Slot Ironman 70.3 Vichy
Secure one of the last remaining entries in to IRONMAN 70.3 Vichy 2020! You can secure your race entry in 3 easy steps: Step 1. You pay Nirvana a non-refundable £200.00/€232.00 deposit, which secures and guarantees your start place in Vichy. Ironman 5150 Maastricht 2020; Ironman 70.3 Les Sables d’Olonne 2020; Ironman 70.3 Vichy France 2019; London Westminster OD 2019; Ironman 5150 West-Friesland 2019; 1/8 Terriers Triathlon (WIN) 2019; Ironman 70.3 Elsinore Denmark 2019; Brouwersdam 90 Triathlon 2019; Ironman 70.3 Koper Slovenia 2018; Ironman 70.3 Rapperswil-Jona 2018; Ironman 70. Swim in the beautiful lake of the Allier, bike through the magnificent and varied landscapes of the Montagne Bourbonnaise and Volcanoes of Auvergne, and run along the banks and the old town. This race offers qualifying slots for the 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship.
Vichy Ironman 70.3
Vichy Ironman 70.3 is a poignant location for me because it was my first ever triathlon which you can read about here.
If you’re thinking about entering Vichy Ironman 70.3 or 140.6 I hope you find the following review useful. Please bear in mind the courses and routes can change. Right from the outset I would recommend Vichy Ironman 70.3. It’s perfect if you are travelling on your own, with friends or family, but there are a few things you need to know. I’ll be talking about Vichy, the course, travel and accommodation and passing on as many practical tips as I can.
I’d initially chosen Vichy Ironman 70.3 back in 2015 because it was a flat course. That’s no longer the case, introducing an amazing bike course with some very challenging descents and ascents. But first let’s look at the practicalities.
Travel
Vichy is a beautiful city with good road, rail and airport connections. I decided to drive via the Channel Tunnel from my home in Essex in the uK with a return crossing costing £127.
It’s a 700km drive from Calais which will take 6-8 hours. Make sure you use a sat nav ideally with live traffic feed. Small parts of the routes can be a little tricky coming on and off junctions, especially around Paris. Most of the roads are toll roads, fast and smooth.
Some notes on travel
- I’d recommend getting a Sanef Toll Tag allowing you to go through dedicated toll road barriers and skip any queuing (not all the time). It’s a cashless way to travel through the tolls without having to fumble around for money. Be warned travelling this distance and back to the UK will clock up about £100 of toll charges, but it’s worth it.
- If you drive a lease vehicle of any description you’ll need documentation from the the lease company giving you permission. It’s a standard document they are happy to issue.
- If you’re travelling via city ring roads or through Paris or major cities you’ll need to purchase an Air Quality Emissions Certificate otherwise you could be fined. There are more details here. I stayed away from city centres and didn’t purchase one.
Consider getting to Vichy a day or two before to miss any weekend traffic and as it’s a beautiful place. The registration is relaxed and well organised with English speaking volunteers leaving you plenty of time to get yourself settled. Remember to take photo ID and you may have to purchase a race license unless a member of British Triathlon.
Arriving a few days before race day will allow you to do a leisurely recce of the area on your bike which is really worth it. If you can spare the holiday time stay for an extra day or two as there are some great places to visit, which I’ll tell you about. The full Ironman also takes place the day after the 70.3 which is worth watching all or part of.
Location
Vichy has a rich history and sits on the spectacular Allier River which is also where the swim course is located. The event is based at Centre Omnisports de Vichy where you can find Athlete Registration, T1, T2 and the Ironman Village. The whole Ironman area is a typical French well wooded parkland. There’s plenty of shade and is well serviced with catering stands with a variety of offerings. Equally there are plenty of restaurants and supermarkets within walking and driving distance. Just use your smartphone for routes and locations.
Parking
If you’re not staying within walking distance of the Ironman Village, parking is excellent on and before race day and is located just across the road. There’s a walkway underneath the road as it’s one of the main roads into Vichy. If you’re staying in Vichy itself check parking availability as parking is more congested. Access to the venue is easy on foot.
Heat
A quick note about the heat, Vichy is hot, very hot. Make sure you have sunglasses and sun hats preferably white in colour.
You can expect temperatures to be in excess on 30 degrees on race day by the time you hit the run, any less is a blessing. From the Ironman Village its a couple of miles to walk into Vichy city centre and there isn’t a lot of shade on the paths. On the days leading up to your event use your exposure to the heat and sun wisely as you don’t want to pick up sunstroke before your big event.
Accommodation
Vichy has plentiful accommodation to suit all budgets. I use Hotels.com. Both offer free cancellation options and good filters but Hotels.com will give a bigger geographical spread. Ironman is a well established event in the area, Vichy accommodation does fill up fast. If you are still thinking about entering Vichy Ironman but have not registered yet, book the accommodation first.
If you can’t get anything in the immediate area don’t panic. There are many surrounding towns with Hotels with easy access to Vichy. I’d book a couple of options to give you time to do some research then cancel the least favourable. There’s nothing worse than learning that there’s no parking for your hotel or you booked it an hour away from the event without realising. Again, if you are staying in Vichy check available parking for your hotel as it can get congested in the city centre.
I favoured staying away from Vichy as I found it too busy for my liking (just a personal thing). On both occasions I stayed on the outskirts of Riom. Whilst it’s 40km away the route to Vichy is fast and traffic free. It only taking you 30 minutes and has some stunning scenery (don’t take the toll to Riom as it’s unnecessary cost). Out of the city there is a greater sense of space which I found more relaxing away from the Ironman crowds.
Remember it’s worth stocking up on some food, snacks and drinks from the supermarkets for race day. There wont be any available breakfasts that time of the morning in the hotel.
Race Day Morning
All Ironman Triathlons are an early start. Staying in Riom it was a 3:30am rise, leave by 4:30am, arrive by 5am leaving 1 hour before the 6am race start.
Plan your morning!
One of the most important tasks is making sure you get your ablutions done before the race. Otherwise this can lead to a lot of discomfort until you can find a toilet in transition or at a feed station. There are plenty of portaloos at the Ironman Village but as all events there are queues and you will have to hold your nose! If possible do your best to do your ablutions in the comfort of your hotel.
Despite the hot day time temperatures, at 5am in the morning it will be cool. Make sure you have layers you can take on and off, and a hat, which you will leave in your street bag and drop off before lining up for your swim start and then pick up at the finish.
Your bike is in T1, your T1 Bag and T2 Bag is racked, you’ve dropped off your street bag for after the race.
You have read the rules specifically rules on drafting and the finish line. Hopefully you will have gone to safety briefing.
You are ready to go!
The Swim
The swim start in Vichy was the least stressful I’ve experienced. A rolling start with 3 swimmers jumping off a jetty entering the water every 12 seconds. This gives you plenty of space vs the waves of mass starts I experienced back in 2015. You may find your start time delayed but is well worth the wait.
The first thing you notice getting into the water at Vichy is it is warm. Unlike UK waters there’s no initial shock, so getting into a rhythm and pace early on is easy. The water is a little muddy but clean so underwater visibility isn’t great but sighting is easy with lots of landmarks.
The sun will be coming up as you swim and depending on how you breath you may find you get blinded as the sun shines between the buildings, so be prepared to change sides or use polarised goggles. The 1.9km clockwise swim takes you up 950m up the river and back with an easy exit. It’s a short jog to T1 where taking your wetsuit off is a welcome relief as you’ll be warm. There’s a central safety area on the swim with lots of safety canoes and boats on route should you need to rest or ask for help.
The Bike
The roads in France are fantastic with the cyclist in mind. With 2300m of ascent Vichy has some long challenging climbs into the surrounding hills with rewarding views that will take your breath away. Make sure you train with some hills in mind!
Bike Safety
There are some big descents on this ride, which they may have changed by the time you read this. Eyre on the side of caution, especially corners, so feather your brakes. If you’re wearing sunglasses, the contrast between shadow and bright sunlight suddenly changing as you enter into wooded descents for example which cast shadows on the road. This can leave you blind to dirt or gravel that may have worked its way onto the road. I can’t stress caution enough after seeing several ambulances on the course last year so feather your brakes at all times.
Bike Drafting
I ought to mention drafting. Know the rules on drafting and passing your fellow athletes as the French are more enthusiastic to enforce the rules than in the UK. You could land yourself with a time penalty. There are outriders with officials constantly circulating the course for your safety but also watching you.
Remember to keep your helmet on and clipped until your bike is racked as you can still get a 5 minute penalty.
The Run
After re-racking your bike its a short jog to T2 and prep for the run. The route takes you 2 loops along the side and over the Allier River into Vichy city centre for some well needed shade. It’s then back out along the side of the Allier to cross it again into the Ironman arena and back out for lap no. 2.
There are regular feed stations with a good selection of fluids, fruit, salted snacks, gels etc. There is also an opportunity to be hosed down to cool off. Be careful not to get your trainers too wet as this can cause rubbing and or/grit to get picked up as you run through the city centre.
The route alongside the river doesn’t provide much shade so ensure you wear a sunhat at the very least. I can’t stress how debilitating the heat can be if you are not use to it so make sure you prepare as the temperature peaks as you go into mid to late afternoon.
The Finish
No one does the finish like Ironman where all the pain and discomfort disappears as you cross that finish line. That final approach to the Ironman arena is magical with cheering crowds. A couple of tips:
- As you cross the finish line don’t look down to press stop on your Garmin you can afford a few seconds. Look up and smile for the camera’s.
- Don’t take anyone with you across the finish line, you will be disqualified!
- Make sure you can make the cut off times, more so for the 140.6 as the French literally turn everything off and go home.
Slot Ironman 70.3 Vichy 1000
Vichy Has The Best Athlete Recovery Area
Once you cross the finish line, have your finisher medal and t-shirt you’ll be directed to the athlete recovery area. If you’ve never completed an Ironman before this is a place to to get some food and drink, relax and chat with your fellow athletes. Vichy has the best recovery area I have ever seen with a huge selection of fresh fruits, meats, cheeses, pasta, freshly cooked crepes even a beer if you want it. Compare that with the UK where it tends to be a cup of tea and Dominos Pizza!
After picking up your street bag there is plenty of space to get changed and even a small number of showers.
What to do afterwards
After my Ironman 70.3 I headed back to Riom. Whilst you might want to celebrate with some food and drink you’ll find consumption of anything will be slow. Take a shower and shut your eyes for an hour and let your body get back to normal. The last thing you will want is a sweet drink and you may find you have little appetite for big meal in the evening. Away from Vichy I highly recommend a place called Le Zinc in Riom which was next to my hotel. Food was amazing!
Post Ironman Food..slow progress
The next day
Walking around Vichy was great but I have to say Riom and the surrounding areas was a real treat the next day and an opportunity to loosen up the legs. I drove to Puy-De-Dome Volcano. The drive alone is stunning along some amazing cycle routes. Its’ worth getting there early as it does get busy. It’s a steep walk to top of the volcano which will only take you 45 minutes, even after an Ironman, or you can get the train. At the top is an opportunity to relax, take in the history and the stunning views. It’s well worth having an extra day there for this alone.
Summary
The Vichy backdrop is a stunning location for Ironman 70.3 which you can easily turn into a short break with family or friends. As a course it’s a great swim with little or no risk of bad weather. A challenging ride that will reward you with adrenaline and stunning views and a flat run taking through a beautiful city. It’s spectator friendly along the whole course with plenty of support.
There’s plentiful accommodation of all kinds in every direction with no shortage of places to eat. If you want to get away from the crowds the surrounding areas have plenty to offer with easy access and plentiful parking at the Ironman venue.
My only reservation for Vichy is the heat. It’s something you need to train with before you take on Vichy Ironman 70.3.
Will I go back and do it for a 3rd time?
Slot Ironman 70.3 Vichy 70.3
Definitely.
Enjoy your race and finish strong.
Slot Ironman 70.3 Vichy France
Russell