Our customers say Florida is the place to go for a fast time, but some come home with their tail between their legs.
Welcome back Tom!
Of the 5 courses I have done Florida is by far the easiest for me.
Tahoe actually is the easiest course, because no one grasps what good and bad times there are for age groupers. So you can loaf on the bike, have a picnic in T2, and then walk the marathon, because 14 hours sounds pretty much the same as 12 hours.
Delete this post! You’re giving away my strategy!
This question was the hot topic in our store yesterday. Here are several thoughts customers offered:
Canada was frequently mentioned as not necessarily the “easiest” but the “best” to do. The lap format of Lake Placid, Wisconsin and others can be demoralizing to first timers. Canada is basically a big loop on the bike with interesting terrain and the last 12 miles on the bike predominantely down hill and an out and back marathon with a dramatic finish venue and final 2-3 miles. This seems to be easiest psychologically. You don’t have to go by the finish only to go out and run another 13.1 miles.
When this was posted “Canada” was still Penticton. Not so easy now that it is in Whistler.
Rev3 @ Cedar Point
(yeah I know it’s not an “Ironman” event)
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Yes. Just finish
Tahoe actually is the easiest course, because no one grasps what good and bad times there are for age groupers. So you can loaf on the bike, have a picnic in T2, and then walk the marathon, because 14 hours sounds pretty much the same as 12 hours.
Delete this post! You’re giving away my strategy!
This is why I’m moving to ultra running. No one understands that “The Harder than Hell 50” is only 30 miles, and it’s perfectly legit to walk the uphills and have a beer every now and again. Hardly anyone even asks your finishing time, and if they do their response is, “wow!” whether you say 4 hours or 7 hours.
Easy living indeed.
http://www.thetrishop.com/blog/cyclists-seen-on-hines-drive-this-week/
Checkout the byline.
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140.6 is tough regardless of the course, however some will take less time than others. Florida flat, but ocean swim 2x though a break, 6 or 7 hours on your aerobars plus wind. Tahoe cold weather, hilly bike, altitude. Placid hilly bike weather can be hot. Arizona 3 loops on bike with wind and false flats. Weather could get hot. Cda cold swim, hilly bike,
I could keep going every Ironman is tough.
Since I started this thread 12 yrs ago maybe an update is appropriate. My wife finally did her first IM in 2008 - Kona on the lottery with a time of 13:02. She’s doing her 2nd IM at Tremblant this summer.