Ride hills for flat IM

Hills will help your strength on the bike so yes, they are beneficial.

I sure hope so! I don't have a choice other than to train on hills.  BUT, as an ancedote, one of the training rides I did for IMFL was a century in flat Houston. I was a good 2.5-3mph faster on the flat ride vs. the hilly ride and I was HARDLY sore at all post flat terrain ride.  The biggest difference I have noticed--pedal, pedal, pedal...no coasting on the flat really.  I'm hoping the strength from the Central Texas hills result into a nice, speedy 112 miles in flat Florida!

It will make you....FAST.

The guy who won IMLP a few years ago lives in MA and I met him at a kid's duathlon my daughter's did and we chatted a bunch. He DNFed IMFL the same year as he said it was very hard with flat bike course and some other reasons. Here in MA it is not flat like FL hardly anywhere....rolling hills or hills depending what part of the state you live in.

For me it is easier to race on terrain similar to what I train on and I tend to do best on those courses. Flat is different and you get no coasting, same position and always need to keep consistent power.

If I was doing a flat IM, I'd find some roads that are similar and do some longer rides on them just to makes sure my body had adapted to being in aero for long periods of time.

That being said climbing hills makes you stronger cyclist.

Thanks, all.

I'm pretty lucky in that I have some big hills around me (Columbia area) ... but also a lot of flat, long streches on the Eastern Shore.  Going to the shore this weekend to get in 60ish miles on totally flat roads.

Think of hill like long intervals. They should be mixed into your bike work outs, they will make you stronger and faster.

I do a lot of hills in my rides and try to work in at least one longish hilly ride a a week. My flat course speed has really picked up with a focus on hills and intervals.