Internal Mono(b)log

Last Saturday I took the day, drove to Huntsville and pre-rode the bike portion of the Ironman Muskoka course.

The bike route is a lollipop shaped course leaving from and returning to Deerhurst Resort and encircling Lake of Bays.  Let me cut to the chase and say this route is beautiful.  A lot of awesome scenery, great roads and a lot of shade.    There are no road hazards that I noted on the course save for 2 things, both of which will be addressed by or on race day:

• Currently there’s construction on the stretch of South Portage Rd between North Portage Rd and Dwight Beach Rd. I’d spoken with the race director before hand and was told that there was some construction on the route but that it’d be done long before September.  He characterized it as loose gravel, but that was pretty minimal even last Saturday.  Certainly rideable.
• A few places on the course the road turns abruptly, but appears to go straight.  I hit these sections going way to fast and was emergency stopping to slow enough to get around the corners.  I’m told that these will be well signed and also have plenty of volunteers directing people.

This route is for people who love hills, slow grades, steep grades, sharp corners then steep climbs, fast descents into corners or back up the next hill.  This route has them all.  Make sure your deraileurs are working well and that you’re planning to shift frequently!  Definitely avoid the temptation to just push up these hills in high gears.  Be especially cautious to save  your legs during the stretch from Dwight to Baysville.  These hills aren’t as challenging and you may be tempted to “chop up the candle and burn the bits”, but don’t!

The last 20k of this course is tough!  Your legs are tired, your butt is tired, and some of the most aggressive climbing on the entire course is in the last 20k.  Make sure you’re hydrated, fueled, caffeinated, and have energy in the bank when you hit this section.  There are bottle exchanges at Dorset and Baysville, take advantage of them! It’s going to be hot, and you’re going to be sweating through a lot of fluids.  And of course, don’t forget, you have a 21k run waiting for you on the other side of the bike.  I know part of my strategy for getting through this section and into the run 🙂

Looking forward to heading back up in August to ride it again and of course for September 🙂