We just went under the three week wire for GC. Jenn and I are both racing the full. We’ll be staying at the Columbia River Inn beginning on Thursday. We know the course well so happy to get together with any fellow STers who want to be social or get a course run down.
Let us know if you are registered. Last time I checked there were about 120 for the full.
I’m in.
Arrive Tuesday of race week.
Staying at Coulee House Inn + Suites; you know anything about it?
I’m in for the third year. Isn’t GC a great race? 
I’m staying at Sunbanks Resort about 1/2 mile west of the swim start with some buddies who are also racing. (We’re all doing the half this year.)
I hope to see some of the ST crew there.
-Mike
Thinking about this race - the IM distance - for next year. What is to be made of the rumors that they might not continue the IM distance?
It’s one of the bigger hotels in the area so the high speed should be good. All the hotels in the area are “average”. It’s on the other side of the River from the T2/finish area. The good news is that it’s mostly down hill from the finish line to your hotel!
The rumor is a real. Here is the last I heard of it (post is from JH on the GC forum on June 22nd)
“If you know anyone who is thinking “I’d like to do GC Iron some day”
You may need to tell them this is the year. We are seriously
considering making this the last year for the Iron Distance. Our goal
would be to pull out all of the stops and go out on top. In 2008 we
would likely go to the ITU distance and possibly the Pan American
championships again. We are finding it hard to maintain the midnight
volunteer corp in such a small town and still gaurentee the kind of
quality we insist on. We’d like to hear your thoughts as our loyal and
fantastic supporters.”
I did the ITU Long Course there last year. I’d hate to see the full iron distance dropped. But, the venue is nicely suited to the ITU distance (4K/120K/30K). BTW, that’s 96 miles – not too far off of the now-defunct 101 series. So, it’s a great distance (particularly for strong swimmers) who don’t quite want to do full-iron and/or missed out on Tri-101.
I am coming. First iron distance race for me. Did I pick a challenging one? I am coming with 2 others from the northeast. Looking forward to it…
David
All depends on which way the wind blows. As an ex-New Yorker we welcome you. We’ll try and establish a gathering point as the date gets closer.
Count me in for the full as well. Can’t wait for Bagdad!
Staying at the Coulee House Inn & Suites. Hey, it’s got a mini fridge and a microwave and a large bed. I don’t need tons of creature comforts to enjoy the race. Pampering is for after the race when I’ll be in Seattle enjoying a post-race vacation.
I’ll be at GC from Wednesday evening until the day after the race.
I’m doing the full, and my g/f is doing the 1/2.
Looking forward to a great race! And finally perhaps meeting some ST peeps.
-Chris
I’m coming, I’ll be racing the full and my wife is racing the half.
We’re coming up on Thursday… For the life of me I can’t remember where we’re staying.
Looking forward to meeting you all. As I am running around, feel free to come up an introduce yourself. Lynne and I spent the last couple of months thinking about the future of the GC. I was serious about the very distinct possiblity of this being the last year for the Iron distance. And we made a pitch to and was likely to be awarded the ITU Pan American Championship in 2008 again (as in 2006.) What we have come away with is as follows: There is a place for an independent Iron Distance race that is about the course, the community and the athlete. The community, and athletes want us to offer a choice. The ITU designation and focus on a few elites, really distracts from our attention to serve the excellent and the novice age-groupers we are committed to.
So we have decided to continue the Iron distance race no matter how many people show up. We will not pursue the ITU designation. We will continue to support the Halfmax championships. We will likely add an Olympic Distance race folded within the other races to get a total field of 700-800. We tried to get a beer garden this year but thats going to take some negotiation
We promise a great weekend for all.
That’s great news. You dedication to the athletes and their preferences has few peers. We’ll likely do the Oly next year and volunteer on the Irondistance course. That way we will be in great shape to enjoy the beer garden.
I’m doing the full (centermiddy is my better half and promises to go fast so we can win the “till death do us part award” for the iron catagory) - this will be my first and most likely last ironman. Love the course, the volunteers,and how well run the event is.
Ironotter - if you add in an Olympic next year I’d love to be able to do the Olympic and then volunteer during the later half of the iron/half iron race (or during the swim portion if the Olympic is run later in the day) so count me in as a volunteer already.
Looking forward to it and praying for good weather and no wind.
ah - my better half beat me to the “send” button. Count two of us as volunteers.
I’m in!
Perhaps we should organize a 5K charity run (under pants anyone?) for the day before. Nothing competitive, just an embarrasing jaunt through the middle of the town.
Given that you would be in hunting territory I would suspect that such a spectacle would draw some buckshot, thereby putting your race in danger. It will also be about 40 degs in the a.m. so the shrinkage might be meaningful. I would take that into account when timing any jaunt.
I will look for a dinner restaurant for Thursday or a breakfast place for Friday. Once I have some locations I will query to see who is interested.
Thanks
La Presa is great mexican, but you’ll be getting their food post race. Sage Inn and Pepperjacks are the standard fare, nice owners.
That would make me sad. I have always wanted to do this race but can’t since my girlfriend is in charge of Homecoming where we work and can’t get away at all in September.
Nuts.
Thank You!!! That’s great news— I will definitely be there next year for the full! (just couldn’t swing it this year w/kids school schedules…)
imom