There are some complete strava files for the whole race on strava, here's a run close to your target http://www.strava.com/activities/84510136

Run is on paved streets/trails with ups/downs, but nothing major.

Altitude will cut your power, most likely 6 to 10%. Not sure exactly how that would translate to haircut on your pace. I ended up at 3:3x.

Psychologically, the second loop, which is shorter, is nice. The one thing I didn't take into account was that with the mountains, even finishing before 6pm, it can get chilly when the sun disappears (raced in a sleeveless one piece).

This is probably the perfect application for a PI octane or other sleeved suit.

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Run is a mix of paved path, road and a dirt switchback. Once the sun dipped behind the mtns the temp dropped again and I was looking for my jacket in special needs.
Depending on when you are out there the course can be vary dark and those headlights they tell you bring come in quite handy....bring a nice bright one, you'll appreciate it.

It's mostly flat on paved trails with the exception of 2 parts I recall:
1. At around mile 3 it takes you around the Resort at Squaw Creek where you hit a fairly steep climb (you'll hit this again around mile 19/20, which sucks...)
2. When you get off 89/River Rd. and on to the Truckee River Bike Trail, you go down a short (but mildly steep) dirt path to get on to the bike trail -- you'll have to come back up this twice, but again it's pretty short.

The one thing I do remember is that it gets very dark fast if you are out on the run course late, so be sure to have a headlamp. It started getting dark around 7:30 I think because of the mountains blocking the sun. It also gets cold quickly after the sun goes down.

I didn't feel the obvious effects of high altitude (dizziness, headache, heaving breathing), but I will say I was much slower simply because of the climbing on the bike that I just wasn't ready for. I got there the Tuesday before the race to acclimate as much as I could. Getting there 10 days before would have been better. I've written off this race as a bad experiment after a bike crash 11 months out from the race requiring 5 surgeries and not enough training leading up to it due to recovering -- but I finished. Good luck!

I echo everyone's sentiments about bringing a headlamp. VERY dark out there, though I think I saw they were going to have more lighting on the course this year. Also, check the weather leading up to the race. It was VERY cold out there. I had a miserable day and was on the run course until nearly 11:30pm. I had only a long sleeve tee shirt in my SN bag but also had a beanie. Wishing I had taken my SN bag and cut three holes in it and pulled it over my torso for more warmth...though in hindsight, the cold was about the only thing that kept me moving at a quick pace to stay warm.

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I don't think the run course is too difficult on its own, but the fact it is at altitude and follows 2.4 and 112 miles obviously makes it a challenge. I finished before dark, but it still got cold when I was walking aid stations on the back half. Not sure if they changed the SN bag location, but I felt like run SN was early in the race, and it was either you took advantage of it or you lost it...The run was where the altitude caught up to me (at least that's my belief on why the run was hard)...I was worried most about altitude impacting the swim - which turned out to be a non-issue. But on the run, my HR just went bonkers anytime I ran at that 8min/mile pace - a pace I believed was sustainable (based on training and previous race efforts, both stand alone and off the bike). I went to a run/walk and came in under 4hrs, but it was a slog. Have fun out there...

Flatish, paved the whole way. Only a few hills that aren't really that much to speak of, but they will look like mountains by the end.

If you are going to be out there after dark prepare to get COLD. I smartly kept my arm warmers from the ride with me, tied them to my number belt. When it started getting dark I put them on and was much more comfortable.

It was incredibly demoralizing, however, to literally run past the finish line at mile 17 (as in I could spit on it if I wanted to) but then have to go back out into the cold, lonely, dark trail.

Altitude is definitely going to affect you if you live at sea level - expect some slowdown from your usual but how much is impossible to quantify.

They handed out headlamps last year to anyone out there past 8pm. I don't know if they are planning to do so again.

Also worth mentioning - don't leave anything in your run special needs bag that you value b/c they do not give the bags back to you. We were told it was because of bears on the run course after dark. Maybe they will change that this year.

Thanks for all the tips. My "plan" would be to finish before dark, but things don't always go according to plan in an IM. Better pack cheap arm warders and those white running gloves in my special use bag. Rather than run with a headlamp (which I have never done), I think I will pack one of those small, bright reading flashlights. That way I can blind any on-coming bears.

I figure the run performance at altitude will be a crap shoot. Hell, the entire race is a crap shoot. But I can't wait for it...

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John Snyder @URNotAsCoolAsMe