Trying to figure out logistical issues for the family during race day. Suppose we are staying on the northwest side of Mirror lake, a couple miles from the olympic center - will spectators be able to easily go back and forth between the acommodations and the course on race day? I would think up to 10 minutes of walking is okay.
What are good places for spectators to watch?
Is it possible to drive back roads and get to “good” viewing spots on the course? Is this ideal?
Any and all advice welcome.
Thanks,
Jack
P.S. The reason I am asking this so early is that I am currently debating between a few choices for accomodations. The number one priority is family comfort on race day.
The NW side of Mirror Lake will actually be good for race day since I believe those roads are all open (the roads to the west are, but I’m not sure how much of Mirror Lake Drive is closed). It’s pretty easy to get around on race day. My family went from right downtown (they were standing at the foot of the Crowne Plaza hill when I came in on the first loop of the bike) to the 2 mile mark of the run by using back roads. They went back and forth a couple of times on the run. For the swim and bike, they just stayed downtown.
For spectating, there’s a ton of places all within walking distance of downtown. Anywhere they can find a spot will be a good place. In fact, they’ll probably want to move around a bit just to see different parts of the race.
For the early part of the run, I would suggest they head out a bit since the spectators are thinner outside of town. If they have access to a car, then they can easily get out towards the ski jumps. For the later part of the run, I think it would be fun for them to be on the steep hill heading back into town. That’s a good one for the athletes to soak up some energy to keep going. Most people are suffering on that hill, so the more noise the better.
So in your opinion, it isn’t too much of a hassle to navigate the race by car, especially if the housing is on the NW side of mirror lake?
The other option is to be close to sentinel road/cascade road. Which in my understanding is on the bike/run course, and is walkable to the transition area in 10 minutes.
Between those 2 options, I would choose the NW side of mirror lake, just because it’s a nicer place to be. I also think it will be easier to get your car in and out of that place on race day.
My family found it very easy to get around by car on race day. They used Old Military Rd. to get out to the 2 mile mark of the run and then headed back into town after I went by. The only difference for you is that we were staying at the Crowne Plaza, so they always had an easy place to park. I’m not sure what the parking situation is like on race day.
Actually, sounds like an ideal location, for a number of reasons:
-Easy walk into town into the action. You’ll still have to walk a little ways down main street when you get to town, but that should be okay.
-Can get in and out by car, take Saranac Ave. to Military Road to be on the run and bike course. Good spot for spectators to watch.
-Alternatively, you can walk the opposite way around the lake from where you are staying, where the bike course comes back into town (where Northwood meets Mirror Lake Drive). Run course out-and-back turn around is there, too.
Frankly, sounds like a great spot. From a family comfort spot, it should work as well – gives them spectating options where they can use the car if it’s raining.
Actually, I made a mistake. The potential accomodations are not on the northwest side of mirror lake, but are northwest of mirror lake. So they are about 3 miles Northwest from the Olympic center…
Do you mean NW side of LAKE PLACID (the actual Lake) or NW Side of Mirror Lake. the NW side of Mirror Lake, where the Mirror Lake inn is located is 1 mile from the oval and they can walk it in.
As for driving around on race day and trying to access the course, it worked for Dawn’s family because they had parking at the Crowne Plaza. My suggestion is that they leave the car parked. The last thing that NAS and the community needs is every spectators support crew driving every backroad and trying to access the course. PEOPLE, we are part of the problem and part of the solution. If you ask your support crew to leave the cars parked, it would be highly appreciated by everyone.
OK, rant off.
Back to your logistics. If you on the NW side of Lake Placid, then you can drive from there up to the top of the hill where the Ramada/Old Round House Cage is at. Then they can leave their car there for the rest of the day, and walk half a mile to the oval or any access point on Mirror Lake where the bike course travels twice or the run course goes 4 times…from there, your support crew will have access to washrooms and restaurants with a short walk. Frankly, tell them to sleep in and skip the swim start and swim exit and just get them to catch you on the bike loop1, have lunch, bike loop 2 and run loops (contant action). Unless they are curious to see the swim start, there is nothing special about it and you won’t be able to “connect with them”. You can on the bike and run and stop for hugs like I like to do (good Karma…)
**Unless they are curious to see the swim start, there is nothing special about it and you won’t be able to “connect with them”. **
I could not disagree with this statement more. For anyone who hasn’t seen an IM swim start, this is a must-see. I think maybe Dev is saying this because he’s been in umpteen IM’s and doesn’t remember how special it is for the newbies. My entire family loved the swim start and they are so glad they got up early to see it. I think it’s similar to being there for the final hours at the finish line. It’s just part of the special-ness of the IM day.
I guess my point is that they won’t actually see their loved one…just 2500 people clad in rubber beating the crap out of each other. Or maybe I am trying to dissuade people from coming to watch this stupid spectacle. I’d like to see saner and safer wave starts at NAS events :-). At this point the swim course at Ironman Lakes Placid is frankly too crowded and someone very soon is going to die in the first 100-500m and there is no way in hell that they will be salvaged by the lifeguard crew. IMC and IMFLA are different with a wide starting location…same at Hawaii. LP is out of hand at this point.
I guess my point is that they won’t actually see their loved one…just 2500 people clad in rubber beating the crap out of each other. Or maybe I am trying to dissuade people from coming to watch this stupid spectacle. I’d like to see saner and safer wave starts at NAS events :-). At this point the swim course at Ironman Lakes Placid is frankly too crowded and someone very soon is going to die in the first 100-500m and there is no way in hell that they will be salvaged by the lifeguard crew. IMC and IMFLA are different with a wide starting location…same at Hawaii. LP is out of hand at this point.
Dev
Holy moly, if I hadn’t read it, I wouldn’t have believed it was typed by you Dev!
What does your family consist of? My wife and Three kids (2, 4, and 6; and then 3, 5, and 7) made it too the swim start and then spent the whole day in town. Nice park, places to eat, lots of action. They can then see you off on the swim (I agree w/ Dawn that IM swim starts are Spectacular), possibly after the 1st lap on the swim, swim exit, bike start, 1st lap on bike, 2nd lap on bike, transition area, run start, 2 times each lap on run, and then the finish. I DO agree with Dev that we should discourage family and friends from driving on or near the course on race day.
Best wishes. You and your family will love LP! I will add a link in two minutes of my IMLP slide show to my Blogroll.
I positioned myself way to the right about 10 meters behind the line. I thought I’d have to wait a few minutes before I could start swimming because I didn’t want to be in the middle of it. I was surprised to see that I had clear water almost immediately (within 5 seconds of the gun). I was surrounded by people on the entire first loop, but it was never crowded.
I think the problem at LP is that most people start close to the line and therefore it’s crazy over there. There’s no reason to sit on the underwater line. It is so easy to sight in that lake because it’s so narrow. I was never on the line, but I never got off course. I think people just need to spread themselves out more.
There was a death in the water at IMFL even though you say it’s better with the wide starting location. I just think people have to be smarter about where they start, spread themselves out a bit more and they’ll have an easier swim. I also don’t think that if they reduced the numbers to 1800 that it would be any less crowded when everyone tries to swim to the left.
But I think NAS/WTC/Whoever needs to starts enforcing some rules @ the swim start. Whatever they are. could be wave start, seeding based on some swim times, etc…
No small children in the group. Group consists of me and my buddy racing (not our first IM, first IMLP), and associated family.
I’m sure the group will want to take in the whole race. Most will have seen it before, a few will have not. But they’ll all be there for the swim start.
Also, I would never advocate or suggest anyone driving on or near the race course. It just appears to me that there are several roads (Old Military road, and roads to the north of mirror lake) that come up to the bike and run course. Since it is a two loop format, it isn’t over a very large area. So if there are spots one can park and walk to get next to the race course at key locations, that is helpful information. Specifics on why it isn’t possible is also helpful information.
As I said before, my family went back and forth via Old Military quite a bit. It’s my understanding that there was almost no traffic on that side of town. Also, they weren’t impeding the race at all IMO because they were so far off course, but I’d love to hear from people if they think what they were doing was wrong. I don’t see a problem with it and we will likely do it again when we go back. Most everyone stays downtown.
Hey Dawn, not beating up on your family. My main point is that this is not a viable option unless you have downtown parking and if every support crew starts hitting old militay road/backroads it will be another headache for NAS and the locals.
As for the swim start, well, my point stands. It is way to crowded just for the sake of creating a spectacle. A death is waiting to happen. Even three waves 10 min apart of 800 people each will make things a lot safer. That way wave 3 goes at 7:20 am before wave 1 returns for loop2. It should be very possible to put create 2 waiting corrals with a walk over timing matt for wave 2 and wave 3. They do it at Roth.
We stayed on the west side Lake Placid in a great condo right on the lake. My wife drove me in around 4:45am and went back for the kids. They parked in the mall on 86 and took the shuttle bus in for the swim start. I saw them right before I went into the water and gots my "hugs". They loved the swim start and I thought it was electric myself. I stayed way right and had little trouble, as I am a slow swimmer. They stayed in town and had breakfast untill I left on the bike. They went back to the condo untill my 1st loop on the bike and came back and forth with no problem on the shuttle all day. After I finished my wife took the shuttle back to the car and came back into town to get me and my bike. I had to walk up to the municipal parking lot to meet her. Two blocks? It was fine. We are staying in the same place next year.
I know some people bring mountain bikes and ride out to spots on the course, maybe we will try that next year.
It was a great day for me and my family. No real problems getting around.
