Ironman Idaho and Great Floridian

Has anyone here done both courses, and if so:

What year? How was the bike course - climbing comparison? Which was more difficult overall?

Thanks for any light you can shed; a friend's trying to gear up for Idaho this year, having done
Great Floridian for 3 of 4 years now.

"Always Learning" <abcdefghijklmnop@qrstuvw.xyz> wrote in message
news:Po2dndHGto5o70ui4p2dnA@wideopenwest.com...
> Has anyone here done both courses, and if so:
>
> What year? How was the bike course - climbing comparison? Which was more difficult overall?
>
> Thanks for any light you can shed; a friend's trying to gear up for Idaho this year, having done
> Great Floridian for 3 of 4 years now.

I have done Great Floridian Full & Half. While I have NOT done Idaho, I am quite familiar with the
Cour d' Alene area. So take my opinion for what it is worth...

I cannot imagine a way of staging the Idaho course that would make that Ironman easier than Great
Floridian. The challenges would all be extremely different.

- That part of Idaho is high enough in the mountains to make a real difference to your breathing.
Florida is very low.

- There are some short to medium climbs in Clermont. Idaho would be a similar grade but MUCH longer.

- Clermont is HOT, so hydration is a challenge. In Idaho, the temperature could swing dramatically
from start-to-midday and then to finish.

- Let's not talk about how cold the water in Idaho is... Clermont's swim is like a bath, but warmer.
Mirror Lake is a closer comparison, if you've done Lake Placid.

My point of view is that of a Southeasterner. Someone from Idaho might have an equally difficult
adjustment to central Florida(?).

rsquared

I did CDA. The altitude is a non factor. However, this is a 2 loop bike course with a nice series of
hills about 12 miles in. Believe me, the 2nd time around going up those climbs will pop your HR up a
bit. This past year we had some very high temps that they don't normally see this time of year and
the 2nd loop was HOT on the climb as well.

"rsquared" <rodrig462@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:<dYPBb.13577$Yt2.645@bignews3.bellsouth.net>...
> "Always Learning" <abcdefghijklmnop@qrstuvw.xyz> wrote in message
> news:Po2dndHGto5o70ui4p2dnA@wideopenwest.com...
> > Has anyone here done both courses, and if so:
> >
> > What year? How was the bike course - climbing comparison? Which was more difficult overall?
> >
> > Thanks for any light you can shed; a friend's trying to gear up for Idaho this year, having done
> > Great Floridian for 3 of 4 years now.
>
> I have done Great Floridian Full & Half. While I have NOT done Idaho, I am quite familiar with the
> Cour d' Alene area. So take my opinion for what it is worth...
>
> I cannot imagine a way of staging the Idaho course that would make that Ironman easier than Great
> Floridian. The challenges would all be extremely different.
>
> - That part of Idaho is high enough in the mountains to make a real difference to your breathing.
> Florida is very low.
>
> - There are some short to medium climbs in Clermont. Idaho would be a similar grade but MUCH
> longer.
>
> - Clermont is HOT, so hydration is a challenge. In Idaho, the temperature could swing dramatically
> from start-to-midday and then to finish.
>
> - Let's not talk about how cold the water in Idaho is... Clermont's swim is like a bath, but
> warmer. Mirror Lake is a closer comparison, if you've done Lake Placid.
>
> My point of view is that of a Southeasterner. Someone from Idaho might have an equally difficult
> adjustment to central Florida(?).
>
> rsquared