IM France 2011 v Alpe D'Huez 2011

griffin100

Despite it still only being August I'm thinking about next years IM. I'm at the early stages of negotiations with herself but at this stage I'm leaning towards a toss up between either IM France and the Alpe D'Huez Long Course. I know the ADH is not an IM distance but I think the bit of a hill at the end of the cycle and the 21kms at altitude make up for that:) Now I know I said if I ever did another IM race I'd pick a flat one but feck it wheres the fun in that.

Question is, has anybody here done either? France is sticking out above other locations as I could tack a family holiday onto the race, thus winning mucho brownie points. Any comments on either race re. ease of transport, costs, etc would be appreciated. Early investigations would suggest Nice is a lot easier to get to than ADH if lugging bike, wife and three kids.

(IMCH is still in the background, as we may have family living in Zurich by next summer with the posisbility of free accomadation)

Lex Luther

griffin100 wrote: »

Despite it still only being August I'm thinking about next years IM. I'm at the early stages of negotiations with herself but at this stage I'm leaning towards a toss up between either IM France and the Alpe D'Huez Long Course. I know the ADH is not an IM distance but I think the bit of a hill at the end of the cycle and the 21kms at altitude make up for that:) Now I know I said if I ever did another IM race I'd pick a flat one but feck it wheres the fun in that.

and he's back in the game.....................!!!!!

griffin100

and he's back in the game.....................!!!!!

I just miss having a training log........

Izoard

griffin100 wrote: »

but at this stage I'm leaning towards a toss up between either IM France and the Alpe D'Huez Long Course.

You could combine both

digger2d2

Having been to ADH skiing in January with a cyclist I've been persuaded to try do the Tour stage next year (only been up it in a bus) but fair play to anyone who is capable of doing it after a swim and before a run.....

n-dawg

Hey

I did the long in alpe d'huez this year. Its a fantastic event. The swim is in a beautiful clean alpine lake, and even though they say its cold its nothing compared to lough dan. The cycle is tough.... very very very tough. Their route profile makes it seem like there are only 3 climbs but what you find is there is a short sharp climb ~1km long out of transition, the climb of alpe de grand serre, another short sharp climb ~2km long, a long drag at about ~3-4%, the climb of col d'ornon (actually quite handy) and the alpe d'huez itself. The run is 3 laps with about 30% off road, its through a beautiful alpine meadow.

We stayed in alpe d'huez in one of hundreds of very well priced ski apartments (€90 each for 4, cheaper then my rent!!!) and stayed for a week. before the race we did two nice cycles and then after the race we did marmotte sportive course. We also went hiking a few times. There is a great outdoor pool in the town too. Hopefully I'll be going back in 2011 the whole week we were there was fantastic. I slept for 3 days when I got back, but I suppose that's the sign of a good trip.

Alpe d'huez isn't too bad to get too, fly to grenoble, bus to train station, then there's a bus direct to alpe d'huez. A lot a people were renting cars though, and I suppose if you have kids that would be better. The town seemed to have a lot going for it appart from the race, hiking was great and if your feeling lazy you can get a lift up and only walk down. There was also these cool go cart things and LOTS of mountaining biking. They put on a very good kids race too if your kids would be up for it!

griffin100

Hey

I did the long in alpe d'huez this year. Its a fantastic event. The swim is in a beautiful clean alpine lake, and even though they say its cold its nothing compared to lough dan. The cycle is tough.... very very very tough. Their route profile makes it seem like there are only 3 climbs but what you find is there is a short sharp climb ~1km long out of transition, the climb of alpe de grand serre, another short sharp climb ~2km long, a long drag at about ~3-4%, the climb of col d'ornon (actually quite handy) and the alpe d'huez itself. The run is 3 laps with about 30% off road, its through a beautiful alpine meadow.

We stayed in alpe d'huez in one of hundreds of very well priced ski apartments (€90 each for 4, cheaper then my rent!!!) and stayed for a week. before the race we did two nice cycles and then after the race we did marmotte sportive course. We also went hiking a few times. There is a great outdoor pool in the town too. Hopefully I'll be going back in 2011 the whole week we were there was fantastic. I slept for 3 days when I got back, but I suppose that's the sign of a good trip.

Cheers n-dawh, thats exactly the type of info I need. One more question, how did you tarvel there - ferry and drive; fly and hire a car, ??

Izoard

n-dawg wrote: »

after the race we did marmotte sportive course.

:eek: Fair play n-dawg...ADH + Marmotte in the one week - some achievement.

n-dawg

Two of us flew to Grenoble with Ryanair the others were coming from the UK and flew to Lyon. We all meet in Grenoble Train station and got a bus up to alpe d'huez from there.

@Izoard We were slow on the marmotte course... Stopping for coffees and mint lemonades in every town we passed:D

griffin100

@Izoard We were slow on the marmotte course... Stopping for coffees and mint lemonades in every town we passed

Sounds like my IMUK bike:D

catweazle

What was the swim like N-Dawg, I missed the swim section on Eurosport last week. End of July and Mrs C has been pushing hard for France next year for the annual holidays............mmmmmmmmmmm I might have a cunning plan!

n-dawg

catweazle wrote: »

What was the swim like N-Dawg, I missed the swim section on Eurosport last week. End of July and Mrs C has been pushing hard for France next year for the annual holidays............mmmmmmmmmmm I might have a cunning plan!

Its nice, the swim is never my strong point so I was really taking it handy. The turning bouys were a bit messy but no worse then somewhere like camlough or beast of the east. Its a long narrow lake so you swim down one side of it, back the other. The eurosport hellcopter was a bit mad, every now and then you would hear this strange thump thump thump in the water and then feal a really strong wind on your back... next time you spotted the hellicopter would be right in front of you.

griffin100

The eurosport hellcopter was a bit mad, every now and then you would hear this strange thump thump thump in the water and then feal a really strong wind on your back... next time you spotted the hellicopter would be right in front of you.

London Tri is a bit like that. You're swimming directly below the planes making their approach to the City Of London Airport. They aren't really that close but when you look up all you can see is plane undercarraige.