I am considering doing the Gulf Coast 1/2 Ironman for 07 and looking for some input good or bad. The bike course looks like it could have lots of traffic, How is traffic control and the roads? Is it usually wetsuit legal for the ocean swim? If I do this it will be a triathlon/family vacation so any info on the race is appreciated.
Thanks
In the 4 yrs I have been there, the swim has always been wetsuit legal, the traffic is not a problem on the bike, but the run can be hot, real hot, 90’s hot. The fact that it is early in May and many people have not had the chance to train in 90 degree weather can make it rough.
Hope your family likes eating at the Waffle House.
We like to call it Gulf Roast…have fun!
I did it as my first 1/2 last year and had a blast. I don’t have a lot to compare it to, but I enjoyed it. Very easy bike and run course because they are so flat. I lucked out and the high that day was only 80, so not bad. The ocean swim is a bit rough if you haven’t swam in the ocean before. Road traffic wasn’t bad at all. It is all very well organized.
I’ve done this race every year since 2003 and I love it. Shelly Bramblett does a first class race (which is nonprofit by the way - all proceeds go to charity). The worst parts of the roads were redone in last 2 years. The weather can be mild to brutal but the last 3 years have been nice. No traffic issues that I’ve encountered besides the odd drafter or two but my wave leaves early.
2003 was not wetsuit legal, 90F on the run and high enough surf that some folks ended their day on the beach, unable to get out past the breakers…so don’t get overly attached to the wetsuit just in case.
See you there 
It was my first half a few years ago (2003).
Swim: not wetsuit legal, very very rough - hard to get out through the breakers. Fortunately it was also like this the day before so we could practice.
Bike: flat and fast - no problems with traffic or wind
Run: very hot - the temp was in the 90s and the heat index was 106 - the hottest part was in the middle of the run through this park that has sand dunes, with no shade and hot black asphalt… I have never had a hotter run - and I have done St. Croix.
Overall, a very well run race. Aid stations were well stocked and manned. Plenty of ice on the run. Great organization and communication.
I thought the course overall was nice and the town was okay, too. The panhandle of Florida is nice - it is lovely and quaint. There are other races I would rather do, but this one is nice to do once. I am glad I did it for the experience.
2003 non wet suit and big waves. Well I’m from the middle of the country! Some of the small women had troble getting past the breakers. It was sort of fun once you got going. The road control was ok. Is’t alot like IM Florida----only shorter . It was 80+ degrees and the expo was great. Lots of fun.
seems like we all did it in 2003. my only year there. the dead, dead, dead flat roads and race size make for a nice group ride - if you’re into that sort of thing.
There are more than 20 waves starting this race. If anyone rode in a group, its because they made a conscious decision to cheat.
Drafting/cheating is an option that each athlete has to make. I’ve done the race several times and have seen pack riders and isolated cheaters, but the overwhelming majority of the racers are racing fair. It’s a classic example of the 80/20 rule. (20 percent racers causing 80 percent of the problems.)
If you’re not a cheater, there is plenty of road and room to race fair. I don’t buy the argument that the conditions force the habit as one recent editorial suggested.
The race is a classic. The run is difficult due to heat, humidity, and temperatures coming off the pavement as you run through the state park. General air temp is usually in the 90’s but there’s usually a bulletin board at the expo the day before the race showing the air temp 5 feet off the pavement (The height most of us breath at). It always reads above 100. The locals on the run course are great and many will stand in thier yards the entire race with a garden hose spraying down athletes as they run by. On the other hand, the locals on the bike route, in some cases, don’t like the race as the road closures keep them from getting a refill of Camel cigarettes and Blue Ribbon beer. Inland areas of the panhandle of Florida is kinda red-necky. Water conditions very greatly from year to year. Some years, 6 foot wave breaking at a high frequency. These are the long slow rolling waves like you see off San Diego. They are quick frequency and unpredictable. Then, in some years, its dead flat. Wetsuit legal about every other year. Always bring your websuit to this race.
I remember the days when the race was sponsored by Bud Light…ahhhhh free beer after the race…awesome…
Although we scored on a cold 48 pack of Fosters Oilcans at the host hotel liquor store in the basement…
ditto for 2003.
some floks spent 30-45 minutes trying to get offshore and called it a day after no success.
the hottest run i have ever done and i live in baton rouge, which has the same temps, but zero breeze. the park is mentally pretty tough.
calling panama city natives kind rednecky is like calling the pope kind of catholic, lynyrd skynyrd is actually from florida so make no mistake about it, rednecky it is…not that there is anything wrong with that. unless said rednecks decide you are some lycra clad “sissy” who’s hoggin the road. then you may get smoked by an empty fencepost and or a cigarette butt or just run off the road.
i can also concur with whoever said get ready to eat at the wafflehouse. when i went, the wife and i rode around for 30 minutes looking for somewhere to eat other than a barfet or bbq jernt. ended up with applebees. we have a group every year who gets condos and we cook now. much beter.
i will hopefully going back this year!
very organized and well put on race and expo…plus CLUB LA VIDA!!
rocketboy
I did the race in 04 and I thought the race was one of the best organized races I’ve done. The water was cool but flat calm that year. I would highly recommend this race. Also, the volunteers and locals were extremely friendly and the aid stations were well stocked through the whole course even being in the next to last wave to start.
'06 Race
Beautiful weather high in the 70s. Wetsuit legal.
Basically the same course as IMFL so it is good practice. It was for me and gave me confidence going into my first IM.
Dead flat boring run
Mostly flat bike, except for a long-ish causeway bridge. Bike is open to vehicles and I had one spot where I was forced to pass a car who was stuck behind slower riders. Not the best traffic control.
PCB is always under construction!!!
PCB is not the dining wasteland that people make it out to be. I found excellent inexpensive oysters and a very good rare blackened ahi tuna.
I am from Chicago I found the people polite and friendly. I did not get an extreme redneck feel, more of a downhome vibe. Some tri people can be so uppity and condescending towards working class people.
Very cheap lodging(Travelodge) compared to other tri events.
Race support was very good especially on the run. They had catchers at the finish line, which I had not seen at other HIMs.
Free pre-race, post-race meals, and awards ceremony meals which is not common.
In regards to family vacation it has a beach, which is a super plus. Other than that it has the touristy mini-golf, bungee jumping, ripley’s museum, etc. which is good if your family gets into that.