The wave start reduces congestion out on the course. The swim is in a narrow-ish boat basin, and isn't well suited to such a big mass start. The only downside I ran into was that the faster swimmers in the later waves run into the dog-paddlers from the earlier waves, and so have to do a bit of dodging. Not a big deal, really, seeing that I had a PR swim there...

The new bike course keeps things opened up and flowing nicely.

It's a great course, and you'll have a lot of fun out there.

  This is not an Ironman but a half-ironman. The wave starts serve a good purpose of keeping things less crowded. The race is well run with good markers for the swim, bike, and the run. I am judging my views based on the 2003 race.

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Jimmy S.

Wow, thats even more people than last year. My wave was so big last year that they split it up into two waves. I was nervous about the swim, but it turned out to be a piece of cake. I'm looking forward to doing it again this year.

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- Steve
http://bailey.sts.winisp.net

BTW -- has anybody else noticed that somehow the title sponsor's name has become part of the vernacular for this race? Everybody I talk to calls it "Ralph's", not the "California Half Ironman".

Nobody calls Lake Placid "HSBC" or IM Canada "Subaru".

I guess Ralph's is getting their money's worth. I'm still not shopping at that fascist union-busting store, though.

Depends on your swimming ability and the wave you are starting. For some reason they had the 18-24M right after the Athena/Cly wave. Not trying to offend anybody, there are always faster and slower swimmers within a wave; just as there are different performances on the bike and run.

But it really SUCKS if you swim into a wall of swimmers after the first 400-600yards. Once you come to the turn around point (speaking from personal one time experience at this race in 2003) it was just one big "crowd swimming". Why don't they increase the time in between the various waves? This would definitely help spread things apart.

Other than that a great race!



Daniel

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�The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.� -Michelangelo

MoodBoost Drink : Mood Support + Energy.

I had the same experience. The W45-59 wave started after either Clydes or an even older male age group.......I am not a speedy swimmer, but started running into folks from the previous wave very early, like barely out of the marina! It made for a very congested swim at times.

I also thought the the first 10 miles or so of the bike (the bike path part) was extremely congested and that for even a moderately fast biker it was basically an exercise in slaloming around a ton of people from the preceeding waves. I must have passed 100+. A little frustrating when trying to ride a "clean" race.

Once I got onto the base and the open roads, it was great tho and I am looking forward to my return this year, despite the inevitable crowding.

G

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It's a little like wrestling a gorilla.........you don't stop when you're tired.........you stop when the gorilla is tired.