Yes, the ironman.com website was also updated to reflect this. I am very disappointed.

Now to decide between SavageMan, ToughMan, or something else...

Toughman and Rev3 have races close to Princeton in September. Great events, but you can't get the 1/2 IM tattoo.

Wow super disappointed. It was so great to have one so close-- an easy drive (no overnight) AND late in the season...

Welp, another regional battle being lost by WTC and won by Challenge (Poconos). With IM NYC being a one and done, and Challenge Atlantic City picking up steam, the NY/NJ region is going to be racing Challenge events for good.

I already got the outline done :(

Is "couldn't secure the bike permits" code for Challenge got them?

Or does it mean race registration was down and they are finding an excuse to cancel?

I'm not getting the connection between bike permits and Challenge winning in the mid-Atlantic?

This is EXACTLY how I was exposed to Rev3 (now Challenge) in the first place. I was signed up to race Ironman 70.3 National Harbor (which got cancelled), and had to find another half distance around the same time. I opted for Rev3 Maine, and have never looked back. Having raced with both companies, there's a perceptible difference. Challenge wants your business. Challenge NEEDS your business. Why not race with a company that values the athlete?

I'll be at Challenge AC (June 28), Challenge Pocono (August 16) and Challenge Maine (August 30) this year. Hoping to see you there (feel free to PM me for more information)

I will be racing all three of those. The local WTC races were not even on my radar this year...

I'm bummed. This was going to maybe be my A race this year. I had a great race there last year: PR, best ride (despite the turns) and an almost laughingly easy run. Almost broke 5 hours (big deal for me) despite it being a couple miles long. I had big hopes for it this year. The location was perfect for me, an overnight at a friends place, and took the train back to NYC. Easy peasy. That cancellation email sucked balls.

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Empire Tri Coach
Team Gatorade Endurance
USATF Coach | NYRR Distance Pacer
Dad of twins

I hear ya. I did Princeton last year too (same feedback). If it's flat and fast that you're after, I'd opt for Challenge Maine. For an interesting, but more challenging course, I'd opt for Pocono. Either ones are good choices.

I was considering that race but now I think I am going to pencil in Challenge Cedar Point or Challenge Poconos instead.

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Anyone race Challenge Maine in the past that can speak to the course and venue some more? Flat sounds good! I'm sure there's a thread out there, maybe I can convince my lazy fingers to go searching...

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Empire Tri Coach
Team Gatorade Endurance
USATF Coach | NYRR Distance Pacer
Dad of twins

Toughman is a great race. Nice swim, closed two loop bike course and a truly awesome run. It would be a stand-out half-marathon on its own. Great atmosphere too - my wife and kids had fun on a very hot day last year.

Shame about the bees/yellow jackets at the end - just hope they do something about them this year.

 


There definitely is something distasteful in this thread, your posts.


Way to plug your sponsor by shitting on a competitor.

You get to the right conclusion that people might try a Challenge race. But, you can't somehow say that this is why IM events are distasteful. You are showing bias.

For me, I did Challenge AC and IMMD last year and thought AC was amateur hour compared to IMMD. AC had poor pre-race organization and MD was smooth as silk.

As a result of my AC expereince, I'll never do a Challenge event again. Guess you win some, you lose some.

Did we race the same race? AC was pretty damn smooth I thought.

Not having the Athlete Guide out until the last minute and then having it littered with errors was problematic for this first-timer. They also bungled the wetsuit/non-wetsuit start. There was clearly no plan in place for a wetsuit wave. I also had some less-than-helpful exchanges with the Race Director.

IMMD was simply much more organized for this first-timer.

Not posting at all in a thread regarding a competitor is generally the most tactful path to take.


I had specific logistical reasons for wanting to do this race, regardless of who was putting it on. Your sponsor does not offer a race that fits my needs, if they did your posts make me less likely to consider them.

Ocean swim in a cove, chilly but calm. Long run to T1 to cross over train tracks.
Flat/very gently rolling bike. Scenic with little farm houses along the way.
Flat run, some on a wide trail, some paved. Shade for parts of it.

Cute little beach town :) Oh, and post-race lobster.

If I hadn't moved to the southwest, I'd be back for sure.

Mendeldave wrote:

Anyone race Challenge Maine in the past that can speak to the course and venue some more? Flat sounds good! I'm sure there's a thread out there, maybe I can convince my lazy fingers to go searching...

Maine is a fantastic course. I did it in 2013 as my "A" race. The swim is chilly. Guaranteed wetsuit swim but very tolerable. They bill the bike course as "flat" but it does have a few rolling hills. Nothing big. The run is mostly flat once you run up from transition up the hill out of town. It is NOT steep and not all that noticeable but it is up. A lot of the run course is shaded either by big trees in town, or by the close in trees around the course through the Scarborough Marsh area. It is all out and back with a substantial portion on hard-packed gravel roads. If you like seafood splurge on the lobster dinner post-race. It was well worth it and quite good. Here is my blog entry from that race if you want more information.

http://bringitonblog.com/...ng-for-lobstah-ayuh/

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Pete Githens
Reading, PA