I am in search of the Ironman Louisville 2019 course for the bike, does anyone have it loaded into trainer road to share?
Awesome mate, that’s a well deserved smile on your face!
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Resistance-bands sounds like a good idea, and i can probably get the bands. I hadn’t thought about using paddles like that, but that sounds like a good idea aswell. Good way of loading the wrist, and keeping that strength.
Unfortunatly, a swim ergometer won’t be an option. It’s gonna be a pretty scrappy gym…
Thanks for the help!
I’m having a really hard job motivating myself to get in the pool, running and biking is going well and I am swimming well I just can’t be bothered to get in
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Swimming can be very tough. Normally have to go out of your way to get into the pool, might be cold, might make your skin dry.
I like to focus on the things that make it feel great though. So much time on your legs running and cycling getting into the pool with the cool water, for me, feels great on the legs. I find it helps with the swelling and recovery, the light kicking is a nice flush. I also like the focus on the upper body. Getting a workout in the chest, arms, and back is something I’ve come to look really forward to. And lastly I know that I’ll feel good and happy I did it when the workout is over.
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Swimskin v Wetsuit — quick question
For an Ironman swim, if the water temp is 75 F / 24 C, and thus below the 76.1 F / 24.5 C threshold when the swim becomes a mandatory non-wetsuit swim, would you go with a wetsuit or a swimskin?
Pro for wetsuit:
- faster than a swim skin
Con for wetsuit:
- additional shoulder resistance
- slower T1
For my purpose, transition time isn’t a concern. I will not win/lose/place with the slower/faster time in transition.
I’ve done open water swims (a very long time ago) when I overheated in a wetsuit. I don’t recall the temp and wetsuit tech was different 18± years ago when that happened. I’m also a relatively decent swimmer.
What are the thoughts here on whether to go with a wetsuit or swimskin for an Ironman swim at just below the mandatory non-wetsuit threshold?
My personal view is wetsuit every time save the legs with the buoyancy!! Make sure the fit is nice and snug as you should not have any shoulder resistance.
One thing to note though, if it is also warm keep hydrated, warm water and sun on you for an hour or so will cook you. Hydrate before and as soon as you settle on the bike.
You’re talking about IMCH right?
Looks like air temp could be colder than water and it will be raining - I think buoyancy wins, and I’ll be in a wet suit, even if I’m hot.
I’d always use a wetsuit if it’s legal, it will be quicker and have a lower metabolic cost. Unless you have other valid reasons for not wearing one I’d definitely wear one.
Yes, @JoeX, it is about IM Switzerland. Thanks @baggiebird and @JulianM for the replies. I was hoping for some backup 
as I really wanted to go with the swimskin. I got none, but the logic for going with a wetsuit is sound. Water temp as recorded an hour ago (8:30p) is still 23.8 C. It won’t get warmer as night temp will go down to 20 C / 68 F with possibility of drizzle. By the time the air temp gets above 23, I’ll have been on the bike for hours.
Smart play is the wetsuit.
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Yes… and no as it turns out 
My Achilles survived Holkham intact and I felt fine at the finish but about 24 hours later I felt a sharp pain in my shin. It came and went but didn’t get any worse and as I’d already decided not to run for a couple of weeks after the race to give it a rest I just did a few rides and swims.
I went for a 4 hour ride on Wednesday and again 24 hours after the ride the shin pain was back again but much worse. After a trip on Friday to a sports injury/physio clinic and an ultrasound later, I’ve been diagnosed with a tibial stress fracture and am on crutches until I can walk pain free again.
Given the probable recovery trajectory of 6-8 weeks of no running and a minimum of the same slowly building back into running it looks like Kona is probably off the cards. Bugger. 
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Oh no! Sorry to hear this.
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Wow, that sucks. It’s pretty much everyone’s worst nightmare when the majority of the hard work has already been done.
Does Kona allow deferrals?
I suppose worst case you can rebuild, come back faster and stronger, and crush it next time.
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Really sorry Julian.
If you have no aspirations to do well, you can recover from this and just do it for fun. Not sure if you have family lined up for vacation there or not.
As for me, I had a so so race last weekend at Muncie. Not sure if I’ve mentioned but I’m in the process of moving from Tampa to The Woodlands. On Monday the moving truck showed up, then on Tues my wife and kids showed up and my daughter was sick on top of it. As a result Wednesday was really busy and on Thursday, when I tried to pack my bike, I had such a hard time with it. The bolts to the extension had been stuck from the salt of my sweat. Between the LBS and me, we managed to round the bolts. I called the owner of the bike company and told me that if I could somehow take the bolts off, he would overnight the necessary parts to my hotel to reassemble. So I took a reciprocating saw to a $6000 bike and cut the bolts and a couple spacers with it. Finally I packed and went to race. My daughters illness hit me on Thursday night in the form of diarrhea and belly aches. So with packet pickup and reassembly, I got 2 hours of sleep and very little rest prior to race. I also noticed that a piece of my rear derailleur had broken on the flight over and I was stuck on the 50-14 gear. I figured that it would have to do and it’s not that bad of a gear to be stuck on.
@nickster, I’m sorry I didn’t see you. I had plans to meet a couple people in transition but I setup my bike and bolted to the portapotties urgently.
Somehow, 5 min before the race, I felt energized. Swim, I put more effort into it than my previous races. I was disappointed to come out of the water at 40 min. I really thought I gave it a 36-37 min effort. It was a slow swim course for some reason even without the wetsuit.
Another potty stop in transition and off to bike.
Bike - felt strong. Tried to stay at about 200-210W as much as possible. The only way I could do anything was with my cadence. So my cadence fluctuated anywhere from 60-120 with out of saddle stuff for climbs of 250-300W and super tucks on downhills. Unfortunately I couldn’t take advantage of tailwinds and downhills. I was spinning out at 120 rpm. Bike came in at 2:33
Run was really hot with no shade at all on a constantly rolling course. Lots of effort even at 8:45 pace. Was doing great until mile 8 with walks at aid stations for ice and cool downs and a couple bathroom breaks. At mile 8, I had the worst cramp in my calf ever. It was so painful the fasciculations and lasted for a good 5 min. I ran/walked at about 13:00 pace to finish for a 2:11 run. Total time was 5:40ish. Not my best time but managed the race as best as I could given the circumstances. After the race I stayed at finish to cheer everyone else. It was very energizing to see the BOP and first time people so happy to finish. My brother came in and he was in heat shock. Ended up in the med tent with IV fluids.
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If it’s IMCH, definitely wetsuit. You’ll have a big advantage in fresh water and with current carrying you.
Not sure if I agree that wetsuit takes that much more time for T1 specially if race organization provides wetsuit strippers. Take the top while you run out of water, sit and let the volunteer do his job and you’re good to ride your bike in no time.
In any case, this is how I see things:
Wetsuit legal = use wetsuit
Otherwise = use swimskin
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Alen, This was my 3rd 70.3 in 5 weeks and at 61 this was too much for me. My first was in Grand Rapids, Mi on 6/8/19 and I felt great and had on AK bike and swim and run PR at 8:32 pace and finished in 5:19:50 with an age group win. Three weeks later I did Steelhead and the run was really tough (9:20 pace) and finished in 5:31:37. For Muncie, being 2 weeks after Steelhead, I figured I was take it super easy on the swim (which I did) and I had a decent bike (fastest split of the 3 races at 21.4mph) , but the run, with the hot and humid conditions, I bombed the second half and had a 9:46 pace and finished in 5:39:24. while I was not happy with my time, l was pleased with getting 3rd in the 60-64. I need to work on hydration. Today I did a 1.5 hour run in hot, humid conditions and managed to drink about 50 oz of fluids but still lost 3.2 pounds.
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My god, we must have finished within minutes of each other!
I don’t think I will sign up for any more races between mid June to mid August. They are just not that fun. My favorite are spring races.
Man that was a hard, hard race. Hope you survived ok?
My feet are ruined.
The referee told me that the currents were unkind this morning and worked against us. Literally as I got to the bike mount line the heavens opened like Noah was back in business…and then the sun came out and fried us all.
Race report later 
Shame we didn’t get to see each in transition, I’m around with my son until Tuesday are you hanging around Zurich?
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