Wanted to see if anyone else was racing at the Duke Half this weekend in NC. Maybe we can have a ST get together.
Marty (martyg) and I are flying up there tonight. We both did it last year - very nice race. Looking forward to the cooler temps!
I’ll be there. My wife is setting up a tent at the race site with food and drinks to celebrate my birthday (which is also Sunday), so feel free to swing on by after you finish.
I might be out there on the side of the road after the first water stop cheering y’all on since its only 2 miles from my house.
I opted for Timberman this year and was not comfortable doing another half so soon after. Hope everyone enjoys - it looks like it will be a FANTAASTIC weekend for a race!
jsargevt
**ThreeWay **: tell her I might just passout beside it on the 2nd lap of the run.
First HIM. Little nervous, but ready to get it going.
I’ll be there – the slow 30-34 guy and probably the only entrant from CT. My first 1/2 also. DOing it with a buddy of mine – looks like no wetsuit and mid 80s.
Mark
if you haven’t done the run course you might want to jog the first part off the paved road as the warm up before the race so you see what you have coming (so you don’t blow up out of t2)
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I did it last year and it was a blast. Aside from being coerced into racing elite, getting spit out within 100 m of the swim and spending the next 4 hours pretty well alone, it was a great race.
Next time I race it, I will certainly race in my age group. Much more fun. This year, I can’t make it down as I am saving my cash for a tri trip next year to St. Croix or Europe…but if I don’t go next year, I may be at White Lake half Ironman
Dev -
Great minds think alike?? I was registered for White Lake this year, but had to bail because my neuroma was only a few weeks fresh and I had no idea of what I might be able to do on it. White Lake is on my radar for next year, to be sure.
Husband, Tim, is racing and I will be one of the officials in red. I plan to race Greenwood 1/2 in SC on October 2. Both are great races as are all Set-Up Inc. races. Good Luck to all racers. Don’t Draft!
Dev, be prepared for very hot conditions if you do White Lake. I did it a few years ago, and the bank temperature sign read 97 late that afternoon as I was going home. Out of about 600 racers, 60 were hospitalized in local hospitals, with an unknown number hospitalized outside the area…one was a buddy of mine. I think I heard the medical tent took in over 200. MANY of the very fast simply pulled out of the race somewhere on the course, not wanting to put so much into this relatively early season race. On the good side, I finished ahead of people I’ve never beaten before, nor since…I do relatively well when the conditions are very hot. Sure, it slows me down, just not as much as most. Anyway, be prepared…you never know what White Lake will throw at you temperature-wise. You DO know White Lake is pancake-flat, and Duke half (or Full) is, um, let’s say: hilly. At least the half isn’t as rocky as it used to be…those gravel roads were murder!
Titan…if I make it to White Lake, I will be ready for the heat. 5 Rides on the trainer, with zero water and a raincoat and you are ready to race with a jacked up core temperature. Disclainer…don’t try this at home. I learned this trick in the 80’s from a Maj Gary Castelli who was training for Kona in October in Ontario. Its not the heat that kills people, its when your core temp rises and you can’t dissapate it in 98 degree heat (ie body temp). So the only option is to get used to moving forward with a jacked up core temp. These rides need to be no longer than 60 min. The other issue is dealing with the sun when you are not used to it. I can’t control that coming from Canada, but at least my dark skin works in my favour in the sun.
Good luck to all you guys racing Duke half tomorrow. I will certainly miss that event this year !
devashish: the crazy thing is that this year it was freezing cold. People came out of the swim freezing. The year before was an oven. First hot day of the year. It is really hit or miss
Since I went and got myself injured and can’t run, and bike is compromised, I’m swimming on a relay. We’re the “Participating Spectators”, which should give an indication of our goal.
Best wishes to everyone racing. Looks to be great weather. Perhaps a little breezy, so be ready for a choppy swim.
I’ll be sure to check out the Birthday Booth!
We’ll set up a Raleigh Area Triathletes (RATS) tent. Come by and see us!
Alicia
alicia: hate to hear you got injured. I was wondering where you were today.
My first half is in the book. The swim was really choppy. The wind was tough going out and coming in (nice tailwind for the middle) and the run is pure hell
I have no idea why anyone would run the “run” part in the relay.
I also learned today that cytomax tastes like poo
jern wrote: I also learned today that cytomax tastes like poo
My question to you, is: Was today the first day you tried cytomax, or the first day you tried poo? B-)
I told you the swim can be tough, and the run is really hard…just be glad you didn’t do the run when they had so much more of it on gravel roads, complete with ruts.
Congratulations on completing your first Half! Nice job!
titan: I had no intention of drinking it. I had a run belt with gatorade that I trained with. Not thinking, I left it on the asphalt in T, and it was hot. Started to get a small cramp in my side. I have been fortunate not to cramp during training so I dropped the fuel belt on lap 2. Just used GU and water, but by mile 9 or so I was ready to try something different.
I felt bad for the elites who had to tread water for 25 mins while they tried to get all the buoy in place.
My swim was wierd that I feel that I did better with the wind in my face. I started to drift to the right on the other 2 legs.
Anyone know who won? I saw Marty Gaal made the trip.
I think Marty said it was Chris Jones - he raced age group. Sid Cardosa was 2nd overall (1st elite). Marty was 4th overall, had a bit of mechanical issues on the bike and only had 2 gears the whole way (53x15 and 38x15). Nice race again. Rough swim, windy end of the bike - and that run is just too hilly for me! I dropped a bit of time off of last year, though, so I guess I’ll take it.
^how does that course compare with other half ironman courses?
Maybe Marty can pipe in here. Marty, if you were stuck in your 15 tooth, did you try flipping your bar end shifters to friction ? Often this takes care of any shifting issues. In any case, congrats on gutting it out. I missed being down there for the race this year !