I’m looking for a late season (late October - Early November) 1/2 IM to finish out my season.
I was initially planning on SOMA, but I don’t like the look of three loops on the bike course, as I heard the first year (2003) that they did that race and had that course that it was not very good.
My current front-runner is Miamiman (Nov. 11).
I’m looking for a race with the following ideals (in order of importance), but I’m open to any suggestions:
Competitive field preferably with a pro-division
Single loop on the bike
Continental US
Decent prize money
Preferably end-of-October, rather than early November
Rappster, while this race is by no means “end of season”, it would be great if you can come up to Ottawa on Sep 3rd for the Canadian Half Iron Distance Triathlon.
There is an Irondistance race (main event), but the half is also the Provincial Long Course Championships. No major pro field, but hopefully we will have a stong amateur field.
If I recall, you live near NYC, in which case, we are a 6.5 hour drive.
I am looking at milking my conditioning to squeeze out once last Half-Iron. I checked MiamiMan and it is full! Looks like only thing left is the endurasport in Bahamas( I am looking for something in November). I see Genesis adventures is RD and know they have experience. Anyone know anything about this race and whether they have gotten much interest?? It’s not worth going for me unless they have a reasonable turn out.
You may be right that the 3 loops at SOMA this year will be crowded, but, just so you know, this bike course is completely different than the 2003 course. I did SOMA that year, and it was 4 loops very different from the current course. I don’t remember how many athletes were racing, but it wasn’t overcrowded as I recall.
I did not race last year’s SOMA, so I don’t know what the course was, and how crowded it was.
I’m going to run a loop of the run course and ride an easy loop of the bike course on Sunday morning. If you’re still considering SOMA, I can let you know how it goes.
So I ran & rode the SOMA 1/2 course today. Thoughts you may or may not want to pass on to your friend:
Bike: Technical. There is construction right near transition, and along Washington St on the west end of the course. I’m not sure if we will have a complete closure or just one lane, but the speed of the course would be enhanced with two lanes on Washington. There is also construction on Lakeview which probably cannot be avoided. Potentially crowded, but I don’t think it will be too bad.
Florida Challenge does not have a pro field. The course is more difficult than most people would think with it being in Florida (but definitely not as hard as the American Zofingen).
Yesterday the race was a small field. Since it took place as the GFT it is almost like it happened under the radar. I’m friends with the guy who got 2nd and I didn’t even realize that he had finished because I was so busy watching the GFT. Also the race starts later in the morning than most other halves. They do it that way so that the majority of GFT swimmers are done before the 1/2 starts. This could potentially lead to a very hot day, but they were lucky with the day being overcast.
BTW the name “Florida Challenge” was the name of the 1/2 that they used to run in September until 2002. It was a popular race and I did it several times myself. They removed it in 2002 because of a conflict with the Tri-America series. there was a fair amount of people who complained about it being gone so the made the GFT 1/2 to replace the Florida Challenge. I guess they brought back the old name for sentimental reasons.
Looks like I’m going to be having flashbacks of IMAZ!