I did it in 2013, might do it again this year. It's one of the harder 70.3s in the US.

Swim is fairly easy, usually 0.1 mile short from what I hear (which was true in 2013). It'll be wetsuit legal, despite the air temps.

Bike can be a beast. Most of it is flat and subject to winds and heat, but there are 8 dips into the canyon, so some very steep descents and ascents. 2 of the climbs are immediately out of T1, and one climb is immediately before T2. Roads are mostly descent, with the park road being the main exception.

Run will be hot with no shade, and it also has 3 climbs out of the canyon.

It's an IM branded event with a smaller race feel. Mike and Marti do a great job with the race, and I'd recommend it to anybody looking for a challenging 70.3. It's not very spectator friendly, though.

I have done it 3x over 9 years span. Last year was for sure the hardest due to strong steady wind and heat (which wasnt off norm to my knowledge). It has had a few cooler and rainy but you should expect VERY dry heat and wind.

Swim: Nice lake swim which is essentially in a canyon. Wetsuit.
Bike: Hills. Right out of T1 in fact. Wild card is the wind factor since your riding on flat land and dropping into small canyons. Last yr route seemed to go back to an older route which added a hill section.
Run: Out and back run in the lake canyon and out on a very desolate country road with zero shade. 3 uphills. 2 downhills.

This event is a little smaller than some previous years IMO but is thought of as a classic race due to its history and well run race.

Cons: Lubbock
Pros: Well supported challenging race

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2016:
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Have done the race several times going back to the 90's to fairly recent. Most of the years it is HOT, one year it was a 100 on the car thermometer when we parked and I did it the year it was probably over 110. However, I did get blessed and did it twice in cool and rainy conditions a few years ago. Not a PR course.

Just hope there isn't a dead porcupine on the hill going out of the canyon on the run. That was bad.

Over the years, it seems like the numbers have fallen but they have always put on a great race.

As others have said....Hot, a few hills but they are big and steep, windy.....but very fun. Ill be there 4th year in a row.

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"WHEW...I really regret that workout!"..............Noone

This. I've done the race 4 times and it's challenging and fun, but not extremely difficult (although the initial climb out of the canyon on the run will burn more than several matches if attacked too hard). Great small-race feel, much like St. Croix or (former) Kansas.

I've done it several times. Wave starts for the swim (which I like) and always wetsuit legal. Some hills on the bike, but the hills on the run are what make it tough for me. Very well organized and well run race. Lubbock isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it's fine if you're going there for a race.

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"Human existence is based upon two pillars: Compassion and knowledge. Compassion without knowledge is ineffective; Knowledge without compassion is inhuman." Victor Weisskopf.

I forgot to mention, but I'm pretty sure they've never cancelled the swim or any part of the race there. It's normally warm and sunny, sometimes sort of windy, but at least one year it was cold with some drizzle and lightning off in the distance. Never say never, but you probably don't have to worry about doing a 69.1 duathlon or having to go home without getting in a race.

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"Human existence is based upon two pillars: Compassion and knowledge. Compassion without knowledge is ineffective; Knowledge without compassion is inhuman." Victor Weisskopf.

I actually heard last night that the run course is changing and will remain in the park. So that would eliminate the out-and-back "energy lab" section and two of the big hills on the run. I was disappointed to hear this and don't know what triggered the change. I'll try to get confirmation, but the person who told me this said it came from Mike Greer (so hopefully I'm not just spreading rumors).

I went to their webpage and sure enough, the run course has changed. As you say, it's all within the park. Makes it a two loop run where you end up running up then down the "first hill" twice. Probably more shade, less wind, and one less hill to climb. I don't know why it was changed either, but I'll give it a shot and then I'll decide if this new run is better or worse than the old run.

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"Human existence is based upon two pillars: Compassion and knowledge. Compassion without knowledge is ineffective; Knowledge without compassion is inhuman." Victor Weisskopf.

The good thing about keeping it in the park is it will be more spectator friendly....and overall...a much better run!!! That stretch of flat road that leads to the turnaround 'energy lab' was a total psyche killer. Hot, flat, boring and nothing but dirtclods to see. Theres just enough of an incline in the road, on the way out, that you think the turnaround is just past the crest....and then you realize that NOPE....your only a part of the way there buddy!! I will not regret missing that stretch of road.

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"WHEW...I really regret that workout!"..............Noone

Thanks to all who have responded or commented about 70.3 Buffalo Springs event. It is true that the run course will stay within the park area, which will offer shade, a more spectator friendly feature, and the elimination of the Energy Lab II road. It will be a two loop course and will have one hill on it that is done twice. While I am the guy who came up with the Energy Lab II challenge of the course many years ago, I can say that the decision to change it was a little bit emotional for me! BUT I promise that when our athlete advisors and run course volunteers met with Marti and I, everyone embraced the idea as good for all concerned. We know it will be more spectator friendly and the shade trees will be appreciated.

It will be our honor to host the 26th Buffalo Springs Lake event on June 28, in the Llano Estacado canyons of West Texas! Please check our web site for the new layout of the run course, if not up yet it will be very soon.

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Mike Greer

Mike,

Last year was my first trip out to Buffalo Springs and I loved the race. It had the organization of a high profile event with the feel of a local 5k. My only complaint was the bottle neck coming out of T1 - coming from a later wave I was held up for all of 15 seconds. No big deal.

I'm a bit sad to see the Energy Lab taken out of the run. I love the mental aspect of longer races and this stretch definitely played mind games. Friends that did the race in earlier years drummed up the suffering in the Lab in the months before the race. I embraced it. Whatever your reasons were for making the change, I'm sure you and Marti put a lot of thought into it and I respect that. I hope to see you out there again this summer.

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I love your race, Mike. You, Marti, and the rest of your team do a great job. I am sad to see the Energy Lab II section go because that was such a tough, tough section and it really separated the field. That being said, there is no shortage of difficult sections out there and it remains in my mind just as tough and rewarding as the ridiculous Silverman 70.3 course. Just don't take away the wind on the bike, OK?