It's a great course. Not too hilly not too flat. Not too many cars.

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"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country" JFK - Replace 'country' with the company you work for, friends, family, and strangers and the world will be a much better place.

i was gonna make it my first half, but i heard that they let way to many people in the race, and that it can be a zoo, expecially the swim

"it can be a zoo, expecially the swim "

Not true at all. The most calm swim of any half I have done.

Dave

It was my first half some years ago and I'm heading back this year. Best swim, most scenic bike and the run is always painful no matter where you are.

Can't speak to the crowds. I've done the full Vineman a few years ago, and that always draws much smaller crowds but the course is the same (just two loops of everything, obviously).

The swim is great. Very calm water. it's in a river, but the dam blocks almost all the current and it feels like a lake swim.

Bike is very scenic. Lots of rollers. You need to watch your power output on the hills. They're gentle enough that you'll be tempted to muscle them and you'll pay the price for it. Pacing and good power management is key. There are a few patches of rough pavement (at least there were were a few years ago- don't know if they've since been repaired) but mostly a great bike course.

Run will just hurt. Not too much shade but GREAT support.

All in all, I'd definitely recommend this race. The course, organization and volunteers are first rate.

Great race to be your first. Tough but fair course. Great post race BBQ. RD runs the race very well. Only drawback is; it is not a family friendly race (obviously this does not apply for everyone). So once my kids get older, I will be going to this race again. Or go back and leave the wife and kids at home.

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"No one ever told me they made black fondant!" - Duff Goldman

This was my first half. It was an awesome race, very scenic bike ride.
The swim was not hectic at all. There is no mass start, they send people off in waves.
I'm doing this race again this year beause I had so much fun last year.

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"I ran. I ran until my muscles burned and my veins pumped battery acid. Then I ran some more. "

I'll echo Dave's comments in that the swim is anything but a zoo. With a bazillion wave starts each one is very, very manageable. Race management and officials do an awesome job with this event and it's hard to beat the area where it's held.

A+ event in my book. Large race, yes...but you hardly ever feel it, if that makes sense.

[reply]i was gonna make it my first half, but i heard that they let way to many people in the race, and that it can be a zoo, expecially the swim[/reply]

Obviously, you've never done the race, or any M-dot race for that matter. Go ahead and prove me wrong though, I'm sure it'll make you feel better.

From experience of participating in this event 3 times: If you think this swim is a zoo you probably think a decent masters practice is a zoo too. The race goes in waves with I believe a more than a minute between them. Actually, I think it's 5 minutes. The race is closed once it reaches capacity, then a wait list is used to fill for people who hurt themselves or come upon circumstances of life and they have to throw in the towel. No over-selling here.

I did Vineman last year as my first half. 25-29 AG. It was a long day for me, but that's a different story.

The swim was really pretty easy, and there wasn't a tremendous amount of flailing in my AG.

The bike course is rolly but fast (for everyone else). I didn't realize I'd gone over Chalk hill until I came into town so I wouldn't stress about climbing. T1 and T2 are separate and being slow I wasn't the first into transition. I lost roughly 15 minutes trying to find my shoes. When I did find them there were three bikes racked on top of one another on top of my shoes.

Then the run was really nice and rolly again. I totally fell apart, but if I'd been prepared, it would've been a great day. The support on the course was excellent.

The only thing I didn't like was the separate transition areas. I would definitely recommend it as a friendly race and it's SO pretty in Sonoma County. Make a week's vacation of it.

TriHive.com recently interviewed Vineman RD, Dave Latourette. Go to

http://www.trihive.com/thradio/TH_Vineman.mp3



Alex M.

Thanks for the support folks ... one of Russ' biggest things is having sensible waves seperated by 8 minutes to spread the race out and limit drafting opportunity as much as possible. We also rotate the waves around every year so a given age group isn't racing first or last every year.

Swim waves have no more than 150 people in them usually quite less ... the last 3 years we have started less than 2000 athletes (over 18 swim waves) and we will not go over that.

My Best ...

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Dave Latourette
http://www.TTENation.com

I can email the bike course profile if you'd like it.

dave@vineman.com

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Dave Latourette
http://www.TTENation.com

Like everyone mentions, you must have been misinformed about the swim. Excellent race. My favorite race actually.

clm, 7x HVM finisher

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

I have to agree that 1/2 Vineman is a top-notch race. I raced there in 2004. It was a well-run race. The bike course is challenging with a rolling hills that can be technical at times and very scenic. The run course is rolling too. I thought the swim was great. Calm water and I wasn't at all trampled (good for your first 1.2 mile swim in open water).

The only thing that I did not like about it, and this is a minor thing, was that the swim-bike transition and the bike-run/finish area are in two different locations that require you to take a bus from the finish back to the start (and they don't let you take the bike on the bus). So I ended up having to drive back to the finish to pick up my bike; however, if I planned better, I could have probably gotten around this one.

I would definitely recommend it for your first 1/2.

--Wheeze

wow, great replys. I stand corrected, the guy who i talked to must not have known what he was talking about. Based on what i read i went and registered yesterday!!

thanks

What's the best airport to use? Was thinking about doing HVM this year...

SFO or OAK.

About a 1.5 hour drive, unless you leave noon or later on a Friday, then it's 2+ with all the traffic.

clm

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Agreed w/ CLM ... get a flight that puts you in the airport as early as you can! Friday northbound 101 traffic starting mid-afternoon is a BEAR!

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Dave Latourette
http://www.TTENation.com

My only complaint, and it's not a real complaint, is at the finish line there is a clock with the elapsed time of the race. If you started in a later wave your finisher photo will show a different time then your actual race time.

I also wanted to say thanks to Dave's 1/2 Vineman training program. Last years race was my first triathlon, and following his training program I was able to really well (in my own opinion).

I'm already signed up for this year's race; I can't wait.

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"I ran. I ran until my muscles burned and my veins pumped battery acid. Then I ran some more. "

And there is a new pub within walking distance of finish line in the "old/new" downtown Windsor. It is called Patterson's Pub and is on north end of the Town Green. Great draft beer selection and pretty good food. Also a new retro diner type that recently opened as well as pretty good thai, mexican and high end Cal cousine place at the Green. Keeps growing every year.

We will have to do another ST get together before the race.

Wow! Great news!!! And yes, let me know and once this ($*%&%$* rain quits, I'll come up on a Sat/Sun.

clm

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Last year's Vineman was my first half, actually my first ever tri, and I have to say that I had a great time and thought they put on a really organized race. Especially after comparing it to other tris I've done since.

The swim is really easy with no stress because the water isn't very deep and the you are never very far from the riverbank. I think this is the perfect first tri for anybody that may have any open water issues.

In my opinion, the only two things that may potentially be issues are that the transitions are in different places so it's a little more complicated to set up your stuff, but not that big of a deal, and the fact that it can potentially be very, very warm, i.e. in the 100s. Even with those issues, I really think it was a great race and will be back this year.

I did it last year and thought it was a great race. I am a BOP swimmer but thought the river swim was fun. (and loads of room) I'll definately be back to do it again at some stage.