How to Ride your IRONMAN or Triathlon Bike Route before Race Day

If you are travelling to another country or a long way for your next triathlon, then you may not be able to ride the course physically before your race. As you know it’s a good idea to ride the course to understand how to attack the climbs and also appreciate the length of descents and the parts of the course where you can get aero.

Even if you can’t get to the route before your event there are a few ways to ride your triathlon course virtually throughout your training using several home trainer Apps. You won’t be able to hone your cycling technical skills like descending and cornering, but you will know how long the climbs are and how hard you can attack them plus appreciate the gradients involved.

You can create courses for long events like IRONMAN or even your local sprint distance triathlon as long as you have the GPX file of the route. You can also use these techniques for road cycling events and races.

A GPX file or GPS Exchange Format, is a common file format designed as a way to share GPS data and for use in software applications. It can be used to describe waypoints, tracks, and routes. It is an open format and can be used without the need to pay license fees.

You will need a smart or intelligent home indoor trainer (such as an Wahoo KICKR Core) and one of the Apps below to ride your IRONMAN or other triathlon cycling route before your race at home and I’ve detailed below the techniques I have used to replicate the various courses and races.

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FulGaz IRONMAN Courses

FulGaz was recently purchased by IRONMAN and as expected they are rapidly adding the IRONMAN bike routes to their App. These are filmed routes so not only do you get to experience the accents and descents physically via your smart trainer, but you get to see the route in its entirety visually – every stop sign, intersection and more. In their latest release they added the following routes to their manly US based IRONMAN routes. The routes are adjusted to your profile stats which includes your FTP.

IRONMAN Frankfurt European Championship, Germany

IRONMAN Copenhagen

IRONMAN 70.3 Maastricht, The Netherlands

IRONMAN 70.3 Pays d'Aix-en-Provence, France

IRONMAN 70.3 Staffordshire, UK

IRONMAN 70.3 Les Sables d'Olonne, France

IRONMAN 70.3 Vichy, France.

IRONMAN Wales, UK

Note: FulGaz has been acquired by Rouvy and is now part of the Rouvy family. This acquisition is part of a larger partnership where Rouvy also became the Official Digital Sports Platform for IRONMAN. While FulGaz remains a separate app, Rouvy plans to integrate some of its best features and routes into the Rouvy platform.

Fulgaz is available on many devices for you to ride your IRONMAN bike route

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In Fulgaz you ride the course visually as they have made a video of the actual course. The App adjusts your resistance based on the terrain so you get a more realistic sensation of seeing and riding the route you will be racing.

They have a 14-day free trial so you can see if this suits your needs.

After the trial Fulgaz is £9.99/$12/€11 per month.

Zwift to Ride your Triathlon Course

You can ride specific profiles from any bike route on Zwift but this is a bit more manual. You need to find the full GPX file (i.e GPS route and elevation data) of your course and then convert it to a ZWO file for use on Zwift. The best way to do this is use an App called Best Bike Split where you can create a file based on your FTP, weight, bike, predicted speed etc.

If you want a more basic ZWO file with less personalisation you can use a tool on Whatsonzwift.com.

Zwift can be used as a platform to ride your triathlon bike course using a GPX file converted to ZWO

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Once you have created your ZWO file you can upload it to Zwift, choose a Zwift world and cycle the profile while enjoying the world course and seeing fellow riders or even watch Netflix! As you cycle your smart turbo trainer will adjust the resistance you feel to mimic the uphill’s and downhills of your specific race course.

You can try Zwift for free for 7-days and see if this works for you.

After your 7-day trial Zwift is $14.99/£12.99/€14.99 per month.

Rouvy Custom Routes

Rouvy sets itself apart by using video footage of the actual roads it simulates and by having a massive library of routes to choose from. Rouvy has standard and "augmented reality" or AR routes. In AR routes you can have an Avatar on the route.

Like the other Apps you can upload your route in the form of a GPX file if you can't find your race route in their extensive library which currently stands at over 10,000 real video routes.

Rouvy also integrates with Google Earth to allow you to create virtual routes by selecting a start point and then dropping points on the map, similar to how you would when using mapping software to create routes for your GPS bike computer.

Done this way, there’s no need to have ridden a course before making a Rouvy route for it.

If you have already ridden it and have an action camera like a GoPro, Rouvy also enables users to upload ride videos and sync them with the custom routes.

Rouvy has a free trial and is 14 days.

After your trail it is £12/$15/€15 per month.

Note: You need to purchase ROUVY and FulGaz subscriptions separately. While ROUVY acquired FulGaz, they are still maintained as distinct platforms. FulGaz users can continue using the app as before, and ROUVY offers a separate subscription for its platform. 

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Training Tips: Using your Triathlon Course Route

Now you have your exact triathlon bike route on your favourite platform how should you use it?

I would advise getting your route converted for use on your platform early in your training plan. During the base/general preparation phase you can use it to train on for those long rides and match the time you spend on it to your plan. I would not do this every week but when you need to train inside due to time constraints or weather.

As you further in to your plan (specific preparation/build phase) your long rides will get much longer if you are aiming for a full IRONMAN but I would not advise doing the full course in one go indoors. You could split the route say two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening to get four hours on your course and give yourself a break in between sessions but still get the training effect and daily load requirements.

Even closer to race day (competitive/peak phases) it will be a balancing act between honing your technical bike skills like descending, cornering and transition and learning the course. So make sure you spend time outside on the road and inside on the trainer riding your course. As you know hours on the indoor trainer can take more of a toll on your back and bottom as you don't tend to move, shuffle and free wheel on an indoor trainer. Getting off the bike and shaking things out is a good idea to ensure good blood flow and release any tension.

Conclusion: Riding your Race Course before Race Day

Depending on your target event you can ride your IRONMAN or triathlon bike route before race day on a number of different platforms or Apps. For IRONMAN events FulGaz is more realistic as you will see video of the actual course for full familiarisation.

If you are already using Zwift then this could be the option for you as you can take a GPX file and convert to a ZWO file for use on Zwift.

Wahoo X via the newly acquired RGT App and it’s “magic roads” features allows you to also take a GPX file and ride the course in a virtual world. Wahoo X has a lot of new features through it’s acquisition of The Sufferfest and RGT such a strength training, mind training and yoga so I would recommend trying it for free for 14-days.

Rouvy has over 10,000 real routes to choose from and if you don't see your specific race route you can upload your GPX file and ride it plus you can also upload your own route video if you have one and share it with other users.

Whatever App you choose there is a way to ensure you train optimally for your next race.

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If you would like a training plan for your next race and my coaching support to make sure you are ready for race day take a look at my training plans on FinalSurge.

Karen Parnell is a Level 3 British Triathlon and IRONMAN Certified Coach, 8020 Endurance Certified Coach, WOWSA Level 3 open water swimming coach and NASM Personal Trainer and Sports Technology Writer. 

Karen is currently studying for an MSc in Sports Performance Coaching at the University of Stirling.

Need a training plan? I have plans on TrainingPeaks and FinalSurge:

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I also coach a very small number of athletes one to one for all triathlon and multi-sport distances, open water swimming events and running races, email me for details and availability. Karen.parnell@chilitri.com

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Riding Your Race Route at Home — FAQ

A GPX file “GPS Exchange Format” is an open-standard text file that records waypoints, routes, and elevation data from a cycling route. It's used to replicate your race course virtually. 

Where do I get a GPX file for my IRONMAN event?

Most IRONMAN and major multisport events provide a GPX download of the bike course on their official race webpage—usually under “Course Details.” If a GPX isn’t available, race-day tracking apps or athlete forums often share them. 

Where can I find GPX files for triathlon and bike races?

Most triathlon and cycling events provide a GPX file detailing the route for free download. You can also find routes on Strava and Alltrails.com.

Which indoor training platforms support GPX courses?

• FulGaz: Offers filmed Ironman bike courses with automatically adjusted resistance and full visual immersion.
• Rouvy: Lets you upload GPX files, or generate routes using Google Earth, enhanced with video or AR avatars.
• Zwift: Uses GPX-to-ZWO conversion (via Best Bike Split or WhatsonZwift) to ride your personalized route within virtual worlds.
• Wahoo X / RGT Magic Roads: Enables GPX uploads for virtual rides with added structured sessions.

How do I convert GPX into a rideable file?

For Zwift, convert GPX to ZWO using tools like Best Bike Split or WhatsonZwift.
For FulGaz, Rouvy, or Wahoo X, you can upload raw GPX files directly in-app. 

How can use my ZWO of the race course in Zwift?

To load a .zwo file (Zwift workout file) into Zwift, download the file and place it in the correct folder within your Zwift installation's file structure. Specifically, the file should be placed in Documents/Zwift/Workouts/YourZwiftID, where YourZwiftID is your numerical Zwift user ID. After placing the file, relaunching Zwift will make the workout available under "Custom Workouts". 

This video explains how to load .zwo files into Zwift on PC or Mac:

Do I need a smart trainer?

Yes—use a smart or “intelligent” trainer (e.g. Wahoo KICKR Core, Tacx, Elite), as it's required for automatic resistance changes that replicate actual terrain.

Is using indoor simulation enough prep for race day?

• Pros: Helps learn climbs, optimum pacing, and duration.
• Cons: Doesn’t replicate cornering, descents, or tactical ride positioning.

 Best approach: Blend indoor route simulations with real-world rides—especially on technical terrain and transitions.

Can I test nutrition and pacing during indoor rides?

Absolutely. Simulate race-day fuelling strategies (gels, drinks) and pace efforts (e.g. standing climbs, tempo segments). This builds muscle memory and confidence for race day.

Are there additional tools to sharpen bike handling skills?

Yes, include real-ride drills:

• Cornering and descending practice
• Flying dismount skills (if applicable)
• Brick sessions for better bike-run transitions

Is it expensive to try these platforms?

Most offer free trials:

• FulGaz: 14 days
• Zwift: 7 days
• Rouvy: Basic access with trial
• Wahoo X/RGT: 14-day trial Subscription costs vary—typically €10–15/month.

Which app should I choose? 

•  FulGaz for realistic, visual course footage.
• Zwift if you're already on that platform and enjoy group rides.
• Rouvy for video-mode with mixed reality features.
• Wahoo X/RGT if you're into structured workouts alongside route practice.

How should I integrate this into my training plan?

• Start simulating the route 4–6 weeks before race day.
• Gradually step up ride duration and intensity.
• Swap one ride per week for a virtual route session.
• A week before the race, taper indoor sessions to stay fresh.

Anything else I should consider?

• Stay dynamic: Use mats and consider moving periodically indoors to avoid stiffness.
• Tech check: Before race week, confirm your trainer, cadence, power, and heart-rate sensors function flawlessly.
• Adapt gear: Try your race-day position at home and replicate your saddle, bars, and pedalling setup.

Summary

Virtual route riding brings confidence and strategy—even when you can’t arrive early to ride the course. You’ll learn pacing, climbs, and energy management. Just remember: supplement with outdoor riding, handling practice, and race-day simulation sessions.

References

Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPS_Exchange_Format

www.zwift.com

www.fulgaz.com

www.wahoo.com

www.rouvy.com

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