Due to some issues, I missed the cutoff to sign up for IM Waco 70.3. I’ve been putting in the training so I would hate to see it go to waste at this point. Has anyone on here done this race? Is it worth it? TIA!
I haven’t raced it, but I went and spectated. It’s a great race and it’s cheaper. I would not hesitate to register myself if I was in the same situation.
Yes, many times. In fact, it was my first half Ironman. It’s a top notch local event. The bike course contain much of the far end of the old Ironman Texas course. Probably the one negative of the race is the run course which includes parts of the golf course paths which in year’s past have been uneven and in bad need of repair. I’m not sure what the resort’s new ownership has done to improve them lately though.
FYI - The event creator and race director is a long time race director in the Houston area. He’s also been the race director for Ironman Texas for a few years now.
Raced it last year for the first time and I loved it. The bike is my favorite 70.3 bike course in Texas and I have done just about all of them in the state. Agreed the run course wasn’t ideal but they are saying the cart paths have all been repaved which will improve things greatly. Stay at the Margaritaville, logistically you aren’t going to find an easier race. I can’t wait to race again this year.
I raced it last year for the first year as well, although only the aquabike and am going back this year. A very relaxed but energized atmosphere. Kind of reminded me of the old Musselman race in upstate NY, before IM took it over. I’ll second staying at the Margaritaville resort. Last year, I stayed at the Best Western about fifteen minutes from the race venue and there was road noise all night long. Not going to do that again.
It’s definitely worth it!
Raced at this event every year since 2013 (except 2019 when it was cancelled - not due to covid but construction).
It is a well put on race, not the fanfare of an IM event but very well attended and put on - they have been doing this race for 18 years at this location - look up the race results for the past few years and you will see that some pretty stiff competitors turn up for this one.
Normally an age-group wave start for the race but last year was a time-trial start (damn covid) - not sure what the plan is for this year.
Swim is a legitimate distance (wetsuit every year somehow).
Bike is a rolling course, no long hills, but can get a little lonely out there
Run course is 3 loops so decent crowd support - as others have said hopefully the golf cart paths have been improved - the problem was they had an extreme camber as you ran along.
This was my first tri last year after Galveston, then Augusta were cancelled. I did Augusta a couple of weeks ago, which the only comparison I have.
As mentioned the cart path was horrible. If it’s been completely redone, then that’s great. I would not run it again if it was like last year. Not only was it broken up in a lot of places, it was greatly tilted.
The swim course is fine. Be sure to wear you sun shaded goggles. They do let you swim even prior to the race if you get there early enough.
The bike route is chip seal and when you’re towards the back, like me, there is a lot of traffic. But the traffic police do a good job. There was one short road towards the end that was really bad.
The atmosphere is really different than Augusta. There were 2300 participants at Augusta. At last year’s Oilman there were 350.
I’ve done it 3 times (2014, 2019, 2020), plus a relay. It’s a great atmosphere and a great race. Well organized in all my experiences and in my opinion a really solid course. It’s hard in its own way, but a race I love. I’m doing IMTX in 3 days, with a plan to take off 10 weeks, and I’m still kind of considering doing Oilman off the couch.
The swim is a straightforward lake swim and usually pretty accurate in my experience. Not much in the way of waves, but maybe a bit of glare on the out. It’s almost certainly wetsuit legal.
The bike is deceptive because it’s about half chipseal (usually favorable-ish winds), but with rollers that sap your speed unless you drill it up and chill down, which of course is its own problem. I started training on the bike on those roads a decade ago, and when they’re clear of traffic (it’s rarely very busy and there’s a decent shoulder) and the weather is nice like it is at Oilman generally, it’s some of my favorite riding around Texas.
The run course is only ok, but I think the new cart paths could bring it up to decent. Overall 4.5/5: Do it!
Did it last year. Agree that the run course was not fun, but sounds like they are fixing that.
Bike course is my favorite of all of the races I’ve done. Fast and I thought the road surfaces were fine, but it’s all relative to what you train on.
Swim was good. I didn’t wear shaded googles and don’t recall any issues but I am a terrible sighter anyway.