IM70.3 SA 2013

[JGR]

Unless you going for podium position whats the rush ? garf does t1 in 2m I do it in 4m. in my 4m i get to survey the scenery, watch the chaos from the outside, develop a smile, take in the hot babes watching, give my wife a kiss, stroll into t1 and casually do my stuff.

You could get DQ'd for outside 'assistance'

 

4mins is still pretty fast ...

[fanievb]

Hi All,

 

To help you find your bike during the check out process, try and remember what time you finished the bike leg (clock time not race time).

 

As you come into transition the bikes get racked in specific 'time' blocks i.e. 11:00 - 11:30, 12:00-12:30.

 

Happy training

[dracs]

How do the age catagories work at 70.3...? I just checked on the website to see if I could find myself under the athletes registered section - and got a bit worried when i couldn't... Then I looked in the 40-45 section and see the rude bastards have me listed ther . I have not yet turned 39 for the record but will have by the time of the race.

 

So I assume I would then go in the 40+ wave as a 39yr old?

[fanievb]

How do the age catagories work at 70.3...? I just checked on the website to see if I could find myself under the athletes registered section - and got a bit worried when i couldn't... Then I looked in the 40-45 section and see the rude bastards have me listed ther . I have not yet turned 39 for the record but will have by the time of the race.

 

So I assume I would then go in the 40+ wave as a 39yr old?

 

as far as I have it they take your age as at 31 December i.e. for next year's event your age at 31 Dec 2013

[dracs]

as far as I have it they take your age as at 31 December i.e. for next year's event your age at 31 Dec 2013

So they round up..? Ok so then I will be a 40 year old virgin

[Rich Stan]

Hi,

 

Does anyone have any advice regarding the bike course?

 

In the pics i have seen of previous events there is quite a mix between road and tt bikes, will upgrading to a tt bike be a big advantage? What is the wind like in East London? If it's anything like Cape Town at the moment I will be leaving the deep section wheels at home!

 

Can anyone recommend a good value bike bag? Need to get my bike up there in one piece.

 

Thanks

Edited October 14, 2012 by Rich Stan

[Blindspot]

Hi,

 

Does anyone have any advice regarding the bike course?

 

In the pics i have seen of previous events there is quite a mix between road and tt bikes, will upgrading to a tt bike be a big advantage? What is the wind like in East London? If it's anything like Cape Town at the moment I will be leaving the deep section wheels at home!

 

Can anyone recommend a good value bike bag? Need to get my bike up there in one piece.

 

Thanks

 

Make sure you do enough hill training for the first 45km and the last 7km of the bike course. Previous years it was windy and raining, this year it was perfect weather on the bike. You can always change your wheels the morning before the race starts.

A TT bike will give you an advantage, how big advantage will always be debatable. Most people just use clip-on bars on their road bikes instead.

[JGR]

Hi,

 

Does anyone have any advice regarding the bike course?

 

In the pics i have seen of previous events there is quite a mix between road and tt bikes, will upgrading to a tt bike be a big advantage? What is the wind like in East London? If it's anything like Cape Town at the moment I will be leaving the deep section wheels at home!

 

Can anyone recommend a good value bike bag? Need to get my bike up there in one piece.

 

Thanks

I have done it three times and every time the conditions were different. One common factor was the humidity and those long rolling up hills. Return leg is about 15% faster so try not over cook the first 45 kms if you feel a little 'behind'.

 

Depdning on your size and requirement - I saw a felt s22 on the hub for about R6k, some entry level giants and raleighs for about R10k .....or a decent set of clip on bars will cost about R1000 and do a decent enough job. PM as I might be selling my old ones has i have a TT bike now

[davem]

Cycle course thoughts:

• TT bike will always help, so will an aero helmet and deep section wheels. If you want to ride under 3 hours, make the investment, otherwise use a road bike. (personal opinion)
  
• Clip ons are better than nothing. You don't get the same running benefits as with a TT bike. TT geometry uses slightly different muscle groups.
  
• The return leg is exposed to the wind for a few kms so you can get some strong cross gusts which may be challenging if not used to deep section wheels. This is normally when they start to give their best benefit so know how to handle gusts. Even in the terrible conditions of 2011, the Pros stuck with their disks.
  
• Pace yourself, the ride back is a lot faster, that doesn't mean it is easier. It is not all downhill on the way back. The hills after you leave the freeway and turn back towards the start will kick you if you haven't left something in the tank.
  
• Make sure you have the right cluster at the back. 25 minimum unless really strong, 27 if you are challenged by hills. (assuming a 53/39 chainring)
  
• The hills are not the worst you have ever seen, but they are long and just keep coming. The worst one is early on, going past Hemingways Shopping Centre. Use Google Earth to understand the course. Find a profile on MapMyRide.
  
• There are two water points before half way, dont go Tri-mad and load up three water bottles on your bike. That is 2.5kg of extra weight to drag up the hills. Take enough and refill. Learn to take a bottle from a Volunteer. They give out the BonAqua Pump bottles. They are well trained and know how to hand it to you. They use a flat hand with bottle standing on it. The nozzle is open so it will crush as you take it, which makes it easier.
  
• Don't ride in the yellow line as you are more likely to puncture. They sweep the slow lane for sharpies with their machine so keep to the left of the slow lane.
  
• Use slime in your tyres. Far better than sitting changing a puncture and watching everyone go by. Triathlon does not have the accelerate/decelerate of road cycling, so the slight extra weight in your wheels is an advantage (rotational mass)
  
• Understand what the non drafting requirements are so you don't get a penalty. If you do, say Hi to Garfield in the penalty tent. He will almost certainly be there.
  
• Don't block other riders by sitting out to the right, you will also get a penalty for that.
  
• If you sit up (not in aero position) on the uphills, you will unlikely get a penalty when the field slows and squashes up.
  
• Road surface is very good but highway is a coarse chip tarmac which does sap more energy that a really smooth road.
  

 

I use a Polaris bike box. Lightest rigid case at 6.7kg. R3000 at Solomons Cycles Woodmead. R4000 at Northcliff Cycles. (Explain that one). Works fantastically well. Does not fit an integrated seat post.

 

Will add if I think of something else.

Edited October 15, 2012 by davem

[dracs]

Cycle course thoughts:

• Clip ons are better than nothing. You don't get the same running benefits as with a TT bike. TT geometry uses slightly different muscle groups.
  
• If you sit up (not in aero position) on the uphills, you will unlikely get a penalty when the field slows and squashes up.
  

 

Dave thanks for a very informative post...

 

Just on the above... Interesting the comment around TT bikes using different muscle sets... I have been concentrating on my pedling technicque lately and trying to use my quads a little less and more of my hami's. Is this a good or bad idea for the run (doing this because I have noticed in the few bric sessions I've done the quads are the muscles that are very unhappy to run when I first get off the bike....)

 

And, can you explain on the sitting up on climb things - I'm not following - I tend to sit fairly upright when climbing... Why would this be an issue?

[fanievb]

 

And, can you explain on the sitting up on climb things - I'm not following - I tend to sit fairly upright when climbing... Why would this be an issue?

 

When you sit upright/back, it can prove that you are not drafting/blocking as opposed to being aero i.e. being upright shows the ref that you are merely climbing up the hill and that you are unintentionally entering the drafting/blocking zone.

 

This is especially important when bunches start forming and someone passes you, just sit back/upright, that way the ref won't card you.

 

This will however be explained at the race briefing

[dracs]

When you sit upright/back, it can prove that you are not drafting/blocking as opposed to being aero i.e. being upright shows the ref that you are merely climbing up the hill and that you are unintentionally entering the drafting/blocking zone.

 

This is especially important when bunches start forming and someone passes you, just sit back/upright, that way the ref won't card you.

 

This will however be explained at the race briefing

thanks makes sense - I actually mis-read Dave's point on this - thought he said you will likely get a penalty if stting up and the field bunches up (missed the "un")

[davem]

To para phrase the rules on drafting. When you are passed (someone gets their front wheel in front of yours), you are obliged to drop back the draft zone distance (10m). On a uphill this presents a practical problem, because all of us are just trying to get to the top and to actually drop back 10m when the overtaker is only going 15kmh is impossible.

 

The refs take a practical view that if you are nice and low in aero position and behind someone, you are probably trying to gain unfair benefit and will get a penalty.

 

If you are however sitting up will your hands on the hoods or bullhorns,chances are you just trying to survive and probably going slow enough not to gain an unfair advantage hence they are more tolerant of the 10m rule.

 

On the way back to town, the pace picks up and groups form. When a group is going fast up a hill, you will not get any leniency for sitting up and sitting on someones tail.

 

This is based on what I have observed and what has been explained at previous briefings, don't use it as a defence.

 

There are some explanatory videos on Youtube on the WESA (World Endurance SA) channel.Check these out as part of your prep. They are basically what gets said at the briefing but it means that at the briefing you can concentrate on the finer points.

Edited October 15, 2012 by davem

[Blindspot]

To para phrase the rules on drafting. When you are passed (someone gets their front wheel in front of yours), you are obliged to drop back the draft zone distance (10m). On a uphill this presents a practical problem, because all of us are just trying to get to the top and to actually drop back 10m when the overtaker is only going 15kmh is impossible.

 

The refs take a practical view that if you are nice and low in aero position and behind someone, you are probably trying to gain unfair benefit.

 

If you are however sitting up will your hands on the hoods or bullhorns,chances are you just trying to survive and probably going slow enough not to gain an unfair advantage hence they are more tolerant of the 10m rule.

 

On the way back to town, the pace picks up and groups form. When a group is going fast up a hill, you will not get any leniency for sitting up and sitting on someones tail.

 

This is based on what I have observed and what has been explained at previous briefings, don't use it as a defence.

 

 

Thanks Dave. We should be allowed to miss the briefings if we have read your posts and if the rules don't change

 

 

This year I have passed a number of people in aero position on the climbs while I did not even have clip-on bars on my road bike. On the flats and downhills the were flying past me (in groups ). I don't think aero position is that effective when going too slow on the the climbs. What are your guys' views and strategies on this? Is there really more to gain on a 15kph climb in aero position other than drafting as opposed to sitting up?

[pmswanepoel]

I have done all the 70.3 since the start but will not do this one. Last year I got a red card which in my opinion was very unfair yet I was ignored afterwards whilst trying to get clarity in a civil manner. Whilst the 5150 have gone some way to restoring my belief in IM events the 70.3 in my opinion is getting too crowded. Everyone drafts and it is allowed. Only a matter of time before someone gets hurt.

Too many entrants, won't do this race again. Impossible NOT to draft.

[davem]

On the bike position and effect on muscles, I don't profess to be a guru but I understand the basics are:

• A TT bike has a steeper seat post angle (76-80 deg), compared to a road bike (72 deg).
  
• This rotates your body forward. Your head comes down, your handlebar/cockpit can be lower and you present a small footprint to the wind.
  
• It does close the hip angle as well which does make breathing different, particularly if you belly breathe as you belly can touch your thighs as they come up.
  
• I understand this recruits your leg muscles slightly differently for your pedal stroke (compared to road cycling) and in such a way puts less stress on the muscles that are used for running (again as compared to a road bike position)
  
• The effect is an improved ability to run off the bike. How much,who knows, but that is the theory.
  
• What is definitely of benefit is to spin your legs out towards the end of the cycle. With 2km to go, up your cadence significantly and go to an easier gear. You will slow marginally due to the gearing but the benefits will pay off on the run. It will make those first few hundred meters of the run a lot easier.
  
• On the question of using specific muscles, learn to pedal circles. Do single leg drills in a spinning class. On the road, concentrate on your technique all the time. Do hill climbs on big gears staying seated, it will teach you to keep the power going throughout the stroke.
  
• Standing, while giving you a sudden power boost, consumes energy at a vastly increased rate. Rather use it only for stretching out the back. Learn to do all your hills sitting down. It will use less energy and keep the heart rate in a comfortable zone.
  

Hope this helps.