Anyone out there know anything about Jerseyman half?Race quality,course,hills,road surface,organization,etc.Anyone who lives in that area done race in past?Thanks.
Well actually it’s a Half Lite… so not quite a Half Iron.
I have yet to do this race, doing the sprint this year, but Piranha-Sports puts on some good races.
I did it when I was living in Cape May; good race! The water is far warmer than you expect for that time of the year, the downside is that it is shallow in parts.
VERY tight transition security, which impressed me. They really enforce all the rules here, so make sure your helmet is certified, your bike is all squared away, etc.
The course is VERY flat and FAST. It’s still pretty interesting, despite the lack of elevation. If you’re not as strong a biker (below 19 mph I’d wager), you might find yourself on the course long enough to get hit by some of the GNARLY winds (you’re not THAT far from the coastline in that area). But, if weather is good, it shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Road conditions are very good.
The run is similar in elevation to the bike.
Overall, great race, and I’d highly recommend it; echo the comments that Piranha puts on a great race.
Ok, I think you are getting some misinformation here. Are you talking about JERSEYMAN or DEVILMAN? Two totally different races in two totally different locations.
Here’s the link to Jerseyman:
http://www.njmultisports.com/SpruceRun.htm
Piranha-sports does not put on this race. Piranha sports does put on devilman which I guess now is that Half Lite deal. Two totally different races. JERSEYMAN was a first year race last year That was held in September or October and now it’s in May. And from what I gathered it was a hard bike course. Only two guys broke 2:30 and they were doug clark and chris martin. So it’s not fast like devilman.
I’d vote for Jerseyman only because the history of devilman has been you don’t know what the hell is going to happen at that race. Maybe they changed the course but the swim is “stumpy and snaky.” Take that to mean there are stumps and snakes in the water. Big fucking stumps that you can’t see and bump into.
Anyway, which race are you talking about?
I’m assuming there is some confusion in the previous posts, so let’s start over.
Are you talking about Jerseyman, near Clinton, NJ, that was a fall race last season (its first) and is now in the spring? If so…
I did the sprint last year, and the bike course for that event is moderately rolling at its worst. The swim is in a reservoir, and the run is about as flat as they come. There may be a few hills on the half bike, but I don’t remember the race maps showing anything dramatic.
There were a couple of problems last year, speaking of race maps - one invoved no posted run map, with the end result being that the first five guys off the bike were directed the wrong way by a local police person, pressed into race duty because a lot of volunteers bailed on a wet day. (This helped me, as I finished 8th overall, but of those five the lead guy quit and the other four added at least a mile, or 6-7 minutes, to their time.) There were also some timing problems, and final run results seemed to be posted faster than what most people had on their watches.
It is a good venue for a race, and the organizers seem to want to do things well. They have moved it to a date in which water levels are more predictable, and are switching the start times so that the sprint begins later, with the goal that the finshes of both events are close together. The state park that hosts the race provides for easy camping, for the budget-minded racer. The run is somewhat convoluted (there are maybe good reasons why there wasn’t a map of it!), but aside from that one spot at which the lead guys were misdirected, the volunteers along the run were vocal and clear.
It doesn’t look as if I can make it there this year, but I hope to return soon. It was a very good first effort, and the problems mostly came from the weather, which affected the timing systems and, more importantly, kept a lot of volunteers at home.
Uh, was that the race you were thinking about? (Aside from my comments being mostly about the sprint.)
Race is JERSEYMAN not Devilman,it is in Clinton,NJ,which is northwest part of state,not flat.Any help regarding half iron course and organization would be appreciated.On website it states run course was changed this year to “eliminate most of the hills” in the area,bike described as rolling but profile suggests more hilly.Anyone know the area or courses would help
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Jerseyman isn’t a half-lite, (Devilman is this year). Jerseyman was the correct distance, and was a well organised race. The only teething problem I saw in the first race, last year, was a missing marshall on the run but they’ll have that fixed next time, and actually did incredibly well with the number of volunteers giving the terrible weather the race was held in last year. Spruce Run is a good location for a race, and the bike course was very scenic. The heavy rain and very high humidity caused some slow times last year but I don’t think it’s generally a slow course. I only used the small ring once on the bike (after going through the covered bridge) though others may have used it a few more times. The run had a few small rollers but nothing steep enough to cause you to change your running style except for maybe 150 meters at about mile 11. A nice race.
I didn’t do this race (JerseyMan - Clinton NJ) last year but plan on it this year. I rode the bike course last weekend and couldn’t stop talking about how much fun it was afterwards. The first third and last third of the course are rollers for the most part with an outstanding 15-17mi section in the middle along the DE river followed by a left turn along a tributary that are pancake flat leading up to said covered bridge (Bigbloke) where the rollers start again. The course has enough variation to make you think and keep things interesting but not so much of a challenge that you’re cooked for the run. Picturesque pretty much the whole way. Can’t comment on the run - haven’t done it - but the bike should win you over.
Hope this race sticks. Seems like a good addition the NY area calendar.
Thanks,very helpful info,sounds like a good race
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I attempted the half last year. I DNF’d due to a double flat on the bike but definitely plan to do it again this year. An early-season half in the area is very good news (and I will never go into the nasty water of DevilMan again…). For last year, there were some obvious first-year screw ups (as mentioned by others) but they appear to have addressed those this year. The swim was fine (not as clear as you would see at races in New England like MooseMan but certainly not dirty). It’s in a lake so there are no currents to consider. I think every course needs more buoys but it was the same as other races. The bike course is very scenic and not flat but not a suffer-fest (see BlackBear). I would describe the hills as rolling. I really appreciated the carpet being placed over the metal bridge–those things are dangerous in the rain. I didn’t make it to the run but my wife had a very fast time for her (she thought it was measured a bit short). She’s not fond of hills but these didn’t seem to bother her (she was 1 amateur female that day so she may have blocked out unpleasant memories).
Frivolous observations: 1) Plenty of restrooms at the start (not porta-potties but actual facilities where you could even wash your hands); 2) transition area was not designed properly (entered & exited down a center isle–you have to go further if you don’t get a spot near the isle) & you were assigned a row but not a spot to rack your bike–led to lots of bikes near the center isle); 3) post-race food was mainly hot dogs, hamburgers, pretzels & potato salad (cookies would have been nice); I think the T-shirt was standard cotton instead of the technical fabric.
In short, this is a great local race to get your season going. If you are looking for “an event” with lots of goodies and fan-fare then go with the bigger names.
Hope to see you there.
Race is JERSEYMAN not Devilman,it is in Clinton,NJ,which is northwest part of state,not flat.Any help regarding half iron course and organization would be appreciated.On website it states run course was changed this year to “eliminate most of the hills” in the area,bike described as rolling but profile suggests more hilly.Anyone know the area or courses would help
oops, my fault! I just combined New Jersey Devilman into Jerseyman… sorry.
I have raced sprint triathlons at Spruce Run (Skylands) several times and live near the area. It is a great location for a race. I plan to race the sprint in May–I am a short course girl 
This email came today to registered racers, maybe you got it if you are already registered
We will be having a (free) pre-race ride of the Jerseyman ½ Iron and sprint bike courses this Saturday April 11th. The ride will be a self paced ride and we will be providing cue sheets and placing signage along the course to ensure no one gets lost. We will go over the course just prior to the 8:00 a.m. departure. We are planning on leaving at 8 a.m. SHARP for both courses. The ride will depart from the main parking lot in Spruce Run Recreation Area (next to the beach). Last year we had around 70 people on the ride so different pace groups will form to ensure an enjoyable ride for all. There will be an aid station located at mile marker 27 (lower creek Road) on the 1/2 Iron course. The aid station will have gatorade, water, pretzels and GU. There will also be refreshments in the parking lot after the ride. I know many people are coming from a distance so if for some reason you are running behind we will leave cue sheets by the coolers that will have drinks in them. This is a great opportunity to ride the course prior to race day. It will be fun to ride with new people and make some new friends prior to race day! Please feel free to pass this alone to others that are thinking of doing the JerseyMan, the more the merrier! Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, we are happy to answer them. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday!
I have to ask my coach if I can change my workout plan, but I’d like to go out and do the sprint course. Maybe two loops of it for a longer ride. Then do the run, just to make sure I know it. Anyone else going to be there? Any Sprint distance racers?
I did the race last year and it was very good for a first year event, particularly considering the miserable weather. I also rode in two of the training rides referenced above before the race so got to speak to the RD’s a little. I have every confidence that it will be even better this year and would not hesitate to enter.
One note, they did change the run course late last year. I’m not sure if they’ve changed it again, but I’m really glad they did. The first iteration would have been incredibly difficult for most folks. My strongest event is running, and I was getting nervous about the old route. The new one was not as scenic, but definitely flatter.
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who’s in this weekend?
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who’s in this weekend?
I’m there, leaving for the race Friday morning, 6 hr drive to a buddies house then off to the race early saturday.
I’m looking at a 5 and a half hour drive from Vermont. 6 hours? Where are you coming from?
Coming from Pennsylvania, just below Erie.
Good luck guys. Looks like a nice day for racing. Just remember to keep moving on the bike even if you are thinking “is this really Jersey?” in your head! Yes, Jersey still has farms and is not only the Turnpike and Newark Airport. You aren’t lost.
I’ll be out there. First race of the season is always a doozie for me. Psyched to blow the rust off the pipes! See you out there!
So what did everybody think?