Runner Triathlete News [ return ] From Message H. 6/27/2003 09:48:16 Subject: RPM vs Dog Ridge Bike IP: Logged Message: I just completed the Dog Ridge. I would like to compete at the RPM. If anyone has done both events, I would appreciate a comparison of the bike rides as to the degree of difficulity. Thank you. Larry   6/28/2003 14:57:16 RE: RPM vs Dog Ridge Bike IP: Logged Message: H. In my opinion the RPM bike course is the more difficult of the two. Up until this past February I lived in Temple and trained on the roads that comprise the Dog Ridge Course. There is one big hill and several lesser hills but there are also some flat stretches that allow for recovery. The Dog Ridge course is also five miles shorter. I won the first RPM triathlon in 2000 and I can tell you that there are very few stretches on the course where you get much of a chance to recover. Sure, there are some downhill sections but they are all followed by uphill sections. The hills just keep coming. There is a good downhill coming back into Marble Falls that allows for some recovery before the run but you have to climb out of Marble Falls at the beginning of the bike. If you can, I strongly encourage you to drive the course the day before the race so you won't be suprised by anything. Be especially careful on the descent during the last two miles of the bike course because there are a couple of intersections that have traffic lights. The course is well monitored but you need to be ready to react in case there is a problem. I reached 50 mph on the descent before the bridge that crosses the river. I had a twelve 12-21 cassette in the rear and 39-54 tooth chainrings up front. Good luck and be careful. swimmer 7/02/2003 15:49:27 RE: RPM vs Dog Ridge Bike IP: Logged Message: Larry, what's up with the TASC Aquathlon this year. I guess you're not putting it on, but is the event going to happen? Haven't seen anything in the RTN magazine, so I'm starting to wonder. Bret   7/02/2003 16:08:22 RE: RPM vs Dog Ridge Bike IP: Logged Message: Hi, Since Larry has taken up residence in a land far away (i.e. England), I thought I might be able to answer this question. The swim team has tenatively decided that the TASC Aquathlon will not be held this year due to lack of timing equipment and a few other issues. However, we hope we can host it next year. Sorry for any confusion. K 7/08/2003 02:35:38 RE: RPM vs Dog Ridge Bike IP: Logged Message: I did RPM last year and Dog Ridge this year, and I agree with everything Larry said. Marble Falls was super fun, tho -- you climb out of town on Hwy 281, and when you get to Hwy 71, it's like a big ole rollercoaster. And you turn around and come back the same way and come screaming back into town on that well-deserved downhill. I highly recommend RPM / Marble Falls, although you might not want to do it the day after doing Jeff & Brede's, like I did last year :) P 1

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