Does anyone have experience racing AtomicMan Half Iron and/or the South Carolina Half? Early registration ends Sept. 1 and I’m still undecided. They’re only a week apart, so my training is right on. Just want to get some feedback re course, organization, number of participants, ‘wow factor’ etc.
I live and train in Atlanta so hills don’t bother me - just need to distinguish between Stone Mountain hills and 3 Gap hills 
thanks
I did the SC-1/2 last year. I pretty much decided to give up tris after this race, but that decision had NOTHING to do with the course or the organization. Both were great, and if I were still doing tris, the SC1/2 would be a fixture on my calendar. My thoughts …
Not wetsuit legal last year. I think this year’s race is later in the year, so that shouldn’t be an issue.
Very small race, maybe 200, 250 competitors. Kind of nice, but there were parts on the bike where no one else was around, and it felt like a long training day. Course was well-marked. Absolutely no problems with drafting. The swim start was in waves, which I thought was a little odd, considering how small the race was. I think there were about 20 people in my wave start.
Roads … eh. Some nice spots, some rough patches. Very little traffic.
Not too hilly. But, then, I was living in Winston-Salem at the time, where hills are a way of life. Now that I’m in flatland, I may think differently.
I think that eventually this race could give Duke Liver a run. It’s in the middle of nowhere, though. A ways from Atl, Charlotte, RTP, Triad. My family is in Augusta, so I ended up driving from there, rather than staying in Greenwood. Definitely not a destination race.
There was a thread on TNO a while back comparing the 2 races. You might want to see if you can find it.
Hope this helps!
Cate
I did the SC half last year also. I loved it. It is stone mtn hilly. It also has a 2 loop run course.
Let me clear this up right off the bat before I voice my opinion. I’m a Co race director for this race this year and I am the race director for the Festival of Flowers race that is an Olympic distance race on pretty much the same course in June. That being said my opinion is probably biased, but here we go. The swim is in Lake Greenwood at the State Park. The race is a month later than in the past to make it wet-suit legal and to help out with the heat on the run. THe past two years our Sept. dates have been pretty warm. I think the bike is very fair with mostly rolling hills and not much traffic, and as stated previously you can get pretty isolated, but safety is key. Some of the roads have been repaved but some have only been resurfaced. Compared to some other races very good shape. The run is completely closed off to traffic except for when you are in the park and then athletes have a lane and vehicular traffic also has a lane that is guided in or out by the park rangers. It is a two loop course that having competed in the race the first two years I and we definitely know is not ideal, but we can control traffic much better. There are water and cytomax handoffs on the bike and every mile on the run. The race is put on by Set-up inc and Jeremy Davis and his crew are excellent. 200-250 participants is probably what we will have, but hopefully the reputation of this race will continue to grow and our numbers will do the same. Greenwood is not a huge city by any means, but it is nice with plenty of places to eat and sleep. I can’t speak at all for Atomicman, but see what you think. We would love to have you and PM me if you have any other thoughts or questions…Probably just gave you way more than you wanted to know!
Grindingteeth did a great job on the Festival of Fowers Olympic tri. No reason to expect anything less for the SC/2.
I don’t understand how people can say Greenwood isn’t much of a destination. It is if you live in a place like Calhoun Falls, SC (like I do). That’s goin’ to the big city!
I know the T-shirt is going to be great … that is, if they select the design I submitted.
Hey Grindingteeth … keep your ear to the ground and let me know if you hear of anyone looking for a cyclist for a relay team.
Thanks,
Bob C.
I did the Fest of Flowers this year for the first time. the race is well run, and the course was very fair - not easy by any means. The swim was calm, the buoys (when in place - the RD will know what I mean) were fine, and the run had a bit of everything. Hills, a turn around or two, stretches of flats for visibility of competitors and places to run people down and pass. I wouldn’t go to the race for a PR, but if you want a nice, well run event that is not crowded (and SAFE) on the bike - this could be it. Just hope you don’t have to run up the monster 50 yard hill again to the finish
OHHH … I forgot about that hill! It was brutal, almost cruel. Kind of like the hill at the end of the Marine Corps Marathon.
You know, all this talk about this race has me thinking … After last year, I swore, “Never again. Bike racing is my thing.” But now …
In response to the last two posts. Thanks psycho for the props. We try our best. We are going to see the design today for the t-shirt. Can’t wait to see your work. Bee-Buzzin shirts were great. Lamar the hill as always will be at the end. The buoys will not move at this one for the swim. We are going to put them out race morning. Hopefully preventing those big fish from moving them…
I actually said to my friends racing with me (in discussing the hill) that something like that really does put a “signature” on a race. i think it’s a great idea. No matter what happens, people will remember that, and consequently your race. Plus, the awards (as well as the medals) were cool.
As for the buoys, I would have sworn that one of them was haunted and was following me around that swim course!
Lamar,
We have some pretty big catfish in there. It may have eaten the cinder block as a snack and decided it needed more. As for the hill, I agree. Jeremey with Set-up came up with that when we moved the finish. I could not stand it! I hate hills, but it just adds to the accomplishment and people at other races always ask me about it and come for more.
having done atomic-man in 2003 and s.c half in 2004. id say the races are very similiar… s.c. half felt hillier to me on the bike, but i didnt rest at all for that race. run courses are the same, good mix of rolling/flat/hilly…both races were very well run. atomic man bike course was measured a few miles long, plus the hills were steeper where as s.c. half had nothing steep just rolling…tough call on which race to do…both are fun. john robertson
I did Atomic a couple of years ago and would go this year but it falls on the same day as 6 gap century. Well run and a nice course. Some climbs on the bike and the last mile or so of the run is uphill with the last 100 yds actually being quite steep.
Goody bags are packed and the t-shirt is one of those technincal tees, not cotton…nice! It’s usually wetsuit legal.
Not much in the way of traffic. The middle part of the run course isn’t that attractive but the bike course is nice.
bump…