I heard they’re finally going to let people swim in Carvin’s Cove. Haven’t seen the official course maps yet. And not sure they going to let anyone swim there other than race day

Does this replace IM 70.3 in Williamsburg?

Looks like it. I don't see Williamsburg on the site anymore

Yes.

Point to point bikes have come to be a bit of a deal breaker for me. As tempting as a net downhill bike is, too many logistics to put my SO through trying to chase me around all weekend.

Leave the SO at home. As much as you probably think otherwise, the SO really doesn't want to be there anyway........

Point to point bikes have come to be a bit of a deal breaker for me. As tempting as a net downhill bike is, too many logistics to put my SO through trying to chase me around all weekend.

After doing Santa Rosa 70.3 this weekend (also point to point) I'm 100% in agreement. Never doing that again.

Yes.

Same weekend as eagleman?

That's the first thing I thought too. Eagleman is listed as TBD on the IM site right now.

https://www.ironman.com/...n-70.3/eagleman.aspx

I can't imagine this doesn't cut into Eagleman registration.

That said, Blue Ridge 70.3 looks very nice. I went to VT and haven't been down that way in many years.

Did you ever run the Blue Ridge Marathon or half? I am slightly bummed the run doesn't go up Mill Mountain, haha.

Same weekend as eagleman?

Any thoughts or guesses to this race selling out? Looking at the swim/T1 site on a map, I can't imagine they'll take a huge number of registrants though...

I can't imagine this doesn't cut into Eagleman registration.

The course nets downhill sure, but 300ft down is one small hill in roanoke.

Just climbing out of the carvins boat dock will be considered a serious climb and a "technical" descent compared to most triathlon courses.

If its going to botetourt co, it will likely stay on the flatter areas of Roanoke. That said, I'd expect at least 3,000' of climbing (and even that could be hard to attain). Rides here, even the flat ones, can go over 75ft/mi very easily. It's pretty hard to get less than 50'/mi, and if you try, you can get well over 200'/mi!

I'm guessing they'll keep this away from the mountains and try to use some of the busier streets in the valleys. Maybe they figured out a way to use the parkway, which would be incredible, scenic, and super hilly.

All in all, expect a very rolling bike course that gets progressively easier the closer you get to rivers edge park, and a mostly flat run. They'll probably have to throw in a hill somewhere to get full run miles, unless they do a multi pass run on the greenway (one way first, other way next, then back to T2 for the finish).

If you do this race, stay for a few days after and do some rides. It's some of the best road/gravel/mtbing on the east coast.

Honestly, I doubt Ironman will make it that hard and in reality I'd wager on them trying to make it as easy as possible. Look at Chattanooga. For what's around the area, there is very little climbing. Going up means going down and Ironman wants no part of tricky descents or having to institute speed limits if they can help it. There will be enough climbing to get away from the lake and then as much valley road scenery as possible.

Anyone hear any chatter about how this race is impacting Eagleman registration, for those of you in the immediate traveling vicinity?

I guess I’m still not following. Parking is very limited at the reservoir so I doubt anyone will be allowed to park there, and they’ll most likely running shuttles. So everyone rides over to swim start. Then spectators would catch one back to River’s Edge park where presumably T2 will be (13 miles away). They can see you come in on the bike and then its most likely going to be a run on the greenway with the finish very close to where the run started. The finish line isn’t going to be 13.1 miles from T2.
One of the problems with course design here is finding a place to swim, and they managed to get a special one day permit. The reservoir is at the end of a 1.5/2 lane backroad, so there weren’t really any other options than starting the race there and then letting it end by the river in the vicinity of downtown where there’s plenty more things to do.

They seem to be very similar in terms of registration. They both just recently sold out Tier 1.......


Eating each other maybe?

I wish they would describe the planned race logistics on the event site but that stuff usually goes in the athlete guide. My assumption is shuttles would run from downtown near T2/Finish so race morning you park downtown. Not sure what race morning parking would be like. It looks like the swim start is like 30 minutes from T2. That's a bit of a long shuttle ride race morning. But maybe the best setup they could manage.

Does IM define the numbers behind the Tiers? I haven’t seen that so I assume it’s not useful for gauging registration between races with any level of accuracy.

I assume they will bring swim bags from T1 to finish for you after the race

Probably. This will be my first event where T1 and T2 are in different locations so I guess we will see.

Probably. This will be my first event where T1 and T2 are in different locations so I guess we will see.

Tell me about the roads. Good condition?

That's what I'm thinking too. I just don't know how it's going to work. There are I think 40 parking spaces total in the lot at the cove. I have no idea where they are going to park cars much less put however many bikes there. And I guess we are going to have to be shuttled back to get our swim stuff after the race. I personally will probably just ride my bike back. It's about 11 road miles from River's Edge to the cove parking lot. Then not far from there to my house.

I'm excited to have an event literally in my back yard. And on roads that I have ridden many many times. I'm just worried about the logistics like everyone else.

For the most part they are fine. The road coming out of the cove isn't great, and the roads around River's Edge need a little work. If the course goes where I think it will we will have pretty good roads. May not be any super smooth fresh asphalt, but they are very popular cycling roads.People don't tend to want to ride much on roads that are bad. I don't think it will be anything to worry about.

Va roads are generally pretty good.

I haven't done a tri in 10 years but this could bring me back. If anyone has done Williamsburg and/or Eagleman, Roanoke crushes those venues for fun, fun, fun and probably weather. Looks like this won't be super hilly, but it certainly could be if they changed the course. Big mountains available. It's a railroad town that is enjoying an economic rebirth via a commitment to outdoor recreation, cycling, tri, mountain biking, etc. Damn good beer and music town too. Decent, hipster vibe. Not overbearing.

Awesome idea.

I did Williamsburg in 2017. Not my favorite. It seems super popular with the Rev3 fans. With that venue I could only see the appeal if you enjoy camping and wanted to camp at the venue over the weekend. Swim was okay. I don't remember the bike much other than on the end they brought you back down the highway and there was a fair amount of car traffic. But I believe they've changed that so that's probably better. I didn't care for the run. An out an back on the Capital Trail with a lot of sun and little crowd support. Races with some in town routes are always good when you have a few people watching, cheering, etc.

This race looks cool though. Swim looks like it could be super nice. Bike could be good and maybe tough. Run looks like it goes through some parks and is near downtown so you would think you would get some good crowd support

Anyone hear any more infor on the bike course? Im debating between this race and Chatt right now

I hope it does not, so beautiful and not technical. People will love it. Also, those climbs are not steep, normal gears will suffice. I have ridden in some nice spots all over the world, nothing is much better than the BRP.

That amount of elevation on the bike will certainly deter some people.

Agreed... that route would be challenging for a lot of people with over 6 miles of consistent climbing at over 6% gradient. Some of my friends used it to train for the 70.3 Worlds in Nice this year.

You are probably right. I did Muskoka the one year they had the full distance, and I can see why people might choose an easier race. The Blue Ridge Parkway though if people knew how beautiful and cool it is to ride there, might change their mind.

The hassle of the point the point is more of a turn off for me. Raleigh was a drag, not just for competitors but spectators also.

Bike course was just released. just shy of 4k of elevation gain with one large hill coming between mile 25ish and mile 30ish

Bike course was just released. just shy of 4k of elevation gain with one large hill coming between mile 25ish and mile 30ish

90% of the profile is flat with only one really big climb. I'm so doing this race.

Interesting. I know it’s beautiful there but I’m really curious what their registration numbers will be with that amount of elevation gain. That’s going to deter a lot of participants.

Interesting. I know it’s beautiful there but I’m really curious what their registration numbers will be with that amount of elevation gain. That’s going to deter a lot of participants.

There are about 2600 people registered so far. I don't know how that compares to other events however.

you're on slowtwitch with most users leaning towards more serious triathletes.. I'd estimate 90% of ironman triathletes are not active on slowtwitch. I don't expect the elevation to be a dealbreaker for many here but for many of your average triathletes it's a huge deterrent. I've done chattanooga and augusta and don't consider those particularly hilly course but I've heard many many athletes describe them as if the bike is very hilly

I am not familiar with the Roanoke area. Can one ride this course in its entirety safely on any given weekend? I figure the Blue Ridge portion is fine but don't know about the rest of it.

Actually have the benefit of being close to the course so will get a chance to ride the course a few times before the race. Obviously it depends and I will see what kind of cadence I can get with my current set up (no PM unfortunately) but would an 11-28 be something I should aim for for this level of hill assuming I am riding a tri bike, on the lighter side, and am fairly used to riding some pretty big hills in my current gearing?

I was able to handle a 1 mile hill at ~12% in this gearing but it definitely felt like my physical limit and can handily do a 2.5 mile hill with an average gradient mostly in 5-7% range with peak section of 9%