Ironman Lake Placid is one of the toughest Ironman races in the world. With a tight swimming venue, challenging elevation swings on the bike course, and a tough run course, racers are pushed to their limits in Lake Placid.
I've completed this race six times (1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007), and covered the race from end to end in 2010. Believe me: finish this race, and you'll deserve to be very proud.
These links (excerpts from the book Ironman Lake Placid) will lead you to just about anything you want to know about Ironman Lake Placid.