I am usually the last one to leave. I think they tore down all the bike racks and had to put my bike in a van as it was the only one left. I'll be around unless I have additional training that day.

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Let's face it--Sommer Sports is the Disney 5k/Color Run of triathlon. Do fast people go? Yes. Is it super competitive? No.

Their emphasis is on a "fun event" that fast people show up to. Earlier this summer, I waited 2hours for them to get through the 40+ AG podiums, only for them to skip/"miss" the Open division awards.

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just your average age grouper . no one special . no scientific knowledge . just having fun.

This race draws a different racer than the "Ironman" races.

The Great Floridian is NOT an easy iron distance race like IMAZ or IMFL. It has hills and you aren't going to have enough people around you to "pull" you through the bike. If you define "competitive" as having a low time because it's flat and you sucked someone's wheel the whole time, then sure, it's not that. You've got to fight through this one on your own so, obviously, most triathletes shy away from it.

It is a well run race and I had a TON of fun last year on it. I hope to make it back maybe next year if I have time to train for a full again.

I live in Tampa Bay and the part of your post in bold describes every single local triathlon in my area with the exception of St Anthony's olympic distance race. However, that doesn't mean the Tampa area races are the equivalent of a Disney or Color run 5K. They are just local events and each has its own flavor. I race in Clermont occasionally for a change of venue. I think the Disney/Color Run label is degrading and undeserved.

Just to be clear, I wasn't specifically talking about the GFT, but Sommer Sports event as a whole.

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just your average age grouper . no one special . no scientific knowledge . just having fun.

It's not a dig at them. I'm not familiar with many competitive races that also have costume contests for the racers.

I think their position of making races enjoyable for the masses keeps them afloat.

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just your average age grouper . no one special . no scientific knowledge . just having fun.

I guess that's fair although I did not see a single person racing the GFT in costume. But no doubt they have other events that include them. Sommer Sports put on lots of running races and I can find more than a handful of races in the area with costumed runners and that are also extraordinarily competitive. Check out the Gasparilla 1/2M in Tampa for example. Top 3 in 2017 went 1:03:08, 1:03:25, and 1:03:30. Hundreds upon hundreds running in costume at the same time. Not quite a Color run.

I am not exactly sure what you mean by open - are you referring to top 3 overall? If so they usually does those first at the events. Fwiw, I have down 6 of their races this year and every single one the overall awards has been done first. Speaking of their races, their awards are actually really nice. I have done so many small time sprints with 50 people and they issue a triple decker trophy. Their plaques are actually a very nice piece that is easy to mount and has a unique flare to it.

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That explains why I got on the podium in the 40-44 AG last year.

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http://www.sfuelsgolonger.com

So are you saying it isn't competitive? It certainly lacks the depth it had 10 years ago, but it is still the most competitive tri in this area. So congrats on the podium.

I miss read your post. Thought you were saying it wasn't competitive. I thought it was an amazing race.

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http://www.sfuelsgolonger.com

I'm not a fan of St Anthony's but am willing to say that it is a good race. An 'amazing race'? ... not remotely! As a local, I pass on St Anthony's most years because of the following factors:

1) Frequent cancellation or curtailment of the swim.
2) It's just an olympic yet takes up most of the weekend to pick up your packet and drop off the bike on Saturday, then on Sunday wait around forever for awards. I would prefer a Saturday morning race and have the rest of the weekend for other stuff. St Anthony's is like going to a destination 70.3 that cut its course in half.
3) Based on the rotation of the age groups, you could be waiting over an hour from the time transition closes to the time your wave starts.
4) Having to arrive very early for parking, even with the much smaller field the race attracts today (obviously, it's not as amazing as it used to be).
5) Odds are 90+% of a very hot run, especially for the later age groupers. By contrast, pros get the smoothest water, the least wind, and the coolest temps.

That said, I'm thinking of doing it in 2018 since it's the 35th ... same anniversary as the Great Clermont tri in March. I kind of like doing races in their major anniversary years.

You were not at that race. I think they had trouble with some running the super sprint instead of the sprint, so they did Sortino Tri awards after 5k, duathlon, aquathon... eventually they called up overall, but missed the open division.

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just your average age grouper . no one special . no scientific knowledge . just having fun.

Good to know. Believe me, as I said earlier in this thread everyone in everything in life makes mistakes and we could all be better and try to be better every single day. I have personally seen some really big race organizations botch some really big award things in my days too and Sommer Sports won't be perfect either and I encourage anyone that has issues to bring them up and discuss them and encourage them to do a better job. However, the way I saw this thread was digging for all the bad and never digging for any of the good.

Bottom line is I have no idea for the life of me how we have so many endurance events in the community of Clermont. It is absolutely mind-boggling. Having lived in many cities in the last 15 years I can confidently say that no other city would permit this many events to go on in general. We are lucky to have so many options.

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if the course is the same as it was in 2015, the bike CAN BE lonely, yes. I think my Garmin tracked ~6000ft of climbing, all steep/short hills. It was hot and windy.

The new run, on the path, was not lonely at all, even with small numbers of participants. I think it's a 4 mile path that you do back/forth 3x. Good volunteer support that day, and never felt in danger. And you ran by the finish/transition area 6x, which was a blessing (and a curse!).

Now, when I did the race in 2005, when we did loops around the lake, THAT was lonely. Very challenging, dark, and a bit scary if cars were coming towards you.