It will be even a bigger challenge! All the more reason to do it!

---

2024: Bevoman, Galveston, Alcatraz, Marble Falls, Santa Cruz

You will be able to rip into Keane though! In my opinion, the hills are not terrible. They are long and grinding as opposed to steep and punchy. Pace yourself the first loop and you’ll be alright. Over cook it and the final 12 miles from Wilmington to Placid will make you regret it.

---

_____________________________________________________
Instagram | Team Kiwami North America

Good to hear. I don’t mind going uphill. It’s the lots of elevation in a short distance that gets the HR up. Long steady climbs aren’t generally that bad.

Following. IMLP will be my first full this season. Also a "larger" female in the triathlete world...

My first as well!

Bike course was deceptive to me as it never feels like big grinding hills, but the elevation is certainly there coming back into town. Even in these section there is ample recovery areas, keep it even. I went back and forth with several folks as they hammered up the hilly section and then I would keep it even and sustain it more (still lightening up a bit) over the top and pass them back 1/2 down the "recovery" section before next hill. It happen so many times we got to friendly banter on the passes. IMO, the punchy approach will get you in trouble, the bigger you are the more you will have to check yourself going up the hills not to overcook it and then end up free wheeling down other side to recover.

FWIW, I did not see any of them in this fashion on the run.

Which may be the more important training piece for you, the run back into town is just plain tough for elevation and is harder to titrate effort for the heavier folk, is it just that steep. So look at the profile and train for the climbs back into town and formulate a strategy (even if it has to be walking) before the race based on your fitness and experience in training. Hill training with running will go a long way to help with the day.

Good luck, just a beautiful venue. Got a high five from Potts last year and made my day!

Thanks for your insight! I definitely think that long slow climbs are better. Looking at some MapMyRide profiles it looks like the climbs are generally between 1.5% and 3% gradient, which really isn't that bad.

I'm lucky enough to live in the Poconos, so running hills is pretty much a given. Riding outdoors around here is tough with no shoulders and traffic, so I'm mostly on a trainerroad program. Will do some outdoor hill riding for sure, but figure the better I can improve W/KG, the better I'll be on race day.

I raced it many years ago at 6’5” 235. Then I started bike racing at 210-215.
Get as light as you can. It’s a lot more fun.

I weigh 185, but consider myself a Clyde because I am built like a linebacker. Weight is your advantage going down into Keene. I was going 45 mph sitting up on bullhorns. Pray it doesn't rain.


(3) main stair step climbs long and steady: Ski Jump, Middle(Market, God, forgot other name), Whiteface Ski Area to Cherries & Bears. Doesn't get steeper than 6%. The run is harder: downhill out, some rollers, then uphill on the way back with super steep hill before turning into town. Keep your pace steady and you will be fine.

If you are interested here's my race report (as an Athena) -- http://www.somerandomthursday.com/...-placid-race-report/

---

@kburnsgallagher
http://www.somerandomthursday.com

This is good stuff. Thank you! And looks like you had a great race! I'd kill for 12:30!

If you have questions going into the race let me know. We're in Placid all the time (my husband is racing this year I'll be cheering with our 18 month old) and we know the course really well.

---

@kburnsgallagher
http://www.somerandomthursday.com

No questions yet, mostly panic! I'm around 250lbs which is obviously large for an Ironman. I do have a sub 3 hour 70.3 bike split and sub 6 hour 70.3 overall split, but looking at w/kg makes IMLP seem impossible. I'm not a monster on the bike, I expect to have an FTP around 250 and weight around 225 by race day, but petrified that I'm dragging my whole family up there for an unachievable bike ride!

Do you see other bigger folks out there?

I’m a 7 time IMLP “Clysdale.” So I can say with some authority that the lighter you are the more you will enjoy your day....

It is the climb from Jay to Lake Placid - approx 18 miles I think, that takes a lot out of your legs for the run. So the last 1:15-1:30 of your second loop is more or less uphill. Nothing steep mind you but a grind. Even if you pace yourself really well - meaning that others will be passing you with ease - you are still using a lot of muscle strength to get you back up to Lake Placid. Even more so if you ride this section hard on the first loop.

I haven’t found the run course hills to be all that determinative. There are really only two on each loop and they are not really all that long or difficult in the scheme of things.

It amazes me to see heavier folks still do well though. But they are usually younger and stronger. I used to be able to gut my way to the finish carrying extra weight but it has really caught up to me the last few years and made for long and difficult days. But LP is a beautiful and memorable place to do an Ironman. The finish is particularly memorable and you will be finishing on the same oval the Eric Heiden won 5 gold medals in arguably the single greatest Olympic performance of all time and next door to the Olympic rink where the USA beat the Soviet Union in 1980 which is inarguably the greatest moment in US olympic history.

It inspired me as a 17 year old to witness it all first hand and continues to inspire me as I make the final turn into the oval at IM.

Awesome, thanks for sharing. Would love to hear about your race prep going into it. Looks like you crushed the run!

It was a really good run and set me up to come close to running sub - 4 at IMFL later that year.

I actually had a bulging disk in my back before the race and did most of my running as water running. My longest run pre-race was 13 or 14 miles.

---

@kburnsgallagher
http://www.somerandomthursday.com

Sent you a direct message.

---

@kburnsgallagher
http://www.somerandomthursday.com

Panic is not a strategy. Relax.
Just believe you do not need the carbs you think you need during training. Start now, use complex carbs like oatmeal, lay off the relentless sugars during long slow zone 1 training rides. Let your body burn what it has, with hydration and some calories. Spin the hills, use your gearing, no spikes, you’ll crush it.

Good advice. Thank you!

How's your training been going? Race day is looming!

Hey! Going well, thanks for the check in. Knocked out a 100mi ride with 8500' of climbing this past week. An 80mi ride with 6000' the prior weekend, so cycling is good. Swim is fine. Run will be what it is so long as I get off the bike. Unfortunately weight loss didn't occur and I'm sure I'll be kicking myself for that for years to come. Just have trouble with diet when working out this much. Nutrition will be a focus for a future race I suppose.

Nutrition doesn't have to be a focus for a future race. Nutrition can, and should, start NOW!

You would be amazed how much your body can change in just a few weeks and how much better you will FEEL by making the switch. There is not time like the present to make a switch to a healthier, and more effective, diet.