Joe! Great picture..

These finishing pics are depressing! There's more people screaming at the finish line of any podunk sprint race I've participated in. I'm sure it's a bit of a chicken and egg kind of thing, but based on comments here and feedback from a few friends, it sounds like a really long solo training day which I can do around here and stop at convenience stores along the way.

Thanks everyone for the feedback and suggestions. Many of the suggestions offered in this thread were also brought up at a recent Friends of the GFT meeting we had a few weeks back where we discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the race. About a dozen GFT participants gathered here in Clermont to discuss the race, and many others from out of town offered their feedback on the Friends of the GFT Facebook Page. Our next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 21, and will be focused on the race experience and how to get the community more involved. We expect to have representation from the City of Clermont, the Local Chamber of Commerce, the Clermont Downtown Partnership, and the organizers of a downtown music festival taking place the night of the GFT.

Florida is a very saturated market when it comes to late season racing. You have IM Florida, Miami 70.3, MiamiMan, and Rev3 all within a 3-4 week window. When I started the GFT it was the only late season ultra in the country and the only late season long-distance tri in the Southeast. While the IM races are at capacity, MiamiMan is struggling to get numbers this year and Rev3's numbers have not been that impressive since it landed in Florida.

One of the challenges we have is the economics of scale. A typical Ironman Race may have 2,000 participants and if each athletes brings 3 people with them, you have 8,000 people at the venue. Even if the community does not come out to support the race, you still have lots of people at the race. If the 175 ultra-distance athletes of the GFT bring 3 people with them, we now have 700-800 people at the venue, not really a crowd. Like many races, we've added other distances and events to the GFT to boost the overall attendance, but it is a challenge to get the participants to hang around after their event is over. Even having a local food truck at a race can be a challenge when your numbers are low.

The economics of scale also have a major impact ont he funding of the race when it comes to adding the bells & whistles that add excitement to an event. A typical Ironman race has a $1.5 million budget to work with. We have a very small fraction of that. For instance, we have a $15,000 police bill associated with the GFT. If you were to divide that among the 150 ultra participants from last year, that means $100 of the entry fee they paid would go directly to cover police costs. Now put 2,000 athletes on the same course and each athlete only has to contribute $7.50 of their entry fee towards that same police bill. That is just a simple example as to why a smaller race may not have the financial resources available to add even simple enhancements like athlete tracking.

For 2014 we know that the top priority has to be for us to produce a flawless race with a ton of support. That I know will happen this year based on the people who have already come forward to offer their support. We also have new leadership and a new community focus within the City of Clermont and that is going to make our job much easier.

We are starting to make changes for 2014. You'll soon see a new easy to use website loaded with the things athletes and spectators want to see. We've decided to drop the "tougher than Iron" slogan and go back to our original "Are you tough enough" slogan we have used since the very first GFT back in 1991. We are going to focus on the family friendly aspects of the race in our future marketing. Many people do not realize we are only 30 minutes away from Disney, Sea World and Universal, and an hour away from east coast beaches and 1.5 hours away from the Gulf. We want your kids and supporters to share the finish line experience with you! We are lining up a shuttle bus service to bring people up to Sugarloaf in hopes that we can line the entire climb with spectators much like they do at Savageman. We'll even be giving everyone who takes the bus a GFT cowbell to help make some noise. There will be lots more announcements to make after next week's meeting.

For 2015 we are exploring moving the race to mid-November. Moving the race earlier in the year is not an option for us. Next month we will be announcing a very special offer for anyone who has finished a previous GFT Ultra. We hope that will entice previous participants to return. Of course we'll have lots of special commemorative activities taking place in conjunction with our 25th.

As for the course, contrary to what people think, we do not make the course difficult by choice. We have to work with the constraints of HWYS 50 & 27 and that limits our options. Our surveys and feedback show that athletes do want Sugarloaf to remain as part of the course. We always welcome course suggestions and during the course of the next several months we will look at all the the course options available for 2015.

Switching from the run around the lake to the current out and back run on the trail was one of the toughest course decisions I had to make. But when participation dropped the change was required. It turns out that the course change was well received by most and it made the run much more spectator friendly and safer. Once the new western trail extension is completed this fall it will make the course even better.

Please keep the suggestions coming. We know we cannot compete with the Ironman experience so we just need to focus on the making the GFT experience a better experience for all.

If you do not want to post publicly, then email your thoughts to me privately. I also encourage everyone who wants to contribute to join the Friends of the GFT Group as well.

Thanks!

Fred Sommer

Fred, shuttling people to Sugarloaf is an awesome idea. I did (and completed) the race in 2005, the year we had 3 storms come through the state. I've written about my experience that year, so no need to rehash.

I am glad Sugarloaf is still going to be part of the course (in 05, we went up 2x). I personally have zero issues with a tough course, but that's just me.

If you go back to the three loops around the lake, please make sure there's plenty of sufficient lighting on the back side. That was a lonely, dark, and a little scary on that third loop.

And I'm in the minority...I like that last weekend of October (before Halloween), but that's for personal reasons. I would be thrilled if you kept it then!

Good luck. Can't wait to suit up for 2015!

That busing people to sugarloaf is a great idea to cheer on . And that western extension on the trail will make the run really wonderful with shade and running with the lake right there on the side .

I'm registered for the TriAmerica long distance race this year (not the Full) and really excited to get back on that course. I really think that the race needs to move back a few weeks, maybe into the first week of December. You aren't risking bad weather outside of a potential 55 degree morning before the sun comes up. You ARE risking a hotter than hell race keeping it in mid October. The only weather respite that we have with the current race date is it won't be 90% humidity the whole day.

The issue with the date is that it will, in effect, end your season. A mid-October race will put you on a recovery plan, or completely on your ass, until the first week of December. At that point, there are no races left in the year. The TriAmerica intermediate distance is still perfectly timed, as it can be a supported hard training effort with more manageable distances before an A 70.3 a month later. you can recover for a few days and be right back at it by the following weekend. An Iron distance race necessitates longer recovery (I know I am preaching to people who have far more experience than I in this department) and will remove the possibility of having a solid race within the following 4-5 weeks.

I have no issue with the course, or the spectators on the course. The spectators will come as the registration numbers rise, but this isn't something residents are taking time out of their Saturday to watch. We should all get images of cyclists climbing the Solarberg at Roth out of our heads, because that ain't happening. That is a really awesome sight, but it isn't the reality at almost every single race in the world.

Mid November would great for the date. I did the GFT 98-2000 then life got in the way. I cannot make it in 2014 due to work but will make every effort to make it 2015.

Call it "Iron Man." Hide from WTC's lawyers.

Does anyone know if GFT does increasing price similar to HITS or is it set price like WTC? Planning on signing up for next year just wondering when I'd need to sign up.

There have been a lot of great suggestions here and I don't have much to add. I did the half as a relay team in 2002, I think it was. I seem to remember it being the same time that Molina was racing. I did the bike portion of the race and we had a great time. But it was definitely tough, even though I just did the bike. I live in southern Georgia and we don't have hills here. And that is the reason I haven't done the GFT since. In 2005, I decided to do an iron distance race late in the year and had two to choose from: the now-defunct Duke Blue Devil and the GFT. I chose the Duke race for two reasons: 1) I thought it might be easier than the GFT (not sure it was) and 2) If I didn't finish the Duke race I could fall back on the GFT a couple of weeks later. My wife and I were having our second kid then and I knew that the fall of 2005 was my only shot to do 140.6 for several years. I bounced back and forth deciding which one to do for several weeks. In the end, my primary reason for not doing the GFT was because of its difficulty. Not only is it hilly but it can be brutally hot in October in central Florida. The day we did the relay it was over 90 degrees with high humidity -- our runner very nearly dropped out of the run due to the heat but he managed to finish (I should have ridden faster so he would have gotten out on the course earlier!). I would say consider making the course somewhat easier. You don't have to take out the major hills but if you have some options to flatten it a little you might be able to attract more athletes. It doesn't have to be easy (as if a 140.6 ever is) but it doesn't have to be a soul-crusher, either.

And back in 2005, I managed to finish the Duke race but I had a major mechanical on the bike that I thought would end my day. I was sitting beside the road already making plans to enter the GFT when a support vehicle showed up and changed my back wheel. But for a few minutes there, I thought my day was over. I haven't done an ultra since.

RP

Yes, the sooner you enter the more you'll save. As part of our 25th birthday celebration, athletes who have completed one or more GFT Ultras will receive even better deals with the potential to even receive a complimentary entry if you qualify. Watch for details later this month.

Fred

In celebration of the Great Floridian's 25 birthday, we are considering offering everyone who has finished the GFT 140.6 distance a complimentary entry into the 2015 race. There would be a $50 non-refundable administrative fee in association with the entry and you would have to enter by November 30.

For those of you out there who have finished the GFT, would this offer help entice you to join the GFT's 25th birthday celebration and race on October 24, 2015?

I did GFT last year as my first 140.6 and would definitely consider the offer and even try to drag out some of my training partners to join in the misery that is the bike course! I'd love to see the event continued.

*****

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"It's too dangerous and expensive to ride with d*ckheads" -tridork

Not to be difficult, but why don't you just say that you are offering a $50 race entry to any previous finisher, because that is really what it is.........

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

Yes, I'd do that today, if it was available.

And I agree with the poster above to just say it's a $50 entry fee.

2x finisher here. Would seriously consider an "alumni" weekend.

We discussed this when the idea was introduced at our focus group meeting. At the time the consensus was that we should promote it as a free entry. Originally it was proposed as 100% free but we felt we had to associate a minimal fee with the entry in order to help weed out people who would sign up just just because it was free, with no real intention of racing the race.

Fred

Same here - 2x finisher from the 90s. Reduced cost wouldn't pull me in (as much as a quality event, good location, etc.). Something unique (alumni division, alumni race, special items such as early start time) might be fun. You have a great race - I don't think you have to give it away at such a deep discount.

Exactly. Truth in advertising. Please. IE they need the $$ now.

I think this is a great idea Fred! I didn't finish last year, but I would certainly enter the 2015 race and drop out at the same spot as last year for $50!!

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Austin Hardy -

Sure, I would seriously consider it.

Mark
GFT '98

Fred

Just a minor clarification please...would this be offered if you've 'ever' done GFT or just the most recent one? i did it in 2002 so it's been a while but have always said i wanted to come back.

Thanks

The offer would be for anyone who finished the GFT 140.6 distance in the past 23 years, and for those who finish it this year.

Fred

Fred,
Have you made any kind of a play for the 2000+ folks currently trained and ready for an Ironman who were left out in the cold, errr smoke, at Lake Tahoe? A majority of these folks are likely Mdot or bust types, but you might find that a little incentive to those ready for a fall Ironman and left hanging could snare you more than a handful.

That's a great idea and something we discussed internally. We are just working on a fair deal that would not alienate athletes who recently signed up.

The challenge is reaching those athletes to let them know about the offer.