Anyone here done either the Half or 70.3 (politically correct) or Full Great Floridian. Looking for a 1/2 right about that time of year and wanted to get some input before I shelled out the entry fee. Haven’t raced over there in Clermont even though I’m only about 3 hours away.
Any input !
Captdav1
I have only done the 1/2 and it is a very challenging course! I have done LP Ironman the last three years and the 56 mile loop at the Floridian is just as hard as the LP loop.
Lake Swim - most of the time it is flat and cold enough to allow wetsuits. run has a few rolling hills and goes three times around the lake.
This nice thing about this race is that if you are doing the full, you can wait until about 2-3 weeks before the race to sign up.
If you come down early, be sure to come by the NTC and jump in our pool for a training swim. We also have some great testing programs. Check it out at www.usantc.com
Z
I did the full in 2003 and the half in 2004 (followed by IMFL 2 weeks later). The full is pretty tough, with the second loop hitting the hills at around mile 85-95. I understand from talking to Fred that he’s changed the run course to NOT go up Hospital hill (a.k.a. Cardiac hill) near the start of the run course. That will make the run course a lot faster than previous years, as the couple of steep (>20% grade) hills up and down right at the start were brutal on the quads. The other bonus, other than the ability to sign up later than most races, is that the support staff and supplies are EXCELLENT. I stayed after the 1/2 to help with my friends at the “Playboy Mansion” water stop, and there were plenty of Endurolytes, gels, food, salt, etc until I left at 11pm. Highly recommended!
I personally would recommend the half. I did the half last year and it sucked, and immediatly signed up again.
I;'ve ridden the LP course and they are vastly different. Placid may have longer higher climbs, but you can get into a rythm.
At clermont, there are so many turns that you can never get any momentum. Also the first 6 miles of the run were brutal.
After I do LP I’ll be better able to say which is tougher, but I couldn’t imagine doing a second loop on the clermont race.
I’m signed up for the full. I used to live in S. Florida, have done a bunch of races in Clermont and am looking forward to October 22.
The other bonus… is that the support staff and supplies are EXCELLENT. I stayed after the 1/2 to help with my friends at the “Playboy Mansion” water stop, and there were plenty of Endurolytes, gels, food, salt, etc until I left at 11pm. Highly recommended!
This may be true, that the staff stays late into the night but that means that they arrive late as well. I did the half in 2003 and some of the run aid stations were totally deserted. Nothing worse than struggling to finish a half ironman in the Florida heat without any fluids. If however, you dont plan to be one of the top finishers, this should not be a problem.
As far as the course goes, I’d agree with the general sentiment; the bike is very difficult. I have also heard that the run is being made easier, but you’ll have to check on that. Another downside with regards to the half is that you wont start until after all of the full participants start which means 9 AM. This means more of your race will be in the hottest part of the day.
Just my 2 cents.
Blew up on the run last year, signed up the following week for this year…it is definetly a challenge with the hills but a great race. SSOOOOO happy I saw the change in the run…that first hill made me very sad !!!
Did the 70.3 last year as my first ever “half” at the end of my second season of training and racing. It is challenging during all aspects of the race and you will probably not set a half-IM PR on this course.At the end of the day you feel like you got your moneys worth as it is a fun day with lots of changing terrain (prepare for flats and steep hills). I have signed up for this year, its a great way to spend a Saturday!
I did the no-longer-held Florida Challenge (half IM at the same location and put on by the same race org, but not simultaneous with Great Floridian) in Sep 1999 and the Great Floridian in Oct 2000. Bike courses were different than now but they still included a trip up Sugarloaf (but only one).
Swim: Water is warm. No wetsuits in 1999 (but it was a month earlier) but I used one in 2000.
Bike: A moderately tough course. A lot of turns and some at the bottom of hills just before going back up - takes away all your momentum.
Run: Starts out pretty challenging but levels out once you get back to the lake.
I’ve done Lake Placid twice and I thought GF was easier. But that was with most of the hills in the first 1/3 of both the GF bike and run. The new GF course might be about as difficult as LP.
edit: I went to the GF website and it looks like they have resumed calling the half the “Florida Challenge” !
I’ve done the full 5 times ('95, '96, '98, '03 and '04) and will be doing it again this year. I looove that course, and like TommieZ says, the bike course is a ball buster 
The bike course on the half is the first loop (the full goes around twice). It’s gotten much more difficult over the years, when it used to be predominantly flat. After the first 4 or 5 miles of the run (which can be pretty hard) it goes around the lake, which isn’t too bad.
The swim is vanilla. No difficulties there.
Tonyh
Thanks for all the input ! Sounds like a fun and challenging course. As the bike leg is my strongest it shouldn’t be a major issue. Look forward to the race and seeing a few other Slowtwitchers at the event.
Captdav1
I’ll be there for the 1/2. I’m going up there in August to practice the hills. I raced there in April, and for us flat-landers, it was a shock to see big hills!