Texas 70.3 this weekend will be my second HIM. Part of me wants to go ahead and do an IM this year and knock that off my list. I’ve done lots of sprints and Olympics and ran one marathon…but I’ve never done an IM. IM Texas is sold out, as is IM Florida. I’d like a race that is driving distance for me here in Texas. What about IM Louisville? I’m guessing since its in August that it’ll be hotter than hell? Is the course pretty good/flat? Training through the Texas heat might also suck.
bike is rolling to somewhat hilly but not that bad, run is flat, yes it will be hot, the “first ironman” question gets asked a lot and it shouldnt, it doesnt matter if its your first im, 140 miles is 140 miles
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IMLOU was my first (and only full to this point). I had done 3 HIMs prior. I’m from the south, as you are, so I was acclimated to heat and humidity. You will likely need it. I did it in 2012. Temps reached 92 and I felt every bit of it.
The swim is a bit nasty, not clear water at all, but it’s not bad. Don’t be fooled by the “downstream” part of the swim. There isn’t any noticeable current.
The bike is tough. No super tough climbs but you are often going uphill. And anyone who tells you the last 30 miles are all downhill is a liar.
Depending on who or what you believe, the climbing is 5-7,500 feet. I figure it is somewhere in the 6500-7000 range. Not a killer but for a long, hot day, it’s certainly tough.
The run is dead flat. When I did it there was one small climb over a bridge and I think they’ve taken it out now. Now, very flat.
Great aid stations. Great support. Finish is awesome. Really awesome. They have a really fantastic finishing area.
In my run special needs bag I actually changed shoes and socks. Took less than a minute but really was incredibly helpful. Something to think about.
It’s really a great race and I would have no hesitation doing it again.
Wouldnt be my top choice. the swim is a trial time start which sucks if you are waiting in line, warm water and muddy. nice huh? at least you can walk some parts of it?The bike is hilly AND very choppy.this is unlike lake placid which has relatively long steady climbs and descents which I liked a lot. At louisville, I was constantly changing gears and found it hard to get in any rhythm. Coming from a flat home( charleston, sc, ) I hated it. Assuming you are in the flatlands, it will be difficult to train properly for the bike. During the race, some jackass had put a huge m dot spray painted on the street with a circle and slash . roof tacks were thrown on the street causing flats . locals complained bitterly about the race coming there and quite frankly, traffic on the race course was a nightmare.The run at least is flat but nothing to write home about. I envisioned a cool run by Churchill downs but in reality , its in the hood. Post race food is a block from the finish line and cold pizza.
Others like the race for some reason but I can’t figure out why.
It’s a very well run race
The bike course is awesome
You don’t have a shit ton of contact on the swim
The finish line is the best of the IM’s that I have done (IMOO, LP, CDA, IMLOU, B2B)
Everything is close, Louisville is easy to Navigate. We always stay @ Residence INN Louisville East. (2 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, Kitchen)
Why Louisville Sucks:
It’s hot as balls.
The run course is nothing to brag about, but the fan support is amazing on the course.
It’s so hot, my balls were constantly stuck to my leg.
IMLOU is an amazing race. I am singed up for my 4th time this year.
Seriously, do it.
IM Boulder has more slots than any other IM and it sold out in like a day. But I appreciate your snarkiness and tough guy attitude. Clearly you’re no pussy.
IM Boulder has more slots than any other IM and it sold out in like a day. But I appreciate your snarkiness and tough guy attitude. Clearly you’re no pussy.
The current is variable from year to year. Rain (or lack thereof) leading up to the race will determine whether the Army Corps of Engineers will be able to close the dam (locks?) upstream.
I"ve done the race 2x (2011 & 2012) and there was a noticeable difference in the current between the two. In 2011 (noticeable current), I was 9 minutes faster in the swim than in 2012 (noticeable lack of current). Should have been the other way around given my training and experience.
In fact, the race is a time trial swim start because the first year of the race(2007) the current was so strong, Ironman ditched the 2 loop swim the day before the race because they didn’t think athletes would be able to complete the upstream portion of the swim course.
Maybe because people don’t like the idea of tacks on the road,?
Maybe because people don’t like the fact that there are 1000 more athletes on the course than some of the other options?
Maybe because people are doing Kona and don’t want to do an IM that close to Kona (i.e., time, vacation days, and expense of doing 2 IMs so close together)?
Maybe because there are more IM options available now than before … and the number of IM athletes haven’t increase that much or at all? IM Copenhagen, which I, an American, have done, is on the same day as IM Lou this year. IM Tremblant is the week before. IM Sweden, which I’ve done, is the week before. IM Japan, which I’m contemplating, is on the same day. If all those options weren’t available, like they weren’t available a few years ago, I might consider IMLou.
Add up a few athletes from 1-4 and a few other valid reasons and you have plenty of valid reasons why it doesn’t fill up.
Maybe because people don’t like the idea of tacks on the road,?
Maybe because people don’t like the fact that there are 1000 more athletes on the course than some of the other options?
Maybe because people are doing Kona and don’t want to do an IM that close to Kona (i.e., time, vacation days, and expense of doing 2 IMs so close together)?
Maybe because there are more IM options available now than before … and the number of IM athletes haven’t increase that much or at all? IM Copenhagen, which I, an American, have done, is on the same day as IM Lou this year. IM Tremblant is the week before. IM Sweden, which I’ve done, is the week before. IM Japan, which I’m contemplating, is on the same day. If all those options weren’t available, like they weren’t available a few years ago, I might consider IMLou.
Add up a few athletes from 1-4 and a few other valid reasons and you have plenty of valid reasons why it doesn’t fill up.
It is a good course. Yes it will be hot. And humid. The bike is most definitely not flat, constant rollers. And the last section of the bike is always into the wind. The run is flat except for one incline on each loop. Finish line is great.
I did it last year as my first full IM. It was sunny and 90 degrees in the afternoon, so definitely hot. However, the humidity was not as oppressive as I’ve heard it’s been in years past. Anyway, my overall assessment of the race is that newbies need not be afraid.
As mentioned, the speed of the swim will vary depending on the current of the Ohio River. It was a rainy summer last year, so with a lot more water moving downstream you could really fly in the water. But a dry summer would mean a slower moving river, hence less advantage in the current.
I really don’t get the hate for the bike course. Yes, there is one out and back section early in the course that involves two fast descents with a lot of other riders around. Pretty dangerous if you ask me and that part should be changed. The tack incident happened one time as far as I can tell, and there were zero incidents of that nature last year. Beyond that, the course is fine. It’s rolling hills and not a whole lot of straight, flat sections. In other words, a worthy challenge and one you will have to ride intelligently if you don’t want to blow up on the run. Gear your bike properly, don’t burn your matches on the climbs, and the course will be a piece of cake. Not all bike courses can be pancake flat and straight as an arrow, nor should they be.
The run course is really the downside of the race. It’s a two loop out and back course, mostly through residential neighborhoods. Once you get out of the downtown area and away from the crowds, it can get pretty boring I suppose. I don’t know how much different that is from running out to and back from the Energy Lab at Kona though, as much a mental challenge as it is physical. Oh, and the other downside to the run course is at the start of your second loop you actually approach the finish line within about 100 meters only to have to make a right turn to head back out for another 13 miles. Fairly demoralizing if you’re struggling out there. Fortunately, I wasn’t, so I just waved to my family and yelled jokingly at them that I’d “be right back.”
Did Louisville as my first in 2012 and going back this year. It was an awesome experience. I have read plenty of talk on the water in the Ohio. The water is no different than any of the local lakes around me (Atlanta). Bike is fair. Pretty much rolling the whole time. Run is flat.
Volunteers. Beyond awesome, actually volunteering because they WANT to be there, not because they want in to next years race, hmmmm IM Chatanooga anyone? They were so nice in registration, on the course and when I got my bike after the race.
Great town too, lots of great places to eat and local distilled bourbon (Angels Envy and Jeffersons) the only two distilled in the city limits.
I do think the heat has a lot do with the race not selling out. I train in the heat all summer, so race day was easier than training. No black line on the swim and zero contact, everyone is really spread out, lots of people to ride with and then run with on the marathon!
