So my evil brother-in-law dragged me out to the IM Louisville bike course last weekend for 112 miles in 95 degree weather (I’ve been TT’ing for Olympics so far this season with no training rides over 40 miles) and here are my first impressions:
(1) Hotter then Hades. Good luck to all IM’ers in August. You need to have a very good hydration strategy.
(2). Beautiful course. Look out for some challenging hills on the 1694 out and back. The L’espirit section is tough with a false flat for most of the ride too. Otherwise, besides a stretch of US 42, it makes me proud to be a Kentuckian. Athletes will be impressed with the countryside.
(3). Be very careful. I am from Louisville and train the roads every day. The 'necks are your friends. They are very considerate, cautious and polite. Your enemies are the uppity a-holes in Prospect and Goshen out 42. This is extremely dangerous so ride with a friend. I actually had my first ever car on bike incident while training this course last weekend. i was knocked off the shoulder on Highway 42 in Goshen across from the Thorton’s gas station. Only traveling about 17-18 MPH in traffic and took an endo into the weed patch on the side of the road. Got very lucky. Nothing serious.
(4). I’m also impressed with the road work on River Road. I wuit riding it a few years ago because the conditions were so bad. Nice new pavement now!
I’m ready to take another crack at the course. Any ST’ers out there putting together Saturday or Sunday rides let me know.
Man you only rode 87 miles and don’t blame me for dragging you out. I tried to get not to come because I knew you were going to be an anchor all day slowing me down. But you were like I want to get out there. I ended up riding 117 miles, we missed the L’Espirit turn the first time. It took me 6 hours and 9 minutes which was 19.4 miles an hour average. L’Espirit is a very tough part of the course mostly because the sun is beating down on you and the false flat.
There are a couple of rough patches on the course After the turn around on 1694 at the bottom of the hill right after the bridge there are a couple of big holes. On 42 between 1694 and 393 on the way out there is one very rough section.
It was HOT HOT HOT when we were riding. If you are going to ride the course make sure you bring money you will need to stop to buy water and gatorade.
The turn onto Ballard School road sneaks up on you and it is a very small road. There is a pretty steep hill on Ballard that will sneak up on you, but it is short.
This course is very challenging with the rolling hills and the 1694 climbs, but there are flat sections where you can open it up and get moving pretty fast.
I ended up riding 117 miles, we missed the L’Espirit turn the first time. It took me 6 hours and 9 minutes which was 19.4 miles an hour average.
How fast is this course and can you compare it speed and time wise to other courses. How hard were you riding relative to your IM pace? What’s your typical IM or 1/2 IM bike time? 19.4mph for a Hot training ride doesn’t sound too bad. Just trying to gauge if this is slower than the old IMCDA course or IMC.
It was the first time I had ever ridden over 90 miles so I wasn’t sure what to expect and have nothing to compare it to. Sorry about that. I am hoping to ride the course in 5:30 to 5:20 during the race, so that would be 20-21 mph on average. I have only done one HIM and my time was 2:30 on the nose, but that was last year. I think this year I could do it in about 2:20.
I have ridden most of the IMWI course and I would say it is similar to that course.
My objectives on race day aren’t decided yet…but my objectives for a training day in Luavull would be:
Ride the full course (no shortcuts)
Ride at race pace (5:15 to 5:30ish), although it would be longer with stops of course.
Ride without getting tossed in the ditch
Ride without impeding normal traffic flow to the area
Get an understanding of the course, flow, general feeling of the area.
I have plently of places to do a 112 mile bike ride near my home. It’s obviously a benefit to ride the actual course, but (to me) not at risk of minimizing the criteria above. 5 is most important, but it rather fuzzy.
Was it worth your 14 hours of driving (and I assume an overnight stay)?
I’m not an Ironman but I would suggest making the 4 hour drive. We entertained a ST’er from Columbus last weekend and she thought the course was very scenic etc. It is a fun ride if you can handle some of the terrain. I would not want to show up race day not having a strategy for some of the hills, turnarounds and false flats etc. I would not bother training on the run course as it has few surprises.
Just like a brother to out me. Thanks. OK… I pussed on the second loop and only covered the first 87 miles but just wait until I get a few long rides under my belt this season. Maybe if I shave my legs like you I could cut down on some of the drag? Next time you make it home we are definitely doing the course again. This time be prepared to get dominated by a 210 pound gear mashing goat man. Yes I mean me Mick.
Not that I make a habit of riding courses in advance but it certainly can’t hurt. Also, I grew up in Louisville and have ridden most of the course and I think you can ride most (possibly the entire) of the course safely if you start your ride early enough. The part that everyone keeps talking about as the most dangerous is approximately miles 10-20 on the way out. If you start your ride from downtown Louisville around 6am on a Saturday or Sunday, traffic should not be much of an issue on that stretch of road. You do however encounter that stretch again around miles 92-102. As that will be later in the day, there will likely be more traffic so you may want to avoid that stretch of road. Bluemonkeytri was nice enough to post an alternative route to avoid the “dangerous” section, which I have pasted below. If you use the alternative route on the way out, follow it as described below. If you use it on the way back in, just follow it in reverse (I know, it’s hard to ride a bike backwards, but hey, you want to be an Ironman, don’t you?). Hope this helps.
However, Hwy 42 is a real danger spot, a 55 MPH zone with narrow roads and the kind of impatient drivers Rich describes. The alternative is to turn left on Rose Island Road (it is right across the street from the convenience store on 42 before the long hill that takes you to where 42 goes from 4 lanes to 2, just about a half mile from where River Road ends at 42). Follow Rose Island Road to the end. Shortly before the end, you will hit a stop sign at the intersection of 1793. You could take 1793 back up to 42 (a very tough hill) but that keeps you in the danger zone on 42. Instead, go straight through the stop sign and go to the end of Rose Island. The end of Rose Island is really just a 180 degree turn that puts you on Goshen Lane, and you are faced with a very fun hill (and also some beautiful views of the countryside and river). Just follow Goshen until it ends back at 42. Once in Goshen on 42, you are out of the heavy traffic area. This route adds something like 5 or 6 miles to the course, but it is much safer and much more scenic.
This is probably a no-brainer for someone who is an IM veteran and familiar with the IMLOU bike course.
What are you using for IMLOU gearing?
Should I be switching out to compact cranks and rings for IMLOU?
I purchased my first Tri Bike about 6 weeks ago and it has the 53x39, 11-23 set up. My previous ride was a road bike with clip ons using the compact set up of 50x36, 12-25. I love this bike especially in the hills. My new ride, I like it but have yet to get it completely dialed in.
IMLOU will be my first IM, just started tri last year, with the Evergreen International and the Pig Man Half IM (avg 21 mph).
With my additional training I hope to avg 20 mph at IMLOU.
I actually drove the 6 hrs and road the “Area 2” two weeks ago. Did 60 mi on Sat and 80 mi on Sun. Ballard School Road reminds me of the back hills of Starved Rock, too bad all the downhill momentum is lost on the sharp turn onto Old Sligo Rd, I’m glad Trimick mentioned the false flat on L’Espirit (I thought I was wimping out). I actually got to use my new high end gears on Westbound 42, and the screamer on 1694, and some of 393. I agree about the pothole hazards on the 1694 bridge return, the nasty pavement section on 42 eastbound between 1694 and 393. No one has mentioned the “phantom” paved over sink hole on 393 that lies in the shade somewhere pretty close to the last dip before the lowest bridge (I hit it all three times, despite looking for it the last two). The 393 hills are not to be shrugged in my opinion.
I did ok in the hills, kept the rpms above 85, but with my old ride I usually was over 90 for similar type of hills. I was hoping the better aero and positioning on the tri bike was going to help my legs on the run, and do enjoy the extra high end gears to power downhill, but if I’m lowering my cadence on the climbs by this much…
I ended up riding 117 miles, we missed the L’Espirit turn the first time. It took me 6 hours and 9 minutes which was 19.4 miles an hour average.
How fast is this course and can you compare it speed and time wise to other courses. How hard were you riding relative to your IM pace? What’s your typical IM or 1/2 IM bike time? 19.4mph for a Hot training ride doesn’t sound too bad. Just trying to gauge if this is slower than the old IMCDA course or IMC.
Thanks
I did the old IMCDA too and would be interested in the comparison with IMLOU. Also, any of the lucky riders that have done the course have any data on the elevation Gain?
Im from Guatemala and have not a clue of the weather in KY in those days and also dont have a clue on how steep the hills are in the mid west.
Thank you all for the info, not being able to know what im against to its easier with all the helpfull info. from you.
I only did the first loop (about 87 miles) but this is the data from my Garmin Forerunner:
Several 10-12% grade climbs. Only one or two sustained climbs at that grade. There are 2 ascents that are 15% and 16% grades but they are very short. The first 10 miles are very flat and fast. (likewise coming back into town) A few rollers after that. The first real climbs are at miles 20-25. 12% grade sustained for 300 ft climbs over a couple miles.
Approx. Mile 50-53 is a 16% grade, one-mile climb up to 1,000ft.
I would use your tribike. You should have plenty of gears. use them all and conserve. You will really benefit from being in the aero position the first and last 10 miles. You can get aggressive on these parts of the course.
The key to a great IMLOU will most likely not be a good bike strategy. It will be proper hydration and acclamation to the humidity levels in August.
The old CDA course was my first IM. I have to admit, I don’t remember alot of it. I do know that I considered CDA easier than either LP or Wisc, and Lou is more like Wisc than CDA. The weather here is already hot and humid, 90’s. It could change on a dime though. We have had plenty of hot Junes, just to see the temps in August be in the mid to low 80’s and nice. Last year was one of those years.