Race location: Indian Wells Tennis Garden is site of IM Village, packet pickup, finish line, etc. Stayed at Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa, just down the road a couple of miles from IM Village. Nice location to also get a practice bike and run in. Note that there is no swimming allowed in swim race area before day of race. Athlete check in: Very easy, huge grass parking field across street from IW Tennis Garden Pre race logistics: The day before you race you have to go to swim start to decontaminate your wetsuit, hang it up at your numbered location on rack (inside tent on outer edges) and hang up your first transition bag on rack inside tent (if you do not decontaminate your wetsuit, you are not allowed to swim). You will rack your bike also but that is it (nothing else around bike). T2 occurs at IW Tennis Garden so you will setup everything you need for run there. On a nice grass field. Swim: The swim (nice calm course) actually starts about 7 miles or so from IW Tennis Garden but you have to park at IW Tennis Garden and take a shuttle over. Plenty of shuttles but this means you need to leave extra time for shuttle. Of course, bathroom lines get longer as race start gets closer so plan properly. Unseasonable cold weather meant water was 56 degrees so definitely get in water before race to get used to the feel and get rid of the nerves. Don't be surprised if you feel a little dizzy after taking wetsuit off. ***special note about swim area---no cars allowed in and out day of race and spectators need to take shuttle in and then they can't leave until last racer leaves swim area, so plan accordingly. Only way around that is to park a mile or more away from swim and walk in and out to your car. Check road closures as traffic builds up in areas T1: Come out of water, get wetsuit off and then get to tent to get your T1 bag. Change and then throw everything from swim into T1 bag and drop it over rail to left once you leave tent. It is sunny there so make sure you put on sunscreen Bike: Morning of race you will inflate your tires and do bike check. Allow time for this because most people do not have pumps so need to use common pumps that are there. Bike course really pretty as you head out to farmlands, palm trees with beautiful mountain backdrop. Relatively flat most of the way. There were 3 refreshment areas on bike course every 15 miles or so. Enjoy the ride and have fun!!! T2: Back at IW Tennis Garden. Very roomy. Bathrooms there as you leave transition area Run: 2 loops that head out of IW Tennis Garden and onto a golf course. They say the run course is flat but actually a lot of up and down and curves to follow the flow of the course. Plenty of refreshment stations out there. No real shade and exposed to sun most of run. Flat start on grounds, then downhill to golf course and then up and downs. As you leave golf course to head back to IWTG, it is uphill for a bit. Second loop takes you back into IWTG where spectators are lined up and you cross the finish line.