The Bike Leg at 70.3 Wisconsin: 90 km of Rolling Hills, Wind, and a Start You Can't Afford to Botch

The Big Picture

90 km (56.9 miles) with 746 m of elevation gain according to the official page. Heads up, though: athlete-recorded data shows lower numbers, between ~530 and ~700 m. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. What matters for you: there are no long climbs, just continuous rolling hills through open farmland. This is a steady-power course, not a punchy one.

The First 8 km: Patience Is Mandatory

The start is on bike paths with tight turns. Several race reports note that the first ~5 miles are slow for everyone. Two classic mistakes to avoid:

• Hammering to make up positions. No need: you build your average later, out in the farmland. Burning watts here is the fastest way to pay for it at km 70.
• Passing in corners. Space is tight and athlete traffic is dense after the rolling start. Hold your line, wait for the straightaways.

Concrete action: in your long rides, simulate a controlled-intensity start for 15 minutes before ramping up to race pace. Your body needs to know the feeling.

The Hilly Section and the Wind

The hilliest section can have a headwind. Open farmland means zero shelter. The strategy is simple to say and hard to do:

• Ride to power, not speed. If the wind slows you by 3-4 km/h, accept it. Chasing speed into a headwind leaves you empty for the run.
• Stay tucked in your aero position even through the short rollers: sitting up and down constantly costs more than it gains.
• On short ramps, crest the hill without spiking: +10-15% over your target power, no more.

Pavement and Traffic: Eyes Open

Two warnings from race reports: roads open to traffic and grooved pavement in some sections. On descents, this changes the rules:

• Don't bomb blindly down descents you don't know.
• If you can, drive the course in the days before the race and note the spots with rough pavement.
• Check your tire pressure: on grooved pavement, running 5-7 psi below your usual improves grip and comfort.

The Morning Cold

One report cites 9°C (48°F) at the start of the bike, with a high of 18°C (64°F) that day. Official data shows lows of 14°C (57°F) and highs up to 27°C (81°F). September in Madison is variable: prepare for both scenarios. Arm warmers or a light vest in T1 are insurance that costs 30 seconds. At 9°C in aero, soaking wet from the swim, with no protection, the first 30 minutes are pointless suffering.

Gearing and Equipment

With continuous rollers and no long climbs, a standard half-distance cassette (e.g., 11-28 or 11-30 with a compact) is enough for most age-groupers. This is not a course for extreme gearing. More important: an aero position you can actually hold for a long time in the windy sections.

The Three-Phase Plan

1. Km 0-8: total control. Bike paths, corners, athlete traffic. Intensity below target. 2. Km 8-70: your race pace, steady power, tucked and aero, watch for wind in the open sections. 3. Km 70-90: assess your legs. If you feel good, finish strong, but remember the half marathon ends with a climb up to the Capitol. A split between 2:25 (top age-group) and 3:25 (relaxed finisher) is the realistic range according to our rough estimates, not official data.

The decision to make today: pick your target power and test it in a 2h30 long ride with a run off the bike. If the run falls apart, your target is too high for this course.