Looking for some pointers from those who have done the race before. Any tips are greatly appreciated and will be put to good use.
Thanks
Peter
First timer here as well this year. Any good shoe suggestions out there?
Awesome event. One of the pioneering multisport endurance races/events. Should be better known about and supported than it is.
Don’t have any insight but that race along with AmZof is on my short list of races I need to do. I’m pretty sure a friend of a friend won SOS a few years back. Keith.
Awesome event. One of the pioneering multisport endurance races/events. Should be better known about and supported than it is.
Eh? That race sells out dang near as quick as WTC IM events. This year’s race general entry is sold out now. This is a quote from their website: “Because of the small number of participants of this event and the large demand for participation…”
Seems like it is pretty well known and very well supported.
Spot
Eh? That race sells out dang near as quick as WTC IM events. This year’s race general entry is sold out now. This is a quote from their website: “Because of the small number of participants of this event and the large demand for participation…”
That’s awesome! Great to see. Thanks for the update!
My favorite race. I’ve done it 3x, would do it every year if I was local.
My tips:
Practice running sockless to toughen your feet up to prevent blisters. All I would carry with me is the required swim cap and my goggles. I wore a one piece tri suit and would stuff my shoes down the front of the suit for the swim. This is my preferred method and the shoes don’t interfere with my swim. Hold back on the bike and the first run, you will need to have something left for the 8 mile run to Lake Mohonk. Training wise I did a number of swim/run repeats (20 min. swim, 5 mile run x 3). I think that really helped prevent the cramping that many experience. After the race if you have the energy try the scramble/hike to Skytop, it was fun. Finally, enjoy the post race meal. Let me know if you have any questions on the race.
Hi, I’ve done SOS 3x also, 2001, 2003, 2010. Unlike the real pro’s I have always used a bag to keep my shoes from getting soaked. I’ve used a homebuilt dry bag (I had access to a thermal - vacuum sealer at work and could make my own custom heavy duty plastic bags). My dry bag was like a large pull buoy, and I could stuff my shoes one down each side and roll the top down and clip the ends together. The only race you can legitimately use a pull buoy as long as it has something to do with your equipment transport. The last year I did it I wore a speed suit which I put on for the first swim (gave just a bit more warmth ) and since it was a cool cloudy day with temps in the upper 50’s and low 60’s I never took it off, just rolled it down for the runs. I brought one of the flimsy “backpack” like drawstring bags that I could toss my dry bag and goggles and cap in during the runs. Of course I practiced with some swims and runs to make sure the bag worked and I could do the transition in a reasonable time.
As for getting in, if you haven’t lucked out with the sign-up, then I think you can still “bribe” your way in by making a donation to the Mohonk Preserve (it was $1000 in 2010, and then you still need to pay the entry fee. Donation is tax deductible, the race fee is not). The year I got in that way (2010) they had something like 6 slots they offered that way (and they did not end up “selling” all of them).
Definitely one of my favorite events…, that and Mt Taylor Quad in NM and Peaks to Prairie in MT, all good races that break the swim-bike-run routine.
First timer here too
.
Can you help with places to stay? I have yet to book flight and hotel/motel.
Also, is there anyway to have socks? 17 miles of trail running with wet shoes will trash my feet.
Can you post of picture of your shoe bag? Did it stay dry on all three swims? I’m struggling with how to protect my feet.
Also, is the water cold? My swim coach mentioned using a shorty swim skin as my kit (keeping it down on run). Did you find that it helped?
New Paltz doesn’t have much for hotels unless you have a big budget. We stayed at Americas Best Value Inn in New Paltz. Nothing special but close to everything and the cheapest decent option. I would reserve early, hotels seem to fill up for that weekend. We have also stayed in Poughkeepsie but that was too much driving for me.
We have always turned the race into a vacation trip, so have flown into NYC, Boston and Buffalo.
What I did last year was wear socks for the bike ride and the first run and went sockless after that. I wouldn’t want to be putting on wet socks after each swim.
Hi, I’ve done SOS 3x also, 2001, 2003, 2010. Unlike the real pro’s I have always used a bag to keep my shoes from getting soaked. I’ve used a homebuilt dry bag (I had access to a thermal - vacuum sealer at work and could make my own custom heavy duty plastic bags). My dry bag was like a large pull buoy, and I could stuff my shoes one down each side and roll the top down and clip the ends together. The only race you can legitimately use a pull buoy as long as it has something to do with your equipment transport. The last year I did it I wore a speed suit which I put on for the first swim (gave just a bit more warmth ) and since it was a cool cloudy day with temps in the upper 50’s and low 60’s I never took it off, just rolled it down for the runs. I brought one of the flimsy “backpack” like drawstring bags that I could toss my dry bag and goggles and cap in during the runs. Of course I practiced with some swims and runs to make sure the bag worked and I could do the transition in a reasonable time.
As for getting in, if you haven’t lucked out with the sign-up, then I think you can still “bribe” your way in by making a donation to the Mohonk Preserve (it was $1000 in 2010, and then you still need to pay the entry fee. Donation is tax deductible, the race fee is not). The year I got in that way (2010) they had something like 6 slots they offered that way (and they did not end up “selling” all of them).
Definitely one of my favorite events…, that and Mt Taylor Quad in NM and Peaks to Prairie in MT, all good races that break the swim-bike-run routine.
Doesn’t anyone just swim in their running shoes and then just run in same shoes??? I’ve done this a number of times in training when i would just hop in the river mid-run to cool off, then go back out and run more, albeit not in a long race.
Can’t help but notice the massive drafting on the bike leg in all of the videos. I’m assuming there are not penaltys given out.
I have seen some people swimming with their shoes on during SOS which I recall from my lifesaving training days was not the easiest thing in the world. Of course, it was in the 1960’s and I was 12 years old and wearing old basketball shoes. Some of the fastest racers in SOS do swim with their shoes, I think most people stick them in their suits/shorts or use a bag system. To the original post author… hey you’ve got time try it all three ways… swim with shoes, swim with shoes stuck in your shorts, swim with a bag for shoes. During my SOS swims it was just like a pull set in the pool, except the dry bag is more buoyant than most pull buoys so there was a bit of the "feet high’ sensation but I had pretty good swims as SOS with the bag/buoy.
Every possible way imaginable has been tried. I did it twice with a SEAL fanny pack and the shoes stayed perfectly dry. It takes a few seconds to roll up the bag to seal it. It was time well spent to me. I ran from T1 (the race starts with the bike, T1 is to the first run) with a shortjohn wetsuit rolled up and sticking out of the pack. Wetsuit on for the rest of the race, top rolled down for the runs Back then the water was really cold.
Fleck, I’ll bet you remember back when it was the same 90 people every year. I do.
I have seen some people swimming with their shoes on during SOS which I recall from my lifesaving training days was not the easiest thing in the world. Of course, it was in the 1960’s and I was 12 years old and wearing old basketball shoes. Some of the fastest racers in SOS do swim with their shoes, I think most people stick them in their suits/shorts or use a bag system. To the original post author… hey you’ve got time try it all three ways… swim with shoes, swim with shoes stuck in your shorts, swim with a bag for shoes. During my SOS swims it was just like a pull set in the pool, except the dry bag is more buoyant than most pull buoys so there was a bit of the "feet high’ sensation but I had pretty good swims as SOS with the bag/buoy.
My running shoes are typically mesh which seems to retain air when you get them wet, and hence the shoes seem to cause my feet to float high in the water, which seems to counter their impact on my ability to kick. TBH, I was pretty surprised at how easy swimming in my running shoes felt:)
Can you help with places to stay? I have yet to book flight and hotel/motel.
Also, is there anyway to have socks? 17 miles of trail running with wet shoes will trash my feet.
I’m usually quite prone to blisters and was fine wearing Zoot Ultra TTs. The key for me was bodyglide between the toes and put your shoes on in the water so you don’t get sand and grit stuck to your feet trying to put them on after you get out.