yes - actually did the aquabike - but still spent a lot of time on the course.

Swim is off a nice beach in lake Erie - thus it can be unpredictable - on a nice day very flat and easy if the winds pick up can be pretty choppy. Swim course was changed last year as some heavy winds blew in. Oh well - that can happen any place.

Ride is quite hilly - first 15 miles or so easy, then 30 miles of hills with the last 10 being fairly flat again. Traffic is light to moderate - is a technically challenging course.

Run is reasonable - fairly easy - some good sharde areas.

Overall organization was very good especially for a first year event. Should get better.

Fairly good sized entry field and again prospect are for it to grow.

I would recommend the race full on.

There are also training days offered by the race RD in conjunction with the bike sponsor and Cleveland Tri Club - very worth while if you can make one.

Kids race on Sat is AWESOME

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http://www.clevetriclub.com

rob reddy

To add to Mr. Reddy's description, the run is pretty flat, starting at the beach, you run four miles out through an industrial area (past the Morton salt plant), then through the town of Grand River, up Newell Street, make a hard left at Richmond and run a 5-mile loop around Fairport Harbor. Then back the same 4-miles you went out on. NOt the most scenic or crowd-supported run, but it's flat and pretty fast.

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I did this race also. I think the swim was a bit short after the buoys moved and the course was modified pre-race, but that was a weather issue and shouldn't happen again. From the training rides I though the bike course would be chaos, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well the whole thing came together. I prefer my misery to be more private, so I prefer the smaller races. Very friendly group of particiapants. It felt like a bunch people just got together and decided to race a 1/2 IM. While I spent waaaaaay too long trying to fix a flat at mile 7, practically everybody that rode by made sure I was OK and had everything I needed. The run course is pretty good too as was mentioned earlier.

Nice small friendly well done event.

Thanks for the responses...I'm looking at this as my first 1/2, and the timeframe looked good.

GREAT RACE! The RD is a good guy - Mickey Ryzmek - Very nice venue at th park. Kids race, Sprint race and 1/2 distances! Z