I’ve never done the race but this is my understanding of how it works:
You exit the water, wetsuit strippers- then you run up the helix parking structure (how many floors?) to the changing area, through the changing area and out onto the roof where the bikes are. Ride down the helix and you are out.
For T2 you ride back up the helix, change, and run back down.
Here are my questions for you IMMoo veterans:
Where are the timing mats? What do reasonable transition times look like? How hard is it running up that parking structure? Any tips or insights?
It seemed like the timing mat was just as you got out of the water (maybe 15-20 meters). It’s about a 65 meter run to the helix and I would say it’s about 3 or 4 floors up. It’s a riot. Tons of folks cheering as you wind-up the helix. It’s cement…so the surface is smooth. The grade isn’t that steep…plus your adrenaline coming out of the swim will get you up there in no time. Chalk messages scribbled all over the place…when you get to the top of the helix you make a left turn…run about 30-40 meters and you are right into the building where you will grab your bags in one of the open rooms…and then procede into a connecting room where you can change into your bike gear.
Not sure what a reasonable transition time would be…let me throw out 4-6 minutes. All-in-all…I like the set-up. Very clean and well laid out.
I think the timing mats are right around where you come out from the water. I’m really not sure what reasonable transition times are. I think if you can get through T1 in 5-7 minutes you’ll be looking very good. I think my T2 was even slower last year because I was freezing. Running up the helix isn’t hard. It is line with fans who are screaming. You won’t even realize you’re running up an incline. It’s pretty cool. Soak it in. The only thing I’ll add is that you don’t run back down the helix after T2. You exit T2 on the same level as the changing rooms and head up towards the capitol. Have fun on Sept. 9. I’ll be out there spectating.
Thank you very much. I was seeing transition times in the results from '05 and '06 running from as little as 4:32 to over 10:00. I did notice times were very different from '05-'06 likely owing to the weather extremes (hot to cold respectively).
I may be right on the sub- 11 hour bubble if all goes well so transitions are super important for me.
Here’s an aerial view of T1 (http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1239558), it’s at least a half mile of total running, actually, my map has the helix as not even a full rotation (about 3 or 4 floors). You run into one room to grab your T1 bag, then into another changing room, then you get sent outside into the middle of the parking ramp. Here, you run all the way to the far end (by the swim exit), and then down the line of bikes. It’s set up so everyone runs the same distance (except the pros). Last year, my T1 was 8:13 (okay, so I put on cycling tights, socks, and a wind breaker - but I was reasonably efficient), my time though was good enough for the top 20%, so expect it to take some time. Don’t let your mind play games with you because you think you may have lost a few minutes in T1. I also picked up 29 spots in T1 (it was my best placing of the day, that’s why I remember that).
For T2, you ride up the helix (it’s not that hard of ride), they take your bike, you hobble to the room with T2 bags, then go into a changing room. You run outside into the middle of the parking structure, there will be a row of porta potties in case you want to add more time onto T2, the timing mats for the run are not until you reach the far end of the parking structure (the end closest to the swim exit) as you are running out into the streets. Again, you have to run a long way through T2. I went 5:42 last year for the top 7% of T2 times. Of course, a lot of people were staying inside to warm up in order to prevent hypothermia (that’s where those extra seconds paid off for me in T1). You don’t run down the helix, you only run up it for the swim, then up and down on the bike.
If the weather is decent and you don’t need to change clothes, your times should be faster than this. Look at prior year results, ignore the pros since they have a different route for T1 (I think, unless the literally sprint the whole thing). The volunteers there are awesome and will help you with anything.
Damn, I can’t believe it was a year ago that I was over-training myself for this race.
I may be right on the sub- 11 hour bubble if all goes well so transitions are super important for me.
Moo is an odd race. I’ve done it 5 times, and now I’m sabbatical from IM indefinitely. I’ve never had a decent result at Moo even though I was consistenly sub 11 hour for years at other races. I blame it all on the weather which has been terrible every year except the first, and that first year I was on a heavy LD racing schedule with Moo being at the tail end of it. And then there are the people who can’t get a decent time at any other IM race other than Moo. What I am saying is that setting time goals at Moo is a huge mistake. The weather, the hilly bike ride, the hilly run, all the turns on the bike and run, etc etc tend to affect people differently. Have fun and good luck.
Your T1 and T2 bags are laid onto the floors in two separate ballrooms. The bags are in double rows, I think it was odd on one side, even on the other. You collect your bag, and then run into another room to change with chairs and volunteers.
As there are no racks, it is quite easy for the bags to get a little ruffled. There are little cardboard signs on little (short ) posts about every 50 bib numbers, but still it is a more difficult process of finding your bags than in a standard rack format such as IMC and LP.
I marked my bags by cutting long orange strips from the Gatorade bag I picked up at the Gatorade morning swim session, tying the strips to the strings of the transition bags. Most oddly, somebody removed the strips and tied them to another bag (the same different bag for both T1 and T2) between the time I last checked them Sunday morning and before my transitions. I still haven’t figured that one out yet.
I’d suggest a little preplanning and bring something with you from home that will enable you to recognize your transition bags from a distance. It could save you a huge potential headache.
Lastly, Simply Stu’s video last year ran through the transition zones in pretty much exquisite detail. They did modify which doors/entrances they used last year, so some things might still change on you this year.
the helix is not that steep but I managed my highest hrt running up that thing!
I found the transition pretty well organised and did not have any problems getting the bag and getting changed. The rest of the race is pretty straight forward, well as much as 180km bike ride and a marathon can be.
“The rest of the race is pretty straight forward, well as much as 180km bike ride and a marathon can be.”
SimpleS my friend, you just earned your username in grand style… and I mean that in the most sincerely complimentary way. Thank you. I needed to hear that. I’m serious.
I like to keep it simple - as I said to someone last night stressing for IMC - make sure you get maximum FUN for every penny you paid to do that race, everything else is gravy.
Tom,
Have you ridden this bike course a few times? If so, what has been you typical time for a “loop”?
Today it is cold and pouring here (Madison). It will be a bad day for so many who needed this for their final 100 mile ride according to training plans.
Why not do 100 miles in the rain? Wear your bike rain gear. It’s Wisconsin - it is cold and or rainy 8 months or more out of the year. Check the radar and you’ll notice that the storm will pass in a few hours.
I haven’t ridden the course. Honestly, that worries me… Don’t worry about what you can’t control, and this you can’t control any more. Anyway, you will have plenty of time once you get there to take a drive around the course, and this is all a novice cyclist like me needed to figure out how to ride Steelhead. With all your cycling experience and training, the bike, no matter what the course, should not be the stuff of worries for you.
The other thing about transitions – they have chairs to sit down on and people helping you with your bag – they will dump out your bag and stuff the leftovers all back in for you – use them. Some wonderful volunteers. It’s tempting to stuff everything you think you might need in those bags, but it will slow you down sorting through it all…keep it simple.
As far as riding the course, you are a seasoned cyclist and IM veteran, IM Moo shouldn’t be too bad… It’s challenging because of all the up and down, turns and the false flats, just save something for the end of the loop – those three climbs in the last section will kick your butt.
I think the main challenge with Moo, as the other poster mentioned, is the conditions – you just don’t know what you are going to get. I would be thinking more about the conditions and what your plan is for each scenario. I got my butt kicked last year by the weather – I didn’t wear enough clothes or take in enough calories in the cold, driving rain…other people had issues the year before in the extreme heat. I think if you can nail the conditions and take that out as a factor, you will have a good race.
The helix and indoor transition area adds a few minutes to your T1. This comes at a very easy cost. Just make sure that you peak back at Monona Terrace during your swim. It’s is certainly one of the most spectactular sites that you’ll ever see while racing (and it comes during the swim)!
The run up the helix can be done gently. There’s plenty of energy being supplied by the folks on edges - just move forward and get ready for action in the changing room. Be sure to basically cost down on your bike. Put you shoes on at the top and then proceed. There’s a 90 degree turn at the exit of the ramp and usually timing mats or cables running across the roads (lots of bottles go flying here). The first mile of the bike is a no passing zone. Be sure to spin up the helix on return to T2 and expect a little cramping surprise at the top as you climb off the bike. It’s very, very common.