hi all
a couple of questions
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how does the bike course compare to placid - looking at some of the times it looks quicker
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is there a typical weather ? i can do early morning cold weather but cant do rain and cold
much appreciated
Can be 95 degrees and sunny, can be 48 degrees and raining. The water this year was a balmy 63, but it can be 54.
Bike hills- longer and more sustained than placid. Easier in that the LP slog back up into town is replaced by the largely downhill return from the final turnaround.Similar actual feet of climbing. (correct me if wrong). This year was an uphill slog into the wind for 20 miles, twice. Again, variable. Personally think LP is easier, as you’ve got the long downhill, and then the long flat along River Road. But some disagree and think LP is harder- so I guess likely similar, depends on preferences.
If you want consistent weather, go somewhere else. But it’s a fabulous race, the town is great, everyone gets behind the race, no feeling that the race is an annoyance that you get in LP.
Never done placid so can’t compare the two. The climbs are much more of the sustained variety (long but not to steep) than of the steep and short variety.
Typical weather though is absolutely gorgeous. The PNW in summer is literally heaven on earth.
There have been some years at IMCDA where its been tough weather, but typically you can count on high 70s to low 80s with zero humidity, some wind, and lots of gorgeous sunshine once you get into the day.
As someone that used to live in Spokane (now in Philly), I can’t recommend IMCDA experience to athletes enough. I’ve volunteered many years and I typically try to schedule my summer vacations to visit family around the race so I can go back and volunteer. I did it in 2012 and am thinking about registering for 2015 as well.
Done LP twice and the old CDA course 3 times. LP was about 5minutes slower at same wattage but easier on your legs do to the longer sustained climbs. CDA beat you up more but they have change the course and I think it has less hills so should be faster with less damage to you legs. Maybe some one who has done both CDA courses can tell us.
I did both this year. I’ve done LP 4 times and this was my first time on the new CDA course. Overall gain is very close. Within a few hundred feet. Its hard call to which one is easier. BUT - I think CDA is a faster course if you have a normal wind day. There are a few no passing zones in CDA which slow you down for probably 1.5 miles total. This year didn’t seem like a normal wind day. CDA has 4 (2 each loop) sustained climbs that are slow - LP really only has 1 “climb” and its only a few minutes. If there is a time difference its probably only a +5/-5 depending what you get for actual weather on the day.
I’ve seen LP in the low 50’s and pouring rain for 12 straight hrs - I’ve seen it mid 80’s and humid as hell and everything in between.
Both are great races.
Never done placid so can’t compare the two. The climbs are much more of the sustained variety (long but not to steep) than of the steep and short variety.
Typical weather though is absolutely gorgeous. The PNW in summer is literally heaven on earth.
There have been some years at IMCDA where its been tough weather, but typically you can count on high 70s to low 80s with zero humidity, some wind, and lots of gorgeous sunshine once you get into the day.
As someone that used to live in Spokane (now in Philly), I can’t recommend IMCDA experience to athletes enough. I’ve volunteered many years and I typically try to schedule my summer vacations to visit family around the race so I can go back and volunteer. I did it in 2012 and am thinking about registering for 2015 as well.
I’d echo this. CDA was my first IM(last year) and I hate to clog the post with someone who has not done both races but CDA is just such a great venue. I’m originally from CDA (Chicago now, past 11 years) and I’ll just say the area and weather is amazing. Only reason I point this out is I grew up in it, so if anyone is not going to be impressed with that it I would surely be among that group.
Having said that I was spoiled there w/weather last year (62f swim, low 70s most of the day) but it is highly variable. In terms of difficulty, again I’ve not done both, but I found the bike pretty challenging due to the long sustained climbs. Having said that I’ve been in the mountainous region of the midwest for a decade so this was challenging to train for.