Last time the 1/2 was held was 2015 and it had about 800 finishers. 2014 was about 470. 2013 about 500.

My guess is this year will see the field go back to about 500 or so. 2015 was a bit of an anomaly with it being the U.S. AG Champs and the 2016 race being the ITU AG World Champs so people were qualifying or getting the experience in 2015.

Heard good things about the race but don't expect it to be like Chattanooga or Augusta as far as pomp and circumstance.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

Pros:
-Well run
-Fantastic race
-Late season

Con:
-You have to go to Oklahoma to do it

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

I did RedMan half in 14 and 15. It's a great race. Very well organized, good roads, flat run, and great crowd support on the bike out and run out. OKC can be hot and windy in September, but nothing you can't handle. I love RedMan and will likely be there this year as my last race before IMFL.

It will not feel like a huge race / venue. It has a smaller race feel but is hands down my favorite 70.3 out there. Great / fast course. My $0.02 - if you're looking for a great race give it a try. If you're looking for a highly commercialized race look somewhere else (NOLA?).

Oh and this will sound nuts but they have the best t-shirts out there. Only (soft cotton) race shirt I wear regularly (when not working out).

It's the little things.

Did it In 2015. agree with all of the above

I have done it twice, you do not get the atmosphere of a branded IM race but its a decent course. Swim is in good water, bike is iffy but has rollers to keep you honest, and the run is pancake flat. Expect 80-85F temperatures if not higher.

Great race, been there twice and am considering doing it again. OKC is not Chattanooga in terms of stuff to do with the family but is also better than Buffalo Springs if that creates any perspective. The people that run the race and volunteers are great. +1 on the t shirt comment. Pretty fast course as well.

If you're looking for a good late season 70.3 that's a bit more affordable, check out the 5430 long course in Boulder during September.

https://www.5430sports.com/...e-triathlon-sept-17t

It won't have quite all the infrastructure as a WTC race to make it feel like a really big deal, but it will be well-run, have strong competition and is in a much nicer place than Oklahoma. Should be pretty popular this year as they have made it the last event of a local series here in which athletes accumulate points to determine series elite and AG champions.

Edit: also you cross the finish line on a slip n' slide and they always have great t shirts

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
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I echo everything above. It's run as smoothly as any branded 70.3 and has good roads for the bike. The run can be toasty. The shirt is comfy.

Thanks everyone for the comments. Will definitely consider it. Thanks!

Red an was the last 70.3 I did and that was back in '15. Unless they replaced those roads I wouldn't say they are good/great. From what I remember quite a few sections of rough road. Also it's pancake flat. If you haven't ridden a flat race before, it's something different and I found out the hard way it can have weird side effects. My nutrition was the same as it's been for every race for the past two years and I think the 2.25hrs in aero at race intentsoty was not something my stomach was prepared for. Sounds silly I know. Also you're literally pedaling the entire time, not even 10s of recovery on the whole course.

Run was flat, hot and very little shade. Another thing I wasn't prepared for coming from Pittsburgh.

That said the staff and volunteers were great. The finish line and crowd support were good. no complaints other than my own unpreparedness.

I have done the half and the full Redman. Swim is usually wetsuit, bike has a few ruff patches so watch your bottles and run is flat. It's a nice logisticaly easy race.

Did it in 13 and 15. What everyone else said. I really liked it and will go back next year (IM CDA this year).

First it IS a 70.3, it's just not "Ironman" branded. Biggest difference is most of the race volunteers are triathletes themselves and the people that run it know their stuff. No there isn't the crowd of an "Ironman" but there also isn't an overcrowded swim and bike. Oh, and they do actually have care if you draft unlike the other "Ironmans" I've done. It's a well run solid legit race.

I did the Redman 70.3 & 140.6 before I did an Ironman 70.3/140.6. I was disappointed in the Ironman branded one if that tells you anything.

I did Redman in 2017 and 2018. In 2017 the bike course was chalked full of rough patches and potholes. The used bright orange spay paint to mark all the rough spots so I was able to avoid a lot of the rough patches but I didn't like the bike course. In 2018 the roads were all new asphalt. There was flooding the day or two before the race so the courses were all reroute the day before the race to avoided flood streets. That resulted in a 1-2 mile stretch that was a rough surface (but not broken up or full of pot holes). We had to go through that stretch twice but other than that the roads were great. I just have to through that out for everyone that did this race pre-2018 that said that they needed to redo the roads for the bike course roads to be good. They are done. I did IM 70.3 Boulder 2018 and Redman 2018. Of the two races Redman was by far my favorite. Oh..and yes I partook of the pickle juice.

The bike course has changed significantly since 2015. If the course stays the same as last year (hopefully) there are only about 2 miles of sketchy road, and it isn't even all that bad. A lot of the course has fresh tarmac on it and is smooth.

Redman is a great race and they are offering pretty much every possible distance this year. Check it out! https://friendsofmultisport.com/event/redman-triathlon