Yep, you're screwed.

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What's your CdA?

I've done 3 now. Never suffered as much as Chattanooga last year which was just in the low 90's with heat index last. Hills and heat will eat you up...just have a plan for the hills and keep moving. Good luck and be diligent with your salt.

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Blog: https://davidkoppeltriathlon.blogspot.com/
Coaching: https://dkendurance.com/

My first full marathon was in 94F heat and nearly 100% humidity, and I've done Century rides the last 2 years in England on the hottest day in their recorded history (just under, and just over 100F, respectively).

But I've never...EVER...tried doing them back to back.

Now I am terrified, lol.

Looks like the strategy has gone from "maybe I can do this in 13 hours" to "survive...16:59 is pretty good for a first attempt..."

Did it last year, and surprisingly the heat and humidity didn’t feel that bad. We had cloud cover for much of the bike, though. As you may have looked at, it’s a pretty bike course with no big climbs, just accumulated elevation. This course is about the run. Be prepared for some tough hills about a third of the way in, and you do them twice. The second time is a leg crusher. Pace accordingly (conservatively).

Good luck!

Might want to consider 16:30. just hydrate and maybe slow down a bit.

Hydrate well on the bike. It’ll be fine.

Its going to be bad. If it hits 97 that will tie what it was in 2016 and that had a 18% DNF rate on the run alone. If you haven't trained in the heat on hills you will have to drastically slow down to finish. The bike will not be too bad if you can take the heat.

The run will turn into survival. The fist 4 miles is open to the sun, the next part is thankfully shaded but once you cross the river you have the hills in the sun....and the hills are no joke. After you survive that you get to do it all over again. A lot of people will be walking.

I ran the course 4 weeks ago when it was in the low 80's. We ran the flats at a 7:30 pace and grinded up the hills. Because of the hills our over all pace was 8:26 just to give you an idea of the hills WITHOUT any real heat.

Where I live and train its nothing but heat, humidity, and hills and I'm worried about the run in this race.

1. It's your first. So, just finish. Doesn't have to be pretty. Just get to the finish line. Don't get caught up in the racey feel of the hype. It's an all day pace. Start out ez, hold ez, then grind out as necessary to finish.

2. Everyone else is in the same conditions. This could help you. Many racers will blow up and come to a crawl and many won't finish. Let them do their thing. You can benefit from that.

Good luck and have fun. Challenges are what make it interesting.

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"Outwork your talent." Kevin McHale

Hope you finished!

this year was bad, 2016... was worse.

Raced both of the years. I feel like Sunday was way tougher overall. The humidity was higher and there was zero breeze on the run for the first loop. It was an incredibly slow day in the pro race.
The second loop of the “run” seemed better, but I’m pretty sure if you got off the bike fairly early you were toasted from trying to get through the first loop.
I’ve raced 23 ironmans. 2019 Chattanooga was the hardest of them all.
I also did 2012/2014 IM Louisville, 2016 Chattanooga, and a few Kona events as well. This takes the cake. Congratulations to anyone who finished or was smart enough to pull out.

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New Training/Racing Log - http://www.earthdaykid.com/blog --- Old Training/Racing Log - http://colinlaughery.blogspot.com

Colin,

Always great being with you. I agree - 29th IM for me and it was the toughest conditions I have had. Of course I'm older too, but it was a very tough day. Can't wait for next time!

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David
* Ironman for Life! (Blog) * IM Everyday Hero Video * Daggett Shuler Law *
Disclaimer: I have personal and professional relationships with many athletes, vendors, and organizations in the triathlon world.

I appreciate both you and Colin legitimizing this race! Fifty-two IM races between the two of you and both of you agree that IM Choo is no "gimme" race. I have done the race and I live in the area. I love Chattanooga and I love the full distance race that IM has here. I grow very weary with the constant chatter about people signing up for IM Choo because it is an easy race, mostly due to the swim being a down river swim. I have argued since 2014 that it is a legit race and both you guys have confirmed that today!

Do people really think Chattanooga is a "gimme" race? Of course, the swim is easy but the swim is the shortest part of the race. I don't know how the bike compares to other IMs as I've only done at full at Chattanooga. I doubt people will call the bike course difficult but it has a few climbs that aren't exactly pleasant with the rest being rollers. But it's not flat. Roads were awful IMO this year. But IM marked the rough spots well which were a lot. And that run it's tough. If the weather is hot, which is has been for what, everything but the first two years, then that first 4+ mile stretch on the highway is awful. If you have cooler weather then that 4+ miles especially after you get to the top of the incline at mile 1 then that first part isn't awful. Then you would just have to deal with the climbing across the river. The problem is it's been so freaking hot that the sections with no shade including barton you just bake. Great city to race in though. Wish it wasn't so hot on race day.

I did, thanks!

Swimming is my weakest discipline, but I was probably way over prepared for it. The current wasn’t as strong as I expected, but it did help a lot.

The bike was hot, but tolerable if you kept moving and hydrating. Blew a tire and tube (sidewall “aneurism”) at mile 80-ish, so lost about 40 minutes, until the support mechanic saved me. I was in the process of trying to patch the tire with electrical tape when they pulled up...just needed 35 more miles.

The run was hard...hardest I’ve ever done, but I slowed down a lot and kept running till the end. My normal marathon is a little under 3:30, this was a hard 5:15.

I finished 14:49,which isn’t making any pros nervous, but I figure with no equipment problems and less heat, 12-13 hours is probably doable, which was the target..

disagree, I raced both years and this year takes the cake. Nevertheless IM finish #14 is in the books, can't wait for #15 :-)

I finished Chatty on Sun in just over 16 hrs. It was my first full IM. I credit the finish to several things:
1. My last 2 big training rides were both done in mid 90's temps. I live only 2 hrs South of Chatty so I had the benefit of training in the heat.
2. The 70.3 I did 4 weeks prior was a wake up call that I still did not have my nutrition dialed in. I was able to tweak the plan those final few weeks and actually execute it on race day. Salt salt salt and more salt.
3. Cooling arm sleeves were a game changer. Wet them down and stuffed with ice at every aid station.
4. A solid group of my fellow club members came and found me in the run and cheered me to the end.

It was a tough day, but so much fun. I'm definitely going to do it (Chatty 144.6) again some day.