The roadways of Chattanooga are quite accustomed to the feel of rapidly rotating bicycle tires. Commuters and recreationers alike glide through the streets winter, summer, spring and fall. Not to mention, the city will again become a national stage during upcoming road racing events like the 3 State, 3 Mountain Challenge and the USA Cycling National Championships this month.
But in September, Ironman is bringing the sport of triathlon cycling to a whole new level for our local streets. On September 28, as triathletes rise out of the Tennessee River and hop onto their bikes at Ross’s Landing, the course will catapult them into North Georgia. Their wheels turning parallel to Lookout Mountain, riders will race through historic Chickamauga to cover 112 miles, climbing 3,400 feet, before ending back at Ross’s Landing.
Riding this fast-paced leg of the Ironman is like being on a boat in the middle of an ocean with no hint of dry land in sight. The finish line is still too distant to visualize; an entire marathon is yet to be run. Needless to say, there’s a lot of training-mentally and physically-that goes into the cycling portion of Ironman.
Scott WilhoitSo on a recent sunshine-filled Monday, we sat down with our resident road racer and Ironman hopeful Dan Henry as well as Ironman veteran Scott Willhoit to talk cycling over lunch at Milk & Honey on the North Shore. From the intensive training to course challenges to the clash of two cycling cultures, here’s what they said:
Get Out Chattanooga: Dan, we know you’re transitioning from road racing to triathlon cycling for the first time. What are the biggest differences between the two?