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2012 Ironman UK Run Course >>
The Ironman UK run course will test how hard you went on the bike, so make sure you get your pacing right and you will be fine - the run course takes you away from the wilderness of the Lancashire moors and into the town of Bolton and the big crowds that support the run course.
You will complete your T2 in Rivington/Blackrod school and then head out on to the roads. You leave the school grounds and the first 1km or so is downhill so this allows you to get your pace and your running legs sorted. Take it steady and get a feel what what lies ahead.
You reach the Crown Pub in Horwich and start to then run towards Bolton:
As you can see the road then drops to a set of traffic lights before a little hill awaits on the other side.
the road then follows a similar vein of small ups and downs along a straight road through Horwich until it comes to the roundabout near the Beehive Pub and the Reebok Stadium which is just to the right of this photo below.
This is where the first aid station is situated around 3km into the run course. There will be great support here and time to take on board some energy and water.
Where the road juts out towards the roundabout on the picture below is where the Aid Station is situated.
as you can see the route is far from flat and once over the crest ahead you go past the Golf Club and then turn right down Regent Road and round to the bottom where you came up earlier in the day on your bike. You turn right and you need to cross the railway line over this bridge:
once over the railway bridge, you drop left onto the Middlebrook Cycle Path.
This is where the second aid station is situated.
Again make sure you take on board your energy supplies and water.
The cycle path is the most isolated part of the course - the path is a gravel track which runs alongside the railway and a golf course and it can get quite desolate here.
The picture below shows the view backwards at the end part of the cycle path as you reach the turn off for Overdale Road. You can see you really are in the "middle of nowhere" here, but its early in the race and you should still be feeling ok.
As you approach one of the bridges, there is a short spiral path that leads up from the cycle path to Overdale Road - its off road but usually dry and solid.
The road is quite rough as you cross the bridge that you have just climbed up to:
you will then reach the toughest 20m of the day, a sharp steep energy sapping hill,
(please note that although the picture shows the surface to be very rough underfoot it was totally resurfaced in smooth tarmac before race day)
through a metal gate (which is open on race day) and then you have the steepish climb up
Overdale Road towards the main road into Bolton. This is a long stretch of uphill and is broken up half way with a short flat piece of road. You will be able to see and hear the crowds at the top so prepare yourself as you have nearly cracked the first part of the course.
At the top of Overdale Road you turn right on to Chorley New Road and shortly you will pass "Bolton School" on your right. There is a huge aid station set up here and in 2011 there were live bands and crowds galore - it was an amazing feeling to be part of.
You are now on the "looped" part of the course and you will continue to the end of the road and then drop down a steep hill to the right before going left and under a bridge, past the next aid station and into the town of Bolton to one of the toughest mental challenges you will face - the run turnaround point.
In 2011 and in 2012 once you reach the centre of Bolton you will have completed around 12km of your run and you then have three "out and back" loops of 10km to complete.
The "out and back" loop sets off from the town square and re-traces your steps back to the top of Overdale Road, but then carries on through to another turning point further down the road. This is basically 5km slightly uphill and then 5km slightly downhill back into Bolton, so pacing will be all important. The route in on the main Chorley New Road which will be packed with spectators and there will be lots of athlete interaction - basically 30km of the course packed into this 5km stretch of road.
The banter and atmosphere on the road here in 2011 was something no-one will ever forget.
At the far end of the loop you will receive a red band and once you have been here and collected all three of these, you are nearly done and are on the homewards stretch back into Bolton.
Once you are in Bolton town centre you will need to flash all your bands to enter the finishing chute and to go and enjoy the finish and what you have just achieved !!!
YOU ARE AN IRONMAN !!!!
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