IM 70.3 NC (formerly Beach to Battleship). Last year temps were ideal, but it was windy as heck!

---

Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

That would be a good one but I think it's canceled. I didn't see it on the IM website unless I just missed it.

---

Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.

They cancelled the full iron distance. The 70.3 lives on.

ETA: Race date is Oct 21, 2017

---

Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

Oh good it's still there! Looking at it now! Thanks!

---

Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.

If it doesn't have to be branded, then consider the Great Floridian in Clermont, FL. The full is a 3 loop swim, 3 loop bike and 3 loop run. You can sign up for the 1/3 distance which is the most popular, or do a 2/3rds if you are looking for something more without going the whole way.

Miami is a great race. It was warm last year but not outrageous. I would pick that over New Orleans and did both last year. Augusta is late September...could be an option.

---

_____________________________________________________
Instagram | Team Kiwami North America

Not quite the U.S. but Toughman has a 70.3 in PR in October and Rev3 has one in the Dominican.

Toughman also has one in Tenn.

New Orleans in October.

---

Robert Driskell
Certified Master Body Geometry fit Technician
Certified Master Retul Fit Technician
Zipp Service Course Specialist
Bikes Plus Pensacola Florida

Thanks for the input, he wants to do an Ironman branded 70.3.

I think NC might be the best option.

---

Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.

I heard that New Orleans is logistically tricky? I heard the start/finish/transition areas are not close together and it's difficult to get the bikes to and from transition from hotels. How was your experience with this?

---

Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.

You will need a car. Race venue is around a 15' drive from downtown NOLA. The start/finish/transition area is the same location at the marina. The course is relatively straight forward/boring and spectators will likely be bored sitting around since there is nothing else to entertain besides the race. With that said, it's a fast course but not a destination course. This is a local race for me so I do it every year. I would only recommend if you are looking to PR or just want to experience NOLA after the race for a few days.

How nasty is the water? I got the vibe that it might not be the most pristine...

I'm looking for a late season 70.3, too. NO is on my list, but so is Austin, Augusta, and Miami... (I'm from FL).

---

@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri

It's in a protected active marina and the water is not clear. Visibility might be 6". No one would describe the water as pristine.

I don't get the gasoline slick issues that you regularly see commented on.

I grew up in the marsh and bayous of the area so the water it typical for me. Someone coming from clear water lakes/oceans will likely rate the water quality 2/10 because of what they are used to.

Having done both Austin 70.3 and the "full" Beach to Battleship races (full was reduced to a 56 mi bike due to the hurricane damage), I would recommend the B2B North Carolina option without hesitation. The Austin race is in Austin in name only - the venue is way the heck out in the boonies - the bike is awful - terrible course, lots of road damage, not particularly scenic. The run is essentially three loops of the parking lot of the convention facility where the race finishes. NC has a really lovely, fast swim in the channel; the bike is a little hairy on the highway with a bit of wind and the dreaded bridges at the start and finish; the run is relatively flat and fast through a nice community and finishes through downtown Wilmington. I also thought the community support in NC was much greater for the race - in Austin, you're a long way away from downtown and frankly, nobody there is even slightly aware of the race. Both races are point to point - it will be much easier for you to have a car to set up transitions - but I felt the flow in NC was pretty good and the crew handled logistics really well. It's a bummer the full distance race was killed after the inaugural year, but if I wasn't already committed to doing IMMD in October, I would definitely have NC on my race calendar.

Thanks for all the input! NC does sound like a good option. New Orleans could work too. It would be so fun to enjoy the city after the race. We've never been there! Yet we could drive down to NC from Vermont. A long drive but feasible. Not thrilled if we have to book more flights.

---

Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.

That's to bad. Rev3 and Toughman put on great races that are not "easy". Ironman puts on nice flat, drafting full races.

I've only done a few Ironman branded races and they were not flat or easy. We are also doing IM Lake Placid this July. That is a VERY hilly course. And we just did IM PR 70.3 which had a SUPER hilly run. My husband has his personal reasons for an Ironman branded race. IMHO racing 70.3 miles isn't easy if you are doing your best out there no matter the elevation gains. Please don't judge us when you don't know us.

---

Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.

I'm from California and race mostly out here, but I did travel to New Orleans and Miami for the 70.3. I would never do Miami again. That sounds a little more emphatic than intended but been there done that, course is nothing to write home about. Largest transition I've ever seen, water was ok (a bit weedy but that doesn't really bother me), bike is flat and windy and very very crowded. Drafting is insane. Something like 3000 people on a flat out and back. Run has a couple climbs over a bridge so isn't pancake flat and not very interesting. Very little shade but aid stations well supported with ice. It is a PR course however depending on weather if that's what he's after. We stayed right at the race site so can't comment on logistics

I'm just not a "Miami" guy otherwise, went to an expensive meal on south beach. Although dinner at Versailles was good

New Orleans gets a slight nod from me. As mentioned a short drive from the French quarter, we just drove in race morning although they used to have busses when it was a point to point run (run started in harbor ended in a park the year I did it). Now that it's all in one spot I don't know how they run he logistics or where check in is.

Swim has a pretty effed up course and sighting is critical. Water quality was fine for me, and the AG rolling start seemed to clear things out. Bike is marginally more interesting than Miami, interesting wind patterns though, we had essentially a cross wind for 90%. The run is where New Orleans fails though. Used to go to the French quarter (more or less) then some park, and now it's just an out and back, very boring can be very hot. And not flat as you have a bridge and some levees to cross

But.... you do get to visit New Orleans which, IMO is a win over Miami. There's lots of other cool stuff to do, swamp tour, hurricanes at pat o brien's, garden district, fantastic restaurants, etc

I've done NOLA twice. I think it gets a bad rap. It's well run. The water is not clear. But I've never emerged covered in soot or oil. I'm from the midwest and am used to swimming in muddy lakes. The bike course is not scenic but I personally (when racing) am pretty focused on pushing pedals and don't take in the scenery much. The run is exposed with little shade. Last year was brutal with high winds and it can get hot, but the new Fall race date is expected to resolve this.

They've changed things a bit, so now the start/finish is at the Marina. It's not as "fun", certainly, as if it started/ended in the French Quarter, but my wife and I still enjoyed it. Last year, we drove into NOLA and actually stayed in Mentairie (suburb of NOLA closer to the race start). It was simple enough to drive there in the morning and after the race. We cleaned up at the hotel and when we wanted to visit the FQ, we took an Uber. We did everything we wanted in the FQ and took Uber back to the hotel. When we shopped in the FQ on Monday, we drove and parked at the FQ and walked the quarter.

Staying downtown and parking overnight can be very expensive. NOLA is a very unique city. Can't say there's anything else like it (that's both good and bad!).