After the Outlaw in 2017 I heard some guys from a Lincolnshire tri club moaning about how the course was much hillier than they thought it would be.
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From Lincs???
Like, the county in which most of the bike course takes place???
W. T. A. F.
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His posts in the group are a great read.
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turbos, big gear work, more work at just below threshold , smaller gears, not even limited to 39/27 like in the old days, 39/25 on a lot of bikes. I barely trained and did 8hrs on the Bastion course that was 10k ft of climb on similar roads as Bolton. I weighed 90kg as well.
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I know but these guys were from the coast and although the Wolds aren’t especially far for them, they clearly didn’t go there much.
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People who frequent a forum like this are probably obsessive about their race preparation, but it’s amazing how many people aren’t.
I’ve heard people at registration for Lanza ask whether the bike course is hilly FFS 
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Yep, I’d spotted he’d posted a fair bit.
That’s a proper hard course. Either up, or downs on narrow roads, round blind corners with crap surfaces so you couldn’t even make up any time.
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Just reply ‘depends where you live’ 
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yes, I ride the roads a bit, but never in that order all at once, 3 times. I suppose they could have taken the wall in if they really wanted to be evil I’ve ridden a lap hard for me in 2.15 when fit. Steve Berry who came 2nd or 3rd in the first year only did about a 1:50 lap as well, flat out. At that time he was 4th in the UK at 100miles TT. Not sure anyone broke 6hrs (maybe a few minutes) . I got lapped by Fraser Cartmell
I’ve said it before, but it’s not just tri. My mate that does the ultra trail events has had many people complaining like this: we didn’t realise the terrain would be so tricky and it was so hilly… On a 50km crossing of Dartmoor. Plus loads of other examples!
You simply cannot legislate for stoopid
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Same complaints since at least 2019. Unprepared.
Met a large number of local people not wanting to do Bolton because scared of the course, even though they’d get round in 12-14 so not fighting cut off. People want an easy day.
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I got round on virtually knack all bike training and rode in trainers - so if you can’t make the cut off you probably are in the wrong race lol
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FTFY
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Like my friends OH and his mate. New nutrition strategy and new bike in the week before race day they made it to the finish line but I think they’ve learnt a lesson or 2 about endurance sports.
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Erm…I’m playing about with my position still…six days out.
Might even buy a new trisuit.
Got some new shoes.
New socks.
New hat.
I have zero clue about nutrition still.
Drink stuff. Avoid the gels. Avoid solids.
That seems to keep me out of the loo 
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I did the Gauntlet and that was enough for me.
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Yeah but it’s Cotswolds - kind of the same effort as southport sprint, no?
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Bastion adds a 4mile down, a short flat bit and 4 mile climb back to the top of the Ashdown forest, otherwise its the same. As we got to the ice cream van car park on first lap, on way back from extra loop, some guy was blowing out his arse, and said, I didnt realise how far 180k was. We had just gone passed the 40km sign … i replied, dont worry if you think this is hard you should see the marathon after
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EXACTLY 
It worked well for me last time.
“Well, if that’s my 5km pace, just run that for a half marathon”
Scales up well innit
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It’s like at LCW when they ask if anyone hasn’t done an OW swim before and half the hands go up 
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