the commentator on the Ironman programme called it the hardest ironman course in the world.....
but i think maybe they are taking into account of the run as he said there was a 1000m of climbing in it and i think the majority od offical ironman runs are fairly flat aren't they........
so maybe that with the sea swim....welsh weather and one of the toughest bikes might make it the hardest
Maybe I have an axe to grind because I think Lanza was harder but I can't help but question how that data is accrued. It just doesn't make a great deal of sense to me to base the data on the performance of the top xx pros in the field, if that's how they've done it. It's a performance rating, not difficulty rating, isn't it? I've tried reading the website and I can't actually make head nor tail of how it's been worked out.
I'd be inclined to compare the data of elevation of bike and run courses, which I suppose would make Wales 'harder' because of the elevation on the run course. As far as I am aware the elevation for the bike course in Wales is described as 'over 2000m' whereas Lanza is described as '2551m'. The is very little elevation on the run course in Lanza (it's not pan flat but it's certainly not hilly) and I can't find anything official on the website to state the climb on the run course in Wales (I'm not sure I'd concur with 1000m because it didn't feel like that but then if you say 250m per lap, it doesn't sound so bad.)
Then I guess you compare the uncontrollables, which has the worst weather? I thought the weather was pretty grotty this year in Wales but I still think the weather was worse in Lanza.
Again though, I guess it's all subjective and I don't really care. I've done both. You can call Wales harder if you want.
Oh my goodness, I remember laughing at the bridges in Frankfurt before we raced and then how they felt like mountains on the 3rd and 4th lap of doing it!
That cobbled bit on the upslope going to the last bridge will haunt me forever....
the bridges in Henley were small hump-backed bridges and they felt like bloody mountains by lap 4 - I was having to shuffle over them sideways like a crab by the end
If the tide was out at the start of the IMW swim, you would had to walk to the first two buoys and waited about four hours till it came in enough to swim to the third.
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It does say that in Welsh, when you go from Wales in to England.
Seen they have updated the score to include this years Wales...interesting they think it was harder this year then the hurricane year of 2011
the commentator on the Ironman programme called it the hardest ironman course in the world.....
but i think maybe they are taking into account of the run as he said there was a 1000m of climbing in it and i think the majority od offical ironman runs are fairly flat aren't they........
so maybe that with the sea swim....welsh weather and one of the toughest bikes might make it the hardest
Maybe I have an axe to grind because I think Lanza was harder but I can't help but question how that data is accrued. It just doesn't make a great deal of sense to me to base the data on the performance of the top xx pros in the field, if that's how they've done it. It's a performance rating, not difficulty rating, isn't it? I've tried reading the website and I can't actually make head nor tail of how it's been worked out.
I'd be inclined to compare the data of elevation of bike and run courses, which I suppose would make Wales 'harder' because of the elevation on the run course. As far as I am aware the elevation for the bike course in Wales is described as 'over 2000m' whereas Lanza is described as '2551m'. The is very little elevation on the run course in Lanza (it's not pan flat but it's certainly not hilly) and I can't find anything official on the website to state the climb on the run course in Wales (I'm not sure I'd concur with 1000m because it didn't feel like that but then if you say 250m per lap, it doesn't sound so bad.)
Then I guess you compare the uncontrollables, which has the worst weather? I thought the weather was pretty grotty this year in Wales but I still think the weather was worse in Lanza.
Again though, I guess it's all subjective and I don't really care. I've done both. You can call Wales harder if you want.
Anyhooo Henley had a sneaky hill on the run so I'm sure that must nudge it up the rankings. Oh and three bridges to run over
Oh my goodness, I remember laughing at the bridges in Frankfurt before we raced and then how they felt like mountains on the 3rd and 4th lap of doing it!
That cobbled bit on the upslope going to the last bridge will haunt me forever....
the bridges in Henley were small hump-backed bridges and they felt like bloody mountains by lap 4 - I was having to shuffle over them sideways like a crab by the end
Mind you, I also maintain that the flat bike courses are hard too. No respite.
If the tide is out at the start of IMW, and comes in during the swim, does that mean I'm swimming uphill?
If the tide was out at the start of the IMW swim, you would had to walk to the first two buoys and waited about four hours till it came in enough to swim to the third.
Does that mean I swam downhill instead? No wonder it's quick.