I struggle on the 20 mile piece of road at IM Florida with the jarring seams or cracks. It feels like my bike drops into each one and then abruptly hits bottom. I can’t seem to eat, drink, or keep my power up on this section. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Whenver I feel my power dropping I just look for a wheel to grab onto.
After driving the course I knew this road would be rough, but it’s a small price to pay for the beautiful roads on the other 90+ miles. Everyone hates this section and has to deal with the same problems. I would recommend slowing down as needed to get the nutrition in and HTFU’ing on the power. The good news, at least from your ID, is that you do not have to worry about coming out of there with a testacle the size of a tennis ball.
Well, that’s true! LOL! Look on the bright side, right?
I’m pretty good at HTFU, but find it really hard here. Staying in my aerobars is nearly impossible. It feels like I’m using a jackhammer (OK, not that I’ve ever used one). It really seems to me that we could do that out and back one road up north instead, with the new course from last year. But that is another thread. I’m just trying to figure out how to work with the course as it is given to me.
Definitely look on the bright side. I think the Wisconsin course is opposite - 20 miles of good, 80 of crap.
I would look at three things:
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What PSI are you running in your tires. I used to run 130+ but after some research I learned there is little benefit to that and run around 115.
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Use it to your advantage. Its gonna suck for everyone and be mentally strong and get through it. Break the 20 miles into sections (i.e. qtrs) and congratulate yourself getthing through each section. Know the half way point and that your are getting closer to the end with each bump you go over. Play mental games count the riders you pass in the section.
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Regarding nutrition if you know you cannot take in calories be prepared for that and take a little more before and right after that section.
I have used 1 & 2 in the past during IMF.
Best,
GS
Good suggestions.
I am running about 110 psi in my tires. I think last year I was running about 115. I use clinchers.
Good idea on the nutrition and mental strategies!
I’ve done this race 5 times, and haven’t handled that section well yet. I start out OK, but at some point get totally annoyed and uncomfortable. I start looking for ways to make it less uncomfortable, and back off my power. That blows my power plan. I’m not sure it even helps with the discomfort.
The specific rec’s help.
Some ride the white line in that bumpy section finding it smoother.
When they changed the course last year and added that smooth road out and back to bad they didn’t add more there and take away some of the bumpy out and back section.
I ride with power and last year didn’t find it effected my power or my plan. My VI was 1.03 I wanted 1.02 but for me good.
How much do you weigh? PSI is dependent on weight.
any way you could share what 20 mile section of road this is? it might help me out knowing when its going to start and end since i will not get to see the course before race day. thanks a bunch!
I’ll be doing IMFL for the first time this year. For reference, what part of the bike course are you talking about? Such as miles what thru what? Thanks.
any way you could share what 20 mile section of road this is? it might help me out knowing when its going to start and end since i will not get to see the course before race day. thanks a bunch!
http://ironmanflorida.com/course/bike/
It’s near the halfway point because special needs was on that road. It’s the out and back section on 388 after the intersection of 2301/Blue Springs. To make things worse last year there was a pretty good headwind when heading west on the road. The road does indeed suck. It demoralized me a bit too.
I struggle on the 20 mile piece of road at IM Florida with the jarring seams or cracks. It feels like my bike drops into each one and then abruptly hits bottom. I can’t seem to eat, drink, or keep my power up on this section. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Have your support crew drive up to the intersection right as you get on that strip of road. That way you have the boost for the first part of it from their cheers, and then can look forward to their cheers at the end. If you use your special needs bag, focus your mind on the treat you have stored in there. Also, as others have said, use it as an opportunity to people watch. Know that everyone else is hurting too. At that point it’s totally mental. But, do whatever you need to do to get your nutrition in. If you don’t keep up the calories, it will only get worse…
I’ve done this race 5 times, and haven’t handled that section well yet. I start out OK, but at some point get totally annoyed and uncomfortable. I start looking for ways to make it less uncomfortable, and back off my power. That blows my power plan. I’m not sure it even helps with the discomfort.
Slowing down isn’t going to help. If you put out less power than more weight will be on the saddle vs on the pedals. Not that hammering the section is a good idea either for other fairly obvious reasons, however. Visualize riding paris roubaiux or something similar (if that helps, visualize a martini if thats your thing, just don’t think too much about it).
It’s that little out and back piece of 388. Not all of 388, just the out and back. If I were a rich person, I’d pay to repave that stupid road myself.
Good thoughts, all.
I weigh about 122. I’m on a 48cm frame with 650 wheels. Not much flex in a little triangle of that size. I’ll keep in mind that faster will take pressure off my saddle, although really what hurts is in my shoulders and neck. That jarring runs right up my elbows to my neck. At least now there is a short downhill after the turn off that road that provides a pee place, maybe I’ll just look forward to that! My support goes to several IM races a year, he isn’t going to drive out onto the course anywhere. Not that I’m complaining, he is the World’s Best Sherpa, and he does an awful lot for me.
awesome thanks for the heads up. it’ll definitely help me prepare a little more for the race.
awesome thanks for the heads up. it’ll definitely help me prepare a little more for the race.
No problem. The quality of that stretch of road is alarming since the rest of the ride is pretty darn smooth. It’s some of the worst road I have ever ridden and I live in Texas, which is the chip seal capital of the world. I really wish I had known about the road ahead of time. I was doing a lot of mental jiu-jitsu with myself after that part of the course. I had been freezing cold all day long since temps were 40 degrees when we started last year. I was finally starting to thaw out when I hit that stretch of road and it just bummed me out, especially at the turnaround when the wind was right in my face.
i’ve ridden in dallas and didnt think it was terrible, i live in wisconsin and ride on a lot of roads with those expansion cracks and whatnot so hopefully its not as bad or worse than that. i am looking forward to 90 miles of nice roads though.
i’ve ridden in dallas and didnt think it was terrible, i live in wisconsin and ride on a lot of roads with those expansion cracks and whatnot so hopefully its not as bad or worse than that. i am looking forward to 90 miles of nice roads though.
It’s not really cracked or anything like that. It’s just real bumpy and non-stop bumpy for miles and miles. It’s like they put 1/4 inch moguls all over the road. I figure you’ll get the skiing analogy being from the frozen tundra.
ahhh alright gotcha. im still looking forward to it!
You’ll know it when you get to it from the water bottle carnage along the road. Be sure to check yours if you carry them in something that is more likely to eject them.