Otto, Miller and Maynardier will be there for sure.

Alas, I am currently overseas and will miss this year's version.

I do not wish to sound judgmental, but if you have not done Savageman, your life is empty and meaningless!

Seriously: do this race. It will change you.

I get there are a lot of options other than Savageman this time of year, but I don't believe there is a better race. I hope this race sticks around for many years to come.

I'm in after a 2 year hiatus. I'm local so if there are any race or non-race related questions I'd be glad to help.

I was wondering how much shade there is or isn't on the run. I'm coming down with 2 friends who are also racing, all of us in wave 2.

But it's not 70.3..............

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

The run is very shaded since it goes through the campground and it almost always has tree cover. The bit on the road may not be shaded, but you can almost bet the weather will be cool and probably some rain. It is rarely ever hot for this race. People usually need a jacket for the first 18 miles of the ride since it is majority downhill. I have just used arm warmers in the past and kept them on for the entire ride and through them to the side either in T2 or to my wife on the course. It is an amazing race! Get that BRICK!

josinski nailed it. Run is very shaded.

The forecast here is shaping up to be just about perfect but the first 18 miles on the bike will be cool. It is all downhill, very shaded, and with being wet it can get a bit cold. I generally take 30 seconds in T1 to towel off the water as much as possible. In the past there has been a clothing drop in Westernport that can be a help.

I have competed in over a dozen 70.3 and this still goes down as a top 3 race for me and likely will never be kicked out. It is an amazing race and the "wall" is a special place.

Good luck and enjoy the day.

I'm in for the 70. Looking forward to some climbing.

I'll be there for my 3rd. Really looking forward to it. See everybody there.

Gorgeous day. Gorgeous weekend. Gorgeous scenery. Being out and about on the course yesterday just drove home how incredible and special that course is. You can't experience it and not appreciate it.

But, abysmal participation numbers. Sad to see such an epic, iconic race on the precipice like this.

Here's a shot of zbittin suffering solo up Maynardier Ridge, aka "Last One Fast One"

It was a lonley race, but I am ok with that. Can this race survive on these numbers?

I'm not in charge anymore so cannot speak to the financials. But, the answer has to be No.

We had more racers for the inaugural running of it in 2007.

Something's gotta change, and if it isn't going to be triathletes deciding to do the race I don't see how long it can go on. Again, this is just me speaking completely out of turn and with no insight beyond intimate knowledge of the unique difficulties of putting this particular race on.

I was going to do this race in 2016 but injury pushed me out. This year injury and budget kept me away so hoping it runs next year. It's a tough course, my feeling is these really hilly courses turn too many people away. Just like IM Branson 70.3. Great courses with a lot of scenery and high energy fading away because too many p_ _ _ _ _s are looking for easy/flat courses.

Maybe it can be added to that list of Qualification courses for Alcatraz?

Great shot Kyle! The 'Wall' definitely gets all of the talk and deservedly so but it's hills like Maynardier that really make this course!

As mentioned I'm highly biased living here but I would put Savageman up against any course for it's beauty and overall race experience.

Is the course just too hard to attract repeat racers? Is it really about getting that 70.3 sticker and not a 70.0? I've been out of the Road Triathlon game for a couple years now but I've certainly done my share of Mdot events and other 'private' events and in my opinion Savageman is one of the best. Did all these other races somehow up their game significantly? The last tri I did was Savageman 2014 and it was no coincidence my first one back was Savageman 2017.

Is it suffering from an overall lack of triathlon participation? Is it 'event saturation'? Is it a bucket list and forget type of race? Just too damn hard to do more than once? All of the above? Others?

I don't know. All of the above and some more, most likely.

What I do know is that the world of triathlon will be worse off if SavageMan 70 were to go away. And, again, I have no inside knowledge to this, but anyone who doesn't think it's a possibility given the numbers and the trendlines is not thinking very hard. VTSMTS just acquired Piranha Sports and that entire series of races. They're gonna be busy as hell in coming years. You think they aren't going to prioritize and look at a 140 person race that is hard as hell to put on, and potentially think "oh well, it's a great race but people don't want to do it and the masses have spoken?"

I am 100% certain that a significant percentage of the 2600 person field at Atlantic City 70.3 last weekend would have had a far more enjoyable and memorable experience at SavageMan instead, but never even considered it for a second. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink.

Not exactly replying to anything you said but let me start this by thanking you for creating the best race that I've ever raced!

I saw the results yesterday and was so disappointed by the low numbers---I immediately sent a message to a buddy that I race with--his response was basically that people are idiots for not doing this race! We both just want to see this race continue but at those numbers I just don't see how it can continue... I hope something happens (I have no idea what would change) to keep this great race going!

I hope something happens (I have no idea what would change) to keep this great race going!

It seems to me that people complain a lot about crowded races and the next year, sign up for crowded races. I think that people want to do the popular races because others have heard about it and have no interest in obscure ones even if the smaller ones are far better.

Also, if the course is too hard it won't survive. If people can't get a PB, it's a definite no. It's sad but true.

Most triathletes are lemmings.

M.Dot and "Ironman" are "the" races to do in most people's minds, even if/as they're homogenized and brought down to the lowest common denominator.

People sign up a year in advance, for the privilige of shuffling around a generic course, rather than taking on a genuine challenge in a beatiful venue.

Savageman was one of the best, most challenging experiences of my life, and I can only hope I'll someday get back in good enough shape to take it on again - and that it will still be there for me, and for everyone else.

Maybe you guys need to do 2 loops of everything, and make it like Norseman/Celtman/etc? ;-)

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float , hammer , and jog

Please don't take this as condenscending as I am genuinely interested. It sounds like both you and your buddy want the race to continue but didn't participate this year. I am not knocking either of you as I mentioned I spectatated the last two years but I have to ask what made you guys sit it out this year? Also if you do not mind me asking what races did you do this year and why?

I read some of the AC 70.3 and saw kileyay mention that there where 3 loops of the bike course and he had to cross some cones to pass once or twice. I can gaurentee that won.t happen at Savageman.

I don't take it as condenscending-it's a fair question! The only race either of us did this year is IM Mont Tremblant. I usually only do a few races a year due to family and cost. I usually pick races that are close to home so that I don't have to pay for a place to stay and be gone for a whole weekend when my kids have their activities. Mont Tremblant was a 'once in a lifetime' type race for me that wouldn't interfere with family commitments. SavageMan unfortunately for me does require travel and a place to stay and is during a busy time of year for my family and thus pulls me away for a weekend. I wish I could race it every year but that's just not in the cards for me so I try to support it the best that I can but talking up the experience and race to other people so they will register.

This is such a great race. It would be a huge disappointment if it went away.

Such an epic, challenging course. Great venue for family. Great place to cheer on friends. Beautiful course.

I did my 3rd on Sunday and that course is special every time I've done it. If you're on the fence about Savageman, please give it a shot. It's well worth it. Difficult doesn't mean impossible. I was there with a group that included a 67 year old dude who not only finished strong but made it up the wall.

Bob

I could not agree more- fantastic venue, super well planned out and those hills! Volunteers were tremendous, especially the crew atop the fire road. My buddy, who raced Sunday as well, and I were thinking Wisconsin for next September. I think we will be back in Deep Creek instead. Production value in line with the SOS, course in line with AmZof. The word awesome get over used a bit but here it really applies.