I’ve read the threads, some pretty great stories!
First, anyone have a Garmin file on the new course? How much elevation change (lower) for the new one, I understand about 1500 feet less? Does that make the new course around 6000 feet of climbing?
Second where to stay that is “reasonable” i.e. 100-150$ per night.
Thanks,
Maurice
Go join this FB group and get all your questions answered
https://www.facebook.com/groups/327816963960116/
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Check Airbnb, lot of stuff available.
Go join this FB group and get all your questions answered
https://www.facebook.com/groups/327816963960116/
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You are the “facebook Tahoe Group on ST”…answer his questions and while you are at it, tell me that I am big wimp and try to shame me into being there!!! What’s the lowest altitude you can sleep at and be there for race morning? I’m guessing way down at Auburn? But it would be cheap.
If I recall correctly I stayed outside Auburn off I80 going to XC ski at Royal Gorge several years ago. I came off a late evening flight from the East coast, arrived at my hotel at 1 pm, slept till 8 am and was on the ski trail at Royal Gorge at 9:15 am just after they opened (wake up, eat, pack, check out, drive, all done in 1:15). Looks like Squaw is a 1:20 Drive from Auburn…anything off the highway that Maurice could stay at that is closer but low?
Go join this FB group and get all your questions answered
https://www.facebook.com/groups/327816963960116/
.
You are the “facebook Tahoe Group on ST”…answer his questions and while you are at it, tell me that I am big wimp and try to shame me into being there!!! What’s the lowest altitude you can sleep at and be there for race morning? I’m guessing way down at Auburn? But it would be cheap.
If I recall correctly I stayed outside Auburn off I80 going to XC ski at Royal Gorge several years ago. I came off a late evening flight from the East coast, arrived at my hotel at 1 pm, slept till 8 am and was on the ski trail at Royal Gorge at 9:15 am just after they opened (wake up, eat, pack, check out, drive, all done in 1:15). Looks like Squaw is a 1:20 Drive from Auburn…anything off the highway that Maurice could stay at that is closer but low?
Nah, not me. :o)
From what I have heard, yep bike is much easier this year, like 1500 feet less of climbing, 6K total now. But the folks on the FB page have ridden the new setup, I have not.
In tahoe prices are all over the map on what it costs to stay.
Nah, you are not a wimp, you are a stud. Wound never try to shame you into anything.
I am at 1500 feet in Auburn. The I80 drive is so fast one could get down to Sac in just a few more minutes and be close to see level. Reno is pretty close and real cheap because of the casinos.
Lots
. of stuff along I80. Colfax is closer.
Go join this FB group and get all your questions answered
https://www.facebook.com/groups/327816963960116/
.
You are the “facebook Tahoe Group on ST”…answer his questions and while you are at it, tell me that I am big wimp and try to shame me into being there!!! What’s the lowest altitude you can sleep at and be there for race morning? I’m guessing way down at Auburn? But it would be cheap.
If I recall correctly I stayed outside Auburn off I80 going to XC ski at Royal Gorge several years ago. I came off a late evening flight from the East coast, arrived at my hotel at 1 pm, slept till 8 am and was on the ski trail at Royal Gorge at 9:15 am just after they opened (wake up, eat, pack, check out, drive, all done in 1:15). Looks like Squaw is a 1:20 Drive from Auburn…anything off the highway that Maurice could stay at that is closer but low?
Do you have specific altitude sensitivities that you want to sleep as low as possible? I really didn’t notice much when I was there last year (the road grade I noticed!), though the much warmer/dry Boulder altitude squeezed hydration out of me this year more than I could compensate for. As a logistics issue, I recommend staying in Squaw of possible. I stayed by the swim last year, which was kind of nice on race morning, but it meant that I had to have my a friend drop my rental car down at Squaw and then drive back after the race as there are no finish to swim start return busses after the race. Not a big deal, just that I didn’t consider that at the time. If you need more reason to sigh un: although I had never been on a bike that long ever in my life … I had a PR run in the lovely cool weather … and what a view!
I rode the course a couple weekends ago and my garmin file from my 910 shows a total of 6,070 ft of elevation without elevation correction. I’m not sure how that compares to last year.
Here’s the link - http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/555665481
I haven’t ridden the course, but here’s the Strava Routes version: http://www.strava.com/routes/398170 It says it is 7,650ft
I just switched my lodging to a cabin in NorthStar area, but I did have a motel in Truckee that was like $100-$120/night
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What’s the lowest altitude you can sleep at and be there for race morning? I’m guessing way down at Auburn? But it would be cheap.
Why sleep low? 6200 feet isn’t even noticeable. You run a little slower than you think you’re running; put out a little less power at a given PE. But 6200 feet doesn’t induce any real sensations in the vast majority of fit, healthy people.
I’ve been going up there for 25 years and have never noticed the altitude other than by looking at my pace watch or power meter.
“Oh…I thought I was running 8’s and I’m actually running just 8:20’s.”
Thanks a lot for the info!
Looks like its a safe bet that even after they modify the bike its still 6000+ feet of climbing, field of 1400-1600 I like it-should be a “reasonably” fair race.
Any info on “tricky descents” etc, looks like I won’t pre ride maybe just drive it.
In terms of the altitude question, I know enough about altitude to know that if I ever wanted to train specifically around it or prepare for it I would call some one smart 
My basic understanding though is that EPO production spikes in days 1-4, RBC count maximizes in and around 10 days and stays there for a bit, of course wildly dependant on net gain, time up, blood health going in etc. The one thing I don’t think is very well understood is if there are other physiological changes, i.e. lung volume or enzymatic function, mitochondrial density etc, I don’t know much about that and am uncertain as to whether it has been researched very much or not.
Long story short, like most of the field I’ll likely just be arriving and leaving the same as any other race.
Thanks for the info,
Maurice
Go join this FB group and get all your questions answered
https://www.facebook.com/groups/327816963960116/
.
You are the “facebook Tahoe Group on ST”…answer his questions and while you are at it, tell me that I am big wimp and try to shame me into being there!!! What’s the lowest altitude you can sleep at and be there for race morning? I’m guessing way down at Auburn? But it would be cheap.
If I recall correctly I stayed outside Auburn off I80 going to XC ski at Royal Gorge several years ago. I came off a late evening flight from the East coast, arrived at my hotel at 1 pm, slept till 8 am and was on the ski trail at Royal Gorge at 9:15 am just after they opened (wake up, eat, pack, check out, drive, all done in 1:15). Looks like Squaw is a 1:20 Drive from Auburn…anything off the highway that Maurice could stay at that is closer but low?
Do you have specific altitude sensitivities that you want to sleep as low as possible? I really didn’t notice much when I was there last year (the road grade I noticed!), though the much warmer/dry Boulder altitude squeezed hydration out of me this year more than I could compensate for. As a logistics issue, I recommend staying in Squaw of possible. I stayed by the swim last year, which was kind of nice on race morning, but it meant that I had to have my a friend drop my rental car down at Squaw and then drive back after the race as there are no finish to swim start return busses after the race. Not a big deal, just that I didn’t consider that at the time. If you need more reason to sigh un: although I had never been on a bike that long ever in my life … I had a PR run in the lovely cool weather … and what a view!
Hey ho, some people feel 6k feet difference. Altitude sensitivities? Nice slapshot!
Count yourself lucky that you don’t and thanks for the useless info about your studlyness.
First off, you aren’t even Dev. Secondly, you completely missed the point that wasn’t intended for you,
Were you being serious?
Start out hard on the swim and you’ll notice 6200…
People complained about boulder and it was lower…
Dave
Kings Beach is probably close to another 30 minutes of driving compared to Royal Gorge from Auburn.
Reno is 47 minutes away according to Google Maps. Auburn is 1:20. Maybe Colfax at 1:08?
Why sleep low? 6200 feet isn’t even noticeable. You run a little slower than you think you’re running; put out a little less power at a given PE. But 6200 feet doesn’t induce any real sensations in the vast majority of fit, healthy people.
I don’t think this is right. 6200’ isn’t going to crush you but it will make a difference, for some people more than others. Actually recent research shows that the more fit the athlete the bigger the performance effect of altitude. (Basically, elite athletes are so fit that they have maxed out oxygen transport so any loss of oxygen – even at low altitude – has an effect. In a couch potato, the body isn’t capable of using all the oxygen available at sea level, so some loss of oxygen at low altitudes has little/no effect.)
Also, your body goes through lots of changes in the first 24 hours at altitude (in particular plasma loss) so current thinking seems to be either (1) race as soon as possible after getting to altitude, or (2) stay 1-2 weeks at altitude before racing. Racing 48 hours after arriving is probably about the worst you could do. If you don’t know for sure how your body is going to react, why risk it?
Having done Tahoe last year. I can tell you that my personal experience was yes I noticed the altitude. I’m from Ohio with a elevation of 895 ft. I arrived a Squaw Creek on Wed before the race. The first thing I noticed upon arrival was that my wife and I got headaches which last for 1-2 days. I was urinating many more times a day than usual for the first 3 days. My practice runs were about 1 minute slower than normal at the same effort level. I practiced at Kings Beach two days prior to the race for the swim. I’ve got video of me talking with my wife very out of breath after a few short laps around the practice area. The race, well that’s a story for another day but finished 13:01. Take it easy, have fun and have a great race. My experiences were just that, and may not happen to you or anyone else. Agree with Ashburn, adjust your pace and you will do fine.
Of course I’m serious. It’s 5% less oxygen. You can run a work rate 5% lower than at sea level.
At any IM, if you go out too hard on the swim, you blow up. Tahoe is no different. But if your target pace is 1:30/100y, you need to go 1:35/100y instead. Do that, and you don’t notice the altitude. At all. Zilch.
The altitude will only adversely affect those that do not compensate their paces.
Y’all are overthinking it.
There aren’t any tricky descents to speak of. The descent coming down from Brockaway is by far the fastest descent on the course, but there are no real turns to speak of on the way down. The thing that will make that section of the course dicey is going to be the guy going 50 passing the guy going 40 passing the guy riding their brakes and still going 30. If there’s a cross wind it will make it even worse, but I think most races have sections like that so its just a place to pay attention.
The only other descent that comes to mind is a section in Northstar that’s new this year. You come into Northstar and turn right onto Big Springs Drive. Once you get up that climb you turn left and ride through a parking lot to come back down towards the lodge. There’s a pretty sharp switch back in there on Currant Rd as you’re going downhill that you need to slow down for. I’m sure they’ll have volunteers there to warn people as you get there.
If you haven’t already found this post on the race last year, its pretty good and gives some good insight to the bike course - http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=5180094;
As far as the effects of the altitude, it sounds like you are much closer to the someone smart that you would call than I am ; ) I know that for me, coming from basically sea level in Oakland, I can see and feel the effects of altitude a bit on the first day or 2 up in Tahoe. This last trip I went up on Thursday and went for a run a couple hours after getting in and saw a increase in HR of ~5-8 BPM for the pace. I did the ride on Friday and didn’t feel the elevation much, but I would say my HR was elevated a bit, but not as much as Thursday. I know there are different approaches to dealing with the elevation to either spend a few days at altitude to acclimate, or avoid it as much as possible until race day. I think the “right” approach like most everything else is different for everyone. I seem to do better after a couple days at altitude so I’m planning to be up there early, but I know some people who it really makes no difference which they pick, the altitude just isn’t an issue.
The thing that I notice the most being up there is how dry the air is. I would definitely recommend planning to drink more water than you’re used to, and adding in some electrolytes.
Hope that helps!
Brendan
Of course I’m serious. It’s 5% less oxygen. You can run a work rate 5% lower than at sea level.
That’s not right either. At 6000 feet there is 20% less oxygen than at sea level. (Proof here.)
Of course I’m serious. It’s 5% less oxygen. You can run a work rate 5% lower than at sea level.
At any IM, if you go out too hard on the swim, you blow up. Tahoe is no different. But if your target pace is 1:30/100y, you need to go 1:35/100y instead. Do that, and you don’t notice the altitude. At all. Zilch.
The altitude will only adversely affect those that do not compensate their paces.
Y’all are overthinking it.
Boy do I have first hand experience with your inputs. Having done the Donner race for many years, I used to panic attack and not know why. Two things I found the hard way was going out too
fast, AND not breathing enough!! Once might get away with a 1-3 pattern at sea level, but I sure cannot at elevation. I usually use a 1-1 to start, and a 2-3 or 3-4 during the entire swim.
By adjusting my pacing, and going up to the race the day before, I had no issues with the altitude.
I heard plenty talk about the cold after the race, but not one person ever has commented that I remember about altitude.
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