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Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3
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thinking of doing both of these in 2018. Are these good choices in your opinion?
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [ITRIhard] [ In reply to ]
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I like buffalo springs a lot. I might see you there.
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [ITRIhard] [ In reply to ]
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Buffalo Springs is hot, windy, town sucks (fyi - went to school there), and a hard/boring course. Despite all the negatives, I've did it 4-5 times. If I hadn't retired from triathlon, I'd probably continue to go back - although the new run course design is less appealing to me. I really liked the old course with the "Texas Energy Lab" section.

No experience with Ohio.
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [logella] [ In reply to ]
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If you want a hard race, in tough conditions.....Buffalo Springs is a good race. The area they have the race in is pretty neat.....like a sunken hole in the middle of the desert plains. This also means you get to climb straight out the canyon as soon as you hop on your bike. This race does not have the feel of some of the Ironman owned big 70.3's.....smaller field...and operated by a group that does an awesome job putting on the race. People complain about Lubbock....personally I don't choose races based on entertainment in nearby towns.
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [Mike Alexander] [ In reply to ]
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Agree, I enjoyed it the year I did it. Plus they had the most awesome little buffalo trophy’s for Ag awards. I really want one of those things now. Do they have those every year?
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [ITRIhard] [ In reply to ]
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I really like Buffalo Springs as well. Small time feel to the race, but I liked the course. The big hill on the run is tough!

the world's still turning? >>>>>>> the world's still turning
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [ITRIhard] [ In reply to ]
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I've never done Ohio, but have done BSLT 4 of the last 5 years. I just love that race. Tough but fair. As others have stated, wind and heat play the biggest factors. Bike is mostly flat, but you have to climb out of the canyon 8 times, and these climbs vary in length and grade. Wind is your enemy on the flat sections. The run features 2 climbs out of the canyon, a short but very steep hill maybe 0.2 miles long.

Logistically it's very easy. No Saturday bike check-in, and they keep athlete check-in open until 8pm that night.
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [logella] [ In reply to ]
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logella wrote:
Buffalo Springs is hot, windy, town sucks (fyi - went to school there), and a hard/boring course. Despite all the negatives, I've did it 4-5 times. If I hadn't retired from triathlon, I'd probably continue to go back - although the new run course design is less appealing to me. I really liked the old course with the "Texas Energy Lab" section.

No experience with Ohio.

Lubbock isn't that bad, go to the spoon after the race for the Sunday night jam and you'll have a good time. I agree 100% with your comments on the run course, I miss the old out and back. The race is still a ton of fun and different than every other Ironman brand 70.3 that I've done. I've done it 5 times and plan to go back in 2018.
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [Sean H] [ In reply to ]
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They do give out the little buffaloes every year for the podium finishers. Those are by far my favorite awards (the only one's that I don't throw in a box in the closet).



"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Elliot | Cycle2Tri.com
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [ITRIhard] [ In reply to ]
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I've done both. Both are good races. I wouldn't call Buffalo springs super hard necessarily, but it has hard parts. It's hot, but it's in the desert, so it's dry heat. If you keep yourself soaked with water at the aid stations you'll be ok. The bike is windy and has some steep climbs, but they are segregated. So you'll be riding dead flat, then have a steep climb, then more dead flat, then a decent, then dead flat...etc. Just sit up and spin on the uphills and let everyone else burn themselves out. There is a lot of chip seal roads though, which drives me nuts. The run isn't bad except for one ridiculous climb you have to do twice. So like I said, not bad with a couple of really tough parts thrown in.

Ohio is flat fast and easy. It wasn't as hot as Buffalo springs, but it is more humid (or can be) which I think is worse. The main issue with Ohio is that there's only one small town near the race, so if you don't get a hotel room early, you'll be anywhere between 45 min to an hour plus from the start line.

Both are good races in my opinion.
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [ITRIhard] [ In reply to ]
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Didn't realize that buffalo springs had so much respect on slowtwitch. I will for sure sign up then.
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [T3_Beer] [ In reply to ]
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Lubbock isn't that bad...

Oh yeah? Try living there for 3 years in your early 20's after having spent the previous 5 years in Austin.

Admittedly, it's been 20+ years since I've spent any significant time there. In fact, the only reason I've been back was for Buffalo Springs. I did drive through last month though on my way to a 50k in Palo Duro Canyon.
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [logella] [ In reply to ]
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logella wrote:
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Lubbock isn't that bad...


Oh yeah? Try living there for 3 years in your early 20's after having spent the previous 5 years in Austin.

Admittedly, it's been 20+ years since I've spent any significant time there. In fact, the only reason I've been back was for Buffalo Springs. I did drive through last month though on my way to a 50k in Palo Duro Canyon.

I grew up in Lubbock, started college at Tech and then transferred to UT Austin. Both are fun towns.....
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [mbwallis] [ In reply to ]
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I'm assuming, even with the climbs, people use their tri bikes due to the wind?
thanks
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [nad] [ In reply to ]
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nad wrote:
I'm assuming, even with the climbs, people use their tri bikes due to the wind?
thanks

Tri bike all the way, the climbs are short, maybe account for 3 miles of the total bike leg if you add them all together.
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [nad] [ In reply to ]
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nad wrote:
I'm assuming, even with the climbs, people use their tri bikes due to the wind?
thanks
Yes, tri bike all the way, for the reasons stated by the post above. 50+ miles of flat sections completely exposed to wind. 2 of the descents are twisty and one is just before T2, but the other 5 you can bomb in aero.

The 1st climb is about 50m into the course, so rack your bike in the small ring.
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [CPT Chaos] [ In reply to ]
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CPT Chaos wrote:
They do give out the little buffaloes every year for the podium finishers. Those are by far my favorite awards (the only one's that I don't throw in a box in the closet).

Good race, great race director, and the trophies are pretty neat!




"Human existence is based upon two pillars: Compassion and knowledge. Compassion without knowledge is ineffective; Knowledge without compassion is inhuman." Victor Weisskopf.
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [Swim_Bike_Rum] [ In reply to ]
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Can't comment on Buffalo, but Ohio is one heck of an easy race. Flat and fast course for the bike, though the only problem is the roads aren't great, but not terrible either.
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [Swim_Bike_Rum] [ In reply to ]
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Swim_Bike_Rum wrote:

The main issue with Ohio is that there's only one small town near the race, so if you don't get a hotel room early, you'll be anywhere between 45 min to an hour plus from the start line.

Both are good races in my opinion.

There are a few dozen hotels in under 30 minutes from the race, so don't go that far away.
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [Alvin Tostig] [ In reply to ]
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BSLT gets lots of loyal support from Texas Tri Clubs. Plenty of talented AG athletes looking for a buffalo trophy. Great atmosphere, always well organized with attention to detail. The imfamous “Airport Hill,” “The Horseshoe Bend,” “Tree Tunnel,” and “Spiral Staircase,” will test your climbing (and descending) skills. Each takes you out of and back into Yellow House Canyon, and are separated by miles of wind, chip seal, and cotton fields that will challenge your mental game.
Last edited by: Wild Horse: Nov 14, 17 20:52
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [T3_Beer] [ In reply to ]
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I grew up in Lubbock, started college at Tech and then transferred to UT Austin. Both are fun towns.....

So you left town as soon as you had a chance...
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [Wild Horse] [ In reply to ]
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Wild Horse wrote:
BSLT gets lots of loyal support from Texas Tri Clubs. Plenty of talented AG athletes looking for a buffalo trophy. Great atmosphere, always well organized with attention to detail. The imfamous “Airport Hill,” “The Horseshoe Bend,” “Tree Tunnel,” and “Spiral Staircase,” will test your climbing (and descending) skills. Each takes you out of and back into Yellow House Canyon, and are separated by miles of wind, chip seal, and cotton fields that will challenge your mental game.

BSLT is also the race where people go to qualify for 70.3 WC that haven't/couldn't at other races as roll downs are generous due to it being one of the last qualifying races, and the race has 1/3 to 1/2 the participants of other IM 70.3 races but the same number of slots. Galveston had about 2000 more registered athletes and the same number of slots.

Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [The GMAN] [ In reply to ]
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How fast will buffalo springs sell out, if it even sells out?

How about Ohio?
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [mbwallis] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks, excellent advice.

Is the host hotel ok? Or is there a better choice?
thanks
Nancy
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Re: Buffalo springs & Ohio 70.3 [ITRIhard] [ In reply to ]
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ITRIhard wrote:
How fast will buffalo springs sell out, if it even sells out?

How about Ohio?
BSLT doesn't sell out. They get about 800 racers. I don't know about Ohio.
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