Deer Creek Pineman - Sept 18

Duke Blue Devil - around Oct. 11


Oh yeah... Iron Texan Triathlon - October

Maryland -- Chesapeake Man check out the site www.tricolumbia.org multiple loops flat and windy. Probably a bit boring. Looks like same course as spring 1/2 (Eagleman). Good luck.

Sorry, but I can't let that one hang out there...

Pineman is poorly run and unsafe (I raced in 1999), I've had friends check it out since. Don't do that race. There are plenty of better-run events which you can explore.

If you don't want to go M-Dot, I'd seriously consider Ultramax, GFT, or Blue Devil...All have had oustanding reviews. Heck, GFT is a "Classic" of the sport which everyone should race at least once in their life.

I've done 5 Ironmans and more than a dozen 1/2 Ironmans, I've been bike racing for 19 years, and I run a cycling Team. In all my years of racing, promoting, coaching, and spectating; I've never been to a race as poorly run as Pineman.

Save yourself the pain and choose another race.

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http://wattieink.com/elite-team/
Raising funds to help wounded veterans and racing RAAM 2013 with http://team4mil.org/
"If you are gonna charge... CHARGE HARD!"

I'd reco the Chesapeakman. Vig ( the race director) is experienced and good, the course is FAST, and the early Oct date allows you to show up well trained. It all can add up to be a very fun experience. I've done the 1/2 a bunch of times and based on that would/will be comfortable doing this first year race.

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Irony can be humorous, but it does not have to be.

"I've always said that an Ironman is a reflection of your character" - Kevin Moats

2003 ITU Nice Long Distance Race Pics of this years race have just gone up.

In defense of Pineman, from someone who raced it in 99,00, volunteered in 01, and raced it in 02:
The 1999 race was HFP's first attempt at an Ironman, and tbey made some mistakes. The "unsafe" comment is probably aimed at the 1999 swim - for those who weren't there, the swim started in borderline foggy conditions which deteriorated after the start to the point where no one, including the safety personnel, could find the course markers. They finally ran the park ranger's car siren on the beach, and everyone was able to navigate back by sound. While the water was calm - and in many places shallow enough to stand up - it was still scary for a while until everyone was accounted for. The bike course was a hilly 56 mile loop - a challenging course and decent surfaces - but mostly on state highways and vehicle traffic was heavier than one would like. The marathon was point-to-point, from the state park to downtown Mansfield, OH - most of it on a paved rail-trail. Nothing wrong with that - but it turned out to be a little over 27 miles.
To their credit, HFP learned from the 1999 race. The fog has not recurred, but in 2002 they delayed the start of the swim about 15 minutes to make sure there was enough light on a cloudy morning. The bike course was moved to mostly country roads in 2000, resolving most of the traffic problems. (It was still very hilly, and I still ride that course several times a year for training) The run was changed to two loops of an out-and-back course. They made an even larger change in 2002, moving from Mansfield to the much flatter area near Columbus, OH. When they moved, they also tried a new format which seemed to be a very good idea for a smaller organization trying to put on an iron distance race. The new Pineman course consists of 4 laps each on the swim, bike, and run. At the same time as the full iron distance race, they also run 1/4 distance, 1/2 distance, and 3/4 distance races - using the same course and differentiating the entrants among the four races by the first digit of the race number. It seemed to work pretty well, and I wouldn't hesitate to do Pineman again.
If you are looking at Pineman, you need to keep in mind that it's a different type of race than the large M-dot events (I've volunteered at Hawaii twice, competed in Canada this year, and signed up for Wisconsin for 2004) You won't get the spectacular scenery of the Kona lava fileds or the Canadian mountains. You'll get flat midwestern agricultural country surrounding a state park lake, and the same view four times. You won't have an army of volunteers in transition to attend to your every need - there's a small crew to handle the essentials, but mostly your grab your bag, head for the tent, and you're on your own. You'll have aid stations at decent intervals with a small but enthusiastic volunteer crew, although not the variety of food and drink offerings you would have at a bigger race. You won't have cheering crowds along the course or at the end unless you bring your own - if you're one of the late finishers, you may run for several minutes on a dark country road without seeing another person. I suggest carrying a small light - I fastened the handlebar mount of a small bike headlight around my finger and it worked well.
At Ironman Canada this year, I found that I really enjoyed the feel of a major race with all the accompanying crowds and ceremony. But I can still appreciate that a race like Pineman is closer to the original concept - lay out a course and provide the essential level of organization and support - but once the race starts you're mostly on your own. If you can approach it that way, Pineman could be what you're looking for.

Bob Leckron
Indianapolis, IN
Pineman 02 16:33
IMC 03 16:48
IM MOO 04 sometime before midnight, I hope

As for IMNA events:

Full Ironman events:

Sunday, June 27, 2004-Ironman USA Coeur d'Alene-Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Sunday, July 25, 2004-HSBC Ironman USA Lake Placid-Lake Placid, N.Y.

Sunday, August 29, 2004-Subaru Ironman Canada-Penticton, B.C.

Sunday, September 12, 2004-Ironman Wisconsin-Madison, Wisc.

Saturday, November 13, 2004-Ironman Florida-Panama City Beach, Fla.



Ironman North America is in the process of finalizing its' Half Ironman

schedule for 2004.



Half-Ironman events:

Saturday, April 3, 2004-California Half-Ironman-Oceanside, Calif.

Saturday, May 23, 2004 (in negotiations)-Ironman NA is in negotiations with

Disney World to host a 1/2 Ironman event in Orlando as well as a family-oriented festival.

I will second everything said by Bob. I have done both the course at Mohican and Deer Creek. This year will be my third Pineman, and it is usually the last tri of the year for me. I have only done a few races with more than 100 people, and I like being out there on your own the best.

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"Any idiot can run a marathon. It takes a special kind of idiot to run an ultramarathon." -Alan Cabelly

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Pineman. I will be doing the full race this Saturday and felt alot better after reading your comments. I have ridden the bike course in practice and found it safe fast and fun to ride. The fact that it's within a few hours drive from where I live in Michigan, is low key, and isn't a huge production with lots of logistical problems, like the Chicago Triathlon, is exactly what I'm looking for in my first IM.

I'm hoping Kenny Krell at 3 Disciplines Racing in Michigan adds a full IM to his Paul Bunyon Challenge in Oscoda next year.

Richard

Did UltraMax in 2002, the race is every bit as good as the sanction Ironman races. the race director is the best in the midwest, this year all AG winners get a full wetsuit. the swim is one loop and starts from a beautiful resort. the bike ride is new for 2003 and is a flatter course and is one loop. the run is two loops and hilly. but for the price you can't beat this race. www.ultramax.com

No one mentioned the Esprit Iron distance triathlon in Montreal. It's sometime in mid september but i don't know the exact date. The swim is is a protected basin (the same place where the 76 olympics took place), the bike is 40 laps around an F1 track that is flat and fast and the run is also flat and partly on gravel. I just did the 1/2IM there last weekend which started an houre before the full IM and I'll be back again next year.

www.raceuniversity.com is the website.