Your best bet is to contact (SA Ironman legend) Raynard Tissink - http://www.raynardtissink.com/default

He now runs a coaching academy / training group in PE and I'm sure will be able to assist you with joining a group ride / run / swim and possibly even a decent bike.

And yes, it is the windy city. June is a bit of a gamble as its mid-winter - can get some nasty cold and wet fronts coming through but you may get lucky with a cool, sunny winters day.

I'm thinking strongly about doing that next April and hope you will come back on here after your trip and post about what you learned. I would especially like to know how they keep the swimmers from being eaten by Great Whites, and what is the status of that fish farm that has been proposed for out in the bay.

they have a patrol boat keeping a lookout, and a race day evacuation protocol that they take everyone through before the start. Basically, the course runs parallel to the shore, so if a great white is spotted, they sound a siren and everyone just turns toward shore and swims like heck. But it's a highly unlikely scenario

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Are you ready to do an Ultraman? | How I calculate Ironman race fueling | Strength Training for Athletes |

I bet I could set some new PRs if the siren sounded! Also, would probably transition to an ultra smooth, splashless stroke!

So I managed to rent a bike from PE Bicycles (Trek road bike w/ Look pedals), and I did about 75km of the course (mostly along Marine Drive/Victoria Dr.
It is indeed a beautiful but windy course. Unfortunately it was too cold to swim, so I have no update on that. The water looked incredibly choppy though (probably b/c of the wind).

How was the road quality? And are they going to use the same bike course in 2017 as this year, or are they going to revert back to the 2015 bike course?

I thought the roads were quite good, but I've also been living in Ethiopia for past 2 yrs, and NYC before that, so maybe my perspective is skewed! Not many potholes, very little traffic.
This is the course description I followed: http://eu.ironman.com/...e.aspx#axzz4CCCgqzKh
I'm planning another trip to PE next week, so I hope to check out the rest of the course as well. To me, the most challenging factor will be the wind - it was coming from all different directions!!!

Thoughts on front wheel selection? How deep given the wind?

Didn't see that in the athlete guide. Can you direct me to the section where they talk about this?

I did this race earlier this year. Too much fun. Do shout if you need any additional info. Can give you GPX's of the ride if that would help?

The section coming back into town on the ride has an asphalt surface with large stones—this makes it a very bumpy last 10km. (so you go over this section four times).

I have done the race twice, each with a different bike course

Yes it is windy, both years. This year its a nice loop so you get both a head and tail wind. It is a stunning course especially at the turnaround. I would describe the roads as rough, but if you are living in Ethiopia, like you said, you have a different perspective

Run is awesome, so much support

If they change it back to the old course, it was a tough one. They altered it because of road works so no word yet i think on the bike course for 2017

It's not in the guide, they tell you at the briefing

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Are you ready to do an Ultraman? | How I calculate Ironman race fueling | Strength Training for Athletes |

Yes, please send the GPX's!!!!

Was this in 2015 or another year? I have no recollection of this in 2016 (I was in the briefing).

Here is the whole mess: swim+T1+bike+T2+run

Do let me know how you get on...

2014. But why does it matter so much to you. There is minimal chance of a shark, and if there is one, you have 2000 friends with you

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Are you ready to do an Ultraman? | How I calculate Ironman race fueling | Strength Training for Athletes |