Need info / reviews for IM Zurich

Coach Rich

A local friend is racing IM Zurich this summer and I'd like to offer him any information we have from the Collective 

Any inside scoop?

GMAN 19030

Dev Paul would tell him not to ride his bike into the side of a house.

Too soon?

Dave Tallo

@ Bob - no, I think the general waiting time for time+tragedy=comedy is about 3 months. You're good.



@ Rich - it has the reputation for being the "easier" euro course to KQ, and it's a very efficient urban setting that makes spectator and racer logistics easy. Two loop swim with a very very aggressive first quarter to the turn buoy. Very very large grassed transition zone. Two-loop bike with one sustained climb (10'? 15'? it's been a while) and one steep but short pop; I would compare it to Canada in difficulty, but it also gives the smart / powermeter / EN racer a lot of chances to race smart. The run was a 3? 4? loop, on a combination of road, park path, etc with some, but not a lot of shade. No run course characteristics - it's in the category of FL / Lou flat. They hand out Red Bull at one of the aid stations via pretty Swiss Red Bull-ette volunteers.



If your friend is 'racing,' I add a general experience with EU races: there seems to be a lot of guys who go out quite strong on the bike, but unlike NA, where you see a large number of them walking the run a few hours later, they don't seem to slow down. They are just better riders with bigger engines. I have no data on this, but I had been left with this impression every time I was trying to make things happen on race day.



General recollections: Zurich is expensive, easy to get around, clean, and a great launching pad for EU travels after the race. The race is well-run with a large expo. There are a lot of North Americans.



Feel free to have your friend contact me if I can offer any more info!

Paul Hough

@ Dave - how is it the "easier" course to qualify? Is it due to the date proximity against IM Germany which serves as the European Championship? I want to do Austria anyway so it could be on my list for when I age up to M60 if it really is easier. Some year, I just may get lucky!

Dave Tallo

Paul - I was afraid I'd get called out on that! I had the same question, and after a little review, I wonder if it's reflective of the slightly slower KQ times than the other EU races. It's true that the race is timed pretty close to Frankfurt, but if timing were the caulprit, you might also see it reflected in Regenesburg or Austria, which remain insanely fast. And France KQ is just a freakshow.

Paul Hough

Thx Dave. I said Austria, but I meant IMSUI. I looked at it in the past and ruled it out due to the swim issue you mentioned. Lots of race reports described it as a slug fest. The other negative is the high chance of a thunderstorm during the ride. But if Switzerland goes to a TT/Wave start like they are talking about in the U.S. then I may eventually do it.

SHEILAMCCANN

In 2007, it was a two loop very pleasant swim. The water was fairly warm, you can see a few feet in the water like swimmiing in mountain lakes without the cold. The bike was three loops, two hills-a short one and a longer sustained climb, but mostly flat and fast. The hills were less than St. George and a lot less than Wildflower. The run is an easy completely flat four loop course with plenty of aid stations.

The average Ironman times are fast not because of the course as much as the athletes. There is no Oprah effect or Team in Training of motivating overwieght people to compete in sports in Europe, which they need. The athletes expos are always full of very fit people, but this one was extreme. There wasn't nearly as many people walking the marathon that I have seen in US. It appeared most athletes were there to compete not to complete.

Paul Hough

Sheila - that was my experience at IM Regensburg.  Everyone was saying fast course before I got there, but the bike was challenging with two major climbs...and the Europeans kicked my ass.  I've generally been a FOP athlete in the US but barely made the top 1/3 in my age group at Regensburg.

morpheus

Red Bull-ettes? I'm going.