B2B Bike Course
So,
I had the opportunity to ride the bike course over Labor day weekend and I apologize for the delay in posting but here are some items that may help you in your prep for the race. Note that I rode the IM course but much of the information is the same for both the IM and HIM bike courses. Also note that I did not ride the ENTIRE course because 10 miles of it is interstate that they close for the race but is otherwise not available for bike traffic. I did, however, drive the entire course. If you are going to ride the course, a good place to start is on Highway 421 just north of where the Interstate 140 hits it. Less than a mile north of there is a Ferguson Plumbing Supply which has a large lighted parking lot and is closed on the weekends. Lots of the local cycling crowd seem to use it as a staging area. If you ride the course from this point, you can still do over 90 miles. You can look at the elevation etc from my ride here : http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/580806491. Note that the course is pretty flat except for the bridges and a few hills in the outer portion of the loop but the overall gain for the 90 miles that I rode (without the bridges) was only 486 feet.
Please feel free to post questions if I have not made something clear or comments if you have done the race or ridden the course and feel that additional information would be helpful.
Background: The bike course starts and ends at different places so it is not just a big loop. T1 is on Wrightsville Beach and T2 is downtown at the convention center. The online map is pretty good and is worthy of review.
T1 - first mile : The T1 is near the Marina on Wrightsville. The first mile of the bike course is on some small roads the go towards the water and then circle under the bridge, through the parking lot of the boat ramp, and up over a metal-grate bridge. Comments : Take it easy through here, it will be crowded, the roads take several turns, there is some loose gravel, and after you circle under the bridge, there are speed bumps in the boat ramp parking lot.
Miles 1.5 thru about 8: After you cross the steel bridge, you will bear right onto Military Cutoff road about 1.5 miles from the start. This is 4 lane and overall pretty good quality pavement. At about Mile 4.5 you bear right onto highway 17 north. This is still 4 lane and a little more bumpy but still good road. At mile 8, you go up an overpass and immediately come down into a 270 degree turn. Don't get to fast on the downhill because the turn is pretty tight in the center portion. Be especially careful if it is wet.
Miles 8 - 20 : Interstate. This is pretty good road also, the only thing is the big bridge near the end, just over the bridge, I140 ends and you exit onto 421 north.
Miles 20 - 50. This is Highway 421 north. Note that there is on Railroad track a mile or two north of the interstate that will bounce a bottle out pretty easily For the first 15 miles or so, it is 4 lane and then it narrows to 2 lane. The road quality is pretty good with few potholes or cracks.
Mile 50 -63 (2 lane road) Take a left turn onto Buckhorn Rd. This is where Bike Special Needs is located. After this, the road turns into Wildcat road and then Ennis Bridge Rd. If you notice from my Ride posted above, there is a detour because Wildcat road was closed for bridge construction when I was there. I don't know if it will be open by race day or if they will adjust the route. The detour added about 5 miles to the ride. Overall, road quality through here was average, not bad but the road was not new either.
Miles 63-77 (2 lane road) This is highway 210 headed back to Wilmington. This road is pretty good and is mostly what I (as a flatlander) would call rolling hills. For those of you from more mountainous areas, you might think it is pretty flat.
Miles 77-80 (2 lane road) Rather than continue on Highway 210, the course turns onto Highway 53 for several miles. This is pretty bad road, lots of crackseal and patched potholes. It is a good place to lose water bottles and other loose items off of the bike.
Miles 80-82 (2 lane road) There is a short stretch of Highway 11 that brings you back to Highway 210. This road is pretty average.
Miles 82-92 (2 lane road) Travel on Highway 210 for about 10 miles and you will turn right at a little sketchy-looking country store. Overall, this road is also about average.
Miles 92-99 This is Blueberry Road. It is fairly shaded 2 lane road that brings you back to the 4-lane Highway 421 at about 14 miles from the finish.
Miles 99-112 Highway 421 South is 4-lane and brings you back into town. Note that you will cross the railroad tracks (again) and there is another steel-grate bridge coming into town. The course turns right after the bridge onto 3rd st and then another right onto Brunswick and Left onto Nutt and to T2 at the convention center.
I am going to post in the dashboard so that anyone who has done the race previously can add their input. Feel free to make additional points or comments below. Hope this is helpful