Eagleman can be a fast course depending on the current. There are consistently faster courses out there…
What courses are consistently faster than Eagleman? Deboom (3:44) led a bunch of pros under 3:50 there two years ago. The wind and currents can make the race slower from year to year, but even in an off year it is still faster than most courses. I challenge you to legit HIM courses (note the plural) that is “consistently faster” than Eagleman.
The run on Eagleman has consistently been off and the current is a huge factor on the swim.
There have been years where the current has run with the swim to get people out in record times and years where there’s been a counter current swim and the lead swimmer is out in 33 mins.
The run course was short in prior years as well.
I challenge you to show me a certified HIM course that is legitimately 1.2m/56m/13.1 mile in distance.
Let me re-phrase my question, since you seemed to misunderstand it. You said there are “courses consistently faster” than Eagleman. Name one.
BTW, there is not such thing as a certified HIM course, or any certified tri course. USATF does certify road race courses.
Let me repharase my response.
What courses are equal to Eagleman in length?
By your own statements that the run has been consistently short (I disagree, it is just flat and fast) and the current can produce really fast swims, both which can make it a very fast course. Of course you claim that there are consistently faster courses, but you don’t seem to remember which ones. I was once told never to argue with a fool, because onlookers won’t be able to tell you from the fool, but sometimes I can’t help myself.
“The run on Eagleman has consistently been off”
Interesting that you say that, the total run may have been 13.1 but the mile markers were way, way off, I had one mile split at 4:50 and another at 9:00 and the final .1 seemed like forever but that could be just fatigue talking:~)
Dave in VA
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Congrats to everyone who finished yesterday! I managed a hard fought 4:57 and ended up 6th on the “firt HIM” list. Here’s the skinny:
The Good - Had a decent swim. Turned in a great bike split…for me at least.
The Bad - Didn’t leave enought for the run considering the extreme weather conditions. Had a goal of sub 5 hrs, but at that turn around, I was just hoping to finish the race.
The Ugly - A bee flys into my helmet and stings me while doing 27mph on a flat. Kept my composure. Hope that bee died a miserable death…
Overall, was happy with my performance, but will race smarter the next time around.
The Other TD
This year our buddy japple here on the forum made certain the course was dead on…in years past the course was definitely short…read here…
**japple **
Jun 8, 2005, 11:03 AM
Post #40 of 61 (245 views)
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so many different painted mile markers along the route I finally gave up trying to keep my splits…
LOL. Yeah, the roads around here are a mess.
The turnaround is in the same place - more or less. I used up about three cans of black spray paint getting rid of all the old marks.
I think the problem is that 1) they have moved where the run starts and finishes (so transition is not really the same) and 2) it isn’t exatly an out and back because you leave transition and then pass the finish line after about 100yds. I think in the past this was confusing to whomever was marking the course (?).
Based on some of the markings I painted over, there was one year where it was definitely less than 13 miles.
“Race day is a celebration of your training”
I fell prey to your troll post so I’m guilty of arguing with fools as well. Sometimes it’s hard to resist.
What does the run course possibly being in short in past years have to do with other courses being faster than Eagleman?
As my bike warmup on saturday I rode the run course with a well calibrated computer, and got it to be exact to the accuracy of my calibration. Also the orange painted mile markers were exact, but unfortunately whoever placed the mile marker flags put them in the wrong positions. With the same start/finish as last year, the turn-around was moved away, so last year’s course was indeed slightly short (less than 100 yds?, it was at one of the three painted out turnaround points).
On the previous topic, my first and fastest half was a 4-09 at this race in 2000, which only got me 29th, a measure of how good a day that was. This, my 14th, was a 4-13, but a better effort.
1st HIM: 5:17
Best HIM: 4:13
Haven’t seen my best time since '98. Just trying to get back under 4:40, now that I’m serious about training and racing again.
T.
4:40 with a flat
best is 4:40 with a flat
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There have been years where the current has run with the swim to get people out in record times and years where there’s been a counter current swim and the lead swimmer is out in 33 mins.
How do you do an out-and-back swim in which “the current has run with the swim”?
I’m positive this was correct. I even reread it twice to double check myself.
BigBloke,
How on God’s great green earth could you state that that run course is accurate? According to my calculations, that run course was only 13.1 miles if you were 6’5" tall. If you were a more normal height, like say, 5’6" tall, that run would be 14.6 miles easy. Also, being that the course is in Cambridge, Maryland, and not Cambridge, England, the time you stated (4h13m) is wrong as well. Actually it was 5 hours longer.
God Save the Queen!
Up yours Clydesdales, we are the Shetlands!
having done eagleman many times - its a great race - i have noticed my own swim times vary by 8-9 minutes. some years you swim into the current; 40min swim - and other years you swim with the current; 30 min swim. i have started the swim from three different locations that i remember - always ending up at the pier. because of the often challenging swim, where the bouys get knocked around, the oppressive heat and strong headwind on the bike course, i just dont consider it a very fast course - for me anyway- id say it can be a very fast course - as in 2004 when conditions are mild with little wind - but not consistently. times from tupper lake ny, timberman, and firmman in RI have always been faster for me and many of my friends, and I always break 30 min in the swims there, setting up fast race times for me-- and i never notice much in terms of bike time difference on the eagleman course 2.30? compared to 2.34/2.32. probably due to being a strong hill climber. the eagleman run course has varied in length on a few occasions, that i remember. none of my friends own a pr 1/2 IM time from eagleman…and i have a bunch of friends. but it is probably my favorite race nonetheless. guinness right after racing! 
First 4:27
Best 4:13.
I’ve done 5. I think they are harder than IM, as you have to push all day.
Agreed.
Tupper Lake is consistently faster along with the old IMH qualifier up in Pennsylvania that no longer exists. The White Lake 1/2 in NC…all faster then Eagleman.
First half Ironman was the 2003 Tinman in Tupper Lake which I did in 6:39:30. I had a flat on the bike. Fastest time for a half was yesterday at the Eagleman which I did in 6:22:46. I’m 58 years old (59 in a few days) and have now validated my lottery slot for Hawaii. I’m happy!