I have done the 70.3 Middlebury, CT race a number of times to prepare for IM Lake Placid. Sorry to see this event was removed as a 70.3 event by the parent company of IM. The swim was for the most part easy. However, the bike and the run were met with endless climbs and 2-14% inclines throughout the race. The last 1 mile or so on the run showed no mercy on Old Woodbury Dr. I saw signs as I did for the Pat Griskus Triathlon the course I have done “gut check” or “you signed up for this race”. It was awful but I loved it. I am asking my tri folks who have done this race for their respective thoughts and insights. Also anyone that believes there is a harder 70.3 than Middlebury. Please provide those race details. Thanks
Virginia’s Blue Ridge had one the toughest bike course in North America (at least IM branded, Savageman was the toughest overall when it existed). A little over 4000ft of climbing with a legit cat 2 climb of 4 miles at 7%, with the steepest mile averaging 8-9%. Swim and run weren’t bad, run could get hot but wasn’t as oppressively hot at other run courses in early June and was largely flat. Internationally there’s definitely tougher courses. Wales comes to mind with a super hilly bike course on narrow, crappy roads and hilly runs. Mallorca and Nice both have big/long mountain climbs.
For me as a not great swimmer, strong cyclist, and decent runner but really struggles in humidity- the toughest course would be one with a choppy, non-wetsuit swim and a hot and humid run. Like a Brazil, Vietnam, Singapore, Dubai, Honu (Kona was… a tough slow day).
Thanks mikeridesbikes for your input. I have done Savageman. It fitted me right as a decent climber and the placement of the hills on the course. Wales sucked for me with rain. I was awful! Never did Mallocrca but Nice was again a good course as a climber. As you noted the high heat kills me as well. Did Brazil and walked the last five + miles. I could not even imagine doing Singpore or Dubai. I would be in a body bag.
I forgot to mention. I am a decide swimmer averaging 55 minutes for an IM, OK bike at IM Lake Placid 5.35 and Savageman 5.48 but an awful runner 4.25 IM Lake Placid and worst at Wales 5:25 and Brazil 5:50. Walking death march.
Ugh quassy was such a great race until ironman bought it and managed to kill it in one year
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Agree. It was a great race until IM got involved. When Rev 3 owned the event it was a special gift to tri community. I remember the number of fans on the course including the unforgiving Old Woodbury road to the finish line. I remember my tri coach catching up to me in the run and being grateful pushing me to finish line ahead of him.
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don’t blame IM for killing the race. blame triathletes.
i raced it, told friends how great it was, but people didn’t want to race it because it wasn’t Mdot. the moment it was a Mdot race, it sold out, then it was gone a few years later.
big reason i no longer race any Mdot races. people do it for the logo.
Muskoka 70.3 has got to be up there. Swim is 500m with current and then1400m against it up river. I bike course is punchy and constantly up and down. I had 1076m of elevation gain on my Garmin. Run is also up and down constantly. Has a reputation for being hot and humid. Weather was 24c at race start and well over 30c by 9 a.m. this year. Lots of people cooked, including myself.
It was around for over a decade before Mdot with a half and olympic distance and sold out almost every year. Unfortunately it was a victim of Ironmans financial struggles during covid.
But back on topic if you want to really test yourself, while not an official distance try sea to summit (probably closer to an IM time wise) or clutch rescue (closer to 70.3 time wise)
Feels like Wildflower needs to get thrown in the mix here. Bike course gets the eyes, but the run is the killer IMO.
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Maybe not a 70.3 but Vegas T100 was super tough last year. Especially the run course. They changed the bike course this year so I don’t know exactly how it’ll compare, but the run is the same.
Can’t compare any of the above mentioned events, but StG was brutal. At least this last year in no small part due to the heat. Early May and it was already well into the 90s by the time I got to the run. Admittedly, I’m MOP into T2 and only get slower from there. Only event I have ever DNF’d (still not happy about that) but that was 99% due to the heat. I just got too depleted and just could not recover. The Marine in me told me not to stop but the nurse in me knew if I tried to continue much further I was at risk of serious electrolyte complications. Turned in my chip with six miles to go.
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I agree with the St George course. Any of the renditions of it had their own major toughness to them.
Also, I raced the non 70.3 half ironman course one time in the late 2000s in the southern Nevada Area called Rage in the Sage. With the swim in Lake Mead. That was a tough as nails course too.
Granted, I don’t have a large sample size since I haven’t raced that many races, but I’ve always felt Coeur d’Alene is a close second to St. George in terms of difficulty. Slightly less elevation gain on the bike (~800 m vs. ~1100 m) but very variable weather; in the past four years we’ve had heat waves, cold snaps, hail storms, high winds, etc. Much better swim and run courses than St. George, though.
I did know they ever offered Rage as a 70.3. I’ve done that one the the last four years and I’ve only seen sprint and oly distances offered. It is pretty challenging, even at those distances just because of the hills on the bike and run. But the toughest “short” course out here is Pumpkinman. It also starts at Lake Mead but you climb the hill in to Boulder City on the bike. That’s something like 1100 feet of gain in about 5 miles.
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Yea, it was at least 15-17 years ago that it was a half distance.
Imagine Pumpkinman as your first triathlon… it is for a lot of college club kids!
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I found Virginia Blue Ridge more challenging than St George, specifically the bike. St.G’s run in more challenging and the swim is a wash between the 2. But the bike at VBR was more elevation and more challenging elevation.
StG elevation is more spread out with lower grade. The Claw (8.5k at 5.9% grade) on VBR was brutal in the middle of the ride, a significantly more challenging climb than Snow Canyon (6.2k at 4.2%). Add in the VA humidity and it was a tough day. St.G certainly hold up as a tough course too so no knock on it.
Funny you mention that. Pumpkinman wasn’t my first tri, but it was my first Oly. Damn near killed me.
Always thought that it being the first ever race for a lot of college freshman is diabolical. Pretty much determines if half of them wants to even consider continuing triathlon in college. Seen a lot of kids do it as a one and done and never show up for the team ever again.