Hi all!!! Is there anyone out there that has raced Ironman Wisconsin? what can i expect from the race course? I have heard that the bike course is very technical and hilly. Thanks Sergio Marques
There are a number of race reports out there, but here is my experience with it from this past year. I grew up in Madison FWIW.
Swim: Great clean calm water, sighting a bit difficult due to sun and bouys being hard to see. Otherwise, great. Good for the spectators too as you can watch from the top of the Monona Terrace.
Bike: Hilly. I currently train in the Pittsburgh, PA region, and the IM race course isnt too different from riding in the Pittsburgh area. The IM race course is filled with constant rollers, with some short, but significant steep sections. No long sustained climbing. The crowds are great especially in verona… Plus the “devil” (ala tour) was on one of the more painful climbs cheering us on. I consider they cycling my strength, and used a 55x39 12-25 with 650c wheels, and felt that that was a decent gearing selection. The heat was pretty brutal. The course is easy to blow up on, as I saw tons of people from mile 80 on pulled over to the side of teh road, lying down in the shade, destroyed, trying to recover.
Run: Mostly flat, although there is the short steep climb as you make your way back to the downtown on the 1st and 2nd loop. There is a brutal open field with no shade on the far side of the loop, lined by fan-made-signs. I was a tough mental section especially since it was really hot, humid, without a cloud in the sky, and that section was quite exposed. The fans are great since it is on the huge college campus, the support is awesome, and running thru state street was a big rush.
Overall, fantastic venue and race. The weather can be difficult.
Tecnical…kinda…
Hilly? I didnt think it was that hilly at all…one short hill that is tough, that is it.
Run course seems like they just went out and found 26.2 miles zigging and zagging about the city.
I myself think that Panama City and Lake Placid both put on a much better race than Madison (I think it is the big city that takes away the romance of IM). I wont do Moo again…(and to think I am only 40 minutes from Madison)
Well, if you were in the U.S. you could watch one hour of TV coverage from the 2003 event tomorrow from 12-1 p.m. on the Outdoor Life Network…
(Figure this might help someone in the U.S. who has the same question…)
I did MOO (first year) and have spectated LP all but this year and yes, while things are more spread out, it is very well embraced by everyone in Madison as well as the small towns you go through on the bike which I thought was great. Not quite as ‘intimate’ as LP, I still found it to be embraced by everyone in the area.
I found the bike course kind of hilly, but short and steep hills which I prefer - techincal (I guess) in that it would save much energy to know when to change gears properly and to be properly geared. When I drove part of the course this year (supported friends this year) I didn’t remember some of the climbs which must mean they weren’t so bad if I forgotten them.
I haven’t previewed the new run course but they replaced the empty stadium with an empty field and took out the second climb up the steepest hill so it is easier. It is a very spectator friendly course though and a properly placed cheering section can see you quite easily several times which is kind of nice.
All that being said, I’m going back next year for another crack at this IM thing. I’m sure it will be a fun day with my friends out on the course again.
And that is my $0.02CDN worth.
I did IMOO this year and am signed up for next. It is a great race venue with an immense amount of support from spectators. The swim is flat, but getting in and out of the water is sort of a bottle neck. The run up the helix is fun! (not)
The bike is mostly rolling hills with a couple of pretty steep grinds. The 12-25 recommendation is good. The technical part comes from the numerous turns. Just when you can get a good head of steam going there are turns which you have to set up for/break. Then there are the couple of places where you come around a turn only to find a short steep hill; being in the correct gear is important.
The run has a really steep hill (observatory hill) but also has a couple of sections that take you right down town. While you are working, the spectators are watching you and encouraging you with their favorite beverage in hand. A run course is a run course, so whether you run through the stadium or all over the city, it is still a run.
The spectator support is fantastic.
Hope to see you there
Larry
Thanks for the info!!
I am considering doing the race in 2004 but it doesn´t depends only of my desire to race, unfortunatly.
Sergio Marques
The race is closed. You will have to do a qualifier or know somebody.
Did’nt he just finish in the top 10 at an IM? or something? if so he’s a shoe in if he can get to WI.
Errrrr, yeah i was top 10 at IMFL…
Sergio Marques