I’m going through some final training preps for the Kerrville half later this month and wanted to get some insight from anyone who has competed in the past. From viewing past threads it seems like it is pretty well organized, but I also read that the run course changed last year. Specific to the swim - has it traditionally been wetsuit legal, and is there a current resulting from the Guadalupe? Regarding the bike surface - are continental 4000s adequate? Thanks for any input.
I raced it last year and really enjoyed it. Regarding the swim, last year it was just barely wetsuit legal which I think is pretty much the norm. I would expect this year to be wetsuit legal but be prepared for the alternative. There is no (noticeable) current in the lake. I thought the swim course was great and probably one of my favorites of the Texas races. There is no swim warmup and it is a non seeded time trial start by age group so I had difficulty finding other swimmers to sight and draft off of.
The roads are rough, there is a whole bunch of chipseal but I don’t remember many potholes or disintegrating roads. You’ll probably be fine with 4000s. The meat of the course is the 2nd half of each loop, don’t get too comfortable on the first half of the loop bc hills and miles and miles of chipseal are waiting for you once you cross the river.
The run was pretty warm and somewhat hilly. The new course is 2 out and backs on a very nice running trail by the river. It’s well supported w/ aid stations throughout the run. I wasn’t a huge fan of having to run past the finish line 3 times before finally getting to take the turn into the finishing chute. I’ll also point out it is a 2 transition race so be prepared for that as well. Overall it’s a great local race in a beautiful part of the state. Enjoy!
Would agree with the post above, except for the run being hilly, thought it was extremely flat (217 ft gain according to Strava) and don’t recall there being much elevation on the bike either (<1000ft according to Strava).
Great race though, two thumbs up.
I’ve done the race the last 2 years and will be there again this year.
My opinion differs on a couple of points. I agree on the assessment of the swim and it will most likely be wetsuit legal. On the bike, I don’t think the roads are that bad. There is chip seal over about 30% of the course, which is certainly not as smooth as asphalt. However, the roads are in generally good shape and they put the Austin 70.3 course to shame. You’ll be fine on the Contis. Not sure what hills the previous poster is referring to. The first half of the lap is mostly one long downhill with about 150’ of elevation loss. On the second half, you pay back that elevation very gradually, though there is one hill of less than 1/4 mile that is about 7%.
Also not sure what hills are on the run course. As mentioned, it’s on a cement multi-use path that runs along the river. The delta between the highest and lowest points on the course can’t be more than 20 feet. It’ll probably be warm and sunny on race day, but you’ll find shade on about 10-20% of the run.
What has the water clarity been like the last couple of years? My OWS are in lake Limestone, where last weekend I couldn’t even see my elbows, and I’m hoping for a bit better clarity so I’m not having to track with every swim stroke.
I probably overstated the “hills” on the bike course…what I meant was there are rolling hills vs. the dead flat/downhill portion of the lap. I guess I was mistaken on the run course too, all I remember is being in a world of hurt the entire run after overdoing it on the bike big time. I probably just convinced myself it was hilly based on the snail’s pace I was running.
You’ll be able to see feet, at best. No warm up sucks…but fine as far as swims go.
Chip seal roads leave a lot to be desired but the problem I had was during the 2nd lap with later waves riding out in the road in an attempt to ride in the smoothed out portions of the chip seal or not on the chip seal shoulder but instead out in traffic where the road was paved with asphalt. This was in 2014 though, not sure if anything has changed. (I dropped my chain on the one hill, lost every water bottle I put behind my saddle, and basically pulled up on the 2nd lap because my taint was undertrained and couldn’t take the vibrations anymore…lol)
Run when I did it was 4 laps with a hill but I know it changed since then. It was hot as balls though.
I might not be a fan of the bike course but the event is run well and it’s Austin so there will be some fast people there.
EDIT: Oh yeah, tires…you’ll be fine with whatever you have. If you want a little more cush opt for 25’s and latex…I would if I did it again.
I live in Kerrville, am a crazy MOP tri-addict, and have done the KTF HIM distance each of the five years since inception. I’ve done over 4 dozen long-course triathlons and over 3 dozen WTC long course races since catching the bug, so have some perspective on this race vs. others. I’m also crazy-passionate about the lifestyle, this race, my community and promoting all three- so I hope I can impart some race recon for those considering or already signed up.
This is a great race, and I’m not just saying that because it’s my hometown race. I think it compares well vs. many- if not any- of the WTC HIMs I’ve done. Here are my n=1 highlights:
GENERAL
High Five is the producer of the race, the group that spun off from Jack & Adams (now Bicycle World) who also runs Austin Ironman 70.3 and now Austin Marathon and Half Marathon. So that’s a good sign- they know how to produce a race, and they’ve gradually refined this one well over the past five years. If you’ve ever done the Texas Tri Series, you know HF has a solid team of smart and committed folks from the Republik of Travis Co. A large HF team and lots of local support ensure you will not experience any glaring errors in aid stations, transition support or race logistics. The expo is decent and shockingly easy- nothing like IM Austin- think Oilman or Buffalo Springs.WARNING! Kerrville doesn’t have a ton of lodging and eating accommodation, but probably more than you’d expect, and your trip should be more affordable than any other race you’ve traveled to.The town rolls up @ 9 PM, so one of the more common complaints I hear involves folks coming in from Austin Friday or Saturday night late after work, etc. and expecting to have late-night places to eat. Don’t count on it- there’s a few but most are places you don’t want to be in. I recommend Pint & Plow, Grape Juice, Francisco’s or Mamacita’s. Try to avoid the Chili’s or any national chain. We have two well-stocked H-E-Bs open till midnight if things get really dire.Kerrvillians are not the most intelligent demographic ever, but most are incredibly kind. However, like so many other places, this kindness does NOT apply to cyclists on the road. In the best case, they’re not used to cyclists or any other kind of fitness enthusiast. The worst case, they’re openly antagonistic toward cyclists. So just be careful and ride defensively- this year’s Boulder incident could absolutely happen here. While there will be some police presence in town for the bike course, and some of the course will be partitioned for cyclists in one lane, none of it will actually closed to traffic and Bubba is, well Bubba. These people will be running late to church on Sunday morning, not prepared for this race and super-annoyed. We’re also a huge retirement community, so you’ll see lots of '96 Buicks with 12K miles and grandma who can’t see over the steering wheel. As a course captain, I’ve seen a bike accident on the Sprint every year by a local resident driving right through a closed lane in front of a cop. Don’t freak out about this risk- but instead of worrying about the douche in the BMW on his cell phone, you just have to drive in a different kind of defensive manner, cause maybe grandma shouldn’t really be driving at all, and doesn’t see you at all. This risk is minimal to non-existent for 90% of the course.I’m being tough on us, but this is a great town and a great race, put on by great people. I think this is the best produced non-WTC race in TX, right up there with Oilman and the Texasman or anything put on by Playtri.
SWIM
The swim is beautiful- we enjoy the best part of the Guadalupe before it goes into Central Texas tubing/drinking world, so it’s reasonably clean. It is NOT clear, for all intents and purposes you will NOT be able to draft. Think Decker Lake. I swim in the river 3x/wk all summer long, and there is almost never a current until mid-afternoon = there will be NO current for the race. There may be one for your Saturday afternoon test swim, but don’t freak out. And guys, I’m afraid that this year should be the first year the swim is NOT wetsuit legal. I know, believe me, no one is more disappointed than me cause I suck at swimming. Temps will be *really *close- like CapTexTri/TriRock close, and it depends on where they take the temps- just like Lubbock. We don’t even train with full sleeve suits because it’s so warm. Some of the first few year’s races had strong rains the week before and that dropped temps 1-2 deg, but that’s not going to happen this year, so I have already resigned to no wetsuit. That’s just my 2 cents. Regardless, it’s time trial and this is an insanely fun swim course- you’ll see.BIKE
Despite many new participant’s expectations (i.e. “hill country”), this should be the flattest bike race course you’ve ever done. There is a very slight and short climb out of town around mile 8-9 for about a mile, a steep 30 yd hill at around mile 20 in Center Point and a final 100 yd “hill” at about mile 22 that is only distinguishable because it’s surprises people. Most will benefit from at least a 27 cassette. But that’s it- no need to “dork out” about this. The bike course out of town is primarily on the shoulder of SH 27. It is absolutely inconsistent pavement- some parts are great, some parts (“Governer’s Crossing” at the turn around about mile 15) are the worst chip seal you’ve ever seen- as bad as the worst of IM Austin. It’s only about 2-3 miles worth, but if you’re an irritable sleep-deprived MOP MAMIL like me, it will be annoying. But I just administer self-talk and HTFU. My secret has been that I’ve always used a mirror on my helmet/sunglasses and ridden on the actual road of SH 27 (miles 8-15) itself when it was clear of vehicles in the past. But this year that will be a red card if you’re caught with one. 
The section along the river miles 18-22 “River Rd.” HAS deteriorated from past droughts and neglect, and it IS bumpy- also very similar to the typical IM Austin bike roads. I’ve set three bike PRs here, and you WILL pay for the road vibrations more in this race than say, Galveston. Kerr Co does not care about nice roads, because our population is rural and not progressive. What can you do- this is not Austin’s 360. But this is still a beautiful, easy bike course and you can help yourself by staying on the thin sections of shoulder that are pervasive and reasonably clear of the chip seal. Don’t tempt the gods- bring a spare kit. But don’t worry about your tires. I ride 4000’s on it all the time and you’ll be fine with those. Very few potholes, but there ARE always broken bottles- this is rural America- and I flatted from one on this course just this past Saturday actually. But High Five should do a decent sweep of the major trash the day before. Although it will be tempting, I would NOT try to ride on SH 27 anymore- the sun will be rising and directly blinding E Kerr Co. drivers going that direction that morning. They may NOT see you- and they might honestly throw a beer bottle at you. You laugh- but this is my life. It will warm considerably on lap 2, and this year is gonna be especially hot, so don’t be “that guy” riding up on the hood because you cooked yourself on Lap 1. And yes, you will lap a few folks on Lap 2 that are in way over their head- maybe they got hooked this summer and are trying to race before the season ends. (But this is NOT CapTexTri-hipsters-on-their-fourth-lap cruiser-bike insanity. If you catch them, something went majorly wrong in their world, so show some love.) But in both cases, it’s the same as it ever was.
RUN
Every race has a crown jewel and the run course is it for KTF. It did finally change last year (thank the Lord) because they finished construction on the river trail. It is two loops and it is very pretty. We got enough rain this year that you will enjoy the view. I think this is the prettiest run course in Texas. It is magnitudes better than Austin, but it is all concrete and said concrete really takes a toll on the HIM racers. Most of us get more banged up from this race than any other. This is not the Lady Bird Johnson run trail. And it’s mostly exposed to the sun at your run time (11-2 PM). There is a false flat section of the run trail at about miles 3/5/9/11, it sneaks up on people and rewards those who anticipate it and race with HR. That hill is well supported but it tends to be quite exposed and hot and lots of MAMILs will fail to adjust their pace and pay for it, if not on the first lap than definitely the second. But it’s still only 3-4 grade? max and is nothing more dramatic than you see in Austin HIM. It’s the only hill on the run course, so get over it. You will NOT be whining about the hill on the run on the drive home.This is a fun race, guys. Austin and San Antonio clubs will represent so it will offer plenty of competition unless you’re typically on the WTC podium. The post-race is a real party like any HF event, will offer tube floating for race participants and their families in the river afterwards (where have you ever seen that?) and I think/hope you will find this to be one of the best kept secrets in Texas triathlon.
My name is Bart. Ask any questions. Hopefully we meet up at some point. If I’m laid out by the side of the road, please pause my Garmin. If I bonk, feel free to ‘pants’ me cuz I should know better. I also wrote a dorky race report here… YMMV:
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the race and the region. I am participating in a relay with some teammates and we are the last wave I believe, so can you give me an idea of passing on the bike? I am a strong rider and will be riding the bike course faster than most, so I wonder if there are areas that are not safe for passing or where riders will be forced to the left due to road conditions?
Cheers,
Jack
Thanks for that great write up. I’ve heard consistently that this is a well-run event and I’m looking forward to it. Facebook reports that initial water temp reading is at 77 degrees so we’ll see if that holds up. Can’t wait for the country roads.
There are no bike course sections that are too narrow or too dangerous for passing. It’s a 99% wide open course, basically like Austin 70.3. So that won’t be an issue for you.
There is a very short section about 2-4 miles out from T1 (Where Broadway turns into Memorial Blvd before and while passing Schreiner University) that cones off a dedicated outside lane for cyclists. The cones are inside the two-lane divider and it’s about 3-4 feet wide. But beyond that you can fit by everybody. The HIM is a relatively small field (~300-400?) spread over 28 miles, so passing is very easy. You’ll be alone the vast majority of the ride.
There are no outrageously torn up sections on the bike course- it’s chippy but no pot holes. In five years, I’ve never seen a single cone or orange spray paint to mark off a dangerous spot. Also not something to worry about.
Good luck!
…
And yes, you will lap a few folks on Lap 2 that are in way over their head- maybe they got hooked this summer and are trying to race before the season ends. (But this is NOT CapTexTri-hipsters-on-their-fourth-lap cruiser-bike insanity. If you catch them, something went majorly wrong in their world, so show some love.) But in both cases, it’s the same as it ever was. …
If someone could just grab the rope on the front of my bike and tow me for a bit after lapping me, that would be awesome!
Latest forecast has the cold front coming through a bit earlier than it had shown. Currently predicting a low of 66 and high of 84 with a 20% chance of rain. That wouldn’t be too bad.
Not a good rain forecast at present though
.
Wow, that was wet and windy… Even after working my butt off to get faster on the bike, I was .5 mph slower than last year. I attribute it to all the wrangling I had to do to keep the bike on the road in those crosswinds.
Run was faster even though, at times, you were running in shin deep water.
Was anyone else’s swim times off? I had a horrible swim and my Garmin only tracked about 1/3 of it. Still not sure what went wrong.
That certainly was not the weather I was expecting even when I went to sleep the night before before. At one point the rain on the bike was hard enough I was worried I was going to start seeing hail. That was my first time doing a half distance course so I was in it more to finish and get experience than I was to be setting any blazing times.
I enjoyed the swim course. I don’t have much to compare against, but found it very easy to keep track of where I was. At one point, I point, I was about 50m from a red buoy and though I would just breathe on my left the whole way there. About 20 seconds later I looked up and I had managed to do a nice 180. That little spin probably cost me the slowest swim time in my group of friends.
I’m not sure there was a tailwind anywhere on the bike course. My bike speed was marginally slower than I was hoping for, but that probably had to do with the fact that I forgot my HRM and bike computer in my dry clothes bag so I had nothing on the bike. Depressing to realize just a few minutes before going in to the water. I found the course itself was very well managed with clear markings and plenty of police for traffic control. At one point on the way back in to town right near the gas station, there was some lady trying to nudge her way past officers despite repeated warnings. As I went past, the officer was slamming his fists on her hood and yelling at her. It was her third or fourth warning. I was really hoping they would go ahead and have her cooldown in the back of a patrol car. The office was standing right in front of her when she was trying to nudge forward. I was gone before I was able to see the conclusion though.
I only did the aquabike so I ended up freezing as I huddled under the bridge. My brother and a friend, who did the whole thing enjoyed. The rain and flooding was crazy, but they found it actually made it pretty enjoyable.
The only thing that disappointed me was the number of Camelbak bottles littered along the course. Maybe that’s normal for a tri, but still disappointing to see so much trash left by the competitors.
All told, I really enjoyed it. Not sure when I’ll do that distance race again, but I would certainly look to go there again.
That’s my first-ever run through ravines, for sure. Excluding what couldn’t be controlled (weather, chip seal, etc) l I thought it was a great race. Well, other than that hill on mile 19 I think it was.
My swim absolutely sucked, and I learned that I have a lot of work to do sans wetsuit. But I shaved a lot of time off my bike and run thanks to the cooler temps. Next up for me is Oilman which I hear is a lot like Kerrville.
Bike was nearly a straight up crosswind for both the out and back. I was 6 minutes slower than last year on the bike, but still had the second fastest bike split in my AG and 10th overall, so it was definitely the conditions.
I didn’t mind that downpour at all. Ran a far better run split than I had any right to. If I hadn’t given up 5+ minutes on the swim because I’ve barely in a pool the last few months…