Actually, it's still a Rev3 race; licensed to IM, but run by the Rev3 folks.

I live essentially on the bike course, so this is where I train. It is "New England flat". I heard a lot of whining in various Facebook groups about how the bike was was billed as flat, but the ~1800' of elevation was not exactly hidden information. The ocean is sometimes quite cold, sometimes really cold, occasionally only kinda cold. Run is mostly on the Eastern Trail, which is mostly shaded and hardpack gravel, so kind to the legs.

Your season looks much like mine did for this year:
April: half marathon
May: sprint, Ragnar
June: metric century
July: oly
Early August: sprint
Late August: 70.3
September: oly

Now in all fairness, I lost the last two by dint of having emergency surgery the week before IMME. But I felt that my training was solid and I was on track to execute the races I planned.

As said above it is still a Rev3 race, run by them, just with the IM logos. It's as awesome as any other Rev3 race.

Anyway it's a GREAT race. The course is "fair", meaning it isn't overly difficult, but it's not pancake flat easy either. No real climbs but you will roll over terrain. The run course has a little bit of hilliness at the beginning and end with a flat middle. The swim is generally cold, and it can be a total tossup if you get a current assist from the tide or not.

And you can purchase a lobster bake as an add-on for post race food (two 1.5lb lobsters for only $25). It's the absolute BEST post-race food option!

I have been recommending it strongly to others as a good first half.

I think this is a good plan. Possibly schedule another sprint or olympic in July. Putting your 70.3 at the end of the season lets you build up to it both mentally and physically. This timing does however require training your hardest in July & August (hot months!) but that should make you tougher and you'll most likely get a coolish race day. I did the race this year and really enjoyed it. For me personally, the swim was the toughest. I was not ready for a cold ocean swim with undulating waves to deal with. I got pretty woozy and seasick when emerged out of the water, but belched up some seawater and then was good to go. The race sold out in 2017, so try to sign up as early as you can.

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"The first virtue in a soldier is endurance of fatigue; courage is only the second virtue."
- Napoleon Bonaparte

Thats cool that rev3 is still running it. I’ve heard nothing but good things about their races.
UK2ME- Thanks for the info. The 1800’ of elevation is right about where I want to be. I don’t want to do an extremely difficult bike course, but I don’t want to be completely flat. I also like the idea of the run being partially on the eastern Trail.
As far as the ocean swim, I’m pretty confident in the ocean. I’m a pretty slow swimmer, but grew up spending a ton of time in cold water. We had a family shore house in NJ and the only time we were ever there was May and June. I have no clue about Maine, but I figure June NJ ocean might be close to Maine August ocean temps.

G_lev- That lobster bake sounds awesome. I’ll definitely get in on that. I’m trying to make this race into a nice family trip. That’s why I’m thinking about Maine. Were from outside of Philadelphia. I figure we can make this a full week up there. Maybe do boston for a few days on the way home.
Don_W- I’ll probably throw another even in July somewhere. My wife is a runner, so maybe I’ll enter a run with her but ride before it, or something like that. I haven't made any real plans yet. Just trying to get an idea of timing. My A race this summer was in late August. I got pretty beat up by some hot training days. Ended up with a race day temp of 70* and crushed it. Hopefully next summer is like this one.