Livestrong Challenges - 2010

[Possegal]

For those that like to fill out their calendars early :)

Seattle - 20 June
San Jose - 11 July
Philly - 21 and 22 August
Austin - 23 and 24 October

For the first time for Philly, they will have the same format as the Austin challenge - the 5K will be on Saturday and the bike ride on Sunday. This impacts my team since half of them do the 5K while the rest of us bike. Not sure how they will feel about this. I will walk the 5K with them though, provided they don't decide to just cheer us all on at the Sunday event.

[ny biker]

I hope they still have the packet pickup on Saturday for the bike rides. If they move it to Friday I'll have to take an extra day off from work and spend 3 nights in the hotel instead of 2.

[Possegal]

I was thinking the same thing NYB. Though now I guess I have to maybe put up our canopy on Friday. Which I can do since I do get into town earlier and my sister and brother in law live there so they can help. It just adds a new wrinkle when we thought we had all of this down to a science. :)

[ny biker]

This schedule for Austin 2009 is not encouraging:

http://www.livestrongchallenge.org/site/c.frKPI1PAIoE/b.3944665/k.D0BF/Schedule.htm

If they close packet pickup at 1:00 on Saturday, I will still have to take an extra day off and pay for an additional night at the hotel in order to be sure to make it on time. I'm sure many others who come from out of town would be in the same boat.

I think I will email them.

[Possegal]

Though Austin has the walk at a different location than the ride. So I'm hoping that makes it different. :) You are right though, can really cause a problem.

For you though -I'm sure I could help out. I'm there Friday and it wouldn't be a problem to pick up another packet. Just keep it in mind for next year.

[tongue_tied]

Is there a cut off time if you're doing the 100 mile routes?

[ny biker]

Is there a cut off time if you're doing the 100 mile routes?

Yes there is, at least in Philadelphia. If you don't reach the turnoff for the 70-milers by a certain time, they direct you to follow the 70-mile route instead of going the full 100. I think the cutoff this year was 11:00 am. The official ride start is 7:30 am although they always start late so in practice we roll closer to 8:00.

Which means you can start off planning to do 100 and still get a good ride in at a shorter distance if your pace is not fast enough.

I think in general they wanted everyone finished in 8 hours. Any riders who are not able to meet that cutoff are picked up by a SAG wagon and dropped off at a point near the finish so they can ride across the finish line.

You can also choose the 100 mile distance when you register and then change to a different distance later if necessary.

[tongue_tied]

What kind of a pace are we talking? Over 15? 20? Knowing now will hopefully give me more than ample time to prepare for next year! :)

[ny biker]

What kind of a pace are we talking? Over 15? 20? Knowing now will hopefully give me more than ample time to prepare for next year! :)

That depends on how many breaks you want to take along the way. They've taken the details down from the website now that they're finished with their 2009 events, but I think 8 hours was the limit for finishing, and 11:00 was the limit for reaching the turnoff which was between about 31 or 32 miles from the start. If you don't stop at all, you can average 12.5 mph and finish in 8 hours. If you allow a total of 1 hour for reststops, you'd have to average 14.3 mph.

Reststops are 10-15 miles apart. For the 70-miler in Philadelphia there were 5 reststops, located at 10 miles, 20 miles, 35 miles, 50 miles and 60 miles. For the full century I don't know all the details but I would guess they had 7 reststops, at 10, 20, 35, 50, 65, 80 and 90 miles. (I know they were definitely at 10, 20, 80 and 90 and am guessing at the others.)

So, you'd have to estimate how many of the reststops you would want to stop at and how many minutes at each. For example I always skip the first one because I don't need a break yet, but I find it helpful to stop at all the rest of them and I take my time stretching my legs while I'm stopped. Many people skip the last one because it's only 10 miles from the end. Subtract your total reststop time from 8 hours and you've got your max. ride time, and you can estimate a pace from there.

I generally average about 13.5 mph over the whole 70 miles, although I average 15-16 mph for the first 20 miles, because that section is less hilly. My ride time is usually about 5 hours and my total elapsed time including stops is about 6. I easily reach the mandatory turnoff before the cutoff at 11:00.

[tongue_tied]

That depends on how many breaks you want to take along the way. They've taken the details down from the website now that they're finished with their 2009 events, but I think 8 hours was the limit for finishing, and 11:00 was the limit for reaching the turnoff which was between about 31 or 32 miles from the start. If you don't stop at all, you can average 12.5 mph and finish in 8 hours. If you allow a total of 1 hour for reststops, you'd have to average 14.3 mph.

Reststops are 10-15 miles apart. For the 70-miler in Philadelphia there were 5 reststops, located at 10 miles, 20 miles, 35 miles, 50 miles and 60 miles. For the full century I don't know all the details but I would guess they had 7 reststops, at 10, 20, 35, 50, 65, 80 and 90 miles. (I know they were definitely at 10, 20, 80 and 90 and am guessing at the others.)

So, you'd have to estimate how many of the reststops you would want to stop at and how many minutes at each. For example I always skip the first one because I don't need a break yet, but I find it helpful to stop at all the rest of them and I take my time stretching my legs while I'm stopped. Many people skip the last one because it's only 10 miles from the end. Subtract your total reststop time from 8 hours and you've got your max. ride time, and you can estimate a pace from there.

I generally average about 13.5 mph over the whole 70 miles, although I average 15-16 mph for the first 20 miles, because that section is less hilly. My ride time is usually about 5 hours and my total elapsed time including stops is about 6. I easily reach the mandatory turnoff before the cutoff at 11:00.


This is fantastic information. Thank you! Was Philadelphia really hilly?

[Possegal]

Any riders who are not able to meet that cutoff are picked up by a SAG wagon and dropped off at a point near the finish so they can ride across the finish line.


Some riders are more stubborn than others. :) My brother in law was like 2 miles from the end and they wanted him to get in the van. He just kept pedaling and ignoring them in 2007. In 2008 we met this guy that was a cancer survivor, he stayed at the same hotel. Afterwards he told us how he was doing the 100 and they were fighting with him to get off the road. He said to us basically, he beat cancer he wasn't letting the course beat him. He told them, here, take my number if you want, but I am not getting in your car. :)

And in 07, there were people crossing the finish line at least an hour after my brother in law. Though I think they got a little more emphatic with people in the later years.

And yes - it is hilly. But that's all relative, as my Pittsburgh-based family don't find it hilly at all. :)

[tongue_tied]

And yes - it is hilly. But that's all relative, as my Pittsburgh-based family don't find it hilly at all. :)

Well, I'm coming from Chicago where the biggest hills are parking garages, so I better find some parking garages to ride up and down!

[Possegal]

My sister used to live in Chicago, so yeah, I remember missing hills. :)

Lots of florida folks do the Philly livestrong and this year I rode by one as he was saying "Who rides hills like these", as everyone laughed. I said, my Pittsburgh family, and me once upon a time. Oh I miss riding those hills.

You'll do fine though. I can't say enough how much my family and I love doing this event!

[ny biker]

Registration is now open for 2010.

I tried to register at midnight (eastern time) last night, but the links weren't up yet. Waited until 1 am (midnight in Austin) but still nothing. Had to wait until I woke up this morning. Bummer -- I wanted to be first.

The registration fee is currently $35 for the run/walk or ride. It will go up to $45 after December 31, 2009. Registration is currently $75 if you want to do the run/walk and the ride, which I think is only available in Philly or Austin.

www.livestrongchallenge.org

[Possegal]

I remember earlier this year someone posting on their message board about the walk and the ride and if I recall they said it wouldn't cost them any extra to sign up to walk in addition to doing the ride. That board is no longer there, so can't verify it, but I remember telling my team that. Oh well. I'm worried I'll lose my walkers this year with the two day affair. Hopefully not. My team/family do make a real weekend of it, so hoping that won't change. I do understand the need to split the days given the mass quantity of folks. But it worked better for ME with it all on one day, and I'm all about ME. ;)

If they hold true to the last few years, there will be a day in the spring where registration is $25. I've told my team to wait until then, even though I'm setting the team up today. Now if they don't do the half-off day, then I'm going to have to pay up for all of them. :eek: Well probably just for the 3 who tried to register today before I did.

I have a friend in WA who wants me to come out and ride the Seattle one. Do I dare sign up for both today? Am I that brave? That confident? :) Honestly, my biggest worry is the logistics of getting the bike out there. I guess I can deal with that later.

AHHH, edited to see that they are likely NOT going to have a discounted day like they have in other years. Just don't want anyone to wait and pay more. Looks like the $35 for today is actually for the month of December, rather than for just the first day.

[ny biker]

I'm trying to find an overview that lists all the dates and run/walk/ride options for each city, so I encourage friends to participate in whatever way works best for them. But it looks like you have to start to register in each city in order to get to the details.

I think I'll email them.

[Possegal]

Yeah, this set up isn't as user friendly and you do have to start the process before you see it all. I was shocked to see both a 5K walk and a 10K run. Some of my team will be happy with that, since 5K was never quite enough for them. :)

[ny biker]

I emailed them to ask how they plan to accommodate out-of-towners for the bike ride if the packet pickup closes at 2 pm on Saturday. This is what I got back. Frankly, it is not a sufficient answer. I already get up at 4 am to do this ride; I'm not getting up earlier just so I can stand in a long line waiting for my number. And then you have to pin it on your jersey while you're wearing it, which is a pain. And then you get stuck in the crowds trying to get back to your car because you have to drop off all the other crap that they give you. And then you get stuck in the crowds again working your way back to the start. Stupid plan. Inefficient waste of time.

I want to have everything in advance so I can get everything ready the night before. Getting it in the morning just makes it more likely that something will go wrong. And I guarantee this will mean the ride starts even later than it has in previous years, because there will still be people on line waiting for their numbers after the official ride start time has come and gone.

===========================================
Thanks for your note and for your continued support of the LIVESTRONG Challenge Philly. I hope you’re doing well today.

And thank you for taking the time to express your concerns below as they are valid and we understand that many of our riders come from out of town and make significant sacrifices to participate in our event. We sincerely appreciate your enthusiasm and effort. To help accommodate for the needs of participants like yourself, we will have a designated area at the Montgomery County Community College set up on Sunday morning from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. where you will also be able to claim your packet. Please arrive as early as possible. In addition, you can have someone come collect your packet for you so long as you understand that once we give your packet to that person we are no longer responsible for the contents therein. Were something to be lost, particularly the bib number, there is a chance that we may not be able to reassign you a bib number or replace the lost item.

I hope that helps to answer your questions, but if you have others feel free to get in touch with me at anytime. Thanks again for your support and dedication over the years. I look forward to seeing you in Philly.

Best,
Dylan

***********************

Dylan Trakas
Cancer Kicker, Team LIVESTRONG
Lance Armstrong Foundation
p 512.279.8366

f 512.347.1582
http://www.livestrong.org

From:
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 5:15 PM
To: Dylan Trakas
Subject: Question about the schedule

Hello,

I am registered for the 70-mile bike ride in Philadelphia. This will be my fifth year participating in the event.

However I am concerned about the schedule changes being made this year. I live in Virginia and will be driving up to the Philadelphia area on Saturday, August 21. Based on the schedule you currently have posted, the Livestrong Village will close at 2 pm on Saturday, and there's no way I would make it there for packet pickup before it closes.

What are the out-of-town riders supposed to do? As it is, I have to take a day off from work on Monday in order to drive back home after the event. I can't afford to take off Friday as well and pay for an additional night in a hotel just to pick up my rider number and other information on Saturday before 2 pm.

[Possegal]

That does really suck. My offer still stands - I will be there in plenty of time to pick up the packets for my team. And part of my team is doing the walk/run on Saturday. So if you needed, I could get your packet and you could pick it up from me either at the hotel I stay at, or in the morning at my team's "encampment" which is not hard to find because we have banners and two canopies. Keep in mind come August.