I dont have the TBT directions in front of me, but this should help. This is subject to change, but this will get you close!

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/265712445

Brian Myrick

They could not have picked a better time of year weather wise. A couple of weeks earlier and it would have been nearly identical to Louisville - it should be very similar to IMFL weather, a little chilly in the morning, a little warm in the afternoon. It will be interesting to see if it is wetsuit legal, as I imagine it will be right on the line. There are several open water swims in the river throughout the year with a 10 mile swim the first weekend in October - Swim the Suck - which utilizes Channel rules, no wetsuits. If TVA is generating any water, this could be a very fast swim with a wetsuit.

Looks like historically/statistically it is near perfect weather.


http://weatherspark.com/...nessee-United-States

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"Some folks plan for the optimum race, others like to get upset when others out plan them. "

Problem already exists for fall races such as Florida and Arizona. If you are 44 and qualify as 40-44, then you race Kona as 45-49. Interesting consequence: there are very likely more 45-49 Kona racers than people that qualified 45-49, since more will age up from 40-44 than will "age out" from 45-49.

I think it's another good argument for reducing the number of age groups: spread of every 8 or even 10 years rather than 5. Something like <24, 25-39, 40-47, 48-56, 57-65, 66 and up. That would help resolve the issue of dis-proportionate assignment of KQ spots with the 1 per age group minimum system and would cut down on ridiculously long awards ceremonies.

That part of the USA is so pretty. Chattanooga is a really cool town, too. Wow! Good on them. :)

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Zen and the Art of Triathlon. Strava Workout Log
Interviews with Chris McCormack, Helle Frederikson, Angela Naeth, and many more.
http://www.zentriathlon.com

You could be right, my comment was more along the lines of every WTC course elevation/elevation profile is usually way, way off....

So if they are saying 2100 feet train for ten thousand ;-)

Maurice

My hope was for Asheville. I wasn't too excited about Chattanooga. Since the announcement came, I find myself stoked about this race. I have competed in the Waterfront Tri several times and loved it. I plan on being there - Chattanooga is a beautiful city with a lot of things the family can do. I look for this race to become the Lake Placid of the south, selling out very quickly after the first year. I had intentions of doing Louisville again next year, and maybe I will try to swing both - but Chattanooga is a definite for me.

I can definitively say that everyone at QR is excited for the race to set up shop in our hometown. You can count on us being involved and having some fun race week.

As for me and several other coworkers, we hope to be on the starting line with a bunch of you.

Mac

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Mac McEneaney

Whistler will certainly lose 50 slots in year 2. The 100 they got is almost certainly a onetime good deal in year 1 to stick it to Challenge Pentincton. However, I agree with you that the KPR for age groups is the likely endstate. It makes good business sense and puts pros and age groupers under the same structure. We shall see.

Let me get this right. 2 of the most mountainous areas in the country... Appalacians and Rocky Mountains, have 2 of the flatest IM courses on the circuit (Boulder & now Chantanooga). Oookaaay.

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TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com

Good for WTC and bad for AGers...

I really hate that idea. In an IM year, I'm probably racing one 70.3 and the IM itself (in addition to shorter distance races). You'd probably have to race a minimum of 3-4 races to qualify (both 70.3 and 140.6).

Ain't nobody got time for that...

Or money...travel and entry fees would easily exceed $5k...triple that if the family is along. Not to mention vacation (remember, can't check in for an IM on the day before....at least 70.3 you can.) As much as I like the concept, I don't think it works when it's WTC and not an independent governing body that's organizing the championship. WTC has built an empire on one race: Kona. The KPR system would just reinforce that (albeit for the relatively small number of people that would bother to take the financial risk of chasing KPR points just to miss qualifying by a few points after investing $K's.)

You also have much more of a chance for a daylight finish than at IMFL. Time change in 2014 will happen Nov 2, 2014. This will apply to anyone in the 12-ish range and faster, though, I presume.

Me too!!!

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Where do you swim?

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

This was my initial reaction too! I figured there would be a course with over 6000 feet of climbing in the vein of Lake Placid or Mont Tremblant. Bummer...and I don't think that elevation scares off triathletes. For some reason some folks at WTC are thinking that way due to St. George, but St. George was just in a bad time of year and not close to enough population that could drive there. LP and Tremblant are in a good time of year for many to train for, and many can drive over. It seems that Chatanooga is also in a good time of year and many can drive, thus making a hard course should be a non issue. I can see not making courses 10,000 ft, but 4000-6500 seems to keep the races fair in terms of them not being draft fests.

Page 2? Really!?!?!?!

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

A KPR system for age groupers would suck for most because it would reward those who allocate their money and vacation time to a large number of WTC races per year (I'm not saying you have to be rich to race WTC event, you can get by driving old shitty cars and spending car payments on racing....). Or reward those in geographies where they can quicly drive to many and not have to fly...I can drive to 5 WTC races in 3 hours radius (Tremblant 140.6 and 70.3, IMLP, Muskoka 70.3, Syracuse), and 2 more if I extend out to 7 hours (Timberman, Pocono).

Dev,
Pocono 70.3 was shitcanned in 2012. :-)

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

So when does everyone predict this to sell out? I'm planning to register as soon as this one goes on sale. I was originally going to do CDA next year until I heard about the price gouging on the hotels.

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"Sweep the leg...Do you have a problem with that?" - John Kreese

Pocono is now a Rev 3, Dev. But you have a valid point otherwise.

The problem with including the mountains in and near Chattanooga is that there have limited access roads to the top and they all have substantial amounts of pricey homes and businesses. The closest, Lookout Mountain, is a major tourist attraction already with Rock City and Ruby Falls. I can imagine those businesses would not be happy about limiting traffic to their establishments, nor would the visiting non-Ironman tourists. Closing even one of the roads would create a huge headache for the locals and likely engender a fair bit of hostility, if not outright opposition, towards the race.

I am not advocating for an age group KPR system, but I think it makes good sense for WTC, not for us. Further, I would bet in the 50+ age groupers it would not seriously alter the types of people who already go. I am in the M55-59 but know a good number of guys who no longer work and have the resources to race multiple halves and fulls. Those guys have the time to train hard, get more rest and race for slots all over the world. The only change in the upper age groups might be to reward consistent FOP performances rather than one top performance.

Yeah, I was very disappointed. I was not really planning on doing any more IMs, but thought that one in the N. GA mountains that I love to train in would be a great adventure! And I love Chattanooga! But that bike course is really disappointing. I can't seem to get motivated to sign up for it. They could have included one good climb on the loop and it would have been epic!

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"Remember: a bicycle is an elegant and efficient tool designed for seeking out and defeating people who aren't as good as you."

--BikeSnobNYC

I agree. I don't own a bike box and probably won't get one. So for me, it's Wisconsin, Louisville, and now I suppose Chantanooga or a unbranded ironman unless we make a long trip out of it. Chantanooga wouldn't be bad for my first, sicne it's everyoen elses "first" in that location, so in terms of logistics it's a more equal playing field. Although Boulder and Texas are almost as close and SE TN from Eastern Iowa.

I think hillier course will reduce drafting and level the playing field. It's so sad that you have to make people not cheat.

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TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com