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Much has been said about how hilly the Ironman St. George bike course is and how many are looking to ride their road bike with clip-on aero bars due to its difficulty. We spent the day riding the loop portion of the course and while it's not the equivalent to GMR, it has its challenges which should be noted.
The Bike course begins at the Sand Hollow Reservoir and heads west 25ish miles to the town of St. George where the loops begin. The town is quaint and if I'm not mistaken, T2 is the same location as the St. George Marathon finish; about 3 miles southeast from the start of the loops. The clockwise loops, of which we do twice, are approximately 40 miles long. Much of the road's pavement is like 50 grade sandpaper. If you go down, plan to loose a lot of skin as the road is very coarse. Your tires are going to take a beating. Best to put new rubbers on your wheels and I don't mean the latex kind. Ride safely and stay to the right.
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Just after the start of each loop, we will be guided onto a bike path to do some crazy short circles (see participants guide). Take note and take it easy through this section. It's narrow with sharp turns. The ride is seldom flat so get it in your head now rollers is the name of the game and mostly up. There are only a few sections where the climb is worth the worry. The first is much like the first climb at the Oceanside 70.3; short and sweet. The second is a few miles prior to reaching Hwy U18 and prefaced by a u-turn. This second climb is longer than the first with the steepest part at the end. It's roughly 3/4 of a mile long and can be best described as a shorter version of Wildflower's Nasty Grade. The third not much farther up the road just after you make a right onto Hwy U18.
A few other things to look out for on Hwy 3194. It's difficult to distinguish where the side of the road ends and the gravel begins. Be careful, especially on the second when you begin to fatigue. Stay focused and alert. If you need something to keep your mind off the pain, just look around. This bike course is absolutely beautiful. Spectacular views throughout the course make this bike course as scenically pleasing as Canada or CDA. Before reaching U18, you will cross 4 monster size cattle guards. We're talking cattle guards on steroids that would keep Godzilla from escaping. There'r must be 2-3 inches in between bars.
When you reach U18, you're on mile 6ish of the St George Marathon course (for those of you familiar with this pain). After cresting a mile long climb, you're greeted with a not too steep but continuous 7 mile ascent and before cashing in on a 10 mile long descent to the loop's finish. Expect head winds for the last 17 miles of each loop. There is no shoulder during much of this descent and the road is rough. Stay to the far right. The lane should be closed for us.
This course is touted to be the most difficult on the Ironman circuit; so much so that a lot of athletes are planning to ride their road bike. Is this a good idea? It depends on how you intend to ride the course? If you have a triple and/or climbing is not your forte, it may be the better option. Much of the climbing is deceiving and you won't get an appreciation for how much you ascended until the descent is complete. The drawback to the road bike is it's temptation to attack the hills or ride too often out of the saddle bleeding your legs of run capacity. Another drawback is the lack of aerodynamics needed against the wind heading back into town. This course makes it a difficult decision but my vote is to use your tri bike, spin your legs, and save yourself (as much as possible) for the brutal run.
The run. Don't be surprised to see grown-ups sucking their thumbs and calling for mommy on this one. The only section of the course that is flat is the first 2 blocks out of T2. Right from the start, you're running up hill for 3+ miles before getting a small reprieve. The first, middle, and last sections of these first 3 miles are the steepest. All three are about 1/4 mile. That's the bad news. The good news is the rest of the run is gradual climbing and as beautiful as the bike.
Key factors that will make your run are patience, nutrition, and mental toughness. Be patient on the bike and throughout the run. The only person that is going to beat you on this course if yourself. Too hard too fast will only get you to the walk faster. Eat plenty and wisely. You'll burn more calories at this Ironman course than others due to the energy required. Find someone your pace and make a friend. Talk, joke, play grab ass, fight, whatever but don't allow your mind run free. Keep it occupied, otherwise, it will focus on the pain and tell you to stop.
This course is absolutely without a doubt doable! It won't be easy and it will require you to race smart not fast. Manage your energy stores and stretch your endurance over the length of the course. This is not a PR course so don't compare times to other events. This is a long base training day. Oh, one last thing.....very important....don't let me catch you, you'll never live it down :-) Be safe and remember why your're there....to have fun.
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