It's pretty hard. I think there is 10000 feet of climbing on the bike and the run is hilly too. I've done it 3 times and I'll be back next year.

1. It's hard
2. Don't use it for prep for another race
3. Take two full weeks off afterwards and then rebuild

I got 350+3000+3000+5000 feet of climbing on the bike :)

I did the XT for the first time last year, it was very hard. Doable but hard. Highly recommend it

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Thanks everybody, sounds like a good test to open up the summer.

I did the ST last year, and the XT in 2016 at the old course. The new location is a great spot, and it's a harder course. It's up and down the whole time. Really great event, with an awesome vibe all weekend. It's easy to be a hero and crush the first race or two, but you will definitely feel it come Sunday morning. Against the advice from others in this thread I plan to do the XT as part of my training for Roth.

The morning of the last race in 2016 is the only time I've been on a start line and would have had no complaints if the race was cancelled!

If you're going to do it, make sure you have the biggest cassette and a compact crank on your bike. I did the race in 2016-2018 with a standard crank size (not sure what size) and a 11-27 rear cassette and I was fine. I wasn't fine using this same setup on the new course in 2019. I won't make that mistake again.

It's a great race with tons of camaraderie. Good luck!

I used an 11-36 last year and was happy i had it.

Great information, I will have to buy another cassette for all that climbing. Lucky for me I live close enough that I can go over for a couple of training rides and see it before the race.

This is a great race - very difficult as others have said, I have done it the last 5 years. I would recommend a lot of gear for the bike , the new bike and run course is more difficult then the old course.

The new course has a fairly nice flat section in the middle of it but for the most part it is a very difficult bike course so bring the gearing on the bike and be very patient.

The run IMO (i'm a horrible runner) is super hard, its all up hill and then back down and then you start back up again on the 2nd loop. The hill coming out of transition IMO is difficult and you need to pace accordingly. I would recommend to scout it out before the race.

This is one of the coolest races you can do and they do a fantastic job, its fun racing all weekend with the same people. You just need to hold back everyday or you could really pay for it on Sunday!

Any insight on the third race where we bike before we swim?

What a great race! I used it as a long training weekend in 2019 and it fit well I to the plan. Oh my those hills were killer. Definitely wasn’t “racing” throughout the weekend.

The Saturday evening race was full of cramps, biking before swim was much more difficult than expected. Don’t want to push the hills on that one, I had to hang on to a kayak waiting for cramps to subside.

Early Sunday morning a storm rolled through, as I sat in my tent I was hoping it would cause the Sunday race to be canceled. Didn’t happen and turned into a great day, go steady on the bike as the hills coming back into the state park are no joke

Your legs will cramp so be ready to just use your arms on the swim.

I threw on my Core Shorts

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I never really had issues with this myself, I also take the time to quickly put my wetsuit on. If you do it patiently it doesn’t soak much time up and you have that relief of knowing if you cramp you can just float or use your arms.

It is one of the coolest feature of the race, I to this date have not done a triathlon in that format so when you get in the water the race is a completely different dynamic.

I'm thinking of doing either the ST or the 1/2 on Sunday.

When you say the bike course is hard. Is it technically hard or just lots of hills? I've done almost all the HFP races over the years. Is there an HFP bike course you'd compare it to?

I'm try and stay away from technically hard courses for races with lots of twists and turns but have no issue with just hills..

Thanks

I wouldn't call it technically hard but I'm not sure I've ever been on a triathlon course that I would call technically hard. The old course was more technical with a fair number of switchback descents on fairly narrow roads. If your comfortable with speed on the downhills, you should be fine.

Anybody know if the plan is to go back the original trail run plan? The course description currently says park roads but I'm not sure if that was just for last year.

I did the ST last year. The only technical-ish section is just before the turn around on the Saturday races, so about 10k into Sunday's race. It's a bit of a blind turn, but really isn't that back. Apart from that it's all pretty basic and just up and down.

All signed up for the XT, I have a training buddy that is also signed up. The race is late May (29th-31st) and I am looking at a course recon weekend in early to mid May if anybody is interested.
My plan is to arrive on a Friday night or Saturday morning and stay Saturday night in the camp grounds at the State Park to do some training and course recon over the weekend. The best options would be to go the weekend of the 9th or 16th, the weather should be good for training and camping by then.

I remember doing this race years ago. It looks like the venue has changed, but same format. The worst part of the race was having to wear the race provided singlet that felt like a plastic hefty bag for each race. It also rained the entire weekend and everything was a mud pit.

How would you recommend pacing for the ST? I've never done back to back races.

Also, what can you tell me about the bike course? I'm reading definitely a TT bike.

I try to pace each race as though it’s one distance longer. Easy to say, harder to do if you find yourself shoulder to shoulder on the run! Sunday morning your legs are going to be tired no matter how you pace it, but if you keep things under control you can make up a lot of time in the overall standings.

Yes, I would recommend a TT bike. The course is super hilly, but for the downhill and rare flat section you’ll be faster in your aerobars.

Interesting, I've been at Triple T every year since 2006 and I don't remember any mud pit.

I remember running through ankle deep water in the grass a few times and the Lampback trail having some small streams of water that were easily stepped over but never a mud pit.
I remember it being really hot, really cold, raining, sunny and foggy but never a mud pit.