that's the one I was looking for, thanks

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"I think I've cracked the code. double letters are cheaters except for perfect squares (a, d, i, p and y). So Leddy isn't a cheater... "

Did anyone notice any significant current?

I did the 1/2. Going against the current at the start and at the end. Also pushed you towards the shore. Felt it more at the end as I had to keep adjusting towards end buoy.

Per my watch, I had the swim at 1.3, but I did poorly sight one of the buoys, so I was off course a little bit.
I had the bike at 58 and change as did everyone I spoke with. Happy to say I completed my first 70.3! Certainly a little humbling. I faded on the run for sure. I have to figure out my nutrition on the bike for the longer distances. It's something I'm not used to having to really deal with and I don't take enough in.

Overall, I really enjoyed it! That storm the night before had me pretty nervous.

Did the Half

I thought the my swim was slow but never really felt a current certainly nothing like last year. Definitely could use a boys on the swim.
I had the bike at 58and thought the course was really good except they needed another drink station on the "loop" portion.
Run was great on the boardwalk but the stretch without an drink station was a bad.

Overall the race was well done .

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TEAM ZOOT 2020

I did the half this year. Bike was confirmed as being 58+ miles (I clocked it at 58.15 on my Garmin), but overall a really nice ride, fast. The swim was right around where I thought it would be, I think I clocked it around 1.3 miles, but like most my sighting isn't the best and I am sure I was off course a bit. As for the run, I was dying on the boardwalk. Aid stations every mile would have been ideal considering the heat and lack of shade, but I have heard there was a shortage of volunteers.

All in a all a great race and expect to be back there again next year, most likely the half again.

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Jamie

First loop of the full I felt only a modest current but when I got to my second loop there was a fairly strong current. Swam the first loop in 34:45 and finished the swim at 1:16

Did the full again this year (did it in 2014 as well). really enjoyed this race. As everyone mentions, they don't come much better than DelMo Sports - these guys are great. They did an especially exceptional job this year, given the brutal conditions in which to operate on Saturday - these guys pulled on one hell of a race / experience. Swim was great, bike course was equally as great - some wind, but flat some rollers - well stationed, well marked....run on the Boardwalk for me was great, some people don't love the constant flow of people in AC, but do me it serves as a nice distraction....overall great race, job very well done by DelMo. Will be very curious to see how this race progresses year after year....definitely lots of demand in the area for a full in June in this area....the half will only grow as well. great stuff.

Agreed. Despite the challenges from the weather the day before and from what I hear a few aid-station stocking snafus, they pulled this off amazingly. I had a great day out there. This was my third full distance race, and my second at CAC. I preferred this year's bike course to last year's despite the constant headwind. The long segment on the AC Expressway last year was no fun, this course made a much better ride.

The boardwalk run was just as amusing as last year. I certainly don't mind the insanity of having to deal with the oblivious crowds. Adds an element of interest to the race.

I did the full last year and the swim/bike on the full relay this year. The two-loop swim was much much much improved course (you always knew where you were on the course and how far you had to go) and while the second loop of the swim had just as much current as the swim did last year, and slowed down lap 2, current can happen at any race that isn't a lake like Mirror Lake (at IM-LP), so whatever. The bike course was a dramatic improvement...30 miles on the AC expressway last year was not fun (with 15 or so coming back to AC head on into the wind and going against traffic). Really enjoyed to more scenic and shaded bike course this year and the roads were mostly fine...no less windy, but you're going to get wind in AC (and can get it any any course, like IM-WI almost every year). The run course was vastly improved by keeping most of it on the boardwalk, though one aid station was oddly missing. All in all, I thought Delmo Sports and Robert Vigorito did a fantastic job putting it together. I don't suspect the full will survive much longer, because the numbers don't seem to support the cost, which will be too bad because it is a good iron-distance race and I would consider doing it again in a couple years.

Did the full (my first) and thought Challenge/Delmo did a great job, especially after that storm on Saturday night. Swim along the Bader Field side of the loop was interesting, especially on the second loop - I could have sworn someone was moving that inflatable Gatorade bottle along the shoreline just to fuck with us.

Bike course was great, lost time to two flats in quick succession early on (~mile 20) but even with the winds it didn't feel bad at all. They did a good job of clearing some downed trees/branches at a few points on the course, and the police traffic control was outstanding - I don't think I ever had to slow down through a single intersection. The diversion through the Wawa parking lot was different, but I can see how Wawa wouldn't want the entrances to the gas station/store blocked to vehicles all day.

The boardwalk crowds and music made running in the casino part of the course much easier for me, for some reason - I had a hard time on the southern and northern ends of the boardwalk where there were way less people. The two aid stations down at the Ventnor end could have been spaced out a little more to help fill the gap between Ventnor and the casinos, but it was nice to be able to run through beach showers (and use a bathroom) down that end. The volunteers and cops did a great job of keeping the course clear through the crowded areas, but there were still a few oblivious tourists walking around looking up at who knows what - had a few near-misses.

Like you said, it would be a shame if the numbers don't justify keeping the full around

I actually thought the half bike course was hard to follow, in parts. I was 2nd coming into the airport circle with the leader barely in sight - and the police had several large orange cones directly in front of Tildon(sp?) road - the actual course - and were casually directing me THROUGH the gaps in the cones. If I wouldn't have seen the leader barrel through the cones I might have kept going around the traffic circle. It just seemed like they were not ready for the first group of riders and probably got things sorted out by the time the rest of the pack came through. Many times they were still moving barriers around when I came to a corner and I had to ask them which way I was supposed to go.

Just my 2c but it's frustrating and frankly a bit nerve racking when the signs are very small and police/volunteer presence is lacking.

Other than that minor complaint I think they did a fantastic job.

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Strava

Congrats on your first full distance. Just curious how you did? I plan on doing my first full there next year if they keep it around.

??? Wasn't the total count for the full this year about 1/3 of last year?

Less than that. 158 finishers this year and 519 last year. Put a fork in it. The full at least.

The half had 550.

Challenge really needs to reassess their model in North America. It's just not working and their year to year registrations are proof of that. Even the legacy Rev3 races are stinking it up.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

I thought this race was awesome! I liked it much better than IMLP. AC is a great place for a triathlon.

You and 150 others agree. ;-)

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

Full disclosure...I have never done a Challenge race. I do not have tons of money to throw at risky projects, so I would tend to go to races that I know will provide a good experience. Not sure Challenge can do that. Literally everything from afar about the Challenge events looks bush league. Just a few examples:

The Challenge Family website STILL lists CAC as the next event.

The CAC website has absolutely nothing on it to indicate the event even happened.

The CAC website gives as the number one reason to do the event this year is to be part of history by doing the inaugural event. Apparently, even Challenge forgot they held this event in 2014.

Past Results take internet sleuthing to find. They may be back up now, but the 2014 CAC results were down. Almost as if Challenge does not want to admit their races are losing entrants

Compare the video of the last finisher at CAC (almost dead silence) with the raucous finish at IMLP (or any IM)

CAC athlete tracking compared to the WTC tracking on Sunday was not even close.

Challenge regularly announces races that never take place (Minorca) and never even provide an announcement the event is cancelled. At least WTC owns up to it with an announcement when they cancel a race

Challenge races cost practically the same amount.

That whole Roth program is idiotic.

I know, I am being picky. Putting up good websites does not equal putting on a good race. But I do not think putting up a decent up to date website is that hard. And the Challenge sites show a lack of attention to detail. That same lack seems to show up on race day based on reports (low signs, confusing course) based on some posts on this thread. So, good luck Challenge. I will keep watching your websites to see if at any point you are worth risking my money.

Can you provide proof of these points? I am looking at the websites and don't see this at all. (Your other points are at least not invalid so I removed them from the quote)

Regardless you were vocal about it last year to the point of being quite obnoxious, yet the event went off quite well. The event this year was also top notch especially considering the logistical challenges mother nature threw in on Saturday. Nothing about the actual production of the races seems "bush league" to me and I have been through a number of their races at this point. I have enough IM-branded experience to compare as well and sure while they might not be able to pull off the scale of production that IM can, Challenge still puts on a great event.

Not sure if you personally have an axe to grind with WTC competition but I will vouch for CAC (Half). It was a 1st class triathlon, from bib PU to the actual race to the great finish line setup. Maybe the site needs more attention but coming from the people who did the event I think it is largely positive feedback. I will be back 100% for sure. I actually earned myself a free room at Ballys for next year :)

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"Base training is bull shit" - desertdude

IMO, Challenge should pull out of the North American market. Their merge with Rev3 looks like it did nothing. The legacy Rev3 events that went off as Challenge races this year saw a slight increase of 10% (Knoxville) to decreases of 20% (Quassy and Williamsburg). We will see how the other legacy Rev3 events go as the summer goes on... but with the exception of Cedar Point there's not really a "popular" race in the mix.

The Challenge events themselves have been a joke. AC brought in 150 people for the full (and only 700 total) this year despite being within a few hours drive of about 100,000,000 people. Penticton is an absolute disaster. Nobody gives a shit about St. Andrews. New Albany is gone after one year. Rancho Cordova never happened.

If I was Challenge I'd sell Cedar Point, Quassy, and Penticton (the halfs) to WTC and let WTC have them as 70.3s. Shitcan the rest of the races and concentrate on Europe where at least they have some semblance of a chance.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

Well, almost 600 did the full last year. 150 did it this year. Your right...that is GREAT positive feedback. Races that are so well run almost always see a 75 percent drop in participation.

My point, though, is that if Challenge wants people like me to try their events, they should do just that wee little bit to get me interested. I think rather than looking at it as an axe, it would be taken as constructive criticism. Since that word of mouth thing does not seem to be working for them, perhaps making the whole thing look first class would help.

Not sure how you earned that room at Ballys, but you may want to book another room just in case. Casinos are leaving AC faster than full distance registrations.

I did the CAC full both years and really enjoyed it both times. I was disappointed to see how few people were signed up for the full this year. Challenge seems to have done all the right things with this race, picking a site that's easy to get to for a huge number of people, with plenty of accommodations available, things to do outside of the race, etc. The race itself seemed very well run to me. The bike course was well laid out, well patrolled, good pavement, etc. Run course was entertaining and spectator friendly. A swim course in a tidal bay is always gonna be tough/slow, which will scare some people away, but I can't imagine that's the big driver of low turnout. There's clearly demand for a full distance race in the area (look at all the mid atlantic residents traveling to IMLP, IMMT, etc), but I think Challenge has underestimated the allure of the M-dot. I'm not sure there's anything they can do to get people to give them a chance. I've got nothing against WTC. I've done plenty of their races and they do a nice job. But so does Challenge. I can't understand why IMLP, IMMD, etc sell out, but CAC only gets 150.
You're right about the website though. No idea why they can't update that and show results from CAC race.

If that's the part I think you mean (Tilton/Delilah Roads?), that was the only intersection I found a little confusing. There were a ton of cones and barriers all over that circle/intersection and I couldn't tell what was the correct route through it, but the cops started pointing me in the right direction as I got to it and got me through it with no issues.

This was my first Challenge event (I've done Rev3 Knoxville a number of times) and it was different from any WTC race but I won't say it was better or worse. Just different.

Was it as smooth and polished as a WTC event? No. Was it more enjoyable? IMO Yes. The location was fun, there was lots to do before and after and they did a great job adjusting to the crazy weather conditions the day before.

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Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca