I am doing it in Oct. and was wondering if anyone here did it last year and/or is going this year. Curious as how it rated last year in its first yr. Thanks.
I thought it went well. There were a couple minor things to work out but Setup, Inc. RD’s addressed them at the breakfast the following morning. Feel good about racing in this event as your entry fee goes to cancer research charity. The course itself is challenging but not horribly so.
My self-indulgent race report: www.martygaal.com/words/duke2002.html
Your report has answered my questions about this race. I live next door to it, and am thinking that it might be a first iron distance race for me …maybe 2004. And congrats on the finish!
Colleen
Marty, nicely done, both the race and the report. DBD is one I’ve got in my mind to do but not sure when. Sounds like Set-Up is wanting to improve the product, can’t beat the charity aspect.
Thanks for the info., Marty. I see the run portion of the course has been changed. The finish is no longer at Duke University, but it is a 5 loop run out at the lake. 5 loops is going to be mind-numbing. I guess the traffic issue must have called for a change. Did the traffic last yr. during the run cause problems?
hi, thanks, it was fun. the point to point course last year was entertaining and scenic and I enjoyed it. But from a RD’s perspective I can agree with keeping the run inside the park. There was a good bit of traffic on a few portions of the run course and you can imagine the manpower required to staff 26 miles of a course as opposed to 5.2 miles in a much safer environment. The on-campus finish was very cool and it’s unfortunate that this won’t be happening…but safety comes first (and I would think that for the charity’s sake they want to minimize race day expenses, ie traffic control). The park is nice and I don’t think multiple loops are anything new in iron-distance racing! I hope to be back for the 2004 version.
I did the DBD last year, too, albeit quite a bit slower than Marty. I thought the course and the race direction were great last year. It certainly went better than Great Floridian which was in its 12th year.
I like the revised run course as it won’t be so lonely out there. I think I went about 8 miles at one stretch on the run without seeing another racer. The only problem I see is that they may have trouble with racers cutting the course. Anytime you have a complicated course AND prize money there can be trouble.
I’ll probably be back this year but I’m not completely sure. $300 is a relative bargain compared to ther ironman’s, but I hate to spend that kind of cash on a one-day race. I can do 8-10 little sprint races for the same price. Ironman’s are just too freakin’ expensive.
John Royal
Raleigh, NC
Duke was my first and so far only iron distance race. I thought they did a great job. My only concern was with the run. Running with traffic, right side of the road, is not how I run. The adrenaline rush of hearing cars come up behind me may have helped my time, but it was a little disconcerting on some of the more heavily travelled portions. I planned on doing it again this year, but I have a conflict with the later date. I will try UltraMax. I have and will continue to recommend it.
Thanks everyone for your responses. I appreciate it.
Since the race has been moved until Oct. 11th this year, and the water temp ave. is 70 - 75 I am wondering if I should wear a short sleeve wetsuit or go full length. I tend to get hot during any workout.