I am seriously thinking about doing the GFT next year, mainly to work out some nutrition issues that reared its ugly head early in the run at LP this summer. I would love to read any and all, complete as possible, race reports from any of the participants. The more the merrier.
Parke
You might also check out the forum at the GFT website for reports…
GFT was my first iron distance race. I volunteered at LP this summer. GFT is definitely more laid back and mellower than LP. The swim is in Lake Minneola, which is tea colored (its clean). Only disadvantage is you can’t see anything or draft. The bike course was awesome, but a lot of glass and roadkill. The run, well, its a 5 mile out and back, then 3 times around the lake. Four segments in a run is too high to count at that point in the day! 
The other thing that was a bit disconcerting was no timing mats for the individual run and bike loops. The results are still screwed up.
The cool thing about GFT is that if athletes do not make the swim or bike cut off times, they can opt to compete in the 1/2 iron that is going on at the same time. But, with no timing mats, some people who dropped down to the 1/2 showed up in the full, with good times. Overall, I thought it was a very athlete friendly race and the volunteers were AWESOME. I would do it again.
I did IMF 03, GFT Half in 04, and GFT last weekend. I like GFT. Some don’t. Here are some observations. It’s not an IM race. You don’t get all the frills. But if you like old school, simpler races, you’ll like GFT. Now, this is not to say GFT is like a locally organized sprint. It’s sort of half-way between local sprint and IM race. Some folks who are used to the luxury of IM races are disappointed or even angry about this race. At all races, IM races included, there will be problems or issues. This year at GFT they were short workers because of Wilma and ran out of water (but not Gatoraid) at some aid stations on the bike. You are a little more likely to run into problems at GFT because it is a lower budget race. Just be prepared to adjust. I’ll go back despite the water problem this year. The conditions can be tough: hot, humid, sunny, and windy. Like Kona. This year it was cloudy and not windy, but hot and humid. I’m from Birmingham, AL, where it is hilly, but last year the hills at GFT killed me on the bike. They are short but steep. This year I went with 50/34 compact and 12/28 on 650 wheels. Going up Sugerloaf, the biggest hill, I was turning 60 rpm at 5.5 mph. I was seated while everyone had to stand the steep (17-19%) section. For info about the conditions, see: http://sommersports.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1173 and http://sommersports.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=985 The run in years past included a pretty long, steep hill at the start. This year the run was flat after some mild rollers. To give you an idea of the course difficulty. After the race, I met a guy who went 11:2x at IMF in 03 (I went 13), he said he went 13:15 at GFT and was amazed that I was 15 minutes faster. I think my advantage was that I was prepared for the bike and took it real slow. Roadkill? This year was nothing. Last year there was half of an aligator in the middle of the road. Your are riding is some rural areas of central Florida. Personally, I really like the bike course, it is interesting and pretty, and that will draw me back. On one stretch of the ride (3-4 miles) there is alot of traffic on a narrow road. But otherwise, the ride is nice. Oh, well there are some rough stretches of pavement. You can register right before the race. I registered two weeks before the race. It made this IM prep so much better as there was no pressure on me. If I was injured or setback, I could simply not register, or register for the half. This was huge and made the IM prep a minimal problem for the family. Also, late October is a good time for IM race. Most of long rides/runs are done in summer while kids are on vacation and no soccer on weekends. By October when days get real short, you’re tapering. IMF being two weeks later is much more difficult to train for. Most years, you can run with Joe Bonness. This year he passed me while I was on my first lap. I decided to see if I could run with him. I ran about 5 strides at his pace and realized if I took too many more I’d probably DNF. Given the size of the race (usually 400 ID and 800 HID) spectator support is pretty good.
Check out GFTwebsite and forum for more: http://sommersports.com/events/greatfloridian/
HH
Good race HH those gels did their trick
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One thing you’ll get at GFT that I don’t think you’ll get at other races is a free leg massage & pool to jump in on the run course! (Courtesy of the SP Mad Dogs!):
Thanks, good stuff so far. I am intentionally thinking about GFT *because *it is a non-IMNA race. What I’d like to know more about are things like how did the run wear on you given so much repeat ground? Did anyone feel a little lonely on the bike because of fewer people as compared to an IMNA event? I would imagine this would not be the case for the run, given the repeat loops. I also imagine most people finish in the dark. Is this an issue regarding the ability to see the road surface? Is the swim a little more neighborly also due to fewer participants? How was the aid station support in general, and was the lack of water and early volunteers just a fluke this year due to the hurricane?
BTW, I am way old school. First tri was in 1984. Does anyone else remember laying your bike down in the transition area unless you were one of the lucky few that happened to have their space near a tree? Of course, next year, the techno geeks were making their own transition bike stands with 3/4 inch PVC pipe.
Thanks, Parke
Thanks, good stuff so far. I am intentionally thinking about GFT *because *it is a non-IMNA race. What I’d like to know more about are things like how did the run wear on you given so much repeat ground?
A: The run is mentally tough because you start running around the lake, do an out and back, then finish running first lap around lake, then do two more laps (without the out and back). With the out and back, the first lap is about 12 miles. Mentally you imagine the second one is going to be as long, but it’s not, it’s only about seven miles. The second one went so much faster than the first, that I was actually psyched for the last one. Also, it is difficult running along circular lake that is seven miles in circumference. The distance looks huge.
Did anyone feel a little lonely on the bike because of fewer people as compared to an IMNA event?
A: First lap is crowded with plenty of ID distance folks, and then, near end, the HID racers passing you. Some folks didn’t like having half racers speed by them, but I kinda liked having the ladies pass. Second lap was more deserted, but always someone is sight.
I would imagine this would not be the case for the run, given the repeat loops. I also imagine most people finish in the dark. Is this an issue regarding the ability to see the road surface?
A: My last lap was in dark. They had some portable lights on road, but other areas were dark. No darker than IMF when I did that race. No big problem.
Is the swim a little more neighborly also due to fewer participants?
A: It should be, but I kept swimming into the bunch, duh, so I got hit a few times – worse than IMF in 03. But if I could just have swum straight, no problem.
How was the aid station support in general, and was the lack of water and early volunteers just a fluke this year due to the hurricane?
A: There were a few problems at aid stations, but generally ok. I had a good race despite the problems. The cause of the problems is being hotly debated on GFT forum. Perhaps the organizer will respond.
The more I think about it, the more I like the bike and run course.
HH
Oh, one more thing. Even coming from Alabama, I’m glad I got there Thursday so I had at least one day to get accustomed to the heat. If you try to come in from north on Friday and try to race on Saturday, it will be tough.
HH
Tax Man, where did you find those pix ;o). I thought it was great when someone emailed me saying they saw my pix on ST. Did you look at the bike pages? Do the pix of sugarloaf bring back the pain?
Type with you all later, I have over 6,000 more images (from wen recetion on) to cull through before the week is over and I have to turn them over to Fred.
See you in 2006.
Mark
Great Pics as always, Mark! Thought I’d give you a little national PR for your awesome pics :). Sugarloaf is always painful. It’s guys like you Mark and the great volunteers in the pics, that bring me back and make it a fun race! Thanks, Mark!