Done Wisconsin, doing Lake Placid. If anyone has done both, can you give some comparison on the courses…I live in WI so I could train on our course, this will not be an option for Lake Placid
Thanks
Done both, IMLP x7, Moo x1…will never do Moo again, and I do train on the Moo course. Madison has far too many hippies, race day traffic and it just is not as nice of an event as IMLP, CdA or Canada. Big cities and IM just dont go together well.
Couldn’t disagree with you more…Madison is NOT a big city…and it is an AWESOME bike course, with absolutly NO traffic what so ever…The crowds are awesome on both the bike and the run. Never done Placid, but may someday…and I am sure it is cool. Will be in CDA this year.
I have done Placid twice and Moo twice. Both events are great. My thought is IMLP bike course is a little tougher. Moo is a technical course, and Placid you can give it all you’ve got. But the hills seem to be longer and steeper in Placid. I thought the Placid Mary was easier than the Moo mary, though.
both courses are challenging but this is my assessment.
Yeah, but at IMLP on the run you dont get to go past pot smoking hippies, pissed off traffic, into an ally or two, cross parking lots, thru stadiums and get yelled at by people who want to drive someplace…but what do I know, I only train in Madison, did the race, been there on race day every year since year on…and the same at IMLP 
Edit no traffic? Um, not even getting out of town at the “bottle launch curb” or near Mt. Horeb? Wow, wish I had that then I am there 
Putting all the debates about hippies, potsmoking, traffic, etc aside, what I am looking for is a comparision on physical and technical differences between IM Lake Placid, and IM Wisconsin…again, I have done IM Wisconsin
Thanks
LLRR
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Have done both; WI is a more technical course with all the turns, LP has awesome scenery and longer climbs but they aren’t too bad provided you pace yourself properly on the bike. LP run course has some tough hills in the later stages of each loop. Mirror Lake is much clearer and less choppy than Lake Monona, and you also have the benefit of the yellow cable along the buoy line that everyone tries to sight from.
Done IMLP 3x and IMWI 3x. Live near Chicago and train on IMWI course as much as possible.
IMWI can be a slightly easier bike than IMLP on a nice, cool (dry) day, which has happened only once out of my 3x there. It has many short (ish) climbs, and it can be difficult to find a rhythm to them. There’s the false flat on what is it 92 or G?
IMLP has several long climbs, and the one flying downhill into Keene. People always talk about the 3 bears as being difficult, but they are very short climbs.
I think the 2 course are comparable in difficulty, both more difficult than IMC. You can look up the climbing figures many different places (probably right here). Training on the IMWI course is, IMO, great preparation for IMLP, although you might want to add in Horribly Hilly 200K (which is harder than the IMWI course), but registration for that is closed but you can look up the ride map online and go cherry pick any of the climbs off of Rte. 78 between Mt. Horeb and Black Earth and have a great time. To practice a long climb, just head to Blue Mounds and climb up into the park. There’s a time trial there, too.
As far as the marathon courses, IMLP is better only because there is none of the nonsense of being routed all over Madison to avoid construction. IMLP is 2 nice loops, easy to follow, lots of spectators and great. IMWI has colorful people lining the course.
Both good. Just keep training on IMWI course and you will be just fine.
I have done IMWI twice (03 and 05) and IMUSA once (07). I think the IMWI bike course is harder, since it is tough to get any momentum. Up and down, turn here, brake for this sharp turn. Not that the USA course is easy, I think I rode about the same splits for each, but the USA course seems to be much easier mentally. You don’t have to make nearly as many decisions; at IMWI you have to make a decision every little hill “can I hammer up this one? what gear should I be in? etc.” At IMUSA, you get to a 2 mile climb, make your decision on gearing and just ride up the hill.
Riding around Madison would be good training for USA, though. I think riding all of those short, steep hills can make you a very solid cyclist. And that will help on any course on which you compete.
i did IMLP before i did IMWI and think i was in better shape for IMWI.
that said, i found the IMWI bike course tougher (although it was pouring rain and cold all day).
i believe the course you’ll find “easier” will depend if you prefer long, steady climbs (LP) or short, steep ones (WI).
the LP bike course is hands down a nicer course to look at though (if you even notice during the race).
as for the marathon, i thought the WI course again was tougher, but preferred it to LP.
i liked the fact it was all in the town and there were constantly people around.
if you’d rather be alone in your misery on the marathon, you’ll prefer LP.
once you leave town it’s pretty much you and your thoughts!
I have only done LP 2004 & 2007 going back 2010.I grew up in that area you will love the course.Clean water,good road surface,I like the run because there is a section on the out and back by the ski jump with no people.Here are a few pictures for you.The bike from Wilmington to LP and the run course out the river on your left and back from the out and back section take aright at the ski jump back to town.Good Luck be prepared for ANY TYPE OF WEATHER.
Some spicy riding. Just don’t get distracted heading out 73 watching them there Nordic jumpers.
I’ve done IMWI 3 times and IMLP once. I live near Madison, so, I train regularly on the WI course. IMWI is significantly harder than IMLP b/c at WI is seams like you never get a return on your investment. IMLP has some challenging climbs, but, also very long downhills where you “get it back.” As you know, IMWI is roller after roller and very techical, so, you never seem to get any return on your hill climbing investment.
Having done IMLP 3X and IMWI twice, I think WI is the harder course mentally but that may be just because I don’t know it as well.(my fastest bike split and overall finish of the 5 was WI 2006 though) LP was my ‘home’ course and I trained on it even when not racing LP so I know it very well and love it. Unlike Chip, I really enjoyed Madison and racing WI or I wouldn’t have done it again.
So yes you can train adequately for one on the course of the other as others have said. Do drive the loop in LP before race day. The surprising part of the course will be the out and back as that is rolling and more like WI whereas most of the rest of the climbs are bigger. I agree with another poster that the three bears are unimpressive. It’s more that they fall at the end of the lap and you’ve been net climbing for the last 10 miles along absolutely gorgeous scenery as it follows the Ausable River. Biggest advice is don’t hammer the first climb out of town especially at the beginning of the first lap or you’ll pay for it later. Also be prepared for wind. I’ve trained on the course on days that make the winds in HI seem light although I don’t think the race has been held under those conditions yet but it’s possible. Mountains with narrow gaps plus high winds= very hard day.
thanks…keep the talk going…very interesting hearing the perspectives
LLRR
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could anyone comment on how Louisville compares to Wisconsin? I’ve done Lake Placid and Louisville - Just based on altitude profiles, I expected Louisville to be much easier, but the constant grind off all those little hills had my feet (more so than my legs) Hot and aching. I had to stop at 90 Miles on the Louisville course and walk it off a bit, which helped. Never felt anything like it before or since. The Lake Placid climbs are basically looonnnng, but as someone else mentioned, you can just get in a groove. Louisville seems similar to Wisconsin in that it has lots of rollers, anyone care to comment?
Louisville is a much easier bike course than WI. Rollers and the one big climb on the out and back spur, but not may turns and such. Also, the first and last part on river road makes for an easy start and finish (unlike IMUSA where the “hills” come at bad times). But, Lou will always be the hotter race most of the time with more energy spent up front in the swim (no wetsuit) and the 90 degree, humid marathon looming large after the bike, so that needs respect as well.
I’ve done both, once in WI and twice in LP. I won’t be back in WI. Personally, I hated the bike course. It felt like a road race course to me. 50+ turns, up, down, turn, brake, accelerate, repeat, repeat, repeat. If you like that, great, but it’s not my cup of tea.
I love the LP course. Good hard course with lots of climbing, but it’s a tri course, not a road race course. Great open stretches of hills roads to really enjoy.
-C
oeyvey! In the back of my mind, I’ve had a goal of doing each of the IM’s at least once – but if WI is harder than Louisville (which I thought was harder than LP) I’m not so sure I want any part of that!! Yikes!
I would never describe the Moo course as either difficult nor technical. I was told it was gong to be tough but i found it to be a lovely ride.