NYC Triathlon: Wind ?

On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 09:19:38 -0500, "Rollins" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I'll be competing in the NYC Triathlon on July 10th.

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Anyone out there have any advise or suggestions?

I raced it in 2000 and 2001.

The bike leg is rolling hills. I don't recall any issues with cross
winds but I do recall headwinds. There were no issues with high winds,
just normal stuff. There is one rough section of road up on the HH
past the toll plazas on the giant bridge, make sure your water bottles
are secure and get your butt off the seat to roll over the bumps.
Unless they are fixed before then.

Swim is a crapshoot depending on what is happening with the currents
in the Hudson. In 2000, we had a huge favorable current and we all set
world records for 1.5K. Even my swim was only about 12 minutes. In
2001, the current was shifting throughout the duration of the various
wave starts. I had a slight head-current on the swim and there were no
wetsuits that year. It was tough. The Hudson is fairly clean but you
still can't see very well. Luckily it's point to point along a sea
wall and the farther away from the wall and closer to the channel, the
faster the current.

You have to rack your bike the night before, take a ton of time to
carefully check out the transition area. The flow of traffic is very
smooth despite hugh numbers of competitors. The trickiest thing is the
little roadway ramps from transition to/from the Henry Hudson Pkwy. I
believe it's a no passing zone but check out the turns. One is sharp.

The finish is a long way from transition and over in Central Park. The
logistics are much easier if you have a sweetie pie who will drive you
around. My SO is from Manhattan, lucky for me. We drove to the swim
start instead of walking one mile. Then SO drove back to transition to
watch swim finish and bike start/end. Then SO drove to Central park to
watch finish. Then we stopped at Starbucks for iced coffee and then
drove back to transition to get the bike, then drove back to Central
Park for awards.

Transition has very tight security so don't worry about your bike.

If you don't have a sweetie pie to drive you around, you will need cab
fare or lots of walking to get around. Unbelievably, there is plenty
of onstreet parking for the patient so we had no troubles.

Oh, and don't forget the mandatory pre-race boring meeting the day
before. You can't get your race packet unless you attend. They won't
let you in if you don't show up on time at the start of the session.
They were pretty mean about it so take it seriously. I mean, don't
even bother trying to get in if it's one minute past the start time
for the session.

Also, the run is fun but you have a big uphill coming out of T2, then
you run cross town and slightly uphill into Central Park for some
rolling hills. There will be tons of other people riding and running
in the park on the race course so don't be surprised, just make sure
you watch for your course markings and don't accidentally follow the
NYCRR club Sunday run off the course.

Have fun, hope this helps.
Cathy
[email hidden]

Wow Cathy, that was just what I was looking for. A lot of great advice.
Thank you!

-Mike

"Cathleen Corning" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 09:19:38 -0500, "Rollins"

Quoted message said:

I'll be competing in the NYC Triathlon on July 10th.

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Anyone out there have any advise or suggestions?

I raced it in 2000 and 2001.

The bike leg is rolling hills. I don't recall any issues with cross
winds but I do recall headwinds. There were no issues with high winds,
just normal stuff. There is one rough section of road up on the HH
past the toll plazas on the giant bridge, make sure your water bottles
are secure and get your butt off the seat to roll over the bumps.
Unless they are fixed before then.

Swim is a crapshoot depending on what is happening with the currents
in the Hudson. In 2000, we had a huge favorable current and we all set
world records for 1.5K. Even my swim was only about 12 minutes. In
2001, the current was shifting throughout the duration of the various
wave starts. I had a slight head-current on the swim and there were no
wetsuits that year. It was tough. The Hudson is fairly clean but you
still can't see very well. Luckily it's point to point along a sea
wall and the farther away from the wall and closer to the channel, the
faster the current.

You have to rack your bike the night before, take a ton of time to
carefully check out the transition area. The flow of traffic is very
smooth despite hugh numbers of competitors. The trickiest thing is the
little roadway ramps from transition to/from the Henry Hudson Pkwy. I
believe it's a no passing zone but check out the turns. One is sharp.

The finish is a long way from transition and over in Central Park. The
logistics are much easier if you have a sweetie pie who will drive you
around. My SO is from Manhattan, lucky for me. We drove to the swim
start instead of walking one mile. Then SO drove back to transition to
watch swim finish and bike start/end. Then SO drove to Central park to
watch finish. Then we stopped at Starbucks for iced coffee and then
drove back to transition to get the bike, then drove back to Central
Park for awards.

Transition has very tight security so don't worry about your bike.

If you don't have a sweetie pie to drive you around, you will need cab
fare or lots of walking to get around. Unbelievably, there is plenty
of onstreet parking for the patient so we had no troubles.

Oh, and don't forget the mandatory pre-race boring meeting the day
before. You can't get your race packet unless you attend. They won't
let you in if you don't show up on time at the start of the session.
They were pretty mean about it so take it seriously. I mean, don't
even bother trying to get in if it's one minute past the start time
for the session.

Also, the run is fun but you have a big uphill coming out of T2, then
you run cross town and slightly uphill into Central Park for some
rolling hills. There will be tons of other people riding and running
in the park on the race course so don't be surprised, just make sure
you watch for your course markings and don't accidentally follow the
NYCRR club Sunday run off the course.

Have fun, hope this helps.
Cathy
[email hidden]

yes, thank you. although familiar with NYC as i live in the 'burbs, i
only know some of the bike course by car and not much about running in
CPK. this was very helpful.

oh, btw...it's slack tide at the start of the race. no help there...

thanks again,

Kevin

Slack tide? That means the tide will be low, right? And, how does
that effect the current? I'm thinking that the morning of the race as
I stand in line for an hour I will hopefully be able to tell how the
current is flowing, with or against swimmers. And if it appears that
there is a strong current with the swimmers then I plan on swimming on
the outside. I need all the help I can get since swimming is my weak
point.

Any other ideas on the swim?

-Mike

KLO said:

yes, thank you. although familiar with NYC as i live in the 'burbs, i
only know some of the bike course by car and not much about running in
CPK. this was very helpful.

oh, btw...it's slack tide at the start of the race. no help there...

thanks again,

Kevin

Slack tide is the time in which the tide is changing from ebb to flow or
flow to ebb depending on direction. Currents are near or at zero knots
at slack tide.

The tidal current information from noaa.org is below. Apply the
station correction (nearest the swim in Manhattan) from here:
http://140.90.121.76/currents05/tab2ac4.html#33

The race information says that they have you swimming near the sea wall
to reduce the impact of current.

The Narrows, New York Harbor, New York

Predicted Tidal Current July, 2005

Flood Direction, 336 True. Ebb (-)Direction, 164 True.

NOAA, National Ocean Service

Slack Maximum Slack Maximum Slack Maximum Slack
Maximum Slack Maximum

Water Current Water Current Water Current Water
Current Water Current

Day Time Time Veloc Time Time Veloc Time Time Veloc Time Time
Veloc Time Time Veloc

h.m. h.m. knots h.m. h.m. knots h.m. h.m. knots h.m. h.m.
knots h.m. h.m. knots

17 113 340 1.5 643 1002 -1.9 1307 1559 2.0 1920 2245
-2.2

--

Bryan Woodruff

Redmond, WA

Rollins said:

Slack tide? That means the tide will be low, right? And, how does

Quoted message said:

that effect the current? I'm thinking that the morning of the race as

Quoted message said:

I stand in line for an hour I will hopefully be able to tell how the

Quoted message said:

current is flowing, with or against swimmers. And if it appears that

Quoted message said:

there is a strong current with the swimmers then I plan on swimming on

Quoted message said:

the outside. I need all the help I can get since swimming is my weak

Quoted message said:

point.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Any other ideas on the swim?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

-Mike

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KLO wrote:

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Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

yes, thank you. although familiar with NYC as i live in the 'burbs, i

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

only know some of the bike course by car and not much about running in

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

CPK. this was very helpful.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

oh, btw...it's slack tide at the start of the race. no help there...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

thanks again,

Quoted message said:

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Quoted message said:

Kevin