Louisville was my first so maybe I'm a bit biased.

1. Easy transition and organization. No sense of chaos within check-in, bike racking, or walkthroughs of any of the transition segments for the day.
1a. Plenty of closeby hotels, good restaurants, and easy tourist attractions to rest and fuel.
2. Swim start was fairly close to transition, and the walk was not terrible.
3. The swim itself is nice- after a half mile of uphill swim, you're rewarded with a nice downhill cruise to swim out.
4. The bike course is really pretty! Rolling horse country with a smattering of challenging uphills. Lagrange is a fantastic cheering spot at miles 30 and 70 for some extra energy. The last 20 or so miles of the bike course are downhill/flat.
5. The run is two loops on flat roads with just enough elevation hiccups to not make your legs hate you.
6. THE. FINISH. LINE. IS. AMAZING. I'm convinced you can hear the crowds from Saturn.
7. ALL of the volunteers that day were top notch. From what I heard from a friend who was a bike catcher last year, people and groups seriously fight over territory to help the athletes. And then on race day they will fall all over themselves to make sure you have a great experience.
8. BOURBON.

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Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx

Ha! Number 8 has sold me ;)

That’s sounds nice! The convenience of everything at Louisville sounds nice. That’s a selling point for Chattanooga as well. From the sounds of it Louisville bike course might be a little more scenic than Chattanooga but chattanooga’s Is not bad. Louisville Run sounds easier. Chattanooga has an interesting run over the bridges and the hills. I may just have to do Louisville to decide what I like better

I've also run the bridges and hills in Chatt for another event and I think the atmosphere for the run is just better in Loo, elevation nonwithstanding.

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Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx

I've done both. I'm going to disagree with Dr_Cupcake on the transition part. The finish line at Lou is (wild ass guess here) about 1+ mile from transition. This mean that you will have to either walk or drive your car to transition to pick up your bike after the race. Chattanooga, the finish line and transition are in one place. No worries about walking/driving anywhere to get your bike.

I like Chattanooga's venue a lot more.

Due to the design of the run course, it seems like IMLou has a lot more spectators on the course. The finish line of Lou is also better and more festive. It's in downtown, so you have a mixture of locals out for the evening and people there to support the race.

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My marathon PR is "under three, high twos. I had a two hour and fifty-something."

I had blanked on that part, to be honest. My husband grabbed my stuff for me while I was on the run. And also went out and bought me a giant bag of ice for the tub in the hotel room. And bourbon.

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Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx

You don't need to walk or drive back to transition to pick up gear. There is a little known roundtrip shuttle back (check the athlete guide) from the finish to transition. They will let you bring your bike back on the return trim.

I did choo 70.3 and Lou 140.6, last year. I loved both towns. The 140.6 is just “bigger”. There’s no comparing the finish line and surrounding area. I also liked the bike course better at Lou. Come to think of it, I liked all the courses better at Lou, but I’m thinking I didn’t ride the choo IM course. Don’t really know.

The run at choo is no joke. If I had to choose one of the two, I’d go back to Louisville.

The first loop of the bike is fantastic. Quiet, open country roads that are relatively smooth and nice rolling hills to break things up.

The second loop was the biggest mess I've seen in triathlon and downright dangerous. They let cars onto the loop. Mix that in with a ton of people riding their first loop and it was terrifying and dangerous. I would never do the race again or suggest it because of that factor.

The swim is fine and the run is unspectacular. Pretty flat and uninteresting.

The good weather with the new date is a big plus.

Done both and like both. Both cities seem to embrace the race. Logistics are easier at Choo with the finish right at transition, but Lou isn't difficult, it just sucked a bit to walk a mile from finish to transition after the race, then back to the hotel (helps to have somebody get your stuff at Lou while you're running). I did IMLou in 2015 before they removed the out and back with the largest climbs, but I still believe the bike in Lou would be harder. Run at Choo is much harder. Bike courses are nice at both once you get out of town. Both races have a lot in common outside of the run courses. You really can't go wrong with either.

The sweetest words you will ever hear at the IMLV finish, after they call your name, is when your sherpa says "your bike and all your gear are already in the hotel room". Who cares how far away it is? (and if you go alone, then yeah, pick a different race)

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I'm closer to the feathered end of the spear than the point.

I would add that having the bridges for sighting on the way back is really nice!

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Colorado Triathlon Company, CO2UT 2021, Crooked Gravel 2022, Steamboat Gravel 2022

I was SO happy to have found out about that shuttle. The walk to transition and hike back to the hotel sucks on dead cramping legs.

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Don't drown. Don't crash. Don't walk.