I live in Raleigh. This race is my favorite. There is tons to do here after the race, the local support is amazing, and the course is fantastic. The swim is in Jordan Lake and the bike is from Jordan Lake to downtown Raleigh. It's such a crazy feeling to enter the city and see so many people cheering you on. I highly recommend this race

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

I have done both. The swim is a "normal" swim vs the downstream swim in Augusta. The first year, the swim was long and there was what felt like a current that pushed you off your line. Last year the distance seemed correct. Don't count on a wetsuit. Augusta is downstream and fast.

The Augusta bike course is really just rollers. The bike course (the second half) in Raleigh is tougher than Augusta but not super difficult.

The run for both is flat. Augusta is pancake flat and 3 loops. Raleigh (changed after the first year) has some gradual elevation.

Both towns are pretty dead after the race on Sunday. Haven't found anything going on after Raleigh x2 and Augusta x1. I wouldn't factor that in for your race destination.

Augusta is faster, both can be warm, Raleigh has a better finishers area.

If your family watching you is important….do Augusta. Raleigh's swim is not near T1, if your family goes out to the swim on the shuttle bus, they may not make it back in time to see you in T2. Both are great races. I plan on doing Augusta again sometime to smash my PR.

Done Augusta 2X and Raleigh 1 (the first year think they changed the run a little?)

The hill is not bad. We drove the course and I was like yeah would have been better off not seeing it. But then in the race it was nothing, blew right up it and it seemed almost flat.

Raleigh as a city is much better, more things to do lots and lots food (possibly best mexican I ever had).

Augusta run being all in the middle is kind of neat since it is surround by people for almost all of it but it seems like it goes on forever for some reason. The hills at Raleigh the first year for me sucked ( I don't run much and I was out of shape at the time) but I like the run better actually.

I'm surprised Raleigh was dead on a Sunday. There's usually a lot going on. I haven't done either, but hoping to do Raleigh this year.

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Dtyrrell

I actually checked out early this year and headed to the beach….had planned on staying the night and partying in downtown Raleigh but couldn't find much going on. If a bunch of people want to stay and party it up, I am totally down for staying this year!!

Raleigh has better breweries.

Thread over

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

Augusta was the biggest 70.3 race last year, be warned the bike course is super crowded.

I've also done both. Most of the differences have been covered. Just a few more thoughts. The point to point logistics at Raleigh are a bit of a PITA. Augusta is also a point to point but they're not that far apart so it's a little easier. Spectating the swim at Raleigh is very difficult because of the shuttle situation and distance. I am biased because I live on the bike course but I think the Raleigh bike course is prettier, or at least the first two-thirds. The run at Augusta is extremely spectator friendly because of the zig-zag course. They can see you multiple times each lap. I would give Raleigh a slight nod for the finishing chute. It is long and seemed to have more energy than Augusta. As far as lodging, I had a hard time finding good, reasonably priced lodging downtown in Augusta. I would imagine there are more options in Raleigh but since I live here I can't say for sure what it's like for the race.

But you can't go wrong with either. I've done HIMs at 5 locations and these two are by far my favorites.

BTW- The last hill at Raleigh isn't a big deal. I never even thought about it until it was brought up here. I guess it could be an issue if you're trying to get out of your shoes. But to ride up it isn't anything special.

+1 Smoom and Desert Dude...enough said.

I've done both, and each course and venue has it's own "flavor". Just depends on what you want. I feel like Raleigh had a better location and the course was less cluttered, so based on that I would probably sign up for Raleigh before Augusta if I had to pick only one.

I did Raleigh in 2014. If memory serves, I signed up in November 2013 and the race sold out soon after so may not want to wait too long before signing up.

augusta has a single trainsition area, raleigh separate transitions, you ride bus to the swim start, 45 minutes from downtown (finish line)

The best HIM in this area is Lake Logan: http://www.setupevents.com/...ail&eventID=2702

The area is spectacular, the bike is a little more difficult than Raleigh but not by much, half of the run is a 1% incline but not major hills, and the swim is wetsuit legal in an incredible body of water. Sign up early....it sold out quickly last year.

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as far as setting, scenery and views ...you are correct. this could become the best in the southeast within a few years

I have only done Augusta-my first HIM this year, but I will agree that while it was a great race, there is not much to do in the city. My family who was there to watch me had difficulty finding food to eat during the day around the run course (downtown). So if that's what you are looking for, you can probably find better options. We stayed about ten minutes from downtown, which was not a problem whatsoever. I loved the course-the locals were friendly and inviting, and Augusta did a great job of traffic control. Getting from the finish line to transition (over a mile) to pick up your stuff, then walk a mile + back again to your vehicle with bike/transition bag/etc was a pain in the ass (they didn't allow vehicles anywhere near transition), and really pissed me off. The only other downside is that I was in the like 27th swim wave, so I started two hours behind the first waves. I had a respectable time, but by the time I got on my run, everyone had pretty much packed up. I was surprised, as I had heard what a great spectator supported race it was. These really were my only complaints. The weather was amazing, swim was awesome, easy to sight, straight down the river, and fun. I definitely recommend this to everyone I talk to locally looking to do their first Half.

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http://trismashley.blogspot.com
Anything that gets your blood racing is probably worth doing. -Hunter S. Thompson

I was wondering about Lake Logan. It's 1/3 the price of Raleigh 70.3 - because it's not official ironman and likely because it's not in the middle of a largeish city. Any other info on Lake Logan?

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Dtyrrell

Dtyrrell wrote:

I was wondering about Lake Logan. It's 1/3 the price of Raleigh 70.3 - because it's not official ironman and likely because it's not in the middle of a largeish city. Any other info on Lake Logan?

Lake Logan is outside of Waynesville, NC, in the heart of the Smokey Mountains and just off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The course is relatively flat because it runs thru the surrounding valleys. You will not find a more beautiful venue in the SE. If you go, stay in Waynesville or Asheville, not Canton. SetUp Events does a great job with all of their races such as Beach2Battleship. Here is the link: http://www.setupevents.com/...ail&eventID=2702 .

I've done Augusta, B2B but not the Raleigh 70.3, although I have done 2 Olys in Raleigh. Lake Logan is by far my favorite!! The locals are great, the setting is picturesque and the course is only moderately challenging. My wife and I always spend a few extra nights in Waynesville just to chill, then spend a night in Asheville.

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I have done all three:

Scenery - Lake Logan

Spectating - Raleigh (even with the two transitions far apart). Lake Logan is just pretty but you will only see your athlete on the swim, T1 In/Out and T2 In/Out, Finish

Venue/Things to Do...depends
- Raleigh - the city is clean and nice to hangout in.
- Lake Logan if you are a nature lover and like to hike and camp

Price - Lake Logan

Competition - Raleigh or Augusta

Just my two cents...

Couple of things on Lake Logan:

The swim was shorter than the 1.2 mile distance stated. Like WAY shorter.

The bike was short compared to the 70.3 distance but they stated that going in so no foul.

Run was WAY shorter than stated 13.1 distance. Closer to 12.5. Maybe shorter.

Logistics was not good. The site is great they weren't ready to host a race that size there. Being trapped in the parking lot for 2 hours post finish. People were frustrated. Hopefully they fix this issue for the 2nd year.

Great course though.

Logistics was a struggle for them for sure. Not sure how they are going to get that worked out...only one way in and one way out which happens to be the bike course.

Should help that in 2015, the Olympic Distance race will be Sunday, and the Half on Saturday. Having both on the same day made for a mess last year, both during the race and after.

I do have issues with the bike being that short, though. Surely, they could find 2 miles out and back somewhere. Same for the swim and run. A half needs to be closer to 70.3.

On the fence on whether I'll do the half or OD. I've done the OD race for the last 7 years, don't want to break tradition.

any idea if the course will be adjusted to a true 70.3 next year?

IIRC there is some limitations with the road beyond where they have it for the bike. Hence why it's short. There was a thread regarding this iirc.

The other thing for you beer drinkers is Asheville is close by and while Raleigh > Augusta for breweries and good beers, Asheville makes Raleigh look kind of like a waste land.

It's Asheville > Raleigh > Augusta

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

If we are talking beer then yes...hands down Asheville for sure! :)