This weekend I drove the Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga bike course for the first time.
I wanted to get a feel for what race day is actually going to look like, not just what it says on paper. Seeing it in person makes a huge difference.
And honestly… it made everything feel a lot more real.
The One That Stood Out: Andrews
There’s one spot that immediately stood out to me… Andrews.
Before I even got out there, I was told:
“Just be ready for Andrews at mile 25.5ish. It’s a weird left turn straight up, so be in your easiest gear or you will drop a chain or fall over.”
That came from Ashley Raines, one of the hosts of The Everyday Ironman Podcast (which I actually had the chance to be on in 2024).
After seeing it in person… yeah, that warning is real.
It’s not just a hill. It’s the way you turn into it and how steep it hits you right away. If you’re not ready for it, it could catch you off guard fast.
First Impressions of the Course
Overall, the course feels very doable, but it’s not something you can take lightly.
A few things that stood out:
- There are definitely some rolling sections that are going to add up over time
- You need to stay focused on effort, not just speed
- It’s the kind of course where pacing is going to matter more than anything
This isn’t a “send it and hope” kind of ride.
It’s going to reward patience.
What This Changed for Me
Driving the course made a few things really clear going into race day:
- I need to be smart with gearing, especially going into climbs like Andrews
- Pacing is going to be everything
- Staying controlled early is going to matter later
Final Thoughts
Seeing the course in person made everything feel different.
This isn’t just something I signed up for anymore.
It’s real.
Race day is coming.
More information on the entire Ironman Chattanooga 70.3
https://www.ironman.com/races/im703-chattanooga/course
You can follow my training and weekly updates here:
👉 https://www.strava.com/athletes/truckertotri
