has anyone done the great floridian? Could you compare it to IMAZ or IMCDA or IMLP? Thanks
Here is the comparison to IMAZ. Swim is about the same visibility wise- water is cleaner though (the bad visibility is from tree and root tannins)- and usually wetsuit legal- but just barely. GFT is also a two loop course and IMAZ one loop. I would give an overall rate of “slightly easier” to the GFT swim over the IMAZ swim.
GFT bike is two loops- IMAZ three. Expect/plan for GFT to be just as hot or hotter than IMAZ- and you trade winds for hills. The first loop of GFT has many short steep hills- and second loop is flat, hot, humid, and windless. And if you get winds- they are usually head winds on the last 20 miles of the bike- where you want them least. I would give an overall rating of "slightly/ to a fair bit harder rating to the GFT bike course over the IMAZ bike course.
GFT run is basically 4 loops- IMAZ three. The first GFT loop is a (about 5 mile) hilly out and back through residential areas- then you return to the lake (that you swam in) and do three (approx. 7 miles) loops around it. As far as heat/difficulty and mental strain of doing a multi loop run course I would have to rate them as about equal.
IMAZ has all the M-Dot glitz and glamour- GFT is very well run but a much smaller number of participants (there may well be times when you can only spot two or three participants ahead of you on the bike or run course)- and feels more like a local event- just with IM distances.
They are both great events in their own way- GFT on an easy day will be a bit harder than IMAZ on an easy day-- and GFT on a difficult day will be quite a bit harder that IMAZ on a difficult day- and we saw this past April what happens at IMAZ on a hard day.
Any other questions, feel free to ask.
Thanks alot, thats exactly what I was looking for… Congrats on your finish in AZ… I live here in Tempe (and raced) and I can say that is about as tough as it gets here in mid-april… Guess I should expect GFT to be as bad or worse… Thanks again,
Dan Malmgren
I’ve done GFT 5 times already- and plan to do it again (just not this year as I have IMAZ again this Nov.). Fred puts on a very well run event- and you are very close to Micky Land- which is fun when you combine the two in your trip plans. It can/does get very lonely out there on the course- especially if you end up out there a long time. Very Little spectator or “locals” support out on the course or at the finish line- and the course around the lake is not lit up (except for the aid stations) at all after dark- just glow stick ghosts plodding around the lake all night. IMAZ was tough this year- but imagine how it would have been without the encouragement of all the spectators and if they had cut all the lights out around the run course. This course WILL play heavy mind games on you- not to mention that the course itself is- by most peoples accounts- one of the toughest ones of that distance.
But that is part of what makes this course such challenge to do- and your sense of accomplishment that much higher.
How did your times compare between IMAZ and GFT?
Thanks again.
My times are about the same- did 14:12 last Oct. at GFT- and 14:47 (with much more training and new bike) at IMAZ. GFT last year was better, weather wise than this years IMAZ. Comparing the two in similar weather situations I would say that GFT times would be a bit slower on average than what you would expect to do at IMAZ.
Also- parts of the bike course (mostly on the second, flat loop) are on somewhat rough, old country type roads- not terrible, but not nearly as nice as IMAZ roads. And they take a toll on you over time.
I’m going to do it this year - first non-branded IM so I appreciate the info. Will probably go ride the course a few times this summer (I’ve moved to Tampa) and will post my thoughts or email them to anyone who asks.
Heard, or read, that the bike course is changing back to a 1 loop course. Not sure if that’s good or bad - likely not so good for spectators unless they want to just pile in a car and leapfrog you. This is a concern to me - at both IMLP and CdA I sure drew a lot of inspiration from the crowd… well, more accurately I was too ashamed to just duck off the course and go home w/ so many witnesses. Running solo with nothing but a glowstick will really test one’s determination I imagine. And, being so late in the fall hopes for a daylight finish are probably not realistic.
Any good gouge on a place to stay? Orlando the way to go or is staying in/around Clermont a better option? We’re going to be a big crew (at least 5 participants) - some will definately want to stay near the resorts for the kids but for those semi-locals who are only looking for a place to crash before and after, is there a good place close-by?
As far as a close place to stay- I hear they have an excellent “home stay” program- check for info on their web site. If you plan to see Micky- I suggest you stay in or near the “Summers Bay Resort”- that way you are mid way between to race site and Micky (20 minutes or so to either location). Unless something new has opened recently- the only motels actually IN Clermont are old, run down, trucker type places.
Regarding the bike course- it’s always been 2 loops- some years having a one loop hilly and one loop flat (like last year and in the late 90’s), and what they are probably going back to next year- which is doing the first hilly loop twice (hens not really a one loop course- but doing the identical loop twice). From most accounts (I’ve never done the race doing the hilly loop twice), the two hilly loop version is a tougher course than doing the one hilly and one flat loop course.
It’s not a very spectator friendly set up- and my suggestion for those with kids would be to have the spouse take them to Micky or one of the associated water parks during race day- and then plan to gather near the finish line along the lake an hour or two before your projected finish time to cheer you and those coming in just before you. You can set up a picnic/play area next to the lakeside run path on the grass with a blanket/chairs/food/ and toys for the kids and be comfortable watching the participants go past you around the lake while waiting for you.
If you/they want to be there for the entire race- then you will be able to see each other twice on the swim (the start and between loop one and two), once on the bike (at the special needs- which will be near the transition IF they use the two hilly loop course), or just out of T1 and into T2 on the bike if they use the hilly/flat loops. And 4 times on the run (the out and back and around the lake 3 times). Between those times there is very little to do in the immediate area- for adults or children.
PS- technically speaking the the bike hilly/flat course version IS just one loop- being that you don’t go back to the transition area between loops- it’s more of a figure eight- so to speak. The hilly/hilly is two loops of the same section- and you pass near transition between each one.
Heard, or read, that the bike course is changing back to a 1 loop course. Not sure if that’s good or bad - likely not so good for spectators unless they want to just pile in a car and leapfrog you. This is a concern to me -
Aside from right near the transition area- you are likely to NOT see a single spectator out on the course (other than the volunteers at the aid stations), with the exception of a small group that gathers on Sugarloaf Mountain ( only about a 1/3 mile long climb- but very steep ) to cheer you up that sucker.
Here’s a view of Sugarloaf from near the top.
The bike at GFT in 07 was only one loop, not two. It would be awfully hard to compare LP and GFT bike courses, apples and oranges sort of thing, quick rollers(gft) and long drawn out climbs and false flats (LP), from what I’ve heard I think CDA and GFT are comparable.
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This should give you a relative comparison of the difficulty of GFT, IMLP and IMCDA. Sorry, no IMAZ time. Note, the GFT course has changed over the years from two loops through the hills, to one loop in the hills in 2007. Joe’s GFT time in 2007 was 9:38.
http://www.triathletesonline.com/user_images/joeboness_ironman_races.pdf
interesting, I didn;t know Joe B ever took longer than 10 hours to finish 
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I would suggest The Regal Palms Resort as a place to stay. I have stayed there with training groups twice. They have townhomes with upto 4 bedrooms for about $100/night. They also have a pretty nice pool with a lazy river and slide for the kids( I enjoyed the slide also). It is about 14 miles of SR 50 on US 27, 15 minutes from the race site. Real close to Disney.
Link: http://www.regalpalmsorlando.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/0086.1.1574048383616526881