Ford Ironman Arizona Official Website

The "Nitty Gritty" Details (User Opinions)

Scott M.
Dallas, TX

  (03-25-2010)

"This was my second Ironman and it met all of my expectations. It was a great course with plenty of crowd participation throughout the whole course to help keep me motivated.

The course itself was not overly diffiucult yet had enough of a challenge to keep me interested."

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Jennifer P.
Tempe, AZ

  (03-10-2010)

"Ironman AZ

Swim: It is a water start and you must swim a number of yards to get to the starting point. Of course it is a mass start, so those not strong should stay to the back. It isn't as bad as you'd think in terms of being bumped around, but it is very cold, which caused a lot of cramping. It's an out and back swim.

Bike: It is three loops up the 87 highway. Contrary to what people think of Arizona, it is not flat. It is about 30 miles of up hill and 30 miles down hill total (10 up and 10 down each way). Not a terribly scenic course and pretty quiet.

Run: It is a three loop course, but plenty of spectators and noise most of the way. Aid stations are fully stocked and organized, as is the case with Ironman-run events.

Pros: Nice weather this time of year
Not incredibly difficult course
Great volunteers

Cons: Water is very cold
Bike course is pretty quiet"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Brian P.
Albuquerque, NM

  (01-01-2010)

"It's an Ironman so you get all kinds of support but as Ironman races go this one isn't the greatest. I have done Kentucky and Couer d'Alene as well as Vineman, Silverman and the Oklahoma City Redman and I liked all of them better than IMAZ mostly because the IMAZ course is kind of bland and the enthusiasm of the croud is lacking."

Reviewed by a: Repeat Participant for 2008

alan m.
Branford, CT

  (08-23-2009)

"What you need to know:

The swim: The swim is in a man-made, uh lake ? I did the race in the spring of 2007 and the water was flat. Like a board.

The bike: Can you count to three ? You'd better be able to, because that's how many loops there are. Just one hill, really.

The run: Hopefully all that counting didn't wear you out, because you have to do it again on this three loop run.

Transition: I can't exactly explain where transition was. It's a WTC transition, so it's organized.

I did this race in the spring of 2007. The weather was nice, but we saw bits of rain every day, and the sometimes psychotic winds during my short rides should have been some kind of clue.

The swim- the swim is an open water start. You swim up, then you swim back, and then you get out. For some reason, the swim seemed to be long, just a few hundred yards, but it could just have been that I hadn't done an open water swim in five months. There's plenty of room in the lake, and this was not a hard swim. I imagine in November the lake will be warm.

The bike: The bike is pretty flat until the turn around on what is basically an out and back with a loop (lollipop). The climb up to the turn-around is not bad. When I did the race in the spring the wind went from mild to insane, until at the end of the third loop I was struggling to go about 12 mph. And I was passing people.

And so the race was moved to the fall.

Run: Do you value your life ? THEN TAKE THE SUNSCREEN. I didn't take any sunscreen after the bike. This is what's known in race parlance as a 'bad move'.

I was very skeptical about the three loop run. First, understand that the run is not flat. It has flat sections, but it's much more rolling than anything. The three loops actually break up the run nicely. So does walking the second loop.

No, it doesn't. I just did walk the second loop. I ran the first, and the third. Go figure that ? Must have been the sun poisoning...

Overall, this is, like all Ironman races, a great race. Not perfect, but a very good race, and also a great race for first timers that don't mind sunscreen. A safe swim, a manageable bike, and a reasonable run."

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2007

barbara S.
Los Altos Hills, CA

  (04-24-2009)

"I'm so glad i picked this race for my first ironman. I did the race in November (there were two races in 2008). This time of year was perfect- it meant i could train through the summer and early fall when days are longest.

I have never participated in a better organized event. NAS does an amazing job. I know these are events are expensive, but it is immediately apparent how much money goes into putting the race on. The volunteers also really were amazing.

If you're debating between doing a sanctioned Ironman event vs. an ironman-distance event, the finish line totally sold me on official events. It was amazing- the bleachers, the lights, the crowds, hearing the announcement, the ribbon across the finishing line- it was a spectacular ending to an amazing day!

"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2008