Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread (Page 4)

I have heard it as well with regards to doing SG. I have yet to find anyone jealous of my spot.

Some of you may have seen this but this is a very good overview of the bike and run course. All I can say is I try to take the hilliest bike and run routes I can find. 70 miles on the bike Saturday had around 4,900ft of climbing to help get me where I need to be.

Quick Summary
The St. George Ironman Bike Course consists of a 20 mile section into near downtown St. George from the Sand Hollow Reservoir (T1), and two 45 mile loops that take you out into hilly terrain north of town. The first 20 mile section is along well traveled roads with good surface conditions, with approximately 1500’ of total ascent. The two 45 mile loops are primarily on quiet 2-lane back roads except for the 10 mile return to town on U18, and with good surface conditions and some tricky climbs. Each loop gains about 2000’ for a total course ascent of approximately 5,500’
There are climbs of up to 10% in spots, but nothing of any real duration. The longest consistent climb we measured was approximately 4 miles at 2% - 4% grade. Most riders would call this course “rollers on steroids” with somewhat slower uphills, somewhat faster downhills, and some short steep 8% - 12% leg-busting climbs throughout that will require good course management in order to save your legs for a very tough run course. There are plenty of opportunities for recovery, and plenty of opportunities to over-cook yourself with the short steeper wall climbs that can easily take you into the anaerobic red-zone for 3-5 minutes – longer in a few cases.
Despite rumors and posts in other forums reporting a teeth-rattling chip-sealed washboard and hellish climb-fest, our riders felt it was very fair and manageable Ironman bike leg, largely due to the fact that there are no long extended grinding climbs. It is a manageable course with fantastic scenery that will challenge mind and body, but will require patience and good course management.
The run course may be another story. The total ascent is approximately 2000’ over the two 13 mile loops. The first section is a 2.5 mile 2% (rising to) 6% steady climb out of T2, then an immediate 8%-9% 400 yard grind after your right turn onto Red Hills Parkway will have you questioning your choice of Ironman venues for next year. What goes up must come down, and for every 8% uphill, there is an 8% quad-buster coming down. There is simply no flat section of this course – you are either going up, or coming down throughout the run. That being said, most of our runners felt that this course, too, was manageable. Probably no PR’s here, but a run-able course with proper management.
Two of the big unknowns are heat and wind. Locals say that winds are usually very strong in the spring. Due to the configuration of the surrounding canyons, headwinds may be coming at you from a number of directions throughout the day. Heat is another variable. Mean temperatures are rage from low 40’s to high 80’s in May (60’s average), and no way to tell what the day will bring. The area is very dry, so hydration will be, as usual, critical. Elevation ranges from 3000’ to 4700’, but did not appear to affect our riders to any great degree. We averaged 15.5 miles mph (auto-paused on the computers), with slower than race-pace slow areas, and faster than average climbs and flat pulls. Weather was perfect – cloudless blue skies, morning temperature in the 50’s rising to the high 70’s around 2:00pm.

The Bike Course Pre-Ride

Start and Mile 1-30 through town
The bike course begins at Sand Hollow Reservoir, one of Utah’s newest State Parks, located approximately 15 miles east of St George. The new facility has public restrooms, a huge boat launch, and a massive parking lot that looks like it could easily hold 500+ cars. On race day, it is our understanding that no cars will be allowed into the parking area, and race participants will be bused into the start area. We’re not sure how non-racers will be able to gain access to the area, and parking outside the transition lot is limited along narrow 2-lane roads leading to the park entrance. The entire area is on large, flat plateau overlooking the reservoir. Not a tree in sight.
The reservoir is quite large, and appears to be at least partly man-made or dammed. Elevation is at about 3000’ here. The shoreline is made of huge boulders going right to the water level. No sand or walk area at the waterline. The start will be in water with swimmers entering from the 80’ wide boat launch. Swimmers will head straight out, make 3 right turns in a large square and a final left turn to exit the water back up the boat ramp for one loop after 2.4 miles. It is worth noting that the boat ramp is probably 100’ – 150’ long, fairly steep, and with very rough concrete (for vehicle traction). If the organizers do not cover the ramp with something, expect a painful run to transition.
Water conditions during our visit were excellent. Calm, flat, visibility of 20+ feet. However, we were advised by locals that due to the high winds that can kick up at various times of the year, the possibility of the swim being cancelled due to excessive chop does exist.
Transitioning to bike, and racers leave the plateau down a quick 100 yard downhill, out past the entrance and right turn onto 4300 West (Sand Hollow Road). The road surface is super smooth new asphalt in good condition, and riders get an immediate view of the beautiful, treeless, desert panorama that will be with them for the most of the next 112 miles. Grade is relatively flat, with a few long rises of 1% - 3%. This is wide open expanse, with relatively few houses or buildings. There will be little to no shade on the bike course except around miles 25-30 and perhaps miles 35-40.
At 3 miles a left turn on SR9 (at 3700 West) for about 4 miles and a left turn onto Telegraph Road for another 4.5 miles heads riders southwest on good pavement with the first elevation increase of app. 400 feet of ascent coming between miles 6-8 with 3%-6% grades, a tough little 8% uphill at around mile 8, then a flat cruise with a long fast downhill until the right turn onto Washington Parkway. Road surface up to the point is excellent.
The one mile climb up Washington Parkway has a hard little 9% uphill pull for about 300 yards, and brings you onto the Highway 15 overpass. At this point the current road ends, but a new frontage road connecting Washington Parkway to existing Buena Vista Blvd at Graham Manor is promised before the race in May. We took a 2.5 mile section of highway to bypass that area. The course will eventually provide a left turn onto Buena Vista from Washington Parkway, a right turn on Cactus Lane, a left on Green Springs Drive and then right onto Redhills Parkway.
Redhills Parkway at mile 16 brings riders to a busier traffic area as you approach town. Elevation is at 2800’, and total climb up to this point has been about 700’. Redhills Parkway is a narrow 2 lane road that will take you to onto the run course at around mile 18.5. This road winds for 5 miles along a high ridge overlooking the city on your left, and the view is terrific. The road is a fairly steady climb, has long rollers with roughly ½ mile between tops, and two 6% - 8% climbs – one roughly 2/10th of a mile in length and another steep section of a 300-400 yards. The road dips down with a fast, steep 8% -9% downhill to cross Bluff Street at mile 22, where you will begin the two bike loops. Road surface is still good here.
You’ll get to know the Bluff Street intersection very well. You pass it three times on the bike during your 2 laps, and 4 times during your 2 loop run. This would be a good place for family and friends to wait and take pictures of you with your tongue hanging out as you run up the 8% slope twice during the run. More to come on that later!
The next 7 miles are uneventful, flat to rolling, and a series of right and left turns on wide streets through suburban neighborhoods leading to Highway 91, and the first signs that you are headed out of Dodge for the high country. There is a beautiful section where 2000 North turns into Pioneer Parkway at around mile 25, and you swear you have been teleported to Kona. The sharp volcanic lava rock field will have you looking for stacked white rocks (lave graffiti). You have 30 miles under your belt, total ascent has been 1500’, you are still at about 3000’ above sea level, and roads have been very good.

Mile 30 – 47 into the Paiute Lands
The right turn onto Highway 91 lets you know immediately that you are not in Kansas anymore. The road surface turns to old-county-road style chip seal pavement with no shoulder. Fortunately, this is a relatively short lived 4.5 miles with long rollers and about 300’ of climb until you bear right onto CR-3184. The road surface here turns to fairly smooth old asphalt with a kind of pebble finish surface, and your chip seal-rattling time is done, at least for the next 35 miles until you hit it again on lap 2.
The CR-3184 road to Gunlock is one of the most beautiful sections of the ride. Our age-group champion “Legacy” Lou Briones has dubbed this area Gunlock and the Three Bears, because there are 3 progressively more significant wall climbs along this section. A Baby climb, and Mama Climb, and the Poppa climb at the switchback at mile 47. This road winds through Paiute Indian land through a stunning canyon alongside a small river. Hopefully, the river will swell in spring to provide a really breathtaking roll. Mama climb at mile 44.5 serves you up a nasty little ¼ mile hill with an 11% grade. Be careful of this one – it has the potential to eat you up as you get to the next climbing area.
NOTE: It is worth mentioning here that CR-3184 has 5 cattle guards in the road that you will need to pass over. These metal grates can be a little unnerving, but if you hit them straight on at a decent speed, and keep your weight off the bars, you should have no problems. Whatever you do, do not go over these slowly, or brake on them. After we walked over the first one, rode slowly over the second one and figured them out, some of us just bunny-hopped the 2-3 yard fixtures at high speed, but that may not be a wise thing to do.
The Poppa climb at mile 47 has a step switchback with arguably the toughest climb on the ride. This is a one mile long toughie that could eat your lunch, especially if you are on our second lap. The first ½ mile is 5% - 6%, but the second ½ mile jumps to 7% - 9% with an 11% section a few hundred yards from the top.
From mile 34 to 47 you have added 1000’ to your GPS - the switchback climb adds another 400’. You are at about 4300’ elevation at this point, and have climbed about 3,200’ over the last 48 miles. Altitude did not appear to be having much effect on our riders. Since the group only did 1 loop of the bike, plus the first 20 miles into town, we do not have dead accurate ascent figures, but simple math puts this course at about 5,300 total feet of climb – about 1000’ more than advertised.
The next 1.5 miles is a mild 1%-3% slightly uphill roll leading to the right turn onto highway U18 that will head you back to town. Elevation 4450’, but you are not quite done.

Mile 48 – 66 back to St. George
After the long anticipation of the switchback climb, your mind somehow tells you “it’s all downhill from here”. And while there is nothing really serious up ahead, the right turn at mile 49.5 onto U18 is a little disappointing when you see a two mile 6% climb ahead of you. The next 5 miles on U18 will take you up another 250’ to the highest point on the ride at 4700’, with long rollers of 5-8 mph uphill’s and 25-35 mph downhills. One of the notable features of the route south on U18 is that a nice fast recovery downhill is a little spoiled by a persistent strong headwind that you will not shake until you hit town again at mile 66. The headwind appears to be a consistent year-round feature, according to local experts.
The next 10-11 miles starting the long downhill back to town at mile 57 are just plain fun. U18 is a busy state highway, (U18 becomes Bluff Street) and you will get buffeted by the traffic and the headwind. But road surface is very good, it is 9+ miles of fast downhill (35+mph) down to the 3000’ level before turning right onto Snow Canyon Parkway (smile, remember your fans are at that corner) to do another 45 miles loop.


The Run Course Pre-run

T2 to Mile 3
As mentioned in the summary, the St. George run course will be a rude awakening for many. It is perpetually hilly, including 3 grades of more than 8% to 10%. The terrain is either up or down, with virtually no flat anywhere on the course. There is no shade cover save for a short 1.5 mile section of Diagonal Blvd. Road surface is good throughout, and much of the gravel shoulder on Redhill Parkway is usable if you prefer to keep off the pavement.
The start of the run out of T2 in the old Downtown section of St. George is just plain hard. Most runners need 2-3 miles to get their stride together, and tend to hit the run too fast until they can get themselves together to find their legs and control their pace. The quick left onto the 5% - 7% uphill grade for ½ mile on Main Street makes this difficult to do. Veering left on Diagonal, runners maintain a 3% - 5% uphill section for another 1.5 miles. Turn right on Bluff Street at (U18).
In order to add mileage to the course, the designers needed to add a couple of small out-and-back sections. The first is at approximately 2 miles into the run with a right turn onto 1250 North, a little 4/10 mile dead-end turnaround that takes you up to the Red Hills municipal golf course and the Elks lodge. This out-and-back continues the climbing, however, and adds two quick 8% and 10% jumps of approximately 100-150 yards each. Turn around, head back down and turn right back on Diagonal and another right onto Bluff St at mile 3.

Mile 3 to Mile 6.5
Redhills Parkway is the majority of the run course. Runners will stay on this 2 lane downtown by-pass that rolls along a bluff high over the city, offering a great panoramic view to the south of St. George. The airport to the southwest actually has planes landing below you. The right onto RedHills Parkway takes you immediately into an 8% - 9% uphill for approximately 4/10 of a mile. When you hit the top of this grade, you will have ascended almost 400’ in 4 miles since the start.
The next 3 miles is a series of long rollers with until the turnaround at just under 7 miles. There is another 8% grade downhill for approximately 3/10 mile at mile 5.5. At around this point, an extra loop section apparently takes you off-road for about 3/10 of a mile. We were not able to find this section, so not information is available. This section is only used on the outbound run, not the return according to the Ironman website.

Turnaround to Mile 13 or Finish
The turn at 1000 East starts the 6.5 miles back to town, where you will reverse the two 8% - 9% grades you climbed and descended earlier. The left turn onto Diagonal will provide some recovery time with 3 miles of 2% - 3% downhill, before starting it all over after the turnaround at mile 13 at T2. The next 5 miles from mile 13 – 18 takes you back to the hilly section, and runners will really need to keep their mental game together as they deal with grades. Runners who will be going later into the evening may find this last loop particularly difficult as they deal with what is likely to be a desolate long stretch in the dark on Redhill Parkway. After passing the final uphill on mile 23, the 3 mile easy downhill cruise into downtown will present a classic run finish to your race.

Thank you for that information. It's definitely helpful, and now I'm truly aware of how much hill training I must do. I also think I need to see my attorney to update my will.

I guess it's time to consider starting to get ready for this one...  About that time, and looking forward to it.

*BUMP*

Inside of five months now...

Managed to strain most of the tendons in my ankle in a sprint tri Sunday, so I'm kicking off month T-minus-5 with a few rest days.  Managed to get built back up to 2 mile swim, 83 mile ride, 15 mile run before going on the shelf and have been averaging 100-125 miles/week SBR recently, so I think I can afford the down time.  (It's my marathon in late March that may be impacted, unfortunately...)

I had the opportunity to go to St. George a few weeks back and I was able to pre-ride the majority of the course and half of the run loop.  The previous course report was right on the money and stuck to the facts, unlike some others out there.  I did think that the road up to Gunlock was still fairly rough, but definitely in better condition than Hwy 91.  Lighter riders will likely face some greater challenges due to the rough road surface, but they'll make it up on the run course.  Managing your efforts over the climbs in both the run and bike legs will be critical. 
I plan to ride a compact crank and an 11-26 casette.  I did my ride on the course last month with a standard crank and 11-23 and given the number of climbs and potential for headwinds I want to have the spinning options that I get with the compact set-up. 

I am very glad I got out there to experience the course and I recommend anyone within driving distance make the time to take a look at it. 

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*BUMP*

Inside of five months now...

Managed to strain most of the tendons in my ankle in a sprint tri Sunday, so I'm kicking off month T-minus-5 with a few rest days. Managed to get built back up to 2 mile swim, 83 mile ride, 15 mile run before going on the shelf and have been averaging 100-125 miles/week SBR recently, so I think I can afford the down time. (It's my marathon in late March that may be impacted, unfortunately...)
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Todd, good mileage, and sorry about the ankle. I get paranoid every day with any new pain as the last 2 years have been injury after injury. I say bag the marathon in March anyhow. That's awfully close to IMSG and may be hard to recover from. I know my body would revolt.

Nah...I usually recover enough to do serious biking and light running within 5 days of a marathon, honestly, and this is my first real shot at a BQ...new LA mary course is basically downhill and I'm moving up to 50-54 next year, so I get the additional 5 minutes on the qualifying standard.  Boston's actually a bigger goal for me than finishing my 2nd IM.  In addition, for me, it makes for a pretty perfect longest training run for IMSG, timing-wise...26.2 five weeks out.  For Vineman this summer, that's when I did a 19.5 final long run and that worked out pretty well in terms of recovery.

Good luck in LA. No way my legs recover that quickly.

tcovert...you can BQ at surf city can't you? That gives plenty of time for recovery and much nicer of a course than LA. I am debating doing it but would rather do a hilly mary in preparation for SG. But I'm not trying to BQ

cayripI did the ride on my TT bike and plan to use that bike for the event. There will be plenty of sections where you want to be on your aero bars, especially on the road from Veyo back to St. George (and especially if it is windy). I was also in my bars for most of the time on 91 and up past the Gunlock reservoir (accept the series of short climbs in that section). I plan to spend enough time hitting some moderate climbs with my TT bike during training to become more comfortable climbing on that bike, as I'm primarily a roadie and I rarely do any races on my TT bike that involve much climbing.

just incase anyone has a computrainer. They now have the St George course.

Won't be ready for the full at Surf City (even without the injury)...planning to do the half there as tuneup.  The new LA course is much nicer than any of the previous ones...also fairly rolling, but no major climbs after the early section.

Right now, though, I'm just concerned with rehab.  Ankle injury is proving to be pretty major...progress is very slow.  Haven't run in over a week now and don't expect to for another week, frankly.

I haven't ridden the bike course yet, but unless you feel that you can get comfortable changing a tubular in the next few months I wouldn't even consider the tubulars. It would really suck to flat and not be able to change it.

I will be riding the course a couple times after Chrismtas and I will for sure have an 808 on the back. I am not yet sure though if I'll have an 808 or 404 on the front. From what I hear it can get windy so I'm leaning towards the 404 as it's easier to handle. I'll probably take both to the race and decide on race day.

nelsonvI just picked up a Rocket Science full suit this weekend. I tried the Ironman Aquasphere, and the QR suits and I loved the way the Rocket Science felt. It was very light and seemed to provide a much greater freedom of movement than the other suits. Much like your bike, I think the bottom line is the best suit will be the one that fits you best.I'm not sure if you have a RocketScience dealer near you, but you can order on-line from Adrenaline Tri-Sport in Niwot, CO.Good luck.Joe

Given how rough parts of Hwy 91 are, flats are probably a good possibility. I agree that unless you are experienced with tubulars I'd go with the clinchers. I plan to ride a 404 on the front and an 808 on the rear.Cheers,Joe

I'm actually tinkering with using road wheels. I am a very strong cyclist(used to race cat3 long distance+TT) but if the crosswinds get bad, I get tossed around pretty good simply since I am really light at 115 pounds. I got tossed into the ditch last year with my road wheels.

Curious about thoughts on this.

I am going to ride my Mavic Ksyrium SL wheels. I figure to each their own, especially on this course. I will ride a 12-25 cassette just to have the bailout gear on Veyo if I need it on the second lap. I have run two marathons that go up that hill and while it is a little longer and steeper than most, it is manageable. It is the rollers that will be tough after. It will keep most out of any type of rhythm.

I think it is a good choice...

Mike

Everyone is talking about how windy it is going to be. I have heard the same thing before all of my races and I haven't had one yet that was all that windy.
It won't be as hot, hilly, cold, windy, rainy, etc as everyone is talking about.

Yes, but there is a race that is at the same venue, only a week or so later, each year that has been plagued with wind issues to where the swim has had to be canceled. This area is typically very windy in the spring. I would plan to be prepared for wind, but be delighted if we don't have much to speak of.