If you are searching for a 1/2 IM around September, here’s one to give some serious consideration.
The Beast of The East (Fall Edition) will take place on Sept. 24th in Northern Georgia ( Hiawassee) near the border with North Carolina ( near Hayesville).
The course is in a very hilly part of the country. In fact, it is very close to Brastown Bald, one of the highest peaks on the East Coast, and the highest mountain in the Tour de Georgia. Lance has spoken about the difficulty of this climb before.
This race is not one you go to for PR’s time wise, but if you master this race, it will be hard to find something else as tough.
The swim is in the pristine Lake Chatuge, the bike is a 1-loop course in the mountains around Lake Chatuge, and the run is 2 loops, very hilly as well. I have raced in over 100 triathlons in my career, in 6 different countries, and this is the most beautiful course I have ever seen.
The price for registration is on the low side too, and the race isn’t too crowded due to its difficulty level and location. Should you choose to fly, I’d recommend flying into Atlanta International and renting a car. the drive alone is worth the trip. There are cabins all over where you and your family can stay (www.avenairmtncabins.com is my favorite), or the wesbite has some other options. www.gsmtc.com
Also cool is that the race is Saturday, so on Sunday you and your family will have the opportunity to go to the nearby whitewater rafting spots. There are many to choose from and vary from 2-6 hour trips, for 1or 9 people. Some of them offer horseback riding too, but I don’t think you’ll want to do that after the race.
Driving around the region feels like the Pyrenees. There are numerous wineries in the region and many offer wine tasting. My favorite is www.wolfmountainwinery.com. The restaurants are great, too. Not fancy, but very rustic where you can eat authentic North Carolina B-B-Q and other southern dishes. There are always local fairs happening so be sure to check one out too.
Let me know if you are going and I can help with accomodations, registration, etc…
Ciao,
Felipe Bastos