SOMA didn't sell fast, but yea, I bet this will sell out lickety-split.

Any news on when registration opens?

Looks great! I am surprised they are calling it a tune up for IMAZ considering the races are only a month apart.

come on man... don't post this stuff until after I get a spot. Keep it secret.

Awesome, thanks for posting this!

Noticed they have a $40 additional fee to get a full refund if for some of the reasons listed a person can't participate after registering.

Did anyone notice in the 4th picture on the home page of AZ 70.3 the First Solar building say M-DOT in their adjustable solar panels. Pretty cool

Didn't see that before. Cool!

I've been chatting about this with them. The Bike course is goin to be the Soma bike course with some of he cars lanes closed to cars and open to bikers.
Now they can make the course much safer by doing this, or if it's not done in some of the sketchy areas and you add 1000+ more athletes to the course, it's going to be dangerous cluster fuck.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

Maybe it's just the camera angle but that second picture looks like quite the cycling train. Is Arizona 70.3 going to be draft legal?

I was thinking of doing this instead of silverman but then thought about the implication of 2500 people on a 3 loop 18 mile bike course......

Sounds like the makings of a crit.

As far as registration, it should be live March 11:

http://triathlon.competitor.com/...-70-3-arizona_113020

When I was talking with them, they said that registration numbers will be lower then typical.

I know at the tri business meeting in CA Messick said they were aware of the problems of the bike course. My guess is 1500-1700. 1200 and I'd consider it, but if they don't announce a registration cap, I'd rather bike race that day. Safer and a chance to win $

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

An 18 mile loop is 95,000 feet. With 1700 racers, each bike gets 56 feet (17 meters). As long as wtc doesn't move to the 20 meter draft rule, racers can form a perfectly spaced and legal 18-mile long pace line. It will be beautiful to behold.

Brian, any idea why they're so married to that bike course? Why can't they take it out the Beeline like the IMAZ course? Somehow make it two 28 mile laps or one 56 mile out and back. That way it's a safer course for the amount of people. I did IMAZ a few years ago but I don't know what's beyond the turnaround on the Beeline. Maybe 28 miles out and back isn't feasible. And maybe two 28 mile loops (14 miles out and back) doesn't get much riding on the Beeline. I can't remember how many miles it was from transition to the Beeline.

I'm probably going to do the race only because it fits perfectly into my schedule but I'd be lying if I said the bike course didn't concern me.

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IIRC the reservations charges $50k every time you bring your bike course onto it. The cities that box Tempe in don't feel the need to help out bc they really don't see a spillover effect in tax revenue from the races other than IMAZ. There are enough hotels close by, enough restaurants, enough Starsmucks, that once you get to race site there is no reason to leave Tempe. Everything is very close by and walkable.

I've been going back and forth with WTC, they alleviated a lot of my concerns re: the bike course with the latest email I received.

I was not very inclined to sign up for the race, now I'm wondering if I can or want to come back from my summer in NC to do this race.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

Anything you can share publicly (even if not specifics)? our local tri club has some early reg options and the bike course is the only thing that would keep me from pulling the trigger. Looked at soma on mapmyride and that would be a mess

Eta the website does say course coming soon and mentions parts thru Tempe but also into the "Sonoran desert" which makes me think it's not the soma course

On the closed FB group that WTC uses to communicate with tri clubs in their tri club program, they specified it was the Soma bike course, with some additional lane closures, and 3 x 18mi loops.

Soma course is here, on RidewithGPS.com

I'm highly recommending that my squad not do this race:

• I can't imagine how this bike course can not be a total cluster, with the increase in reg's that WTC is certain to see over Soma, likely confirmed by this thread. Dunno about a crashfest, MadMax-esque death ride, but I imagine that nearly everyone will spend most the ride dodging, working their way through, around, being passed by massive amounts of traffic. My head just hurts thinking about 1800-2500 athletes flipping 12-turns in a half IM, not to mention all of the 2-way traffic, etc. I'll tell you as a moto-driver at IMAZ for the past several years, no friggin way would I be out there with an official on the back with my moto.
• Nevermind the very bad idea of racing an HIM 4-wks out from your IM, or the suboptimal nature of using an HIM as an IM race rehearsal, this bike course is in no way related to the Ironman Arizona bike course. The key terrain feature of IMAZ is 9mi out, 9mi back, times 3, on the Beeline, with increasing winds throughout the day. This creates some IMAZ-specific considerations for knowing how to pace yourself on a 9mi sorta-false flat / long gradual downhill, with a headwind, tailwind, crosswind, how pacing errors express themselves on the last lap of the course, etc. All of ^this^ is missing with this 70.3 course. Instead, you'll be riding your tri bike, mostly in the hoods, through one of the most crowded urban metric century courses you can imagine.

Still, I imagine that many athletes, and local coaches, will see this race a great tuneup for IMAZ. It's not. You're much better off, 4wks out from IMAZ, locking yourself in the bars with your IM hat on, putting in big miles.


So I told my crew that if they're still thinking about doing the race, let everyone else be a beta-tester for '15 and consider holding out for 2016.


++++

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Rich Strauss
Endurance Nation Ironman 2013 and 2014 World Champion TriClub, Div I
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if you did the big miles on Saturday, and then the race on Sunday, this would be a good weekend of training.

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Based on my conversations with Kimo Seymour of Lifetime, $50k is just the start. Sometimes the Tribe doesn't show up for meetings and or just says no for no particular reason. They are impossible to deal with. Ironman just writes whatever check they want for IMAZ, I doubt they would do the same for a 70.3.

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Since this race is in my backyard, I am really tempted to sign up. However, these were the concerns I have as well. Perhaps IM will implement no-pass zones similar to Oceanside 70.3 to make it safer? I too am very skeptical of 3,000 participants attempting to race the SOMA course. I thought it was unsafe with 1,000.

...that you could better by taking a day off on Friday to do a 112/6 race rehearsal brick, sorta repeat this brick on Saturday, then run long on Sunday, Monday off, all without spending minimum 4 bills for the race + another $2-300 on lodging + whatever.

+++

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Rich Strauss
Endurance Nation Ironman 2013 and 2014 World Champion TriClub, Div I
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[/quote]
I haven't raced Oceanside in several years, but I believe the only no passing zone (at least when I last did it) was the downhill curve after the climb out of Camp Horno. Regardless, how wants to do a bike course with possibly multiple no passing zones per lap...for three laps?

I don't have any skin in this game, frankly. I'm just a guy who's watched how IM has developed full IM races over the years, then developed HIM races that are billed to be "good compliments" to IMXX, to the extent that WTC even sells 2 race package deals. Some of these HIM + IM combos are ok, as a function of timing, venue, etc. Ok, but not great.

IMO, this IMAZ + AZ 70.3 combo is NOT a good idea and I believe the race itself, as a 70.3 on it's own merits, will need to be proofed out for '15 before I can recommend it for '16.

+++

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Rich Strauss
Endurance Nation Ironman 2013 and 2014 World Champion TriClub, Div I
Create a FREE 7-day trial membership

I haven't raced Oceanside in several years, but I believe the only no passing zone (at least when I last did it) was the downhill curve after the climb out of Camp Horno. Regardless, how wants to do a bike course with possibly multiple no passing zones per lap...for three laps?

I don't have any skin in this game, frankly. I'm just a guy who's watched how IM has developed full IM races over the years, then developed HIM races that are billed to be "good compliments" to IMXX, to the extent that WTC even sells 2 race package deals. Some of these HIM + IM combos are ok, as a function of timing, venue, etc. Ok, but not great.

IMO, this IMAZ + AZ 70.3 combo is NOT a good idea and I believe the race itself, as a 70.3 on it's own merits, will need to be proofed out for '15 before I can recommend it for '16.

+++[/quote]The SOMA race that predates IMAZ has been used as a tune up and training race for over 10 years now by locals and everybody seems to be quite okay from it. Just because its IM 70.3 this year won't change that fact.

I'm looking forward to signing up next week along with many of my Arizona friends .... I'm sure WTC will make a fine race event this year and all subsequent years. SOMA has fallen off in popularity in recent years as it had been a regional event in the past, but with more competition from other events became more of just a local event. WTC taking it over will make it into more of a rock star event again .... many of us like the WTC style event management.

I predict this will sell out quickly next week because its at a good time of year for an Arizona event and the venue is great even if we do have to swim in stinky Tempe Town lake.
I hope you all listen to the nay sayers so I can be sure to get signed up next Wednesday ;-)

Dave

It's the Soma course & more importantly it's the Soma bike course with additional but non specified lane closures to cars and open for bikes. Tempe is in the desert.

Look I bitched louder than anyone on the WTC Club FB page and how big of a clusterfuck this race could/would be with just 1500 people on the course. I've been racing the TTL races since the first one and that was many years before IMAZ existed. I've raced at least 4 or 5 Soma's, a few IMAZ's & tons of other races on this course. If they stay true to their word I know what I'm getting into bc I've gotten into it before.

I've been asked not say what the specifics are that alleviated my concerns. I know have a slight lean towards registering for this race and hope that WTC doesn't go back on their word.

If they do go back on what they have told me, then I'll be asking for a refund based on the emails exchanged and will be rather vocal about it. You'll read all about it here, on twitter, the club FB page, my blog and you'll read what they said word for word. I have no qualms about putting it out there if they go back on their word.

Am I 100% confident they'll stay true to their word? No. But I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt on this one. And again I am less concerned then when they announced the race.

I will also put this out there, bc I think anyone registering for this race needs to know what they could be in for.

In the email I sent out to my athletes I put in there examples I've seen of things going wrong on that bike course. Those include but are not limited to: I've rubbed shoulders with ladies through the Priest onto Rio Salado turn on 2 different occasions.
I've seen several near head on misses from Rio Salado turning onto Priest when someone hasn't been able to make that turn and ended up in the bike lane with bikers oncoming.
I've seen someone crash hard on a dropped water bottle coming off Mill onto the Rio Salado turn right there in front of everyone.
I've been in the gutter next to the median passing someone who was passing someone on Rio Salado heading east.
I've seen a lady try to pass someone on Rio salado and crash into the median.
I've seen road rash after nearly every single race I've done or watch on that course. Easily <80% of the races.

I told all my athletes if they register for this race this is what they are getting into, that there are safer options, smarter options & less crowded options. I read Rich's post and I agree that it's buyer beware.

I also agree 4 weeks out from IM isn't ideal and agree that there are a lot of coaches in the PHX area who may not be as smart as Rich and I and they will push their athletes to this race.

To summarize: There will be crashes. They have told me things to alleviate the majority of my fears about the bike course, enough that I've got a lean towards registering and submitted my name for early registration. If you are afraid of high speed cornering, high speed decreasing radius corners, U turns or going 3 wide in 1 lane when passing or if you have concerns about handling your tri bike in a narrow course with potentially to wheel to wheel racing this may not be the race for you. If you can do those things this course can be fast, if not, you will lose minutes on this course to someone who can do those things.

I think buyer beware sums it up best.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

Brian,

I'm not sure what has you so up tight about this race .... but you're entitled to your opinions like everyone else.
WTC has done IMAZ for over 10 years now in the same area/ course and I'm sure they are quite aware of issues that are there. You and Rich are fine coaches, but many of us have done IMAZ and SOMA many times over without your input and have had many enjoyable races ..... I expect the next one in October 2015 will be just the same. I am just glad WTC is running it now ..... they clearly are quite experienced at this sort of event.
I'm not needing any endorsement from you or Rich to make my own decision about a safe or fun race ..... I'm sure WTC will not cancel the race until they get your endorsement ....... I still predict a sellout.

Dave