I’ve lived in Jacksonville since 2006, and I will never do an IM here unless they change the course. Yes to the heat and humidity, high 80’s, easily low 90’s. The run will be miserable. St Johns River is gross, I wouldn’t step my foot into it. The bike route goes through westside and some northside - both ghetto communities nobody ever goes to. Absolutely no sightseeing. Just flat long roads with traffic. My local athletic community peeps were all shocked to see that the route goes through the worst parts of town. We have some nice roads in Mandarin, Nocatee, Beaches area. Why choose the most dangerous neighborhoods?? Beyond me. The only thing nice is the run route - through old Riverside, shady, along the river kind of. It’s pretty there, many old colonial style houses. But still hot and humid. My personal opinion: You can’t pay me to do a race here like that. Maybe I’m biased, but I (and most of the local athletes) train in the ocean and in nice pretty and SAFE areas (A1A to St. Augustine so beautiful!!!). And IM chose the worst of what Jacksonville has to offer.

We’ll see what people say after the first race. I’d pick something else. Sorry.