Seems like a number of Slowtwitchers have posted about this race. Let’s get a list going.
I finally entered the half this past Saturday after testing my wonky hamstring so that I’m confident it will work for 4.5 hours next weekend. Are you still racing Dev? The half should be a good one. I know that Peter Phillips (who won Peterborough 1/2 in 2004 and was 12th overall at IMMoo) is racing as a Kona tuneup.
I’ll be the guy with the red Wheeler ti with wheels that are too small for my 6ft body 
where is it???
Ottawa, Ontario.
Hogsback/Mooneys Bay area.
If you are near, come race or check it out!
You can find more info at www.somersault.ca
It is in Ottawa. Go to www.somersaultpromotions.com for information.
Im going to come race I think, I’m only in montreal so…
If you are thinking of racing, SIGN UP today. Fees go up tonight.
It’s a nice course, pretty much flat for Bike and Run, NO traffic.
See ya there!
Allan, yes I am in for the half ironman. m still hoping to hang with the Faulds train till the end of the bike, but I will need a much better swim than Peterborough and unfortunately, my 140 lb body will not have the assistance of a hilly bike course like Peterborough to help neutralize the Faulds train. I suspect that you have lost the 20 lbs of deadweight bulk that you were carrying around in Peterborough, so we’re all in trouble as you gun for 4:19.xx. I’d like to go 4:29.xx on this course. Let’s see what race day brings. Unfortunately, we will not be racing in the same age group. In this series, I have to race 40-44 as they go with your age on Dec 31st.
Guys and girls, I was swimming in the Ottawa river this morning and it is very nice temp for sleeveless wetsuit. If you are wearing long sleeve, it the water won’t be HOT like Peterborough, so either way will be good to go.
ok guys count me in, i’ll be racing my 1st HALF IM this weekend… Now if i can only find a lift and a place to stay
I’ll see you guys there!
Hey Dev, Looks like you’ll have to race with Peter in that “easy” 40-44 AG I’m not sure that a 4:19 is there this season since I haven’t been able to do any run speedwork (other than KTown and Cobourg races) but I have dropped most of my excess weight and have been swimming better so I’m looking forward to a much more solid day than I had in Peterborough. It’s funny how no 2 series seem to get the AG thing standardized. Next year I turn 40 on October 4th and Trisport does your age as of Sept. 30 so I’ll likely be the oldest guy in my AG every race (not that it makes any difference since 40-44 is a pretty fast AG as well).
So, i’m gonna be racing my 1st half this weekend… Any tips???
Allan, agreed about the Age Group thing. I turn 40 at the end of Oct, so most of the trisport races, I am pretty well the oldest in the 35-39. For Somersault, I race 40-44. At 1000 islands, I had to race in the ‘easy’ 40-44 and got hammered by overall winner Rick Collard. Looks like at Ottawa, not only do we have Peter Philips in 40-44, but Chris Macknie (8th overall at Tupper Lake and Kona qualifier) and one of my training partners Rob McCulloch who was just behind you and Dave Clinkard at Kingston:
5 3:01:29 Allan FAULDS Frankford 1/17 M35 - 39 2 1 16 31:57 1:36 3 15 1:32:28 36.7 1 1 57:05 3:49
6 3:02:03 David CLINKARD Kingston 1/6 M20 - 24 70 1 5 29:12 1:28 1 9 1:30:57 37.3 1 5 1:01:55 4:08
7 3:03:50 Rob MCCULLOCH Ottawa 2/19 M40 - 44 105 3 12 30:38 1:32 1 5 1:30:15 37.6 3 9 1:02:57 4:12
I just have to hope that Rob falls apart more dramatically on the run than I do
I`ll be there as well. Any tips on the course. From what I heard it is pretty flat but windy. Does anybody know how many will be doing the half? I was also wondering if they are giving out gels during the run or should I bring some of my own.
derek
where did u find who was registered?
You can’t. I think Dev knows most of the top finishers.
Love to do this race and staring down the registration deadline today, but I’m worried about the bike course congestion - did I read correctly that there would be 300 HIM riders (plus the Irondistance dudes from an earlier departure) on a multi-looped bike that covers 15 kms of total realestate? I’ve never done a course like that and just have no idea what to expect.
Can anyone who has done the course in previous years ally my concern?
With that said, it does look like a fast course and I would love to do it, if only to redeem myself from yesterday’s beatdown I took at the Parry Sound half.
So, i’m gonna be racing my 1st half this weekend… Any tips???
http://www.byrn.org/gtips/halfpace.htm is a great read.
Also look at the rest of the Gordo Tips.
Most important … have fun.
The course is not that bad for congestion. I did it in 2003 and the sprint and half were out at the same time. Some of the turns got a little bunched up but it wasn’t too bad. This is the first time they’re throwing an IM into the mix so it may be harder to predict.
Here’s the food for the events:
Sprint: Water, Gatorade
Half: Water, Gatorad, CarBoom Gel, Ban’s
Full: Same as Half but Coke, Chicken Broth and Pretzels
“If you are in the Half or Iron events,and you wish or need something other then these items, you will have to provide them yourself and locate them at the Special Needs Tables. We(Somersault) will take SN bags with your NUMBER on it to the SN Tables and will provide an attendent at these stations to assist you”
You are also allowed outside assistance on the course for Food/Drinks.
NO outside assistance for pacing on the run.
Someone asked about the course:
Swim: Flat Nothing to spectacular, nice beach start/finish.
Bike: *Lotta bikes, small turnarounds. The one turnaround has an incline and maybe one other hill. I just remember using 2 gears for the 90K. Unless it’s windy! Oy if it is.
Run: Flat. Maybe one small(and I mean small) incline. Don’t recall anything special. Just the bagpiper at around 3K. (2003 race)
Here’s my advice for your first half. Make sure that you don’t “race” the swim and first 4 loops of the bike. I think that too many people hammer the swim like they’re trying to do a sprint tri. If you give up 45sec - 1 minute on your swim you’ll see rewards from not being in the high heartrate zones later on in the day. This may be crappy advice if you are a fish though You can pick it up a little on the bike over the final 30k if you’re felling good but don’t leave everything out on the course. Start the run relaxed and get into a good rythm then just run as fast as you can and see what happens. This course is a very good one for first-time half-IM participants since it is not hilly and you get lots of pacing feedback with the loops.
For nutrition I just use Gatorade and some gels in a flask.
Hope this helps.
The Ironman starts at 6:30, then the sprint tri, and then the half Ironmman ~9:15 I believe. Sprint will be done before the Half Ironman. Ironman guys will have company initially from sprint dudes and then from the half ironman.
In the past the main issue was the sprint tri guys flooding the course out of synch with half Ironman and large speed differentials between the top guys in both events and the back of pack in each event. When the half Ironman starts, there is no congestion issue. As you guys may recall, as soon as the sprint dudes left, it was clear sailing as we only had 200 people spread over 15K, which means lots of room…theoretically 75 m between people if we were all spread out evenly.
The Ironman guys won’t have the congestion issue with the sprint guys as the Ironman numbers are a lot lower than that half Ironman numbers from last year. After 9:15 when it is only half and full, there should be lots of room for all.
Personally, i would rather start the half Ironman at 7 am and have the sprint start later, as I don’t relish the thought of running my half Ironman run at noon, which is a natural human “bonk zone” due to its distance from eating breakfast. I’d prefer to be wrapped up around lunch time. Any race that goes over lunch hour like Boston or Ironman is simply more tricky for the human body to deal with.
Dev