Hey all,
Just looking for some data points for Wildflower. If you have raced WF with a PM, can you please give me some data?
I’d like type of PM, bike time at WF, bike power at WF (AP and NP if you have it). For comparison, a flatish/fast half IM with same data…
Thanks,
Dave
With the exception of a hill right out of transition and Nasty Grade, WF is not a very hilly course on the bike. The run is another story!
that’s a bit like “how was the play Mrs. Lincoln,” isn’t it?
and sorry I have no power data for you, but I rode 3 hours and had an FTP of around 270-280W or so, and weighed 170.
I would agree with the statement that the run course is another story. That thing beat me up pretty good. I biked 2:33 at 70.3 China in 09 and then 2:52 at WF 2010. I suggest UVAS Reservoir’s OLY race 2 weeks prior to WF as a prep race. It has a hilly bike course and the run is rolling hills. They had bottles of wine for top 3 in AG and they had swim, bike, run premiums as well. A lot of cool stuff was given out. Only about 200 people at the race.
With the exception of a hill right out of transition and Nasty Grade, WF is not a very hilly course on the bike. The run is another story!
so true. everyone talks about how hilly the WF bike is. sure you gotta control your HR the first uphill mile, but then after that theres nothing major (until nasty grade - which I havent done…only Oly). the run is whats killer. in the span of 6 miles youve climbed up to the point to the top of the 1st mile/climb on the bike…no one ever talks about that
Hey all,
Just looking for some data points for Wildflower. If you have raced WF with a PM, can you please give me some data?
I’d like type of PM, bike time at WF, bike power at WF (AP and NP if you have it). For comparison, a flatish/fast half IM with same data…
Thanks,
Dave
From my PT…
2009 WF LC: 2:50:09 / NP=226 / AP=218
2009 IMCALI: 2:46:43 / NP=226 / AP=214
2010 WF LC: 2:47:02 / NP=226 / AP=214
2010 Vineman 70.3: 2:37:57 / NP=223 / AP=213
I ran pretty consistently (1:34 - 1:37) off all of these bikes. WF is definitely a slower bike course, but as has been mentioned it’s the run that’s brutal (even though it’s short of the full 13.1).
Fred
are you looking to model it?
Oh, and SFO visit went GREAT!
I think you’ll find this data useful
2130 Kjoules @ 142 lbs for a 2:45 bike split (or was it 2:46) at Widlflower 215W 1830 Kjoules @ 140 lbs for a 2:19 bike split at Clearwater 220W 1863 Kjoules @ 138 lbs for a 2;15 bike split at Esprit (88.5K)…flat course 230W 2080 Kjoule @ 139 lbs for a 2:45 bike split at Mooseman…hilly course like Wildflower 209W (freezing cold) 3850 Kjoules @ 140 lbs for a 5:31 bike split at Kona 194W
.
Just got back from a sailing trip in the British Virgin Islands…so was out of town.
Model it? No. Not really sure what that even means…I was just curious as I’d like to qualify for ITU LD Worlds and wondering how hard it would be to make top 10 in AG at WF…and the answer appears to be “pretty hard”.
Glad your trip to SFO went well!
Dave
Amazes me the different times on different courses…also how many watts you need to go 2:45…I have a lot of work to do…Thanks for the data.
Dave
Hey Dave, done wildflower a few times myself, over 20 i think. No power meters, but I know how to race that ride efficiently. There is the steep hill out of the water, sti down and use a tiny gear and let the parade of heros go by there. Once you hit the first downhills, use them to spin your legs out and keep a nice tuck. I think some of the guys here forget their races, it is all up or down on that course. There is no flat, some false flats up and down, but otherwise no place to stay in one gear for more than a few miles. Wind can change those 1 to 3% pitches too, either way. What I have found is that guys ride the ups too hard, and lose a lot of time trying to recover on the downhill sections. Since they are a lot of the times gradual, you can hammer them in a big gear. Make sure and eat and drink on the many steeper sections, there is one at least every 5 to 10 miles. At 43 you get the 4 mile climb of nasty grade, make sure you have a sit down spinning gear for that one. Be ready at the top for a thrill ride, i have hit high 50’s mph there. I’m always amazed at how slow some folks will go on that downhill, sometimes a minute slower for a couple miles than me. After that is where you can make up a lot of time. If overriden, the course is hell to the finish from here. It is all up and down, 3 to 6%. If feeling good, you can put minutes into most here, and finishing strong will set up a good start to the run. It is a bit short, but the run is real, and will not let you fake a good time like some flat courses will…
Good luck, you have the advantage of altitude training which will come in handy, and top 10 should be very doable. In fact, I bet there wll be rolldowns to the max even. A lot of the good guys at wildflower were doing the race anyway, and probably have no intention of taking slots to vegas…
Hey all,
Just looking for some data points for Wildflower. If you have raced WF with a PM, can you please give me some data?
I’d like type of PM, bike time at WF, bike power at WF (AP and NP if you have it). For comparison, a flatish/fast half IM with same data…
Thanks,
Dave
I’d say Wildflower is about 10% slower than what you’d get at a flatish/fast HIM with same data.
It’s a course where you can still hit a reasonable VI, though your VI will certainly be a touch higher than it should be at a flatish/fast HIM. I rode it a VI of 1.033 if you cut out the big downhill for the last mile at the end, which I believe is the appropriate way to look at that course, both in terms of VI and also focus on your AP/NP to that point.
Thanks Monty! I raced the long course as one of my first triathlons back in 1990 I think…crushed the swim and 1st 40 of the bike - I was 19 and stupid… I remember the rollers at the end of the bike and the run being hell…very hot that year…I’d love to have a good race there sometime…hard with the timing and snow…
Roll-down stops at 10 no matter what I think…so still have to finish top 10 in the 40-44 group…which means sub 5 so a <2:45 bike and < 1:45 run…since I’m just starting to train again after a year hiatus - it’s going to be challenging…but I’m up for trying!!!
Dave