Ironman Louisville

Check out the "Official" thread http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=136239&posts=1043&start=1. We have had many discussions on that topic.

It's quite easy if you get out an train consistently on rolling hills. There are no monster hills and nothing where you have to get off and walk your bike. You'll love it!

I live in Dallas, TX and trained for IMKY last year on mostly flat terrain. I had some hilly rides, but not many. I also did NOT do any rides that had as MANY hills as Kentucky.

Kentucky is nothing but rollers once you get out of town.

Basically you go out on a flat road, take a right to do an out/back in a canyon (looks like one sort of). There are some rollers there and one downhill that you can catch some serious speed on. Be careful, because this is where a few people wrecked as well, thanks to that serious speed and the turn they had to make. I got up to 39 mph and got scared and put on my brakes.

Once you get out of the canyon and head toward the two loop section, it's just all rollers. Up and down. Up and down. My speed all day was 8 mph and 30 mph. Not a whole lot of in between.

I did fine on the bike without a whole lot of hill training. Yes, I think more straight hill training would have helped, but I had a solid ride and ended up with the average I expected.

I rode out near Boerne last week north of San Antonio, it was killer. Have you done any rides out that way?

I have not. But that's Hill Country. I bet those hills are probably a bit worse.