IMLP Bike...what altitude

Triathlon Forum
1

I cannot find any good information about how much climbing there is on each loop.

I have read between 1600 feet and 3000 feet, per loop. Mapmytri puts it at about 1700.

Anyone that has done the course have an accurate number?

2

I think I heard 1800 and change at epicman
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3

This is from memory, but I remember checking it out with Google Earth back when I was bored to tears at work (no longer working there, safe to say ;-):

  • the start is at about 1850’ & you descend to about 1750’ at Riverside Drive
  • the highest point on the entire course is about 2150’, right around where the two narrow lakes are on the ride from LP to Keene
  • Keen is at about 900’
  • the elevation at Jay is about 750’ (net loss from Keene, although you probably climb 100’ or so toward the beginning)
  • the total amount of climbing in the out/back is about 200’
  • Wilmington is at about 1100’

So the initial gain is 400’ on the first leg (LP-Keene), 350-400’ on the second leg (Keene-Jay), 200’ of climbing in the out/back, then 750’ or so from Wilmington back to town.

That’s 1800’ or so per loop, 3600’ in total. Seems about right from the dozens of loops I’ve done over the years.

Bottom line: Hold back as much as you can stand for the second loop – you’ll be glad that you did!

Have fun out there-

-Mike

4

GAH, if thats the case, then I almost over trained.

I train in a canyon in So. Cal (Santiago Canyon for the locals) and one loop is about 35 miles and near 1850 feet of climbing. I got up to 3 loops of that followed by a 2 hour run.

I am so ready. The swim is downhill right?

(First IM, so really second guessing the training)

5

Nope, sorry, that’s not enough. I believe it’s closer to 2800-3000 feet per lap. Last year in training at IronTour, I did one full lap, one lap minus the out-and-back, and the climb up whiteface, and recorded 10665 feet of climbing in 113.7 miles. I’m not sure about the exact elevation gain for Whiteface, but I believe it’s in the 5000 foot range. So 6000 feet is a good guess for two laps of the bike course.

-Colin

6

Here is the bike profile:
http://www.ironmanusa.com/bike.html

Here is a comparison of each IM North America bike course:
http://www.ironmanusa.com/bike.html
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7

Nope, sorry, that’s not enough.

I guess what I’m trying to convey is that net elevation gain among the segments is a more realistic way to measure the climbing requirements of a course. For example, if you have an undulating section where there are 6-7 hills & dips that are about 50’ high each, you didn’t just subject yourself to a net elevation gain of 300’+ by any stretch of the imagination.

Net-net, it’s a tough little course, and knowing where it bites you is good to know up front.

8

Nope, sorry, that’s not enough.
I guess what I’m trying to convey is that net elevation gain among the segments is a more realistic way to measure the climbing requirements of a course. For example, if you have an undulating section where there are 6-7 hills & dips that are about 50’ high each, you didn’t just subject yourself to a net elevation gain of 300’+ by any stretch of the imagination.

Net-net, it’s a tough little course, and knowing where it bites you is good to know up front.

I disagree. You have exactly subjected yourself to 300 feet of elevation gain in your scenario. Some riders my find 300 feet broken into 6-7 short, steep hills to be tougher (i.e. IM-Wisconsin) than a non-stop 300 foot climb (IMLP), but that’s a different question.

You are right, knowing the course, knowing what’s tough for you and what your strengths are, and knowing where to apply the power and where to back off are the most important things that go into having a good race.

-Colin

9

My polar 625x calls it ~2900 feet of gain per lap.
(this is based on data from LP '06 and EpicMan '07)

So call it ~5800’ total for the bike ride.

(I rode Whiteface the day prior to EpicMan, and IIRC the ascent gain total the Polar spit out was like within 40’ of what is listed as the official vert gain for that climb, so it seems to be pretty accurate in general. Unless the atmospheric pressure is dramatically rising or falling during a ride, it also seems pretty repeatably accurate as well. YMMV.)

10

Bottom line: Hold back as much as you can stand for the second loop

I have never raced the IMUSA bike course, but I have had a chance to ride it 5 laps of it in the last month. This is one IM bike course that will pay you back BIG TIME if you pace it properly. Know that the real riding starts on the first lap when you start to ride back up to LP from Wilmington after the Out-And-Back, ie the last 10 - 20K of the loop. If you are hurting at all before that you are going to be in trouble. Typical conditions have the winds picking up on the second loop with a head wind in your face on the last climb. Take every advantage you can to squeeze some speed out of the big downhills. Keep it steady on the flats and the rollers between Keene and Upper Jay - this is where you will want to get as much nutrition in as you can. The Out-and-Back is not easy either with a couple of nasty little climbs that can really bite on the second lap if you have over-cooked yourself.