I liked the rolling start as well and hope that stays. Also didn't mind the beach start, but I am also not bothered by waves. As for the drafting question, once or twice I had a couple of small (4-5 riders) packs catch and pass me who seemed to be bunched up, although we always hit some hills soon after that spread everyone out again. I saw only one marshal very early in the ride and then never again. But overall for me the race was a very good experience.

Prefacing with the fact that I don't care as I am not angling for a podium spot. I was thinking about this on the swim, about a minute before I started a three wave set came through, something like 3-4 feet, I went and had nothing, then as I got to the outside edge of the surf zone another 3 wave set came in. If it's not AG starts it's not truly fair since not everyone in the AG is racing under the same conditions.

Anyway, 7th Oceanside most with AG starts. First few times were an early wave, then as I aged up went to wave 22 ish. My impression starting near the front the last two rolling starts, the bike course seems more crowded than before.

I did not see much (what I interpreted as) intentional drafting. There was a lot of crowding on the front side, and I found myself surging a few times to make a legal pass. I'd characterize it as situational drafting where you had to be really conscientious to avoid it but sometimes there's too many people. Backside seemed to be less drafting. Overall fairly clean but yeah, think I saw 2 Marshalls total. No surprise there

What swim time did you have? Were you in that group?
I went with the 30-33 minute group (swam 33).
It is strange that you could “finish and think you are in 1st” because of good swim in an early start, but end up 15th or so because the others in your age group started lunch later. Never get passed, but you end with a slower time.
I would prefer a straight up race.
No perfect system, I guess.

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Team Zoot So Cal

Can't remember what corral I ended up at, seems the signs were somewhat odd, something like 30-32? etc. I think I ended up at the back of whatever the 25-30 minute was then cocked it up and swam a 32, without even dealing with surf (typically swim 30 in the harbor course).

When I finished, my coach was there and was saying "great race you finished XX!!!" (not podium-close). I reminded him of the rolling start and that would change, and sure enough ended up XX + 20.

I just find seed by time rolling starts to be more crowded because everyone around you is swimming 30-32, rather than the AG breaking up naturally

The bike was pretty good, mostly the normal "you passed me and let off so now I have to pedal 100W for 30s to drop back". There were marshals at two spots that I noticed, on the quick out and back and once we turned west to the coast. The motorcycle almost crashed a guy out by pulling in front of him and slamming on the brakes for a u turn. One group of ~8 came up on me on the latter but I think it was more a case of a bunch of people unfortunately by each other than drafting intentionally. I did think I was back in Texas for a minute though. It seemed the marshals would ride up to obvious drafting and hang out, people would notice and back off and no penalty would be given, but it wasn't rampant.

Edit: The 25mph zone is an absolute joke, I felt like I could've taken that turn in my aero bars. Instead I was grabbing tons of brake, hoping no one hit me from behind, and staring at my watch making sure I didn't go over 25. It creates a safety hazard not prohibits it, completely ridiculous.

I take the rules as they’re given but I agree 25 is too slow. In fact you have to ride the brakes pretty damn hard to be under 25 there.

I was right at 24 or so but guess the guy behind me was in a hurry, he decided to pass me about 3/4 of the way down. I did note (1) his number and (2) that I beat him on the bike.

It’s a Camp P base thing. Someone died there years ago and they are covering their asses. I somehow, after 6 races there, missed it last year until it was too late...DQ after I finished.

I get why it's there and I followed the rule, it's just frustrating because it serves no constructive purpose except checking a bureaucratic box while making the race less safe. I didn't think anything about the race was technical or unsafe, but there were plenty of places that deserved more attention than that left turn.

I did the first race in 2000 and never noticed the now 25 Mile per hour zone to be anything but a normal downhill with a curve.
Having said that, it makes sense that if you know there is danger (a previous death) a race director has to err on the side of safety. They cancel swims, they called the race in Texas because of weather. Frustrating, but this is a letigous society.

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Team Zoot So Cal

I'm a terrible swimmer compared to my cycling and running performances, so I get to see a lot of the field. If I'm passing you, you probably have no shot at a WC slot (unless your 70+). That said, this is what I rode past:

2 people who were either unaware of the drafting rules or didnt care.
3 bunched up groups of 6-7 riders heading back into Oside (into the headwind).
2 people in the penalty tent
1 couple that was riding side by side having a conversation on the bike course.
1 marshall.

Again, none of these people are competitive so it really doesnt matter to me. I only get upset when the passing lane is blocked and the rider on the left isnt moving any faster than the rider on the right.

Loved the rolling beach start. It was so much less crowded. For the most part felt like I was swimming by myself. Seeded myself in the 30-35 group, usually swim 35/36. Ended up swimming a 40 flat. Mainly because I am not used to getting tossed around by the waves.
On the bike, overall it was very clean, not a lot of blatant drafting. There were a couple of folks that passed us in the no-passing zones, which was like "umm, did you not pay attention"?
Agreed on having to ride the brakes really hard in that 25 zone. Didn't even notice any hazards in that zone. So felt a little silly to be riding the brakes on a sweeping downhill.
The more serious concern I had was from people riding all the way over to the right, where I had to either really yell "on your left" or trust that they would hold their line as I went by.

Oh btw -- what was with all the bottles on the course? Seriously, I saw a good 20 some bottles dropped on the course, all the way from just the bottle, to the entire cage assembly with double cages. Like seriously, how do you drop that?

So we’re walking to dinner sat night and I see a golf car come by, so I stick out my thumb. Cart pulls over and the woman asks where we’re going. I tell her and she’s says hop on I’ll take you. There were 4 of us good thing it had those back seats. Anyway I look at her and she looks familiar so I ask what she does for the race “Oh I’m the Race Director” WOW

Thanks Gina!!! You’re the BEST

Last year the pavement quality was pretty bad in a lot of spots, along the coast and near the barracks - not too surprised.

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Next races on the schedule: none at the moment

Road conditions were much better than previous years. They fixed a lot of the bad areas. The area behind the shopping center was much improved.

I ran Iinto Gina also after the race. She asked me specifically about the beach swim. I really appreciated how she truly cared about my response.

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Team Zoot So Cal

Bottles getting ejected, I can understand. there were some bumpy sections. But cages and BTS systems (saddle mount, cages, flat kit), and BTA systems, (with the mount, cage, xlab torpedo bottle) laying on the road?

Oh man, that xlab torpedo the last few miles almost took me out, barely dodged it! The worst were the all black xlab aero bottles camouflaged on the asphalt.

Did anyone feel the wind on the way out was not helping us like it did last year? I constantly felt a crosswind instead of the usual tailwind we feel on our way north.

TBH I didn't notice any significant wind issues this year, helping or hurting. I was on course by 7:30 and even Vandegrift wasn't bad by the time I got there.

Yeah, it wasn't horrible. I was hoping for a 2:39 and ended up riding 2:41, so maybe I'm just trying to make excuses :P

I did however notice that this year's fastest bike split was slower than last year's and overhead people complaining.

I wanted a 2:45 and rode a 2:47, so maybe it was something in the water (they really need to do something about that stupid narrow end of the bike with chicanes IMO)

Karl wrote:

I did the first race in 2000 and never noticed the now 25 Mile per hour zone to be anything but a normal downhill with a curve.

Karl I did both 2000 and 2001 Ironman California races. The death was in the 2001 race. (It was a gruesome scene to go rolling by)
And I understand the speed limit is a requirement of Camp Pendleton in order to allow the race to be held on the base.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/...2001may20-story.html

I understand the need for them to have the rule. I am a bit unsure how the poor guy crashed there. Perhaps he flatted first. Definitely a sad thing to happen.

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Team Zoot So Cal

Article says he had to swerve at the bottom to avoid another rider skidding out, hit the rail at 40