Yep; lots has changed over the long history of Wildflower. Some say for the better, others not. Do a search on ST and see what kind of emotions are wrapped up in the saga of the "disappearing breasts".

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Mr. Uncaptured External Costs

Fossil carbon is planetary poison.

I thought the long course was closed.

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I'll be what I am
A solitary man

[reply]I thought the long course was closed.[/reply]

...closed for topless co-eds obviously

Yep, i just registered for the long course 2 days ago. Still some openings!

"It looks as though both the long course and olympic distance races at Wildflower are still open."

it doesn't surprise me that the olympic is open, because that race is WAY over-peopled, IMHO. i'm surprised that the half is still open, but maybe the word is out that this isn't the ONLY race west of the mississippi. great race it is, but there are other good ones as well (brad's, for example).

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

I'm with Dan...WF has become a "victim of it's own success". I recall the first time I did WF back in '91, it had a totally different feel. They even had race-day registration. Now it's WAY too crowded and the course, great as it is, hasn't gotten any bigger. The roads are the same size, the trails that you run are the same size, the boat launch for the swim is still tiny. The course doesn't grow but the number of people you put on it is going to triple or quadruple!? That's just not safe.

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Michael in Fresno
"Do you spend time with your family? Good. Because a man that doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man" V. Corleone

Can you clue me in on which race is "brad's"? I'm heading out to CA that weekend and thought I'd try to get in one of the two 1/2 IM's I found - Napa and WF.

Am I just being ignorant and have failed to see/read something I should've?

www.bradventures.com

it's two weeks after Wildflower.

Thanks!

I love that race, one of my favorites. First did it in 88 but I will not be going back until it get's fixed. Enough has been said in the past about what has happened. Things I will miss... dressing up in a "small" speedo and cowboy hat waving goodbye to everyone leaving on Sunday. DRINKING!!! enough said. Making it until mile 4 and having a beer. Partying with all the college kids, wishing I was still in college. Seeing people you only see once a year. Pissing all the olympic people off on Sat night, Did I mention mile 4?? BBQ with friends, falling apart on the last mile to the finish...I can go on but don't want to, the only thing I will not miss is the Grand it cost to do a $200 dollar race.

Louis

yes...mile 4 is the "Golden Mile" at WF, then you realize you still have 9 more miles to go. The first time I did Wildflower i was 14 (2004) and had no idea what was ahead of me at the start of the run. When I got to mile 4 I was in total shock at what I had just seen.