When I first heard about the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Blue Ridge in 2020, I was intrigued by the possibility that this race would feature a challenging bike course. When the bike course details described an "epic five-mile climb on Route 43 to the Blue Ridge Parkway entrance" and that "Athletes will experience breathtaking views of the valley, as they ride and descend 21-miles of completely closed roads" I couldn't stop thinking about the race. I love challenging race courses as the accomplishment is in the adventure to get to the finish line. My most memorable long distance races have all been on really hard courses. I've raced in St. George many times, I love IM Lake Placid, IM Austria and IM Wisconsin and I have also completed IM 70.3 St. Croix and IM 70.3 Branson (two very tough bike courses - both events are now retired from the IM 70.3 race circuit).
Where I live, the terrain is extremely technical. There's a lot of climbing, descending, twists and turns. Being able to train on conditions similar to the races that I compete on builds confidence, strength and familiarity. Athough I love challenging bike courses, I recognize that they may come across as scary, unsafe or out of your current capabilities. While I always encourage our athletes to stretch their comfort zone and to try new things, with that comes the responsibility to practice skills and terrain management to ensure safety and confidence on race day.
If you are registered (or considering registering) for IM 70.3 Virginia Blue Ridge or you'd like to learn a bit more about tackling a challenging bike course, come join me and three other coaches for the "Conquer the Course" webinar hosted by Ironman.
Conquer the course webinar November 29th at 6:30pm EST.
Register HERE.
If you are interested in learning more about the Ironman 70.3 Virginia Blue Ridge event (and course), you can check out my race recaps from the past two years.
2021 IM 70.3 Blue Ridge
2022 IM 70.3 Blue Ridge
I hope to see you in Roanoke in June 2023!
