I heard that - that's nuts! Herbert needs to track him down for an interview, seriously craziness.

I also got one of these deep roll downs. Great work out there today. It was hot, but good!

---

wovebike.com | Wove on instagram

I did. Should have done great but got my chain jammed between frame and small ring and mile 20-21. I tried to pedal it out but jammed it deep in the front then tried back spinning but only jammed it deep in the back too. Eventually after calming down and letting my head clear I got it pulled out but had to stay in big ring rest of the way. My rear 10 speed gearing isn't great for climbing and I killed my weak bike legs. A 1:52 run was all I had in me. Maybe I will come back next year after training in the Clermont hills. It's an awesome roller coaster bike course and the swim was warm but I enjoyed it. I thought they did a great job organizing everything.

---

http://www.sfuelsgolonger.com

I think Raleigh is one of the fairest courses on the circuit. The swim is usually warm and inexplicably slow. The bike course has just enough rollers to make it honest. And the run is always hot, hot, hot.

By the way, the front of the age group packs just keeps getting better and better at this race. The evolution of the times of those making the AG podiums says to me that the players have found this event. Congrats to all that did the event and most importantly thanks to the organizers and volunteers. Great work.

---

What I do: http://app.strava.com/athletes/345699

Sorry to hear about your misfortune.

Like the above poster said, the course is very honest and I think most are surprised/shocked by it (more the swim and run).

The race is really well ran even with the point to point logistics. The volunteers were awesome with getting all the bags back to downtown and everyone on the run course was fantastic.

I do wish the race would start a little earlier. I think there's a enough sunlight for a 6:30-6:40 start which would be good to have less people suffering in the heat. But I think the race is restricted to a 7am iirc. Thought I remember reading the town/city wouldn't let them start any sooner or something like that.

Congrats to everyone that suffered through.

---

blog

Dude...you F'ing crushed it, awesome job!!! One of my favorite races too, always an unpredictable day in Raleigh.

If they would move the race a few weeks earlier in the year, I would be back every year. As it is, way too much suffering on the run for a 200lbs dude.

But, the volunteers were great, in fact everyone in town was really awesome all weekend. The course was great too, just so damn hot.

I escorted the third place male on the run yesterday. I went through two bottles just doing that and he ran a 1:21. My Garmin picked up the ambient heat on Hillsborough Street at 97 at 10:50 am. I gave this race my old baseball try but three bad experiences due to the heat finally taught me that this race is not for me. Congrats to the people who did it. Few weeks earlier and I would be back again.

Always pays to go to rolldown! I was 17th in M35-39 but it rolled all the way to me. I am not entirely sure I feel like I "earned" it but I took the slot anyway since my name was called out!

He posted on the Pathetic Triathletes Group on Facebook. Name is Aaron Joe. What a great attitude. I tagged Herbert to see if he'd interview.

Cheers,

---

thechromedome
http://www.favoritefinishlines.blogspot.com
http://www.cupcakecartel.org
My 20% off code for 2018 FS Series races: tricred18
"there are no drafters in heaven" - C Bonner

Interesting discussion opened up between the wife and I just now. She volunteered at Run Aid Station 3. They noticed that the biker that lead first place pro would ride ahead and call out the order and items that he wanted. The pros without a lead biker didn't get that. Is that fair? Does it matter? This happens at small races too and even my tired old wrinkled self has experienced it. Reward for getting to T2 first or not fair to other athletes?

Cheers,

---

thechromedome
http://www.favoritefinishlines.blogspot.com
http://www.cupcakecartel.org
My 20% off code for 2018 FS Series races: tricred18
"there are no drafters in heaven" - C Bonner

Fair or not, I thought the new protocol was for the biker to ride behind the pro?

---

Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

I'd say definitely not fair considering the difficulties I had at several aid stations getting what I needed. I'd simple call out what I was looking for and would typically get blank stares or people handing me cups without saying what they had. At least once I asked for ice and was told I had to go to the cooler and get it for myself - they don't hand out ice. Bullshit. So based on that, I'd say any extra communication with the aid stations prior to running through would be advantageous, though no idea how much difference it might make in realty. I was simply frustrated more than anything. I've never had that sort of experience at a race before.

I walked through every aid station to ensure I stayed cool and while I saw this at one aid station, when I came back through, they had gone back to handing out ice and said that while they had been told to make people get it themselves, they wanted to do better. I was super impressed all around - had 3-4 cups of ice, 3-4 cups of water at every aid station and I never over heated on a blistering hot day. I'm sorry to hear about your experience.

Looking forward to the hot summer to kick in here in the mountains so I can acclimate for Chattanooga, and I'm looking forward to the weeks ahead to get in shape so I can race and not merely finish!

---

wovebike.com | Wove on instagram

Having volunteered at the Raleigh 70.3 numerous times in multiple capacities including this year, I'll tell you that IM gives the volunteers little to no instruction sometimes. Many of the volunteers are just kids. Given them a break.

---

Don't drown. Don't crash. Don't walk.

He's being "that guy"

That was very likely my wife that told you that. :) If it makes you feel better she did the same to me! Ouch!

Our tri team runs aid station 3 before the turnaround. Ironman folks always tell the volunteers not to offer up the ice at Raleigh which is just crazy. I'm glad they eventually said screw it and started serving it up.

Cheers,

---

thechromedome
http://www.favoritefinishlines.blogspot.com
http://www.cupcakecartel.org
My 20% off code for 2018 FS Series races: tricred18
"there are no drafters in heaven" - C Bonner

I escorted the third place pro. I rode behind him or slightly to the side 90% of the time. The only times I went ahead was at the turn around and around the start/finish in case a person stepped out into the way. Hillsborough Street was a ghost town except for near Cup of Joe. We did not say a word to each other until mile 11.5 when he realized he was not catching second and was safe in third. Then he started to talk a little and responded to the preacher at the bell tower. I was told by one of the ironman officials not to do anything to give them an advantage. I will say I was not with the other lead bikers when I talked to the Ironman official so I do not know what was said the bikers. He was more concerned about me taking someone off course. You would need to try to lead someone off of the Raleigh course.

I worked an aid station last year and one of the issues I saw was at shift change. When you are setting up there is time for instruction. But at shift change everything is happening on the fly and instruction time is minimal.

I had the exact opposite experience. Everyone at the run aid stations was awesome. They were calling out what they had, including ice, and sometime ice water. When I would call out what I was looking for someone always stepped forward with exactly what I needed. I could not have been more impressed with the volunteers.

That said my age group started at 7:4x and I am a shit swimmer, so by the time I got to the run it was after 10:30 and maybe some of early difficulties were worked out by then.

Steve,

Great race Sunday. After that time on that course, we better see you racing Pro next year. haha

For sure, I work for "another" race company and try to instruct volunteers best I can. They do the best they can and often are completely green. Experienced volunteers are the best! Some races are harder than others with volunteers no showing, cancelling, etc., depends on the location and time of year. Some races we have waiting list for volunteers, others we take what we can get and make it work.

The logistics of a race in its entirety is something you just don't appreciate until you're on the other side. For our halves and Olys we for sure do ice, Gatorade and water... plus other misc. items for halves.

I was the captain of Run Aid Station #3. It was my fourth year being the captain. I started racing triathlons before aerobars, I'm old, I understand.

I was instructed by Ironman personnel NOT to hand out ice. I was told to bring a cooler from home and put ice in that and let the athletes grab their own ice. Those were my instructions. My response to Ironman personnel was that their brand is considered to be the premier brand for triathlons, that the folks racing were paying big bucks to race and that it was going to be dang hot and that we should be handing out ice. They said no. I complied and brought two coolers from home. I instructed the volunteers to do what I was instructed to do - ice in the cooler at the end.

After getting yelled at for not having ice to give, we broke 'the rules' and started handing out ice. It was the right thing to do. I apologize to those front of the pack age-groupers who didn't get ice, it was likely on your first lap. After the race I again expressed to Ironman personnel that they need to reconsider their stance on ice at aid stations.

If there is an athlete's survey, let them know.

It's strange to hear they told you not to hand out ice. I think I remember not getting any ice on the first lap. On my second lap all aid stations had ice in cups. Why wouldn't they want you to hand out ice in cups?

I thought this race was incredibly well supported from a volunteer and aid station perspective. My last pass through aid station 1 (IE at mile 12) was the only time I had an issue and that was mostly because I was trying to run fast through it while so many were walking slowly through the station.

Thank you to ALL volunteers for helping make that day go so smoothly.

A big thanks to you and your whole team at the aid station. Seriously.... you guys were awesome.

---

blog

I appreciate volunteers like yourself!

As to why, you'd have to ask them. Maybe they budget enough cups per aid station for x amount of Gatorade/water and don't want to add more cups for ice? I just can't think of a good reason otherwise... ice is relatively inexpensive and readily available. Drop a few big coolers per aid station full of ice and you've got enough to make cold Gatorade, water and cups of ice for a large event. I worked an Oly this past weekend with around 600 athletes on a two loop course. Athletes didn't go through 10 bags of ice at each of the three aid stations total... 2 of which they hit four times. It was a bit cooler but the resources to make ice cups aren't really that over the top.

Outside of that I'd much rather having a volunteer doling out ice in cups than letting 1000 people dip their hand into a cooler, then dumping it in their jersey, water bottle.... mouth.

I was told the same thing about ice from one of the other aid station captains.