo sold out of the arm warmer’s. Once people realized it was not going to warm up they tried to get stuff.

The day before IMWI in 06 I was standing in the bike check in line waiting to check MissP’s bike in. I was chatting with a guy from Phoenix. The forcast for race day the next day was already not looking that good with highs in the mid 50’s. He asked me what my wife was planning on wearing and I told him - arm warmers, gloves, wind vest, booties and maybe knee-warmers. He had none of that stuff - I guess being from Phoenix you may not need any of that stuff. The kicker was that he had never ridden in the rain before. I felt sorry for the guy!

However, my feeling is that it would be prudent for every triathlete to have the following:

  • Arm warmers
  • Helmet liner
  • Gloves
  • toe warmers or booties
  • Knee warmers
  • Wind vest**

With the exception of the wind vest, All of this can be had for less than $150 - best investment in cycling/tri gear you will ever make.

18

I can’t compare IMLP 08 to IMWI 06 but I don’t think IMLP 08 was as difficult as IMLP 03. I did both and IMLP had driving rain and howling head winds that made the bike more challenging than this year’s. The gorge at Whiteface was extremely difficult to ascend in 03 with fierce winds that made forward progress a challenge. This year’s ride through the gorge was easy in comparison. Also, the descent into Keene in 03 was trickier as the wind had riders hydroplaning during the descent making for a real whiteknuckling experience. This year was a close second but my opinion is IMLP 03 was worse.

19

For me Lake Placid was not too cold, I was dressed in only a singlet. The one thing that stands out in my mind that Wisconsin did not have was the Keene decent. In pouring rain it was down right scary. I rode my brakes all the way down in the non-aero position and it had little effect. The second time down I developed a front wheel wobble and thought I was going down and into oncoming vehicular traffic. It was not fun.

20

Keene descent was horrible-I always hate it, even in perfect conditions (I clearly have a mental issue with fast descending (I think I need a shrink… just practicing descending (which I do a lot) doesn’t seem to work… I always think about the worst possible scenario, and my life/health always takes precedence over gaining a few mins on the bike… in my defense, I am a female, and a total chicken on the bike. The fastest speed I EVER hit on the bike my entire life is 42 mph, anything over 30-35mph, and I get very uncomfortable). This time, in the downpour, my brakes (carbon zipps) weren’t even getting enough braking power… I almost lost my contact 2x, from all this water getting into my eyes… I was also shivering like crazy from the cold both times on this descent.

Regardless of how torturous the Keene descent was for me, I thought Haselton road was much worse. I thought the road condition was horrible, especially when it’s so narrow and there’s traffic in both directions–hard to avoid potholes… and in many cases the road was so flooded I personally couldn’t even see the surface I was riding on… People were hitting potholes left and right, launching waterbottles/various other items all over the place, it really felt like riding through a minefield (which sucks on such a narrow 2 way road). I was so scared sh*tless on this stretch that I was just hoping to make it out alive/uninjured.

I don’t know if it’s just me having unreasonable expectations, but it was my 3rd year in a row doing the race, and every single year the road conditions get worse… I think the course absolutely needs to be repaved (not just randomly patched up, like they do every year–which makes the road uneven and maybe even more dangerous). If nothing else, at least they should repave the Keene descent and Haselton.