That is AWESOME! I hope to be there for the 25th GFT in 2015. It will be my 6th GFT (96, 98, 00, 01 & 13). It will also be my 25th ultra distance triathlon. I was wanting to pick a special race for my 25th, seems like I found it.

By posting the intention here on ST you just told them all :)

It's official, we will be offering all Great Floridian 140.6 finishers from 1991-2014 a complimentary entry into the October 24, 2015 GFT 104.6.

Details will be posted next month.

Please keep the suggestions coming on what we can do to grow and improve the GFT.

Fred, please update this thread when we can register, if you remember. Thanks.

Will do! Registration for 2015 will open on October 18, 2014.

What about a free or reduced entry also to men and women who have achieved a certain time standard (in the last 18 months), but have not yet raced a Great Floridian? It would not need to be an elite time standard, but something to increase the depth of the winning and top 10 times. It could be 10 hours for men and 11 hours for women. I have done GF 2X, so it's not for me. But somehow the quality of the event might be viewed as higher if there were 4-5 guys under 10 hours and 4-5 women under 11 (like the old days of GF).

This might draw some of the KQ crowd that decided not to go, or the folks that barely missed a KQ - with GF being a solid alternative. I don't think you need an 8:XX performance, but just a few "elite" 'ish times to provide credibility the race. You might also offer free 2016 entry to anyone that beats an age group record (although Joe's are probably out of reach for many!).

When I look for marathons to race, I want to see that I won't be running alone at 3 hours. I don't care if there's one 2:30 guy and then the rest are over 3:20. I just want to know that I'll have company between 2:50 and 3:10. I think the MP folks would enjoy being part of an iron distance with KQ caliber racers, without losing any of the traditional GF vibe. It could also become an event where a KQ caliber athlete might win overall in a respectable field.

I love the GF and want it to return to the golden years - I tell everyone "it's like Woodstock on disc wheels." I will be there in 2015!

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Damn, that's a cold ass honkey.

This is very exciting! I'll be there!

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Mandy

I used to live in FL and race a lot of SommerSports in Clermont. When I moved away I would race the half iron length and later the shorter than half iron length race on GFT endurance festival. But right now 2 or 3 things have kept me from visiting Florida and racing. 1st there are already lots of Iron Distance races in Florida around October...There are also a lot of IM branded races that got moved to October. I live in Maryland now, and last year I did IM Louisville, and this year I did IM Maryland. I would do both of those races again. But the GFT also has to compete with IMFL, IM Chattanooga, as well as IM Louisville, and IM Maryland. I think changing the date to March would work for me.

The second thing that kept me from racing at GFT festival, was I liked having the choice of either the full, or half iron length distance. I was kind of disappointed when the half iron length race was shortened. I have friends that I like to visit that live right by the start, but I am not too keen on driving down there for the bike race that is shorter than the half iron length.

Last week I was kind of looking for a 140.6 race on the southern east coast in the Spring time, and I didn't find too many. I didn't have much time to look too hard though. How many other long races are down there during that time frame? I would suggest moving the GFT 140.6 to March/April, and combine it with the Intimidator 70.3 length race, similiar to how it was done before.

You might consider trying 2nd or 3rd weekend in March when a lot of colleges are on Spring Break, and you might get a few college athletes... my college tri club travels to your neck of the woods each year during spring break.

-Rip

"And get an IT professional to make some sense of all the websites that Fred has out there. He has info on the sommersports website, then websites for individual races, and another website for chiptimes. It's nuts. They need one professional website that has all that info without flipping you other websites. As a layman, his IT presentation appears unprofessional which could lead some people to incorrectly believe that his races are the same. "

Especially this...

Love to see the race survive...a shift in dates to spring could be a winner...March perhaps? Early for a hard IM though, and the lake would be pretty cold...like the idea of getting some fasties who didn't KQ in there to generate some interest...how 'bout what Frank tried at Silverman full a few years ago, offering prize money for a relay team that could go under 8 hrs? That'd benerate some publicity/interest, I'd bet...

Thanks for the offer! My first race at that distance was your race in '94. My last finish at that distance was in 2006, but this is a tempting way to possibly complete the circle.

I think you might be happy to hear that Toughman Florida is to be announced this week - it is planned for March 15 in Bradenton. Keep an eye on http://www.toughmantri.com for more news!

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Travis Rassat
Vector Cycle Works
Noblesville, IN
BikeFit Instructor | FMS | F.I.S.T. | IBFI
Toughman Triathlon Series Ambassador

I'm not sure what toughman has to do with improving the Great Floridian, but if you are looking for a half distance triathlon, there is the Intimdator, the 31st Annual Florida Challenge Triathlon on March 21, 2015 in Clermont. For several years the Intmidator was held in conjunction with the GFT. It's a great warmup event for the GFT.

After next year's 25th birthday celebration, if next year's GFT participation merits it, we are seriously considering moving the GFT to April of 2016. Then just like the old days, you can race the Intimidator a month before the GFT 140.6.

Fred

Last minute I know, but does anyone have hotel,motel,b&b, suggestion for Fri and Sat night? Talking 10-17 and 10-18 . My son is doing the full, I'll be there to support him. Thanks, Allen

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TRIATHLON ART FOR YOUR PAIN CAVE: https://tinyurl.com/ydefvjhq

Loved the race as well. I think everyone and their mother wants to do an MDot. No way around that. Unfortunately its all sort of psychological. That said partnering with someone..challenge or some other independents is the only way to survive

Registration for the Great Floridian Triathlon XXV just opened. This is going to be one crazy birthday bash and the invited guests, past finishers of the GFT 140.6 distance, get a complimentary entry into the 140.6 distance as promised!!! Newbies can enter for $250!

http://bit.ly/103gwnv

Please keep sharing your suggestions on how we can improve and grow the GFT in 2015. It will be a make or break year for the 140.6 distance. If participation does not rebound that distance may be bumped in 2016.

Thanks.

Fred

I'm in, registered this morning!

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Damn, that's a cold ass honkey.

Registered. Now, let's hope my body holds up to the training!!!

I've got a training partner I talked into racing this year, and I'll be back next year to pick up some of my ego that I left out there in the heat of 2013!

****

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

In! Best deal in the sport. Can't go wrong. Sleep in my own bed. Easy for friends and family with lots of spectating options. loops with special needs avail multiple times on bike and run. Challenging course!

I signed Joe up for GFT 2015 this morning. 1991 was his first "Iron" distance race and look what happened. 2015 may be his last. ;-)

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Support Crew
This information contained herein has been assembled for your assistance and convenience. It is believed to be reliable, however, its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All opinions shown are subject to change without notice.

Fred,
My name is Austin Hardy. I raced the Tri America distance today. I am a Lake county resident, and would LOVE to see these races return to their glory of the late 80s to mid 90s. You come onto slowtwitch, and ask what to do about your races, and your low attendance. I have ONE answer.

EXECUTE!! It is as simple as that, do what you say are going to do. I left todays race with a sour taste in my mouth (again!). If you can return some integrity to your races, people will come and race them. If they are a debachle, like todays Tri America distance people will leave, as they have been leaving every single year.

Below is a list of what you said would happen, vs what really happened.

1) The run distance. The advertised course was 15K. The leaders were directed to run 10.38 miles. The below link is NOT what we were instructed to run today.. Not even close.
http://www.greatfloridian.com/...ourse%20-%202014.pdf
I knew the course, but I had run marshalls telling me to follow their directions.

2) At the very last minute we were told to swim around a cylindrical red bouy, and ignore the Orange turn bouy.. This was news to all of us, and not what was stated in your pre race info.

3). You state that. . My wife was volunteering at the aid station at 455/SR19. They were never supplied with a first aid kit. There were many long course athletes that were very unhappy when they stopped for Vaseline, advil, sunscreen, ext.. Only to find out that there was none of that on site.

4) The Gatorade on course was NOT the sport top bottles as advertised.. Its a little thing, but, little things add up.

5) Awards.. According to you
The awards did not start until 3:45. I watched at LEAST 10 people walk away between 3pm and 3:45.. By the time you started awards it was a pathetically small gathering. That is YOUR fault by not starting at the stated time.

6) Run Support , according to the website
There was ZERO Gatorade for me on the first 10K of the run. And there was NEVER cola, salty snacks, or fruit.. The Grogan station did have Gatorade and gel on my second time through.. But that was 12K into the run!

7) Final Standings - Lets talk about the dude that you currently have listed in 2nd (and for a long time had in first).. Does that run split really make any sense to you? Fred, you have been doing this for 31 years. When was the last time you saw an AG athlete pass 21 people to go from mid pack to win the race?!? His splits were 5:23 miles, yet Nina Kraft, Jeff Cuddeback, and Nat Glackin were all in the low 7:00 range.. Does that make ANY sense to you? How do you go all the way through the award ceremony without bouncing that outlier out of the standings?

8) Sugarloaf Challenge.. You had a sponsor donate 4 awesome helmets as primes for the climb up sugarloaf. You even had us wear special race numbers just for that.. yet, there are no results posted.. That's an embarrassment. The climb happened 5 hours before awards. It is amazing to me, you get a $600 donation from a sponsor and don't even have the common courtesy to post those splits, thank the sponsor, and award the prizes? (didn't this same thing happen in 2012?)


To summarize.. You want to know what WE can do to help get people to your races? What can YOU do to live up to your advertisements and claims?

You have a great venue, you have a great bike course. As a local resident, and avid triathlete I WANT to see you guys succeed. But your poor operation and lack of execution is scaring customers away.

Respectfully,
Austin Hardy

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Austin Hardy -

I had to boogie before awards to get my son to a birthday party, so I am still unaware of the final standings. I did appreciate the transition staying open so we could grab our bikes almost immediately after finishing.
I fell apart at 4 miles on the run, so I was doing lots of mental gymnastics to motivate and push myself on to the 9.3 mile distance. So when I completed lap 1 and I was at 6 miles, I was getting a bit concerned. Then at the first aid station, a turn cone had appeared and I was told by the Gear for Multisport crew to turn there. Even with the earlier turn (which from the start was where the advertised turn should have been) the course was 10.3 miles. I will assume that a cone didn't get put out, and volunteers weren't in place, and that it wasn't a mis-measurement.
I have no idea what is going on with the Sugarloaf climb split. Results are still not up, so I can't dig around, but I thought it was a great idea and promotion.

I there were were some items that were out of Fred's control as well. The Sheriff's deputies were, for the most part, great. I try to always say thank you to the guys out stopping traffic and keeping us safe. However, there were a couple that were not keeping the roads safe for us. The the bottom of the hill where we turned right on to SR 19 after the first aid station, we had a T-stop and crossing traffic didn't have a stop sign. I was on my way down the hill and noticed an oil truck almost splatter a cyclist making that turn. The Sherrif's Deputy was sitting on the corner talking with his partner. I am not kidding when I say this other athlete could have been killed had they taken the turn a little wider. That is NOT something that I would blame on the race management.

I had fun, and will continue to use this race as a tune up effort for late season 70.3's.

So they changed it while racers were on-course?
That's bunk.
It's bad to go out like it's a 15k and realize you have another mile&change to go. That sucks, no doubt.
But it's unacceptable to have the course change while you're out there. That's very not cool.

And letting people into transition early is really unfair to the late finishers. I always appreciate it, but I'd be pissed to come into transition with a mob of folks dallying around and clogging up the flow.

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@christopher_borden •
Spinning Spoke • Dimond Bikes • Flo Cycling • Castelli Cycling

I have sent my money, this is exciting hope to be number 3 for 2015.

this was my first 140.6 distance and was able to meet a bunch of great people AKA the Tribe.

Fun times for sure, just need to make it to the start line

Darryl