IMUK bike course
tomo13
Posts: 24
in General Chat
A few of us from Spalding Tri Club went and did the bike course for IMUK this year and those that did it last year said it was tougher than last years. I enjoyed it but it was hard going especially on the 3rd loop.
Has anyone else done it and what did you think ?
Has anyone else done it and what did you think ?
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Comments
I worked out it will take me about 30mins to get to the loop from Pennington, 90mins per loop and about 25mins on the return leg to Pennington.
It is a tough course, things to watch are not to push too hard when you get to the A6 on the outleg from pennington, its easy to loose yourself and nail it down there.
There are only really 2 hills, Sheep house lane and the red hill (I think its called) towards the end of the loop. The rest is undulating.
The wind will be an issue on the blackburn road from Belmont, it is always in your face so expect that.....out the 5 or 6 times I have cycled along that road in the past few years only once has the wind not been in my face. And that was when there was no wind at all!
Should be a good ride on the day. I am looking to go up and cycle another couple of laps again in July.
I cycled 50 miles the other week and total acsent was 3500ft, my legs were pretty tired, done in 3 hrs. - gutted when I saw the IM acsent was 7100ft!!
Then i was chatting to a guy on the way to the plymouth half marathon and he told me he did it last year and it was ok.....I'm now worried about this 'new' route!
Oh well more training over Dartmoor I guess. GULP!!
Give us a shout in July. I'd like to recce the bike course before I compete....
Dont worry about the amount of climbing..... its really not that bad. Not more so than most other hilly tri's Iv done. I think Bala middle bike leg is harder, wimbleball is harder, Id even go to say Horwich Standard bike leg is harder obviously in proportion to the difference in actual distance.
I'm definately intrested in going up beforehand....in July, I'm based in Plymouth so if anyone whats a lift let me know. (on route obvisouly)
lol
tryingto get down there in coming weeks fro a drive and ride reccy
cheers
Tony
The course has been changed from having the out and back bit from Pennington to the loop and the return back to pennington to just the out from pennington.....this removes a very fast part of the course (return to Pennington) where you can quite easily tick over at 25mph+ for at least 7 or 8 miles....
I havent had chance to check the other changes out but sounds like they have got rid of Red Hill climb at the back of the original loop......ill post a date when I sort one out when Im going up again.
i was in Bolton on sunday and rode the course. Found the 14 miles up from Pennington Flash good and thought after the swim this will make for a good warm up on the legs. Road condition very good
The loop
Found this great (started at Sheep hill) nice steady incline until the farms and then a small down to gain some speed for the first part of the main climb. happy with the main sheep hill and allows for a recovery after before the very fast decent.
Wind Sunday very strong and across on the decent which reduced the speed as it was gusty.
The leg from Belmont up to the M61 is very fast and a great few miles to fuel up.
Met a guy in the car park who is on the police organising committe and tells me that sheep hill is being skimmed before the event as well so roads all round willbe good. IMUK office wont commit to how they are going to handle the cattle grid on the start of sheep hill but i hope the side gate will be open. Back side of the loop some nice stretches and i feel more downs than ups soem short and suite steep climbs but most have plenty of down before and flat after for recovery. i found more time to get into tri bars than first thought after reading other peoples reports
I ride around Durham where you have to do hills just to get out of my village there is a 1.4mile 18 - 20% climb and up the road there is a 23% climb.
i went round with a compact 53/39 and a 12/27 back. Sheep house i found that i only changed up for the last corner but stayed seated. Will be tuff third time round. thinki can hold avergae speed of somewhere between 15 - 18mph
Anybody else done the loop as not sure of its distance my battery went off but in the car it was over 30miles so thought more 115 miles or more but not sure. pennington to loop 14miles and then should be three laps of 32miles plus then the small ride to the school for T2 anybody give a better feel of this?
Tony Neville Bib 841