IRONMAN 70.3 Ruidoso・New MexicoVerified
IRONMAN 70.3 Ruidoso・New Mexico: 90 km bike leg, 761 m of climbing. Elevation profile, what the terrain asks of you, the weather this race day usually brings, and how to pace this course.
Course intel
"Race the Peaks": from Grindstone Lake through town and onto the highway, out toward Hondo on fresh asphalt and back; the organizers describe spectacular climbs. The route sits at 1,700–2,100 m elevation: thinner air makes the same power slightly faster, but the cardiovascular load is also higher. About 761 m of elevation gain; mid-July in the New Mexico mountains brings afternoon thunderstorms.
Source: Adapted from the official course description (the course page on ironman.com)
The terrain on this course
- Flat (±1.2%) makes up 43%
- Main climb 40.6–41.5 km: 29 m of gain (avg 3.4%)
- Main climb 80.2–81.0 km: 29 m of gain (avg 3.4%)
- Main climb 85.3–89.7 km: 116 m of gain (avg 2.7%)
Speed score
This course sits above 2000 m, where your power ceiling drops below sea level: start target watts 5–8% lower, correct by breathing and feel, and do not force sea-level numbers.
Historical race-day weather (around 07-11): 22.0°C · Wind 2.5 m/s
0 to 100, and the higher it is the easier it is to post a good time. Points come off for terrain, for corners, and for the heat and wind this race has actually had over the last five years at the same time of year. Full explanation in the article “How the course score works”.