Love/Hate relationship with this race. I've done it multiple times, but not for the last few years so the run course is likely a little different since it changes up all the time. Hate - not the course, just my bad luck as I've had more mechanicals at this race than I've add put together with all other training/racing. My thoughts on the course:

Swim - slower swim on the way back as it's in the river and you are swimming slightly against the current. I believe there are supposed to be some faster spots/less current but I must have missed them, so your time may be impacted.

Bike - good rolling course, but not the beast it was when it first came on the scene. Road conditions can be poor in sections (haven't done the race lately so this might have changed), overall I like this type of course. Flat course all in aero is not for me so this profile fits well for what I like and I never had an issue with traffic at this race.

Run - doesn't matter which iteration of the course I've done, but it's always been a tougher run. The sections through town are always fun as you get some good cheering, and then you'll end up in other areas where it's just you and whomever is around you.

The only IM branded event I can compare to is Tremblant and that is certainly more up market. By that I mean being in the Village, etc., and how they do up the event is at a different level than what I've experienced at Muskoka. Does not take away from Volunteers, on course race support, etc., just missing some of the bells and whistles and feels a little more like a local race.

i've heard this. fortunately i live in the alps during most of the year, so i get lots of hill training. unfortunately, alpine climbing is VERY different from endlessly punchy ontario rollers . . . how did you approach pacing/power/effort on the bike?

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https://lshtm.academia.edu/MikeCallaghan

http://howtobeswiss.blogspot.ch/

The bike changed a few years ago and is no longer the beast it was.
I did the bike in 2017 on the old 94km loop course. A 2:46 gave about a 50th overall bike split out of 1350.
The new out and back, 90km, shows a 2:26 gives about a 65th overall bike split out of 1600.

My guess is it is a faster than Tremblant by a few minutes.

The run will be tough in terms of elevation regardless of what they do.

I have my room booked but have not signed up yet.

Did this race in '21, and like the previous poster, I have a love/hate relationship with this course.

Race kit pick up and transition area are great. I didn't find it overly busy (mind you it was still during covid). Only issue here is parking to get to Summit place. Sometimes this can be a trek, but it is like that at almost all IM events.

I actually had one of my best swims here and thought it was faster than most. You swim out into the lake, do a counterclockwise look and then head back down through the river. Run into T1 is about 200-300m if memory serves me right. Mounting your bike is an issue. The mount line is right on a hill getting out of the parking lot, so be sure to be in your easiest gear. Wife said she saw at least a dozen people fall here.

Onto the bike, it was very rolling. I would say some of the hills are actually good climbs, but I come from absolutely flat SW Ontario, so an overpass is a hill for me. About 30km into my bike in '21 there was a severe thunderstorm and torrential downpour, so I honestly was just trying to survive for about 40km until it stopped. I do remember hitting 75 km/h on a downhill though lol. I'll never forget that. Overall, it's a solid, honest bike course.

The run for me was horrible. Again, you start coming out of T2 parking lot running up hills to get to the meat and potatoes of the course. Crowd support was pretty good for about 85% of the route they chose that year, so that was good. It just seemed like you were constantly running up hill lol. If you can deal with that, you'll be fine.

Weather should be decent, but in '21 after that storm, it got stupid humid, which added to the difficulty of the run. I didn't check, but if it's still in July, you can expect a decent temp anywhere around 26C-32C. Outside of that would be abnormal. Mornings can be cold and foggy as well, depending on the week leading up to the race.

Overall, Muskoka is a solid, honest, well-run event. I won't do it again based on the hills and I also want to try different events but would highly recommend to others. It's a challenge, and that's what we all want.

Get there early on race day as parking can be an issue. Lots of road closures in the area as well, so be prepared to delay your exit after the race or park accordingly.

Good luck.


Cheers

Quinner

It is my "local" 70.3, but I have only done it once.

Swim is lake and a bit of river, fairly easy water, you go upstream on the river but you can't feel the current.

Bike is rolling, but it really pays off to ride steadily in aero. I think it is about 900 m elevation gain but there aren't any big hills, just constant rollers. It really pays off to tuck down and stay in aero as much as you can. Top AG riders will go 2:12-2:18, a 2:20-:2:23 is needed if you are chasing podium.

Run is hilly. The last half of the run is hard and hot. I blew in the last 20 minutes of racing and had to dig deep to make my AG podium. You have a couple of big hills that really bite after 4 hours. Consider running conservatively until the turnaround point and then push on the last section up the big climb.

ha! i get it - i come from sarnia.

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https://lshtm.academia.edu/MikeCallaghan

http://howtobeswiss.blogspot.ch/

Similar to others love/hate (hate mostly just stems from a bad 21' day).

The swim has always been the same (at least for my young <30 memory). Generally its a bit slow with the river (never actually that strong). There's definitely a way to game it with a combination of tangents and avoiding the strong current in the centre but I haven't figured that optimum yet.

Steep ramp up immediately to T1 i think maybe the only race that the t1 run throws me off. I will also second the ramp at the bike mount is something to look out for.

"New" bike is punchy. Similar to gravenhurst I guess, probably a little hillier. slower on the way out. I actually really really like the course (cycling is my strong suit). There are a few bad sections of road but if you live in ontario its nothing you cant handle. Just the 21' torrential downpour nam' flashback make me not happy. I feel everyone who raced that day has war stories. But wear prescription sunglasses under my (clear) aero visor and I couldn't see a damn thing that whole race.

T2 nothing of note

Run they've changed the run a bit over the years but its always hilly. 21' was the worst from my opinion, just really tough. But the last 2 years its returned to one of the "old" routes and I believe it is here to stay(?). The 1 loop can make it a little lonely but it is really pretty and honest while not terrible (if you survived the new k-town long course run you should be fine here).

best of both worlds imho. Bigger than a multisport/subaru weekend so there will be so many people you know from the sport out that weekend! But its still small enough that you can still find friends and chat with them pre and post race! I actually think the post-food area inside the hockey arena is slept on. So nice to get out of the sun after a long day.

Happy training and GL!

thanks!

strip the wetsuit at the water's edge, then, rather than run in it to T1?

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https://lshtm.academia.edu/MikeCallaghan

http://howtobeswiss.blogspot.ch/

immediately its steep at the waters edge, I don't think theres much room to at the edge of the water. That being said I dont take my time in transitions so maybe not sprinting out of the water will make it fine for you!

I did Muskoka a couple of times years ago on the old course and really enjoyed the race. However I am also from the SW (Essex County) and do all my training on the flat, so I have mostly been doing Muncie and Steelhead lately. With Steelhead cancelled and Muncie moved back to July heat I'm considering trying Muskoka again.

I’ve done the race 4 times including each of the last 3 years. For the bike the first 15km or so are largely uphill with some steeper stuff, then mainly rolling to turnaround and back to around 65km with some longer uphills. Then last 10-15k net downhill. Pacing that first 15km seems to be the important thing for me and my fastest overall time was when I had the lowest power early on.

Agree with some comments on parking. There are streets near transition where I always park but if you don’t get there early then you’ll be far away and it’s very hilly and not fun after the race to walk back up to your car. There are also some dirt parking lots but also not close to transition.

If it’s the same run course as last year then there’s a very steep hill in the first kilometre which really sucks then around 12k into the run another longer hill that has forced me to walk the last two years. Definitely not a fast run course but it’s a good kind of challenge!

Also bring some throw away sandals or footwear you can leave with family as you have to walk about 10 mins to the swim start on a dirt road.

Run in the wetsuit to T1. Lots of time to get it down for quick removal at your bike.
Add to what another poster said, buy some cheap sandals for the walk to the swim start. Or if you are with someone, an extra pair of shoes you can hand to them.

anyone got tips? general impressions? horror stories?


Others have covered a lot of the key things.

I've never done the race, and don't Announce at it, so I get to stand on the sidelines just as a normal spectator! Rare for me! :-)

Make sure you are in a low/easy gear heading out of T1 - it's a bit of an uphill for about 100 - 200m after the mount line. It can be a scene and setting for some good laughs, watching people trying to mount the bikes and clearly in WAY to big a gear! :-)

The final 15k of the bike are a net uphill with a lot of rollers and often into a head wind!

Run course seems to change a bit every year. Finish line area is often very clogged up with people, a bit claustrophobic and chaotic. I don't know why they have it in exactly that location!

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