IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga - 2019 Course Preview
Sunday, May 19, 2019
Race Overview
There are few towns that get behind triathlon more than Chattanooga. The X-factor is the heat, which may be present throughout race day. The course is accessible, varied, and fun. In general, the location has plenty of restaurants, great 'walkability' and logistically easy to navigate. Super for athletes and families. The race itself will be known for its fast, current-assisted swim, rolling bike course with some steep bumps, and a hot, rolling, and honest run course with plenty of support. Pack your sunscreen but be ready for a super event.
From Purple Patch Pro, Sarah Piampiano
This is a great venue and city to host a 70.3. Downtown Chattanooga offers a wide variety of good restaurants and places to stay that are very convenient to race expo/transition.
The people are very friendly and full of Southern hospitality!
The weather can be a bit humid and warm, especially on the run, so be ready.
Weather
The average temperature on race day is 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
Course Cut-Off Times
Swim
The swim course will close 1 hour and 10 minutes after the last athlete enters the water via the rolling start. Each athlete will have 1 hour and 10 minutes to complete the 1.2 mile swim.
Individual athletes who take longer than 1 hour and 10 minutes to complete the swim will receive a DNF. IRONMAN officials reserve the right to pull athletes off the course who exceed any established course time cut-offs.
Bike
The bike course will close 5 hours and 30 minutes after the last athlete enters the water via the rolling start. Each athlete or relay team will have 5 hours and 30 minutes to complete the swim, T1 and bike course regardless of when they start the swim.
Any athlete or relay team that takes longer than 5 hours and 30 minutes to complete the swim, T1 and bike course will receive a DNF.
There is an intermediate bike cut off at Mile 31, 3 hours and 30 minutes after the last athlete starts the swim course.
Run
The run course will close 8 hours and 30 minutes after the last athlete enters the water . Each athlete or relay team will have 8 hours and 30 minutes to complete the entire course.
Any athlete or relay team that takes longer than 8 hours and 30 minutes to complete the entire course will receive a DNF.
There will be an intermediate run cut off at the beginning of the second loop ( Mile 6.6 ), 7 hours after the last athlete starts the swim course.
Finish Line Cut-Off
Any athlete or relay team that takes longer than 8 hours and 30 minutes to complete the entire course will receive a DNF.
Pre-Race Information
Athlete Check-in
Location: Ross’s Landing
Friday, May 17, 2019: 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Saturday, May 18, 2019: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Mandatory Athlete Briefing
Location: Ross’s Landing
Friday, May 17, 2019: 1:00 PM, 3:00 PM, and 5:00 PM
Saturday, May 18, 2019: 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 3:00 PM
Mandatory Bike Check-in
Location: Ross’s Landing
Saturday, May 18, 2019: 1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Race Day: Sunday, May 19, 2019
Body Marking and Gear Check-in
Location: Ross’s Landing
Sunday, May 19, 2019: 4:30 AM - 6: 15 AM
Athlete and Spectator Shuttle Bus Service
Location: Ross’s Landing to Swim Start
Sunday, May 19, 2019: 4:30 AM - 6:45 AM
Official Race Start
Location: One Mile Up River
Sunday, May 19, 2019: 6:50 AM
Pre-Race Tips
T1 Tips
With the large temperature swings of the heat in the middle of the day to cool nights, it is worth removing some of your air in your tires when you rack your bike the night before the race.
Race morning pump your tires to your race pressure. This will reduce the risk of pressure-related blowouts when the bike is racked the day prior.
Pre-Race Tips from Purple Patch Pro, Sarah Piampiano
When you are racing in the South, even in May, it's always possible you might be dealing with serious heat and humidity.
If you have hot weather, it's certainly going to have an impact. If it's really hot and humid your sweat rate is going to be higher and you're going to sweat more than if it were drier and cooler.
Doing things like taking ice on the run and putting it down your shirt becomes important.
Pre-Race Tips from Matt Dixon
Don’t forget to warm up. One of the biggest mistakes I see is the lack of a warm-up prior to the swim. At any distance, a lack of warm-up is a performance inhibitor for many athletes (pros and all the way down).
Set up transition: arrive with lots of time to spare.
Running warm-up: 10-15 minutes of very easy jogging. When return have a little fuel and hydration.
Check transition and put on the wetsuit: final preps, kiss your family, friends, dogs, and teammates.
Swim warm-up: check the course buoys one more time then go:
3-5 min easy swimming then:
30 sec moderate
30 sec smooth
20 sec strong
30 sec smooth
10 sec V strong
30 sec smooth
20 sec strong
30 sec smooth
30 sec moderate
Can go through twice if you wish!
Ready to race.
Swim Course
Length: 1.2 miles, point-to-point
Water Temperature: Low 70s Fahrenheit
Self-Seed Rolling Start
There will be a rolling swim start. We expect this to take approximately 85 minutes. Athletes will start on the dock, not in the water and will seed themselves according to the time they will complete their swim (not by age group).
Swim Overview
The point-to-point swim in the Tennessee River will start one mile upstream of transition. Athletes will enter the water in a rolling start and head up river for a short distance before making the turn and heading down river. Spectators will have a great opportunity to watch the swim from the Veterans and Market Street Bridges and the Tennessee Riverwalk. Athletes will exit the water at the beautiful Ross’s Landing Park. The water temperature will be in the low 70's degrees Fahrenheit.
Swim to Bike Transition
After the swim, you will be directed through the timing chutes to the swim to bike transition.
Public nudity is not permitted.
You are required to be fully ready to race before getting on your bike.
Swim Tips
Pre-Race Tips
The current is stronger in the middle of the river. Remember to sight as the river meanders a bit.
At the start, athletes head easterly into the sun, but the course runs fairly close and parallel to the river bank.
Since this is a fast down-river swim with a speedy current, use your kick at the start.
Starting with a strong kick and fast turnover will give you some good momentum in the water.
Then settle into your pace.
At the end of the swim, rev your kick back up to get the blood flowing into your legs.
Again, not recommending a full kick throughout entire Chattanooga swim, but rather at the start and end.
Be mindful to swim stronger when you turn out of the current to make your way to swim finish as you will drift.
In past years, there have been some boats lining the path to swim finish to buffer that current.
Swim Gear Tip
Tinted goggles typically for this race.
Swim Tips from Matt Dixon
You will be swimming downstream for nearly the entire swim, so it is well worth getting acquainted with the different sensations of your arm pulling backwards through the water, while water is traveling 'with you'.
Feel for the water is easier to gain, so timing
and rhythm is everything.
You can enjoy a faster than usual swim and will want to remain more in the middle of the river to ensure faster currents.
Sighting is relatively easy, but there is a wiggle/turn in the river, so ensure you know the course.
Be highly aware of swim exit, you don't want to overshoot the finish of the swim.
With the rolling start, seed yourself appropriately to your swim performance, don't be over-enthusiastic in your placing.
It isn't typically over-crowded so be respectful and appropriate.
I would still encourage you not to start too fast, instead ramp effort to a very strong and sustained effort.
Swim Tips from Sarah Piampiano
Athletes will board a shuttle to the swim start for a point-to-point swim, which makes navigating the swim pretty simple.
It is a downstream swim, however, the two times that I have done the race there hasn't been much of a noticeable current.
This should be a wetsuit legal swim in late May, so if there is a current on race day it will make for a very fast one.
T1
Coming out of the swim, you will run west along the river and the sea wall.
Then there is a turn which feeds into a fairly steep ramp/hill that athletes have to run up to get to T1.
Be prepared.
Bike Course
Length: 56 miles, 1 loop
Bike Course Overview
The bike course takes riders 11 miles south of town before beginning a 34-mile loop in north Georgia. Athletes can expect incredible views as they parallel Lookout Mountain on this rolling course with great road surfaces. As athletes near the end of the loop they will get the opportunity to ride through historic Chickamauga. The 56 mile course has approximately 2400 feet of climbing.
Bike Elevation
Starting Elevation: 709 feet
Finishing Elevation: 709 feet
Total Gain: 2,218 feet
Bike Course Nutrition at Aid Stations
Gatorade Endurance Formula (Flavor: Orange)
Water
Bananas
GU ROCTANE Energy Gels
BASE Performance Bars
Red Bull
Bike Tips
Be aware that some of the poorer quality pavement on the Chattanooga bike is found during the urban riding portion at the start of the course. Be ready for a few 90 degree turns as well.
There is a rough set of railroad tracks about a mile out which you will encounter again at the end of the ride with about a mile left to go.
Please make note of that climb, descent and blind turn outside of Chicakamauga prior to race day for strategic planning purposes.
Bike Tips from Matt Dixon
A wonderful course to vary the load, utilize the full range of gears and riding tools, and avoid the mistake of retaining a single cadence or strict power zone. I would highlight the chance to always find opportunities to gain or regain momentum over crests, carry speed with less power output (grades and tailwinds) and avoid slowing down with some stronger and short efforts through the dips of rollers.
Ride this course at a single power and you will either go very slow relative to potential or blow yourself to pieces. Instead, very the load and ensure you bring out some slower strength-endurance low rpm work on hills, a little use of appropriate standing to relieve load and short accelerations over the crests of hills to regain speed quickly - which you will want to carry down the next grade.
You can absolutely ride this bike course strong and there are not enough features or terrain to be risky to the run, so let the wheels fly and enjoy.
Just be mindful of not powering down the shallow hills and chasing power when speed is already high.
It is a thinking-athlete's course.
Bike Tips from Paul Buick
Plenty to think about with constantly changing elevation.
If the bike is rolling well downhill and/or with the wind behind consider using the higher cadence option to maintain speed and conserve the muscular resource for the uphills and headwinds.
Some subtle changes where you will need to be mindful of load vs. speed and make decisions on whether to manage with gearing or pedaling dynamics.
The terrain is not extreme so the variance of load and riding tools will be subtle.
Multiple changes of gradient where minimizing the time it takes to transition from heavier to lighter load and relevant speed - with on the bike interactions and gearing - brings good time over distance return on effort.
Unless consciously choosing to rest - every time the load decreases the speed should increase, with gearing, cadence or a smooth standing interaction - other than for 6-10 standing pedal strokes if/when standing is used - as gradient/load declines power will also sink back towards you average output but speed should increase.
Transitions between loads and riding tools should be smooth and fluid.
Plenty of rolling terrain both smaller and medium "rollers" that can be managed to carry speed into the next down.
As with all rolling courses let the gradient bring the work to you - do not charge the bottom of the hills - power will rise as the gradient increases - important to work off RPE and manage the HR and muscular load with gearing.
Bike Tips from Sarah Piampiano
The bike course is a one loop rolling course and most of the road surfaces are great.
This course takes you out of Tennessee into Georgia with some great views of Lookout Mountain.
There aren't any steep climbs to worry about, but there is enough rolling terrain to make varying the load key to your success.
Run Course
Length: 13.1 miles, 2.25 loops
Run Course Overview
Athletes will have a chance to see the Scenic City as they complete two loops through downtown Chattanooga, The Tennessee Riverwalk, Veterans Bridge, North Shore, Walnut Street Bridge and the beautiful Riverfront Parkway. The final stretch will bring down Riverfront Parkway to finish at Ross's Landing along the Tennessee River. Total elevation gain for the run is around 800 feet.
Run Elevation
Starting Elevation: 713 feet
Finishing Elevation: 680 feet
Total Gain: 820 feet
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
Really pay attention to your hydration and nutrition, and concentrate on keeping your core temperature cool.
Run Course Nutrition at Aid Stations
Gatorade Endurance Formula (Flavor: Lemon Lime)
Water
Cola
GU ROCTANE Energy Gels
BASE Performance Bars
Red Bull Pretzels
Fruit: bananas and oranges
Course Closure Info
Finish Line Cut Off
Each athlete will have 8 hours and 30 minutes to complete the entire course. Race officially ends 8 hours and 30 minutes after the last athlete enters the water.
Any athlete or relay team that takes longer than 8 hours and 30 minutes to complete the entire course will receive a DNF.
Run Tips
Run Tips from Sarah Piampiano
The run can be tough, but it is a very spectator friendly course.
There are a few gradual hills throughout the loop that you do twice, so it's a good idea to conserve some energy on them.
Slow the cadence a bit and focus on really pushing off the back foot and keeping the heart rate down on the uphills.
On the downhills, focus on foot speed and using the momentum to carry you forward.
The first hill is fairly soon out of transition, so you don't want to blow yourself to pieces right away!
All in all, the run is pretty scenic through downtown Chattanooga and along the Riverfront Parkway with lots of spectators along the course.
Again, it can be hot by the time you're on the run, so be prepared and remember to hydrate!
Run Tips from Matt Dixon
Dependent on your level this course and expected heat may well necessitate you are smart about the run. Remember that the time-penalty for purposeful walking on hills is minimal for most people but, conversely, all must seek to use gravity and run down all hills.
If running is a weakness or you don't typically operate well in heat, then being stubborn and tough won't yield success.
You may benefit from running with great form as long as you can for as often as you can, and mix this with smartly placed walking.
On the hills - power walk and mix with running if you can.
Downhills you carry legs peed through fast arms and light feet, and the flats are a mix of run-walking. This will likely be the approach of many competitors.
If you are a very strong runner, translate this to your lens, with controlled form based hills and a pursuit of very fast leg speed downhills, without bashing your quads apart via slow turnover and heavy footsteps.
This is a course to think, maintain process and control with walking if needed, appropriate fueling and hydration and a pragmatic lens.
The good news is that fast running is possible, but likely not through just being tough!
You have to be smart too.
Matt’s Final Thoughts
Focus on the process not outcome.
Triathlons can elicit monkey brain. You may start asking yourself a lot of questions during the race, and lose focus on the immediate task at hand. Controlling that attention and focus is part of the challenge and the fun.
Don't evaluate too early. Many athletes start evaluating their performances before they finish the race and leave some potential strewn across the course. Triathlons require you to remain focused on execution and process, without a thought of the outcome during the race. Save your race evaluation for the recovery tent.
Fueling: Check in with yourself throughout the race and continually assess your calories and hydration intake. It may be hot this year, so think about that when you are planning your hydration and remember calories every 10-15 minutes. If your mood starts to drop, it is likely calories.
Pacing: Managing your effort, gearing, and pacing in each part of the race.
Form: Staying supple on the bike, good tension on the chain, running tall on the run with good foot-speed. Basically, all the things we have talked about so far!
Don’t let the support, terrain and spirit of this course deceive you. It is a wonderful race, so go have fun and embrace it.
Best of luck, we will see you on the course.