In the spirit of the IMLP vs. IMMOO debate.
Which course is tougher and why? Lake Tahoe or Maui?
I’ve done Tahoe but never Maui. Doing both this year, so curious what people who’ve done both have to say.
geez maui for sure! not even a close comparison at all.
-swim, maui, never that rough but usually a hell of a lot rougher than gorgeous lake tahoe (okay so that 2005 washing machine swim at Tahoe is an exception…)
-bike, Maui, hands down harder.
Tahoe doesn’t even have any tough climbs, no small ring action, no super technical climbing sections and tons and tons of smooth fire road. Yes, it does have climbing and fast descents and that one rocky switchback section but it’s pretty mild both technically and physically. Plus it’s cool! Granted you get what you give meaning that you can hurt just as much at Tahoe as Maui but it’s still a lot easier imho.
Maui has steeper and longer climbs, technical climbs, scary rocky technical downhills, faaaaaaaaast downhill sections, slooooooow uphill sections, fire road, rocks, gravel, rocks, silt beds and everything in between. Okay, so there is no lower speed technical sections at Maui, you gotta give that to Tahoe but the loose rock sections from hell sections on the Maui course have to make up for that. Plus if you fall on the Maui course, you’re hamburger! Oh, and it’s fr*cken hot.
-run, Tahoe is more fun for sure, like a rolling obstacle course with a bit of rhythm and fun. No hills though, no heat and it’s pretty easy to get into a nice rhythm on. Maui, just think hills, pounding bastardly uphills in the heaaaaaaaat, and then pounding bastardly downhills and then looooong deep sand beach runs, and then heat, and then obstacles kinda like Tahoe, then more dastardly sand, well you get my idea.
oh Maui sounds fun! 
I’m going for my first time this year, but skipping Tahoe (never been there either, but keep wimping out because of the altitude). I guess I’m in for a big surprise at Maui! Thanks for this description.
-bike, Maui, hands down harder.
Tahoe doesn’t even have any tough climbs, no small ring action, no super technical climbing sections and tons and tons of smooth fire road. Yes, it does have climbing and fast descents and that one rocky switchback section but it’s pretty mild both technically and physically. Plus it’s cool! Granted you get what you give meaning that you can hurt just as much at Tahoe as Maui but it’s still a lot easier imho.
Maui has steeper and longer climbs, technical climbs, scary rocky technical downhills, faaaaaaaaast downhill sections, slooooooow uphill sections, fire road, rocks, gravel, rocks, silt beds and everything in between. Okay, so there is no lower speed technical sections at Maui, you gotta give that to Tahoe but the loose rock sections from hell sections on the Maui course have to make up for that. Plus if you fall on the Maui course, you’re hamburger! Oh, and it’s fr*cken hot.
Tai, I’m shocked by this statement and question whether you have been to Tahoe - Tunnel Creek Road climb is a bitch - 2.5 miles or so in the smallest gearing, at 7000 ft. Most of the Tahoe ride is single track (3/5’s). Maui on the other hand has shorter climbs and is all fireroad. The only item that makes Maui harder is the lava, and you are certainly not at altitude.
To the OP. if you live at sea level the altitude changes will be the greatest factor, and is most markedly felt in the swim, making it feel harder. Maui is warm, has some waves and great views. The run in Maui is harder.
I’ve done Tahoe and ridden the trail wo the race as well. That first climb is a pain but I guess it’s a lot like the climbs I do in training and really didn’t seem all that bad to me. You just get in a gear and go. I find it a lot easier when the climbs are longer and kind of grouped together, ie you climb for a while, ride flat, then descend like in Tahoe. Maui, with it’s multiple smaller climbs just wears me out a lot more. Just different opinions on what’s tougher I guess. Also although Tahoe is singletrack it’s all pretty easy singletrack so aside from the fact that falling off the rim trail there might seriously suck, I’ve gotta vote the majority of Maui’s fire road as a lot sketchier. There’s nothing like blasting along at Maui and watching someone in front of you bounce right off the trail into the bushes;) That one switchback section with all those rocks in Tahoe is a pain though for sure. And the altitude sucked, gotta admit that for sure.
darn it, wanted to try to make it to tahoe again this year but have been injured all year. Hoping to get in a quick xterra race at the end of the month, we’ll see how it goes without any run training:)
I agree with Tai. Maui is hands down harder than Tahoe. The run alone is so much more challenging that it seals the deal, but when you combine the heat, lava rock, kiawe, etc it is not even close. Both are hard as f*#k though…
Also depends how you do at altitude. If your body doesn’t like it, Tahoe can be a really long day.
I did both races last year and will be doing them both again this year. They are both tough for sure but for different reasons. It all depends on your strengths. If you are like me and suck at altitude and in the cold then Tahoe is tough. I like it hot so Maui is more my kind of race. Here’s what I think:
Swim: Tahoe is harder. Water is sub 60 and you are swimming at 6500ft. Running to t1 with numb feet is not fun. The swim in Maui is incredible. Super warm, with plenty of fish and reef to keep you distracted.
Bike: I would say Maui is harder. You are pretty much baking in the sun and there is a lot of climbing. There is also a lot more consequence if you go down on the lava rock. Tunnel Creek road in Tahoe is definitely a challene, especially right out of the water, but it’s not too bad.
Run: Maui is harder. Hands down! The run is tough, climbing, descending, heat, sand, tight single track. It has it all and it’s long. The run in tahoe is pretty mellow and defintely the easiest of any of the Xterra championsip courses.
So if I had to pick one race that is “harder” i would say Maui, but then again it all depends on your strenghts.
So Tai which is harder? Maui and Tahoe combined or chasing the 1,2,3s around a pancake flat four corner crit course for an hour in the 92 degree sun? Good job buddy, that had to hurt a lot. You know your buddy C was ripping at the front on those early laps you were suffering so badly. Aloha Greg
Ha, yesterday was pathetically fun:) been pretty much just cruisin a 20 miler once a week or so lately and finally my hip is feeling better so I figured I’d enter some races! Rode my longest ride in a looong time mtn biking on Sat for 4 hours in Pearl City (man that single track is awesome!!!), then hit up Tantalus TT half dead where I served as Karl’s rabbit and didn’t do half bad at all if I do say so myself. The crit was hilarious, I didn’t have the power to match ANY of their attacks on the back straight so everytime there was an acceleration I was off the back instantly. Sure was a fun reintroduction to threshhold workouts though;) I just want to get in kinda sorta race shape for mountain man tri and then I’m retired for the year again. Gotta see if I can hold off Hairy Legs and Jimmy there! Hopefully my new found semi-uber swimming skills and 3 week lotsa mtn biking training plan will outweigh the part about running up hills and such which I still haven’t even attempted to train for. Should be fun, no concussions this year!!!
Oh and Maui is still harder! Or St. Louis riding up the trail yesterday, I was so tired I could barely hold a straight line…