Ironman Coeur d'Alene : Official Thread

No idea...but I just had to be the second person in on the thread....

I'm actually more concerned about the complete "suckification" of what was one of the best WTC IM courses with the bike course changes for next year.  I emailed all of the powers that be to register my disappointment, but I doubt that they care.

I won't be back for this very reason.  IMCdA is all about the hills.  Remove them and it's nothing special.

I'm in for 2012!  I am happy no matter wear I ride my bike as long as it is 112 miles   (If you want hills, do St George or Silverman).  Coeur d'Alene is about the beautiful area and will be special for me even if they change the course.

Does anyone know what the new bike course is?  I checked their website and they still have the old one posted.  I did this race in 2010 and the bike course made the race.  Yes has challenging sections, but that's what makes the race.  It's so incredibly gorgeous and is one of the most scenic bike courses I've ever ridden.  It's a shame that they are changing it up.

Does anyone know why it's being changed?  It's it because of politics or wanting to make the course flatter?

I just completed 2011 and had a great time. I have my hotel for 2012 and am looking forward to the race. Hope this thread turns out to be as fun as last years.

The bike was a lot of fun. This was my first IM and the bike section was my favorite thing. I love to get on the open roads with my bike and this had it all. Hills, people cheering, flats and a great view. I will deal with what happens but I do hope that they keep it the same.

I heard on the last thread the change has to do with the mayors in all the towns. There seems to be a hold out in letting IM come back. There was a contract and it is now over. Hey maybe we should all hold out then like football, or just turn our bikes and ride the other way. Hard to argue with 2500 bikes going one way.

The new course goes south on Highway 95 to Worley, ID.  I think the only part of the existing course that will remain is the portion that takes you out to Higgins Point and back, along the lake.  After that, it will be a draft-fest as everyone heads south on 95.

As to the reason for the change, I think its a little of both.  I think someone chimed in on the IMCdA 2011 thread that Hayden Lake (the city) was not too interested in continuing to have the course continue through their town due to what I'm sure amounts to a few disgruntled resident$$$.  I also wouldn't be surprised if flatter seemed like an attractive option for the WTC as well, since some of their calculations/projections involved how many new participants they might pick up based on the old course having a rep as being on the "harder" side of the NA IM courses and dissuading some folks from registering for the race.

So now it will be pancake flat full of cheaters?  Awesome....

I wouldn't go as far as "pancake" flat, but yes, compared to the old course, the new one could best be described as largely flat, with some rollers and a few very moderate climbs from what some of the locals described (disclaimer:  I haven't "seen" the new course - I just know what the proposed route is and have looked at the topography + first-hand recon from folks that live up there).  I'd wait until someone that really does know that route well chimes in before making any real judgement.  Suffice to say, based on the small portion of the route that I actually have driven, I think you're going to see a whole lot more people standing in penalty tents for drafting (whether intentional or otherwise).  But hey, a large part of the CdA experience is the finish line and the energy from the locals, and that's not changing, so all is not completely lost....

I do not see how the newly proposed course (assuming it goes out 95 south, which they have not yet released all the details of anyway) could not be faster.  There is some major elevation gained and lost the hills up in Hayden.  95 is pretty much flat all the way.

I can tell you it won't be near as scenic.

Oh I's guess more than 10 mins.  There are some pretty steep hills up in Hayden.  And I don't care about it being faster or not.  When I race I like to enjoy the area I ride in.  That's why I spent a lot more $ to race CdA and not IMFL. 

No did not live there, raced it this year.  I'm no expert but I know the areas the current course and the "new" course go through.  They are quite different.

Ugh, on the fence between doing CdA again or Canada for the first time.  I really really liked CdA's bike course.  I really really want it to stay the same.  I'm thinking of waiting until after Canada to make a decision though.  I'm banking on the course changes dissuading a few people from registering until it's sent in stone.  My guess is it will take longer to sell out this year.

Of course I base this on absolutely nothing, so don't mind me

Forget about the bike course change - especially if you never did the "old" course, its not worth worrying about.

The atmosphere in downtown CdA/Sherman Ave around the finish line is absolutely the highlight of this race for the majority of people (myself included).  The people in Coeur D'Alene really do go all out to support this race and make the finish line experience something that you will never forget.  Also, since the run course winds its way through the downtown core/finish line area, you get a nice lift from the crowds as you come in from loop 1 of the run and get ready to pound out the last 13.1 miles - people calling out your name and encouraging you, and if you're like the majority of people, that mental boost will be worth a lot at that point.  The neighbourhoods proximal to the downtown area also have some pretty memorable aid stations on the run - one where they set up a PA system and "announce" you as you come past, then another one that is usually populated by college students blasting music and getting more and more drunk as the afternoon progresses, then the "themed" aid stations further out on the course (pretty standard at all IMs).  

As you make the last left turn onto Sherman when you finish the run, you'll be met with both sides of the street cheering you on.  That's one of the things that sets the finish here apart from some others, like IMAZ, in that the run down Sherman essentially is an extension of the finish chute, so you get about 300-400m more finish chute "energy" before you ever actually get to the chute.  If its early in the evening and the weather is good, you'll have the sun in your face.  Enjoy it - take it all in...there is nothing like your first IM finish, IMHO (except maybe your first KQ...though I'm a long way from ever pulling that off   ).

Now, get out there and train....

It has lots of gradual ups and downs the whole way and a couple big, long hills towards the turn around.

http://www.mapmyride.com/s/routes/view/long-run-map/idaho/coeur-d039alene/33931452