It’s hard to talk about this course without talking about the town of Coeur d’Alene and its residents, who have volunteered for and cheered on participants at IM Coeur d’Alene and IM 70.3 Couer d'Alene for nearly fifteen years. I’ve yet to be in a town that is so genuinely excited to be overrun by self-focused athletes with bizarre dietary restrictions and an insane obsession with the weather forecast. So, no matter what else you do, enjoy the town and their enthusiasm for your insanity!
Weather
According to Accuweather.com, the average high in Coeur d’Alene in late June is in the mid 70s, average low is in the mid 50s. Expect a chilly swim start with temps warming through the day, but nothing you can’t handle come time to take off on the run.Swim
The swim is a single, counter-clockwise loop in Lake Coeur d’Alene. The race website says that average water temps are in the high 60s to low 70s … However, there have definitely been years where the water temp hasn't gotten out of the 50s, so bring your full-sleeve wetsuit for sure, and add a neoprene cap and even consider some neoprene booties if you’re averse to cold water..Lake Coeur d’Alene has been one of my favorite swims on the IM / 70.3 circuit. The water visibility is pretty good on the spectrum of open water swims. It doesn’t live up to Miami Beach, which is my gold standard as it provides a clear view to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, but you can actually see your hand which is an improvement over most swim venues. Looking at the water conditions beyond visibility, you’ll want to be prepared for some mild swells if there’s a bit of wind, although you may not see them from land as much as you’ll notice them in the water.
Bike
Before I launch into my discussion of the bike course, I want to point out that you’ll be hopping on your bike after swimming in a cold lake and the air temps are likely still going to be in the 50s. If you’re someone who tends to have cold feet, you’ll want to consider socks and/or toe covers. For cold hands, I was given the suggestion of starting off with some cheap gardening gloves that I could ditch at the first aid station. Even more genius was the suggestion that I use rubber bands to secure those hand warmers that you typically use for skiing to my aero bars.As for the course itself, it's a one-loop course that can be broken logically into two sections: the first, the 14 miles from transition through town, around the Lake and back; the second, the remaining 42 miles out of town, along US-95 and back.
The terrain for the first 14 mile section is mostly flat, save for a short hill right before the turnaround at mile 7, and other than a few series of 90 degree turns you’ll ride strong and find your rhythm. This first section is pretty tame and therefore pretty enjoyable.
After those 14 mostly flat and fast miles, you’ll whizz past transition and head out onto the second section of the course. This is where the fun really begins (queue the sarcasm). There are three distinct climbs in this section, which I’ll call the Big Climb, Climb #2, and the Other Climb.
- The Big Climb starts at mile 18.5, and will treat you to 1.5 miles at an unforgivingly consistent 6% grade. I won’t lie to you - this is a long, brutal, uphill slog where you’ll always want to see the top around the corner and it will never be there.You’ll hit Climb #2 as you approach mile 24. This one’s only about a mile and fluctuates between 2 and 4% grade.
- The Other Climb is a two mile kicker that starts at mile 46.5; the first mile hovers around 5-6% grade but the second eases up to a more manageable 3-5% grade. Just to keep things entertaining, after reaching the top you’re greeted with 1.5 miles of false flat. #whoneedsrecoveryanyway
The other notable feature of this course is the roughly 10 miles of net uphill rollers that follow Climb #2 and take you all the way to the turnaround at mile 35. I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge fan of these 10 miles of rollers. Yes, the landscape is pretty and the big ol’ evergreens representative of the Pacific Northwest are nice to look at. But other than a barn here or a building there, there is very little to distinguish one mile from the next. If you’re one to zone out and count your pedal strokes and lose track of time, you will do great here. Me, not so much.
Also, you’re assumption that the 10 miles of rollers on the way back will be a lot faster might be misplaced. This course is known for headwinds that appear once you do make that turn back to home, so be prepared for that possibility.
My biggest piece of advice for this bike course is to do your best to keep your effort level consistent across the entire 56 miles. There are all kinds of articles and analysis demonstrating that the best way to set yourself up for a good run is to keep your variability index - how much your effort level fluctuates throughout the bike leg - to a minimum. The long and steady nature of these hills allows you to do a pretty good job of being consistent assuming that you’re paying attention and riding smart.
Run
The run course is a nice two-loop course that includes the great energy of the neighborhoods of Coeur d’Alene along with some great views of the Lake.After heading out of transition, you’ll run over to the Coeur d’Alene Resort, then to McEuen Park and into the fabulous neighborhoods of Coeur d’Alene. This is the fun part - and I’m not being sarcastic this time. The residents of these neighborhoods are typically out in force to cheer on participants, complete with witty motivational signs (“Forward IS a Pace” being my favorite from 2015), sprinklers and hoses, and some rockin’ tunes right around mile 2.
After the rockin’ tunes, you’ll depart the neighborhoods and head out to a paved trail that runs alongside Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive, which will take you to the turnaround of the run course. The trail should give you some nice views of the Lake, but will lack the throngs of screaming residents that kept you moving through the neighborhoods. The great thing about a two loop course, though, is that you’ll get to enjoy those screaming throngs four whole times. How awesome is that.
Other than the route, you’ll want to know that the course should have some decent shade and the elevation gain is pretty tame. The “hills” are just little bits of almost nothing here or there through the neighborhoods, plus a longer but gradual up and down on the trail. The elevation chart makes it look a lot scarier than it is.
This pleasantly mild run course should set you up for a spectacular finish down Sherman Avenue. Those blocks along Sherman are reported to be the best finish line outside of Kona - at least they have been for the full Ironman. If the residents come out for the 70.3 in the same fashion, those final blocks are as close as you’re going to get to feeling like a rock star. Enjoy it!