I just read with some dismay that this year will be Graham Fraser's final year to be associated with IMC. A fairly vague online article in the Penticton Herald confirms that he is done with the race after this year, and it seems he did not leave voluntarily.
I also notice after reading the 2012 Athlete Guide that bike aid stations are now to be 15 miles apart, not 10, and the nutritional offerings are far less. A couple of lines in a 24 page document is the only mention I've seen of the changes - changes after years of being the same. The main website for IMC still has them at every 10 miles and fully stocked - who knows if they'll even update it at all. Of course, the organizers only have to point to the Guide to say that they notified everyone of the changes... but what of the multi-time IMC racer who has built his/her nutrition on the aid stations being 10 miles apart? As a first time Ironman athlete this year at IMC, all I read is how important nutrition is in a race of this length. What happens when they round a corner or crest a hill expecting to see an aid station and are met instead with a whole lot of nothing? A great way to decrease cost/increase profits, I suppose - I can't imagine that they are using the same amount of water/Perform/etc and just dividing it among 7 aid stations instead of 11 (or whatever). There will less of everything available on the course, no doubt. With 3000 racers on the course (2943 age groupers, last time I checked) you think you would need more on-course help, not less. And of course, all of this assumes that they're not going to run out of water again this year.
Now, the 5-mile difference between aid stations "only" makes for 15-20 minutes of extra riding between stations, but it will affect what some people carry on their bikes, for sure, assuming they even find out about it in time. I know it is the responsibility of all athletes to know everything about everything before starting the race, but give me a break.
In the "doesn't affect me" department, I also notice that the pro prize purse is now $25000 total, 6 deep paid with $5000 to the winner. In 2011 it was $75000 total, 8 deep paid with $12000 to the winner. Wow... just, wow.
The only thing left to ask is... what the f--k is going on?
There is nothing to worry
There is nothing to worry about with having less aid stations on the bike course. Even at a slower speed of 15mph on the bike, that is still 1 aid station every hour. Being able to pick up a bottle(or 2) of fluid along with Gels/Fruit/etc every hour at the worst is still plenty.
Most races are spread out much more than that...like every 20 or 40 miles. In most cases, WTC does a much better job supporting the athletes at races(so there will be plenty of aid). But, like any good business would do, they're probably looking at all the unused product from the aid stations and thinking of ways to be more efficient.
It could be worse.
- You could be worrying about possibly millions of gallons of sewage being dumped into the Hudson river 24 hours prior to the race hoping it gets fixed in time.
- The only thing worse than sewage in the water is 3000 athletes on race morning finding out that the water temp is 83.9F(28.9C).
Good on you for thinking
Good on you for thinking ahead about how far you'll need to go between aid stations. The athletes that plan accordingly should have no problems at all. If someone only has room for one bottle expecting to have 10 aid stations and consuming 11 bottles in 112 miles, they will suffer when there's only 6 aid stations. Or you can simply carry 2 bottles.
Guess I don't see the big concern since everyone will be on the same course and have the same number of aid stations. If my age group was racing the age group from another race with more stations, I'd be complaining.
They ran out of water last
They ran out of water last year near the tail-end of the bike course. I was rather "Meh" about it; I was just enjoying the vistas. Coming off the hottest summer in Texas last year, the heat in Penticton wasn't so tough, but I imagine some of the cooler climate racers were nonplussed by the water outage. Then again, as a flatlander getting killed by those climbs, my 7hr finish precluded any self-imposed pressures.
So now you know. Take one more bottle than if the aid stations were every 10 miles. The good news is that there are X-number fewer aid stations to maneuver around. Those disaster areas are prone to crashes and mishandles. Think about it like this: Now you have fewer areas you need to slow down going through and fewer chances for jackwagons to weave in-and-out of. Relax and enjoy the views.
I rode the IMC bike course
I rode the IMC bike course yesterday and I had only 4 aid stations: Oliver, Osoyoos Husky, Keremeos (Lidder's Fruit stand) and Twin lakes gas station, so I managed on 10 bottles. It was screaming hot with a headwind too.
I have in the past seen a lot of waste: people discarding half full bottles just to get a colder one for example.
I can see the benefit from a race organizer's POV but I think a few extra bottles doesn't overdraw my $700 entry fee. I'd like to see some fresh fruit at the aid stations on the run, other than bananas I mean. Penticton calls itself the Peach Capital after all.
PoC
Thanks for the recon, PoC -
Thanks for the recon, PoC - I guess it would be wise to carry some cash, just in case. At least there are places to buy fluids, if needed.
FWIW, I emailed NA Sports about the aid stations and the chances of them running out of water again. The response said that the "Ministry" (I'm assuming, of Transportation?) is requiring a traffic plan to be submitted for all events in the province, and they did not approve of two of the aid stations. Also re: water... I was told they have "ordered almost double the amount" compared to last year. I guess time will tell!
did they tell you where the
did they tell you where the aid stations are? Nice that the map still shows aid stations being more frequent in the athlete's guide...unbelievable, actually, yes it's believable for NA sports....
What a disaster last year. The volunteers were trying to contact the people in charge about running out of water and nobody would answer their phones. And it was multiple aid stations...
Given that half the people don't show up to the athletes meeting b/c it is the same message over and over and over again, this will screw people over.
A note of caution on riding
A note of caution on riding the bike course during the race.
In the past somebody discarded a bottle at the foot of the Yellow Lake climb (about 14kms N of Big Bear Fruit Stand) then others followed suit thinking that there was an aid station coming up, soon there were dozens of bottles there but the aid station is at the top of the climb - 4 KILOMETRES farther!
All those people rode up the Yellow Lake climb without any fluids.
Don't make the same mistake they did.
Geoff