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/s...F/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. 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.