Brett Robinson Alabama Coastal Triathlon : Official Thread

looks like we're coming down (if i'm recovered from IMKY). Any leads on a cheap condo for two nights???? We live up in Prattville.

I am planning on doing the shorter beginner race since this will be my first Triathlon and I am trying to determine what class to register as.....

They have a class for beginners....but I am a big guy....6'6" and weigh around 265.....and since this is a beginner race...i figured everyone would be registered as a beginner and I should probably register as a clydesdale.

What do you guys think?

Typically if you register as a beginner and don't place as a beginner you would revert back to your AG class.  Which, I would assume, would be the Clyde group.  Drop the RD an email and ask.  Chances are you get the best of both worlds.

go with the clydesdale, if you race beginner, you will revert back to age group.

I will check with some folks on Condo. Normally condo's have 3 day minimums but its shoulder season by race date so there are probably some good deals.

So I was reading some fishing reports on a forum that I frequent....there was a guy posting about his fishing trip to the new state pier and he was talking about how thick the jellyfish are right now......

Got me to thinking.....aren't the jellyfish pretty bad in September? Has this ever been a problem in past races?

I wasn't very worried about the swim initially...but don't feel like getting a jellyfish in the face or wrapped around my leg!

Depends on the type of jellyfish.  I go down to Ft. Morgan a good bit and get in a lot of ocean swimming.  There are typically a lot of blob (for lack of a better term) jellys in the water - they are harmless.  I did get whacked (and saw 2 total) by a nastier one that do sting.   Those types are much rarer.  In all my years down there I have only seen 1 man'o'war (thank goodness).

The prevalence of jellys has a lot to do with the wind direction.  Hope for north winds before the race.

Yeah...I actually live down here.....and go to the beach a lot.....but we have been fortunate this year and haven't had a lot of jellyfish....but I know they typically get worse later in the summer when the water gets warmer. I'm not worry about the small jellys....just the larger ones with tentacles....don't think they are the same thing as man-o-wars.....I have only seen a few of those way off shore....but the typical jellyfish with tentacles is pretty common around that time of year.

I guess the trick is to stay in the middle of the pack!! lol

I'm going to do it, I just haven't decided which one I want to do, the Olympic one, or the sprint.  I haven't done a tri since the early 80's.   I have been training for the past year so I do know it time to do one.   I will be moving to Mobile next week to start work at USA.  

Well the shorter race isn't exactly a sprint. I am doing the shorter b/c it's my first and I don't feel up to the olympic yet.....the shorter is a 300 yd swim/9 mile bike/2 mile run....a good bit shorter than a true sprint. I wish it was a sprint though...that is a little short...but it will be a good learning experience.

Man'o'war and anything else in the gulf are worlds apart.  I remember some 20 years ago there was a rash of them (found maybe half a dozen on the beach) and the beach was closed up for a bit.  Those guys are downright dangerous (so stay away from floating blue balls in the ocean boys and girls).

The typical tentacled ones just hurt like a mother.

North winds do tend to push the current a bit offshore and keep them away to some extent.  But there will always be some around - you just never see most of them.   

swim and race here year round. jelly fish stings are mostly minor and not a big deal. Come on down.

I am thinking of adding this one to the schedule, I am a relative new comer, I have done a few sprints (and Heatwave which is Olympic except the swim).  This seems like a great race to build my confidence for 70.3 New Orleans Next Year.

Is Alabama Coastal usually a wetsuit race, or are the gulf waters too warm generally.

I am a pool swimmer for my whole life and only know OW swimming from these few tris that I have done.  I don't own a wetsuit but wil lbe needing one pretty soon (for HIMNOLA).  Just wondering

also, does this race fill up?  should I sweat registering now or can I hold off a couple weeks?

This is my first time....but from what I have read it is not a wetsuit race as the waters should be too warm

Great, that is one big expense that I can put off until next season!

i hear you.....I plan on swimming/biking/running in a compression shirt and tri shorts

I saw some pictures of people using them in '07.  Typical water temperatures in the Gulf are right at/around the 82 degree cutoff (average for august is 85, and for September is 81), so it is more likely that they are not allowed. 

I have not been able to master swimming in a shirt, I just always feel like I am pulling a parachute.  I also hate putting on a shirt in T1 - slow and awkward.

Last sprint, I went topless; for an OLY though, I don't know.

the 2007 race was in early May and water temp is still cool then. I would be shocked if water temp was below 80 so wetsuit is doubtful.

ken

A compression tri top will not be a parachute.  It should be pretty tight and it doesn't affect your swim at all.  Wore one in Guntersville with no issues - didn't even notice it.  No effect on speed (I was 6/80 on the swim, about where expected).

I wasn't comfortable going shirtless for the bike leg - paranoia about road rash if I fell.  Wore the tri top the whole time and it went just fine. 

Mine is good and tight except at small of back, where pockets are, hence parachute feeling.

Can't wait for the race!

I registered for the short race since it is my first Tri...and up until about a week ago I was starting to wish I had signed up for the Olympic distance b/c the short race seemed way too....well short.

Well then I came down with the good ole Flu.....so I have been out of commision for going on two weeks now. So now I am starting to feel better and am about to start back to training...but I am glad that I am only doing the shorter race!

Hey there, real stupid question.  I keep seeing different distances for the Olympic race on the 19th.  I know there is a "Tri-it" Tri and those are pretty consistent in what I read.  But I have seen the swim anywhere from 1000 to 1600 M, the bike 20-25 miles, and the run from 5 to 6.2 miles.  I know it sounds petty, but I kinda like to know what I've got coming up.  Anyone have the "Official" Distances?  Also, what kind of swag are we looking at because I love swag

Thanx

Chuck

Here is the link to the race organizer.  The Olympic is as follows:

1.5k swim/40k bike/ 10k run

I'm guessing these translate to roughly 0.93 m swim / 25 m bike / 6.2 m run.

http://www.team-magic.com/events/alcoastal/index.html