Scott, Thanks. I think you're ok to get up to 90-92% on the smaller climbs (less than 5 minutes), but that last long climb that's 7 miles, I would keep it tempo, right around 85% of threshold. No need to crush yourself there. If you're at the front of your AG you may want to push closer to 90% - as long as you are trained to do that and can still run well off the bike. But the conservative approach would be to sit around 85% on that long climb and 90-95% on the shorter climbs. I hope that makes sense.

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Mike Ricci
2017 USAT World Team Coach
USAT National Coach of the Year
Coaching Triathletes since 1992.

From my 'sources', I'm told that the dog leg is on the way back in, and the dirt section in Pioneer park is only on the way out. Best advice is to line up the map with the turn by turn instructions. I hope that helps. :)

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Mike Ricci
2017 USAT World Team Coach
USAT National Coach of the Year
Coaching Triathletes since 1992.

One of the athletes I interviewed for the recon article said that he was laughing for the first 30 miles wondering what the fuss was over the hills, but when he started out of Red Cliffs, he was no longer laughing. I think that's a pretty good indicator of the seriousness of the climb. Ride Smart, Run Strong!

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Mike Ricci
2017 USAT World Team Coach
USAT National Coach of the Year
Coaching Triathletes since 1992.

Helpful article, thanks Mike!

Am signed up for 2015. Looking at the profile, am second guessing if I should use my roadie instead of my TT. I usually race my long distance tri's w a P2 and 404's. Thoughts?

There is some downhill so don't discount that. Also, how well do you run off the bike after biking 56 miles in a 'road position'? In all honesty, I think you should stick with the TT bike but you could always compare how you run off bike if you could do an abbreviated simulation of the ride (rollers, hilly, with a longish climb at the end) with both bikes and see how you run off both bikes. And I'm sure the ST crowd can give you some feedback on that too. ;-)

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Mike Ricci
2017 USAT World Team Coach
USAT National Coach of the Year
Coaching Triathletes since 1992.

Very helpful - thanks again! Yes, was going to do a simulated bike ride on both on the upcoming weekends before I ship it out to make sure I don't have baby giraffe legs off the roadie :) Thanks Mike!

Good luck with the rest of your training!

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Mike Ricci
2017 USAT World Team Coach
USAT National Coach of the Year
Coaching Triathletes since 1992.

My 2 cents: You will hate going up Snow Canyon on the P2 but aside from that I think the P2 is the right choice. There is enough downhill and flattish stuff to make using the P2 worth it.

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http://dontletitdefeatyou.blogspot.com

Thanks for the intel Mike. I'm glad we won't have to do that Pioneer Park loop twice. Sounds like a good change.

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http://dontletitdefeatyou.blogspot.com

Can anyone (not necessarily Mike) compare that climb to the Pemberton climb at IMC? I can compare the numbers, just curious for perspective from someone who has ridden both.

Scott

Can anyone (not necessarily Mike) compare that climb to the Pemberton climb at IMC? I can compare the numbers, just curious for perspective from someone who has ridden both.
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I ridden both but I wasn't in the best IM shape for IMC last season. Also, I'm going to be 63 next month and run a compact with a 32. The climb at Pemberton is much longer..or it sure felt like it to me. They both have steep sections. To be honest the climb at SG is tough but not crazy hard if you paced yourself. I done SG the last two years and I see as many people walking the climb at Oside as SG.

It's a great race, good luck.

PS it gets hot in the canyon.

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Train safe & smart
Bob

Any thoughts on going from an 11-26 to an 11-28 before St. George to help out on the Snow Canyon climb?

I ride a 50/34 and live in SF area, so have been able to train on some of the hills around here, but looking for any extra knowledge.

Also, received an email today, saying that the bike course has been tweaked slightly. Any thoughts on that change? Thanks!

I used compaq 50/34 and cassette 11-28 when I did the race last year. I didn't think Snow Canyon was that bad, but then I love hills. I did decide to use my S5 rather than my tri bike and I'm glad I did. The course is quite rolling and Snow Canyon isn't the only spot that you will wish you had a lighter bike (IMHO). I was about 20 minutes slower on that bike course vs Vineman so that gives an idea of how difficult it is. I did go just a little conservative, but also because it was so hot last year.

Now the run...brutal...especially at 93 degrees!!!

I'm not a super strong rider and I rode a 50/34 with an 11-26 last year and never felt like I wished that I had a bigger gear in the back. Snow Canyon is not that difficult of a climb. It's just where it falls in the race and the length. And the fact that you have a pretty difficult run after it. Don't be psyched out by it, but if you go too hard on it you will definitely know it on the run.

By the way, Snow Canyon is tame compared to most of the climbs you'll find around the SF area so if you train on local hills you will be fine.

Hi all

I am racing this weekend in St George and my fiance is coming along to watch. She is training for a half marathon in May and wants to do an 11 mile run while I am on the bike. She doesn't have the best sense of direction, so to avoid losing her to the wilderness of the desert, would it be possible for her to parallel the run course on the sidewalk / shoulder if she started running around 8:30? With Pros not starting until 6:55 I assume they will not be on the run course until about 9 am. I noticed plenty of sidewalk on diagonal st/bluff st (google st view, I have never been to St George) but red hills parkway just has a gravel shoulder. There looks to be enough room but who knows with the race setup.

If not, any other good places to run during that time around St George that aren't too remote?

Thanks

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