Summary of the Email from Ironman today, 9/15/14. The bike course looks to remain at 116 miles with hopes to change the course for 2015. To account for the extra mileage the finish line will close at 12:15 instead of midnight. Due to the later sunrise (7:40) the cut off time will be 16:35 hours instead of the 17 hours. Just a FYI.
No need to summarize anything … just show the whole email 
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Dear IRONMAN Chattanooga Athletes,
We are hard at work finalizing details for our inaugural event in Chattanooga, and are looking forward to a fantastic race day.
With courses that span hundreds of miles and cross varied terrain, communities and even states, each race comes with its fair share of logistical challenges. With that said, we want to make you aware that currently the bike course for IRONMAN Chattanooga measures 116 miles-four miles beyond our traditional 112 mile bike course length. We are working with agencies in both Tennessee and Georgia to produce the best bike course possible for this year and hope to change the course for 2015.
To account for the extra mileage, we will be extending the final bike cutoff from 6:00pm to 6:15pm and the finish line close from midnight to 12:15am.
In addition, we would like to remind you that sunrise is later than for most of our events as this is a late season race - which impacts our standard U.S. cutoff time of 17 hours. The rolling age-group start is currently scheduled for 7:40 a.m. and all athletes should be in the water by 8:20 a.m. giving athletes between 15hrs55min and 16hrs35min to complete the race.
We realize that the combination of these issues is not ideal and we appreciate your understanding as we work through the logistical challenges of a first-year event.
If you have any questions, please contact Chattanooga@ironman.com.
Thank you for your understanding, and we’ll see you at the finish line!
I like how over the last 6 months the RD was saying they would estimate that it would take 20 mins to get everyone in the water and now it magically moved to 40 mins. It doesn’t matter to me but for someone that those 20 mins are important for it makes a huge difference.
Summary of the Email from Ironman today, 9/15/14. The bike course looks to remain at 116 miles with hopes to change the course for 2015. To account for the extra mileage the finish line will close at 12:15 instead of midnight. Due to the later sunrise (7:40) the cut off time will be 16:35 hours instead of the 17 hours. Just a FYI.
Seems like a reasonable compromise as those finishing late at night will need around 16-20 minutes longer to complete the course.
So people who start at the front will have a longer cutoff time than people who start at the back, by up to 30mins? Would this not encourage those people who are concerned about the cutoff time to start as far forward as possible and thereby mess up the self-seeding?
There is no self-seeding. It’s a TT start. He who gets up at 3:00 AM and lines up in front, gets the longest window.
Wondering if the sub 1:20/over 1:20 swim start lines will help with the start. Nothing is worse than jumping off the dock only to run into someone trading water 150m from the start.
It won’t matter. People overestimate and underestimate their swim time. The are no guarantees that the person near you, in the line that you’re in, will be anywhere near your pace. The two lines will converge before the 150m mark. Contact will be the same, regardless of the line. It doesn’t take much to cause an hour swimmer to start trending water after getting hit.
I am more curious about the 2015 changes. I like the course as it is. Seems like that could just modify it with a few out and back sections to get the mileage correct.
I would hate to see it head east on Amicola Hwy as that would be boring and I suspect if they went north on 27 or Market that it would be too difficult for most athletes. Not really sure where they would go beyond south without running into even bigger issues.
I am more curious about the 2015 changes. I like the course as it is. Seems like that could just modify it with a few out and back sections to get the mileage correct.
I would hate to see it head east on Amicola Hwy as that would be boring and I suspect if they went north on 27 or Market that it would be too difficult for most athletes. Not really sure where they would go beyond south without running into even bigger issues.
I’ve ridden the course with a cut through before the first loop goes through Chickamauga and then made the larger original loop on the 2nd time around - my mileage came out to right around 112 miles - it’s possible to do it on this course without changing too much, but logistically having a loop within a loop means more staffing. Not ideal, but possible.
Where is there information about the swim start procedure? I just see the athlete guide saying “athletes will enter the water in a rolling start”.
With the slightly shortened overall race time there are nervous newbies. I’m betting some of the over 1:20 swimmers will be fudging near the front to get a little more overall course time.
I think it will take 22 minutes to get everyone in the water. Id rather surprise you and get everyone in the water early than upset you by being late… If the weather cooperates, I think we can start at 7:15ish and get everyone in the water by 7:45/7:50am. We will have a better idea race week, but won’t know for sure until race morning.
Will participants have an opportunity to warm-up before the swim start? Or, will there just be a looong time of standing in line?
Looking forward to a GREAT race. Thanks for all your hard work on getting this first year Ironman off the ground! Z
Where is there information about the swim start procedure? I just see the athlete guide saying “athletes will enter the water in a rolling start”.
From RD
Now onto the actual start! We will start the age groupers in a rolling start. Athletes will line up first-come, first-serve. As soon as the pros are in the water, we will bring bringing athletes down the gangway to the large floating dock. There will be two starting areas, one on the left, one on the right. 60 feet will separate these areas. The goal with the two different areas is to have swimmers with a projected swim time greater than 1:20 start from the left side, and those with a projected swim time less than 1:20 start from the right side. This should allow athletes a chance to get in the water with swimmers of similar ability and get on their way down the river with a little less chaos. When you walk onto the swim start platform volunteers will help direct you to the start area of your choice. A timing wire will be placed right before the edge of the dock so your time wont start until just before you jump in the water (feet first, no diving). Once in the water, swimmers will have a wide area to swim in, a couple hundred feet. This should help everyone have as smooth of a swim as possible.
The swim course will close 2 hours and 20 minutes after the last age group athlete starts the swim. Each athlete will get the full 2 hours and 20 minutes to complete the 2.4 mile swim regardless of what time they enter the water. Athletes who take longer than 2 hours and 20 minutes to complete the swim will receive a DNF. IRONMAN official’s reserve the right to pull athletes off the course who exceed any established course time cut-offs. I am optimistic that we can get everyone in the water in 25 minutes, but being a first year event I wont make any promises!
Thanks!!
100X This. I have accepted the fact that the course is long but it is complete bullshit that they could not get 112 out of the current course. I can deal with all of the other issues with a first year race but the one thing to not F up is distance. It does not add up and is still unacceptable in my book.
Still cannot get anyone to say whether or not the splits will be based on 112 or 116.
This^ x 100. It’s FUBAR!
Agree with your sentiments 100%
Since they sent out an email to everyone today acknowledging that it’s 116 miles, I would say there is a high likelihood that the splits will be 116. Perhaps the sportstats fella can shine in and help us out since he’s probably timing the race.