Maybe......it all depends on the tide, and how wet you mind your shoes.

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The secret of a long life is you try not to shorten it.
-Nobody

I believe there is a video on YouTube from when Lance Armstrong did the race. You may be able to gather information about the conditions of the run course from that video.

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"Don't you have to go be stupid somewhere else?"..."Not until 4!"

If the run course is the same from the pre-WTC days, you can run about 95% of the sand section in hard-packed sand pretty easily. There are a few unavoidable sections of loose sand where you get bogged down.

Like others have said there is some hard packed sand. Last year it was changed to 3 loops versus the previous years at 2 loops on the run.

With that said, roughly 1/3 of the course is ran on the sand. One half of that part of the sand running is on the deep soft sand.

They changed the venue to Imperial Beach in 2016 --4 loop run with ( from what I can tell) a .4 mile plus .8 mile segment of sand running in each of 4 loops so total 4.8 miles in sand....
I need to know how much of that is going to be soft sand vs down by the water/hard sand? The posts about pre-2016 races aren't relevant...anyone out there do this event in 2016 and can shed light on this? Thanks so much.

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Website: http//http://www.Fearlessswimming.com
Ironman Series Books: "Ironplanner" "Weight Management For Triathletes""Fearless Swimming For Triathletes""Functional Strength For Triathletes"

I did the race last year.

More of the run is on soft sand versus hard packed sand. It is on Imperial Beach now, and is 4 loops. The majority of each loop is on soft, deep sand. There is a small portion where you actually run beside the ocean for the hard packed sand on each loop, but then they send you back to soft sand.

It is hands down one of the best, and toughest races I have ever done. If you want a great challenge, this is the race to do.

Last year the surf was crazy and over 50 people DNF'd. The waves were over 6 ft coming in, and you didn't get to break they surf just once, but 2 times!! It was so awesome!! Also, having been a long time triathlete, and swam in tough conditions, I appreciated the RD letting the swim happen regardless of the surf. So often they shy away from the swim when the conditions are not ideal for safety/risk reason. Completely understandable, but they didn't here! Plenty of water support.

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Mandy

That is absolutely fantastic that they ran it despite the surf being large! I'm hard-pressed to think of any races at all that do that anymore. Nowadays it seems like if there's a 1-foot wind chop they cancel the swim.

Edited to add that the only thing keeping me signing up for it is that extra hundred seventy-five bucks they tack on makes it kind of obscene for a half distance race. It would otherwise be a very good option for me since I live in San Diego

I did the race a few years back. It is all depending on the tide but you can stay on the hard packed part and just roll with the tide. I didn't really have issues.

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Disco
South Bend, IN

Habitual Line Stepper..

Are you by chance military or prior military? If so, then the race is less expensive.

Yes, it was awesome they did the swim!! I was such a happy triathlete!!

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Mandy

If it was a few years ago, you probably could stay on hard packed sand. However, the with the new venue they force you off the packed sand to the soft sand regardless of tide.

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Mandy

Last years Xterra WC swim in Maui was very rough, the water patrol was busy.

Hello Chula vista challenge 70.3...

Is that after you have run a couple miles down the beach because I remember running in off the beach and then there were a couple of sections that had sand. Maybe on that loop? I'm guessing that isn't there anymore.

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Disco
South Bend, IN

Habitual Line Stepper..