Welcome to the official Endurance Nation Race Strategy page for Rev3 Maine!
Endurance Nation is the official Coaching Partner of Rev3Triathlon. In addition to creating race-specific content for the Rev3 series, EN is offering every athlete registered for a Rev3 event the option to create a free trial membership. Endurance Nation is officially #backinblue!
Our goal here is to get you 100% up to speed and ready to have your best ways possible. Every single Rev3 event has a special element, and Maine is no exception. There’s a scenic swim and bike, the laid back vibe of Old Orchard Beach, and the epic race weekend experience that is Rev3 — show up to race and your family can enjoy the Old Orchard Pier and so much more.
| Three Bullets Video | Race Info | Equipment | The Swim | The Bike | The Run | The Oly | Free Trial |
Three Bullets on Rev3 Maine
Don’t have time time to dive into a full review of the course? Then cover the most important highlights in this short video with Coach Patrick from Endurance Nation.
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Detailed Race Information [top]
- Race Date: August 28th, 2016
- Distances: 1.2 Mile Swim, 56 Mile Bike, 13.1 Mile Run
- Typical # of Athletes: 450
- Register Here: http://rev3tri.com/maine/registration/
- Contact Rev3 Support: [email protected]
- Bike Elevation: 1727 feet (Map Here)
- Run Elevation Gain: 310 feet (Map Here)
- Recommended Get Started Training Date: June 6th, 2016 @ 12 Weeks To Go
Equipment Recommendations [top]
Rev3 Maine kicks off with an ocean swim — no matter how hot it is on land, it’s going to feel cold in the water. Get out that wetsuit! Then you are off to bike the one-loop, bow-tie shaped rolling course. Despite the 1700+ feet of gain, the build it gradual and should allow you to ride your normal gearing set up. The only thing to consider is the full hydration set up on the bike, plus hat / visor and sunscreen for the run. Even though there are plenty of run aid stations, you might want to consider carrying some additional fluids (even if only for the start of the run).
The Swim: The swim is in the Atlantic Ocean. After a beach start in some soft sand, you’ll work your way into the water. This means running to wading to swimming — practice your dolphin dives! Remember that you’ll need to make it past the waves on the way out (duck under them) and use them on the way back in (body surfing anyone!?). You’ll have salt water to content with (rinse your mouth out when you get out in T1) as well as some sand (have a face towel to brush the sand off in transition). Most importantly, don’t sprint the full 1/4 mile run to the transition area in your wetsuit — that could blow your race right there. Either take it off or slow it down to keep your HR in check.
The Bike: This is a fast course that builds through halfway and then let’s you pick up speed on the back half. Of note, there is a long low grade climb on rte 5 (miles 10-15) and some rollers on South Waterboro Road (miles 19-25). There is 1700 feet of climbing with only a few sharp turns that will challenge your bike handling skills. The road quality is really high despite the harsh winters of Maine
Those of you running a standard set up of 53/39 on the front should be fine with a 25 (minimum) on the rear cassette. Stronger triathletes could get away with a 23. You can check for yourself by carefully counting the teeth on the biggest ring on the cassette on your rear wheel.
If you are riding a compact crank, one that has a 50/34 (instead of the standard 53/39), then you have a little bit more wiggle room. Again, a 25 tooth biggest ring in the rear cassette should be sufficient!
As with any race, you’ll want a good aero set up as there’s plenty of straight space where you can fly (aka, a front mounted aero hydration bottle so that you can drink without taking your hands off the shifters / brakes).
The Run: The heat will undoubtedly be a factor here in August, but the course is designed to give you maximum shade on the run with most of the run on the Eastern Trail alongside the Scarborough Marsh. You’ll be thankful for all the pine trees for the shade on race day. The flat run course will help athletes stay focused — it’s just one out and back on the course. This means you’ll be able to stay connected to the other racers and keep a close eye on the competition.
You’ll want a hat or visor to keep the Sun off your face and hopefully retain the water you’re dumping over your head! There are plenty of aid stations, but if you use a custom formula then make sure you have the means of carrying it — check out www.fuelbelt.com. And don’t forget to include some additional salt in a pouch, canister or pocket in case your stomach starts to go south or you feel the onset of cramping.
Swim Course Breakdown [top]
The Rev3 Maine Swim is very straightforward: View the online map here. You have a place to warm up no matter where the swim starts (it’s the ocean!), unless it’s so uninviting you don’t want to get in. The tides will mean either a short (or long) run to transition, but you still need to swim out — parallel — and back in. The start is into the sun, so that first leg will be a bit hard to sight the buoys. Once you are parallel to the shore you should be just fine. There are just two turns on the course with the longest section running parallel to the shore. Swim as far as you can until you can’t swim any more, and then make your way up to the beach to head to transition.
Key Points:
- Soft sand beach start.
- Into the sun for the first part of the swim.
- The longest leg is parallel to the shore.
- There is ample room to warm up and you should take advantage of it.
- Pace the 1/4 mile run from the swim exit to transition area.
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Bike Course Breakdown [top]
This course is a tutorial in the New England countryside (view it here)! From farmland to rolling hills to farmhouses, it’s like riding through a postcard collection. After the admin start coming out of Old Orchard Beach, you can start racing in earnest. Despite a few crucial sharp turn at the same intersection (Mile 14.5 and Mile 33.5), the rest of the course has plenty of space to be fast. The layout of the course means that you spend a significant portion in your TT bars — so be comfortable in aero.
Except for a few stints on Hwy 202 / Maine Rte 4 which are bumpy and busy, the rest of the roads are very quiet. These are also a bit narrow (no shoulder!) so they could get crowded. Be cautious when passing and being passed; please stay to the right unless you are passing.
Of the hills on the course are nothing to be scared of! If anything, you’ll want to ride the steady climb from Miles 10-15 with restraint as you are just starting out. But once you hit the rollers from Miles 19-25 on South Waterboro Road you should be able to carry your downhill momentum into the ups. Do your best to try and ride / see most of the course before the race — you’ll be very glad you did. For those of you who can’t, or need more background, here’s our analysis.
Key Points:
- Plan a smart start through Mile 15 so you don’t overcook the bike.
- Use the mile markers, and not the terrain, to dictate your nutritional strategy.
- Know the hills are approximately at miles 10 to 15 and again from 19 to 25.
- Be mentally ready for a TT push over the second half of the course.
- Once you crose Rte 1, plan to spin the last two miles (over the bridge) back into transition in preparation for the run.
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Run Course Breakdown [top]
This run is a simple out-and-back route (online here). But simple doesn’t mean easy. In fact this run will be hard for two specific reasons — the summer heat and the rolling hill at the start/end of the course. If you didn’t leave it all on the bike (please don’t do that!) odds are that you’ll start the run too fast. A recipe for self-destruction! The upside is that the majority of the run is shaded path of the renown Eastern Trail. You’ll never be lonely and have plenty of motivation for the entire run!
Key Points:
- Smart pace for the first two and a half miles out to the Eastern Trail. Build your effort from there.
- Use the early miles to fuel up / ward off the heat.
- Use the shade to your advantage and enjoy the off-road feel of the run.
- Start picking up the pace on the return trip — you can either chase other people or be chased, your choice!
- Walk the aid stations as a reward for running between them.
- Mentally prepare for the final push once you leave the Eastern Trail and head to the finish line in downtown Old Orchard Beach (2.5 miles).
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Olympic Bike and Run Course Breakdown [top]
The Olympic course works off of the existing Half Courses (bike here, run here). Just like any Olympic distance race, Rev3Maine is fast… But you still have to do it right. The bike is an out and back on the last portion of the Half Rev bike course. You will need to have a conservative first 5 miles before you start to build your effort. On the run, you’re simply doing a short version of the Half Rev run. Similar to the bike, you’ll want to draw a line where you from controlling your heart rate to actually racing. Watch the video for full details!
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Endurance Nation is the official Coaching Partner of Rev3Triathlon. In addition to creating race-specific content for the Rev3 series, EN is offering every athlete registered for a Rev3 event the option to create a free trial membership. Endurance Nation is officially #backinblue!