Everyone has told me it is “rollers” with no real sustained/significant climbs. The following elevation chart seems to indicate otherwise. Is that first 4 miles pretty tough or am I just reading this wrong? Out of the saddle? Grinding it out right after the swim? Any G2 from those who have done this race would be appreciated.
I haven’t done it, but it doesn’t look that bad. That’s a climb of a little more than 300 feet in 4 miles. It looks worse because the chart is compressed into a small space.
Tri2havefun is right, that first 4 miles (of each lap) is just a long false flat. Mile 4 itself is very false in its flatitude, but still not what you’d call a “climb”. The course is gently rolling at most.
I agree and would describe the first 4 miles as a “false flat”. It’s a gentle uphill climb. You could probably hammer it and not suffer on the rest of the course.
Once you hit Jay road (after about a mile), it’s very gradually uphill (maybe 1%) for roughly a mile. Once you turn onto Rte 36 it’s maybe a 3-4% grade (not sure, have not measured it) for maybe two miles. It’s nowhere close to out of the saddle time, but it’s obviously uphill. I ride it about about 4mph slower than my pace on flat ground.
I’ll echo what the others have said. That chart’s very misleading. The first few miles are the same as the 5430 Sprint and the Boulder Peak. I’ve done all three races more than once. It’s a relatively flat, fast course. First few miles are a false flat, and not nearly as difficult as that chart makes it look.