I see the weather forecast for this week in Des Moines is on the balmy side…104 tomorrow. Anyone have any local knowledge on expected water temps? Anything to know about the bike course? My first time at this event so any info is appreciated.
I’ll be there! Water temp is posted on the website and was last updated 6 days ago. It was 79F back then, can’t imagine it has, or will, get any cooler with the heatwave they are experiencing so I’m expecting non-wetsuit swimming. Temperature forecast looks to be mid-90s on race day but hopefully we’ll be done before it gets too hot 
I’m in! Haven’t raced it before but am definitely looking forward to Sunday.
I’m in. Bike is flat and fast. Run is generally flat, but has a few dips and climbs as you maneuver the course over the river/bridges. You won’t have to survive the last hill before the finish this year because they moved the finish from downtown to out by the lake. Should be a fast run finish the way they have it laid out. The swim is flat.
I see the weather forecast for this week in Des Moines is on the balmy side…104 tomorrow. Anyone have any local knowledge on expected water temps? Anything to know about the bike course? My first time at this event so any info is appreciated.
Water will not be wetsuit legal, and if it is its best to go without to not burn up. The 1 minute you save wearing a wetsuit you will lose by falling off pace on the run.
On another note I am going solo and looking to match up some lodging with anyone that is interested, looking to do this trip on the cheap so I can race more into the fall!
When I plugged in Des Moines to my weather app last night, I was sure I had found the wrong Des Moines… not so. I live in Ohio and totally assumed they would have similar weather, just a few degrees cooler.
Oh well, it will be hot for everyone. Should be a good little hit for heat prep before Vegas the following weekend. I’ve never done this event either, so I’m not much help on the course, but all my research indicates a pretty mild, fast course. Best of luck to you!
I did a couple of IM Canada prep swims in Grays Lake last week when the weather was cooler and about exploded after swimming only 1000m in my wetsuit. With the abnormal heat wave coming through the water will feel like bath water.
Water tested at 80F today!
Yikes! I’ll be out there cheering. With an ice cold beverage.
Didn’t the water temperature magically drop a couple degrees overnight last year?
I’d love a no-wesuit swim. Better put the cover on the pool.
Water will definitely be hot since its already at 80* and the temps are going to be 90*+ all week. Yes the water temp did “drop like 10*” over night last year somehow magically. The swim this year looks kinda goofy with the way the course is set up. Everything else will be fast and flat. It’s also one of the best put on races and has a great finish (if they keep the finishing area similar to last year). Also, being sponsored by a grocery store, the after party food is spectacular. I think I had 2-3 ice cream cookie sandwiches last year. And the swag bags are pretty legit, last year you got a backpack and a cycling jersey. Hope to everyone out there this weekend!
What is their plan for us to get from the transition area to the start of the swim on the opposite side of the lake? That would be a pretty long walk and a bit long for a swim warmup to the other side.
No clue yet. I haven’t really seen anything about transport from t1/2 to the swim start. Not sure why they are doing it that way. Hopefully this year they have more bathrooms, or some in transition. Last year I waited inline for 50 minutes and then got to the front of the line and my wave got called. I apologize for whoever was swimming behind me.
The walk from transition to swim start isn’t that far and it will probably be quite a bit shorter than the walk from wherever you park/get dropped off to transition.
Depending on your frame of reference “flat” may be a little deceiving for the bike. There are a couple for rollers once you get out on 63rd and Army Post, nothing too hard especially for an Olympic - just power through them. The section coming back on George Flagg is a pretty crappy road, pay attention to your line.
Water tested at 80F today!
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Gee… you think it will cool off any with 5 straight daysof 95F+ weather… ummm no. I think it said a high of 99F today and again Friday. Huge kudo to volunteers and staff setting up this week. Be sure to thank them. It will be nasty hot.
Go figure, my July and August races thsi year and it never broek 80F during the race. Now it’s September and it’s screaming hot. Time to reacclimate this week.
I’m in the regular Hyvee Tri this year so I’ll really get to enjoy the heat and standing around 90 minutes before my start. I’m a little nervous about slower traffic on the course from the 5150 championship. The Athena division only start 17 minutes up, so I’ve heard your catching them before T1, and then it’s all the earlier female waves on the bike. Same thing happened at Pigman with hte Olympic race going before the Long Course Elite waves. It wasn’t too bad. Ultimately everyone has to race in the same conditions.
I really really wanted to break 1:00 on the bike since its’ a flat course, but with the heat and traffic that might be optimistic.
Anyone know the parking situation? Is this like a big park venue with one big parking lot or will we need to find street parking or parking garages somewhere?
Parking is on the south side of the lake, just south and west of transition. Same place as last year if you were here, this year you don’t have to worry about shuttle buses back from the finish line.
Parking is on the south side of the lake, just south and west of transition. Same place as last year if you were here, this year you don’t have to worry about shuttle buses back from the finish line.
Okay, thanks much. First time doing this event…first time in Iowa. Heard/read good things about the event…looking forward to it.
Bike course looks like a long slow 2% grade starting around the 7.5 mile mark for 1 mile, then it’s some little 30-50’ rollers you just power over. Practically pancake flat for me. The other Olympic I did this year it was about a 6-8% grade for about a 1/4 mile just out of T2. Total elevation was recorded at 1364ft or a little more than 2X as much. I figure all big ring, probably only need 4 gears unless it’s really windy up one of those hills or rollers. It looks like the challenge is all the sharp corners. I count 3 corners sharper than 90 degrees and 3 180 degrees turnarounds. Again, those worry me the most. Depending on the stagger, you’re talking what… about a peak of 1200 on the bike course at one time. That’s only one person every 50 feet. No big deal.
I’m in. It’s my first time doing this race, so I don’t know what to expect but I’ve heard good things so I’m looking forward to it. I’m disappointed we won’t be able to watch the pro race though. That was part of the reason I added this race to my schedule.