Well said. Sums it up pretty well. For those that need to check 70.3 off their bucket-list, this is earth-shattering. For those competing against the field, it's an opportunity to adapt and move forward. For both those groups, though, paying $300 for an Oly distance race definitely sucks. I've got Racine on the docket next weekend, and I'm hoping the temps stay down so they keep that race at its intended distance, otherwise I'll be pissed off to have paid that kind of money.

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Brad Stulberg
Author, Peak Performance
http://www.BradStulberg.com

breaking News, all triathlon races, have been cancel for 2012, it is to hot people!! stay indoors, eat Doritos and drink beer, get fat, Obamacare will take care of you

for me, the difference between 80* and 105* doesn't exist. it's really freaking hot and i struggle pretty bad.

i would still rather do a half/full distance with the frequency of aid stations in those events vs. oly events being more.

Tim

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Tim

Keep in mind the temp tomorrow is supposed to be 106. Muncie has zero shade on the run and plenty of rolling hills. As a Race Director myself, I think it was a good call. Maybe they should offer a discount for next years race. Other than that I would have done the same.

I absolutely agree. Especially when there was a Muncie thread a few days back that was in the spirit of "10 things to prepare for Munice," that listed "drink gallons of water the day before the event," as critical. Talk about setting yourself up for a trip the medical tent. I think the poster hit this spot-on. The safety risk is for the person that is unprepared...and flushing their system of electrolytes the day before a hot race...

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Brad Stulberg
Author, Peak Performance
http://www.BradStulberg.com

I'm a bit pissed about this. But again, a race is a race, no matter the distance. I hope WTC does right by offering a discount for next year or something equivalent. But probably not.

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"One Line Robert"

so will they cancel the IM canada, because the water is to cold?

Well, the NOLA 70.3 folks did offer discounted race entries for next year at $150 for the cancelled swim turning it into a duathlon (and possibly also due to the changed up run course).

Now...are the conditions in Muncie that much different than they have been in Lubbock for Buffalo Springs in the past? I did a lovely 8 hour slogfest at Lubbock a few weeks ago (thank you, heat)...and was hot and uncomfortable as I melted down, but never felt like I put myself in danger. Though I do suppose a person doing their first half IM may not know where their limits are or when to pull the plug. If aid stations are well stocked and there is plentiful ice, people can get through the event.

Sorry for all you signed up. That would blow, esp if it was your big race of the year. I would like to do Muncie one year...

+2

This is infuriating. Someone above talked about getting your money back for services not rendered. You want to see someone do that; shorten Vineman 70.3 or IMoo. You'll see it happen Monday morning. We are paying BEYOND what is reasonable to accommodate these "extreme" conditions. If Mary Beth Slowpants is scared of the heat, don't fucking race. I'm sorry TNT didn't tell you it's actually really fucking hard and you should HTFU. If you can't do that, go walk a marathon and talk about how big of an accomplishment 7 hours is. But don't bring real athletes down with you.


I say everyone racing this event that wants to do the actual 70.3.. just do it. Fuck your timing chip. Start with everyone else and run the actual course (if you know where it's supposed to go).


If you can't tell; I'm really mad.

FYI, this Sunday there is a 1/2 in Oliver, BC, Canada. The bike course is one of the tougher ones around, it is part of the IMC course, up Richters, over most of the bitches and then back, up the rear, steeper side of Richters. The run is relatively flat though. Projected temperature, without humidity is 37C, 98.6F while Muncie is projecting 27C, 81F. BUT, add in humidity (or I guess in weather speak, "feels like"), and Oliver is 40C, 104F while Muncie is 39C, 102F. Add to that some area of Canada haven't seen temperatures above the 70s this year so for people training in those areas it'll be a hot one.

Anyway, Oliver will be hotter regardless of how you measure it and they've never cut the distance that I know of. Muncie is "cooler" (well, not really that much difference) but they cut the distance.

Good luck to all in each of the races and stay hydrated!

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BC Don
Pain is temporary, not giving it your all lasts all Winter.

I get what you're saying but some people (i.e. Jordan Rapp) don't perform as well in Olympic or even 70.3 as compared to a full.

It would be super easy to shorten IMLOU too. Only one loop (and possibly no out and back) of the bike, and a one lap run. Sucks if that happens. I usually agree with WTCs weather calls, but this one is just BS. They really should at least refund the difference between a 5150 race and a 70.3 race.

Hell yes!

A friend of mine is there and made a great point... they knew about this weather 4 days ago but they wanted to wait until everyone got into town, booked their hotels and have to stay. Crooked if you ask me.

This would never happen in Abu Dhabi!!


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I didn't realize that the majority of alaskan's were on the start list.

Shit, most midwesterners have had two+ weeks to acclimatize.


I dedicate my 75 minute run in a Heat Index of 102 this afternoon to those poor victims of lawyers in Muncie. #solidarity

Best ever...

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-Stephen in Arkansas

Oh so now they should shorten tri's everywhere where it may be hot/humid.....

Thank you good sir, but the WTC is asking me to ask you to please not do so. It could be dangerous, you could get hot.

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(insert inspirational/witty/comical signature here)

I will agree with you about the shade (grueling out on the run), and they can/should look into that detail going into the future (devise a new run course for next year). Now that they know it will be hot in July they should plan the race accordingly. Discount for next year equals yes. I must, however, chime in and agree with others in saying people knew what they were getting themselves into when they signed themselves up. Yes there are precendents for heat causing major DNF rates but I think that there should be something in writing for summer races, at least, that gives a cut off and an alternative. That would at least cut down on the surprise aspect of is all.

P.S. Great race up in Terre Haute this year! Always a blast to come back to the Haute.

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So scared of breaking it that you won't let it bend.

They had a post about this on Facebook and were getting killed about the decision. The post is now gone.

Good sound approach. Unfortunately learning how to deal with the heat probably requires a situation (or a few) in which we were fortunate to recover without any serious problems. Not everyone will be so lucky. Adjusting pace and fluid intake is a process that takes time as is widely recognized on this forum. A few weeks or months might not be enough. I got kicked in the ass by heat just a few weeks ago and have been doing races for over a decade. I do try to avoid longer races in the heat, but if you want to race in the midwest without breaking the bank its not the easiest thing in to do.

since there is two Muncie treads going I will post this here too

This is a continuation of the Wussification of America. This is a sport that main season happens in the middle of the summer, heat should be expected and if trained correctly should not be a problem. The reason I even got involved in this sport as a ex-college football player who never took a swim lesson before, hadn't ridden a bike since I was a kid and running was always my punishment in sport was because it was a true test and a real challenge. If everyone finished it wouldn't be special and I would not have been interested. I signed up for IMNY/NJ paid my $1000 or so bucks to pay for the right to attempt the distance and now with this 70.3 getting moved down to an olympic I have to worry about the race I signed up for well over a year in advance and prepared for being changed to some other distance due to it being friggin August when it is hot. I am just not ok with this. I train in the middle of the day all summer for a reason. When I do trainer work and it gets under a 100 degrees in my garage I close the door half way. WTC don't take peoples dreams, hardwork, sweat, tears and time away from their families and ruin it for them.

Negligence is BS, they have all those darn waivers for this reason. 1000's of racers have DNF'd before. So if it was a full would the concession be cutting it to a half or now do we have to see fulls getting cut to olympics. Adults can choose to participate and should be properly advised about risks by the WTC staff.

These are the questions I now have: What protocol are they following regarding heat? what are the guidelines now? who is advising? where are they collecting their weather information?.... I am a certified athletic trainer. If I was analyzing the event the heat index based on literature would not allow for any outdoor activity. Not having the data to support this but I would guess that a bulk of these events have happened before with heat indexes that would limit exposure time to not much more then even a sprint distance if that. And we sure know that KONA has been worse with plenty of freebie celeb and lottery slots of non-qualifying participants. Come up with another solution... have special heat training sessions at the expo....do weigh ins at transitions...find a way to make it safer without altering the race... extend cut offs, more aid stations, something else

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Dynamic Athlete ProgrammingVIP Endurance Racing | Like us on Facebook Get Your Training Plan Here

Everyone should just go to the Muncie Facebook page and repost their comment on the Muncie "wall". Funny how companies LOVE facebook when it is good plublicity, but things seem do disappear when it isn't good plublicity.

Why is it that that the run is never cancelled? Why cancel the swim at all? I say they double the swim and make the bike and swim equal 70.3.
Screw the fast runners for once! :) (pink font).

Unfortunately this is the new trend. As LC triathlon becomes more and more popular the average fitness level becomes lower.

RD's are more concerned about safety and getting sued now then ever. I bet vs 15 years ago the medium HIM time is 30min slower.

At least WTC should offer a discount towards another wtc event in the next year.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
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