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So I signed up for Galveston IM 70.3
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It’s my home state and I know what it’s like in April- unpredictable. Someone who’s done this race tell me how it as and someone else who’s signed up, let’s internet bond over it.
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Re: So I signed up for Galveston IM 70.3 [YoMoGo] [ In reply to ]
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It can be windy or not. It can be mild or not. It can be raining or not. It is my favorite race.

There are a few threads about it here on Slowtwitch.

What specific questions do you have?

.

Once, I was fast. But I got over it.
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Re: So I signed up for Galveston IM 70.3 [hblake] [ In reply to ]
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Very cool to know it’s your favorite- what are the best parts? I’m familiar with the course only because I’m familiar with Galveston from childhood beach trips. It will be my fourth triathlon and second 70.3 and I’m looking forward to approaching it a little more like a race and less like I just double dog dared myself to do a 70.3.
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Re: So I signed up for Galveston IM 70.3 [YoMoGo] [ In reply to ]
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I have raced it 6-7 times over the last 12 years or so, and it's always somewhat windy. In the last few years, there has been a couple cross wind days which made it a very fast course, but most years it is dead head/tail or vice versa. Good race org, with a good run course for spectating. Not a great swim (murky like all TX races).



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Re: So I signed up for Galveston IM 70.3 [CPT Chaos] [ In reply to ]
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Amazing- thanks- yeah I remember the Gulf and it’s bays- not crystal clear. And certainly I see how the wind can be all over the place.
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Re: So I signed up for Galveston IM 70.3 [YoMoGo] [ In reply to ]
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Pray for a tailwind both ways on the bike, it can happen ;)

-Brad Williams
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Re: So I signed up for Galveston IM 70.3 [YoMoGo] [ In reply to ]
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It’s a pretty easy swim. Wetsuit legal and salt/brackish water. Very straightforward route.

T1 is not complicated. It takes a couple miles to get out onto the main road, once you get there just tuck it and go. Hope for favorable winds, prepare for unfavorable. There is a small bridge right before the 28mi turn around. Elevation isn’t a problem, but the pavement is torn to shit. Make sure your water bottles are secure (and on the way back).

T2 is not complicated. I was worried about the run course because of all the turns, but it’s well marked and easy to follow. 3 loops is a nice way to break up the mileage. There is what looks like a car repair garage that you run behind 3x and I remember it smelled awful. I don’t remember if it was the row of porta potties there, or if there is some kind of septic tank. But it smelled terrible.

Mind your footing on the run. There’s some weird slopes/angles across a variety of terrain
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Re: So I signed up for Galveston IM 70.3 [YoMoGo] [ In reply to ]
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I've done it a ton of times. The weather has rarely been the same and can often be extreme cold, heat, wind, rain, whatever. I've seen people pulled off the course from heat stroke and hypothermia. Expect the unexpected. Unless the forecast is for hot and no rain, with no rain whatsoever and super hot for the two days before and two days after, don't trust the forecast. If there's ANY kind of percent of anything besides high heat and no rain in the forecast, then it could be nice, typhoon, icebergs, or lava tornadoes. The weather service is just saying it'll probably be nice because they are exhausted and given up trying with that place.

Pro tip - if you wreck on the bike and get to T2 covered in blood, keep going and do the run anyway - nobody will stop you.
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Re: So I signed up for Galveston IM 70.3 [ZenTriBrett] [ In reply to ]
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This cracked me up. Lava tornadoes. Yep.

Pavement torn up around the bridge where the turnaround is? Rest of course torn up much? More so than NYC streets like the tree roots on the West Side Path?

This is all super-useful, thanks guys.
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Re: So I signed up for Galveston IM 70.3 [YoMoGo] [ In reply to ]
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I've done it twice. Here's the short version:

Swim: Murky salt water, typically wetsuit legal, can be choppy but not as bad as the open ocean because it's in a bay.

Bike: Almost entirely straight out and back. You can pretty much just tuck and watch the white line. Expect wind. Both years for me it's been a cross tailwind on the way out and cross headwind all the way bike.

Run: Almost entirely flat, 3 loops, not scenic except for a few parts, very spectator friendly.

Staying at Moody Gardens is super convenient. You have to call them to get the best rate, and there's a 2 night minimum.
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Re: So I signed up for Galveston IM 70.3 [YoMoGo] [ In reply to ]
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YoMoGo wrote:
It’s my home state and I know what it’s like in April- unpredictable. Someone who’s done this race tell me how it as and someone else who’s signed up, let’s internet bond over it.

I thought the logistics of the race were great/easy, especially if you stay at Moody Gardens. The bike is nice, just straight/flat . . . easy to hit your targets and crazy fast. I really disliked the run, which had about a bazillion corners and turn arounds and was very contrived. Galveston is pretty meh. I recommend finishing ASAP in case a massive storm comes mid-race and they cancel the [remainder of the] event.

Dimond Bikes Superfan
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Re: So I signed up for Galveston IM 70.3 [YoMoGo] [ In reply to ]
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Pavement is very good for the entire route except the section on the far side of the bridge. Couple hundred yards at most but it can cause dropped bottles and people swerving. Ride the route prior (even if just in your car) and check it out.

I love this race. Done it last three years. It attracts a fast crowd, and yes the weather can do everything in a day.

Everything has been mentioned above. Do stay at Moody gardens to make life easy if you can. Although you can save a lot of money by staying a few miles away and there’s plenty of free parking on race morning.

Practice riding in aero for 56 miles pretty much unbroken. There is no respite.

Cross your fingers for an early wave start to avoid the worse of the weather.
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Re: So I signed up for Galveston IM 70.3 [DanCT] [ In reply to ]
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I’ve got no aero chops and am a pretty new road cyclist mostly concerned with being a good bike handler. Definitely will consider learning to ride that way eventually. This is really all so helpful, everybody, especially the heads up re:pavement far side of the bridge, thank you.
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