Hey all,
I want to know the opinions of people who have done this race. I live in Northern Illinois. Is it worth the drive? Also, what hotels to stay at. I am cheap, recent college grad, cheaper the better. thanks much!
I’ve done it twice and am signed up again this year. It’s a fun race. I think the time trial swim start makes it interesting. Highlights are lots of pros do it, fast AG’ers, fast bike course, big race amenities, well organized. Lows are pretty crowded bike course and temp. The last two years were pretty warm compared to what I’d trained in to that point. 06 was just plain hot.
Lodging close to race is not so good IMO. In 06 we stayed at the Magnolia something-or-other right across from the park entrance. Not the cleanest place and pretty strong smoke smell but just a few min from the site. Bring anti-bacterial wipes. Food and retail is a pretty good dist away. Last year stayed at a Courtyard about 25 min from the race. Lots more restaurant choices. More comfortable hotel. (However, I think I actually slept better at the other place knowing I was closer to the site). This year we’re going down Fri and staying downtown.
Camping at the park is available. I think the race website has more info.
To me, if you live in the midwest and like Oly distance this is a must do. Given you can camp, you can do it on the cheap.
We drove from Madison Wi last year. 10 hour drive. We did the mtb bike tri the day before. That was intense…back to back races. The mtb course crosses the road into the devils playground. I thought it was going to be grassy field mtb ride but I was quickly surprised. You could not ride that part the day before the race. It was a shock to most people! The oly tri is super fast. It is a time trial start and a good way to thin the pack out. The water is so gross though. It looks like broccoli soup. You will have a green slime upon exiting. They have very nice ITU style bike racks made of wood. The run is fast with a few rolling hills .
Good luck with lodging. They all suck. They do have good food nearby. Be sure to go downtown for the BBQ festival. It is crazy fun.
It’s a fun atmosphere and race.
I travelled from Central Iowa in 07 and am doing it again this year.
The course is fast and if your looking for great competition, do it.
It’s a fun atmosphere and race.
I travelled from Central Iowa in 07 and am doing it again this year.
The course is fast and if your looking for great competition, do it.
Hey when are you heading down. Im gonna be there again this year.
Grant
Not sure yet. Depends on work.
Keep me in mind as it gets closer to May. It would be great to hook up on the ride down or, at least, when we are in Memphis.
You lovin the weather?..I’m sitting here watching the weather channel before heading out for my run. It looks like we are gonna get whacked again on Monday…Ice and then 4 - 6 inches.
I can’t wait.
thanks for the comments
Cyclonehockey21: i was thinking about heading down there friday, maybe staying at a buddies in central illinois, then making the rest of the trip on saturday. Obviously, very early, very tentative.
String cheese: haha , o yeah. Lovin’ this weather as well. Simply can’t wait for warmer weather! sounds good, will keep you in mind as the event gets closer. Thanks
Oh yeah my favorite i just love biking inside… although i have made it halfway through season one of House M.D. which is a blast.
I am leaving for florida on saturday for a week thank god. i am getting quite bored.
I have to go down early i am doing the ameatur challenge so i have to race saturday also.
It should be good though.
Grant
I liked the race. The only problem I had with the time trial start, was that I was 1 of the later people to go. By the time I was out of the swim, the top pro had already finished, and by the time I finished the race the temp had went up at least 15 degrees.
I never done the race before but I will be doing it this year. I’m in central TN so I only have a short ride there.
As everyone else I heard it is a supper fast race with very flat biking.
Tiago
I did it two years ago and drove down from Evanston, IL with a group of other grad student. We rented RVs, drove down, and camped at a park nearby. Overall it was ok in my book - made worthwhile because i was with friends and it was an adventure.
- I hated the swim start. I’m a fast swimmer (D1 collegiate) so the way the swim was set up meant I swim over/around tons of people in front of me which is just frustrating.
- The bike course was fast though stretches of it were very very windy and we all thought the course was a little short.
- The run was also fast but coming from IL (where we had a cold winter that year) the humidity killed me and my friends. Also don’t be fooled by the “fake” finish line at the top of the mound (anyone else know what I"m talking about and have a better way to describe it?) The finish is actually about another 1/4-1/2 mile from there which, if you’re not expecting it, just makes you want to cry/throw up (the humidity really didn’t help at that point!).
thank you all for your input…i just signed up for the race!
The Chattanooga Waterfront Tri is a pretty sweet one as well. The swim is in the river, with the current, so you absolutly FLY through it. And the bike is on a closed highway, which is a rare treat. Awesome race, except the fact that I got food poisoning one year, and had to kick in a hotel room front door at 5 AM to get my bike and asthma inhaler (the D shpaed latch mysteriously closed with no one in the room, and the lady at the front desk suggested it. Meanwhile, a Marine in fatigues watched us from the parking lot and wouldn’t help the barefoot college kid kick in the door. Understandable though) I knew it was gonna be a long day when I began puking before the swim start, and kept on throughout the day! Several guys stopped on the freeway to see if I was gonna make it or not (nice of them to sacrifice their own time to check on me). The run was BRUTAL, with a vomit stop every half mile or so. Other than all that, it was one of my top 3 favorite races!
I live in the Memphis area. As a couple other posters said, the hotel selection is not that good in Millington (the outlying town that the race is actually run). Look for a hotel in Bartlet. Its a suburb town between Memphis and Millington. If you still want cheap lodging, the camping option is always there. I guess that’s not really lodging though. Can’t say I’ve ever noticed the hotels in Millington as I’ve never had the need to stay in one being here local.
One poster mentioned the water being gross and I agree. I remember about six years ago it smelled bad too! I think we didn’t have much rain that spring and things were a little stagnant.
In 2007 it was cool enough for a wet-suit swim. The high that day was in the low 80’s, but sunny. Its true about the TT start. If you have a high race number, bring a newspaper. It takes a while to start 1500-1800 people, one at a time.
My wife and I have driven down from Chicago twice in the past leaving on Friday night after work and stopping in S. Illinois at about midnight, driving the rest of the way early Saturday A.M. We have talked about doing this again, but other things have gotten higher priority, but we’ll get back there in the next few years.
Well run race and a pretty good course with a few rollers on the bike and run but nothing really too bad. Excellent food at the end, best I’ve ever had!!
We stayed in Memphis near Beale St. the second year and that would be what I’d recommend. The first year we stayed in Millington at the super 8. I wouldn’t recommend that super 8 for anything.
Both years we raced down there the water was >78 degrees so no wetsuits and the weather was pretty hot and humid for the race.
Does this race typically fill up, and if so, any ideas when?
Also has anyone ever tried the camping thing? For some reason part of me has always wanted to try this before a race. As long as it’s safe, quiet, and not on a parking lot, I may just have to do it…
The race does fill up and as other have stated I would:
Stay downtown (easy drive to the race, and Millington is an old Navy town so the hotels suck, unless your only there for an hour…)
Plan for the humidity (temp changes quite a bit once the sun come up)
Be ready for a fast course
The rolling hills on the runs usually kills the majority of people b/b it is a complete opposite from the bike course.
As others have said, it’s really a fun race and great post-race party. You can count on the heat/humidity. I would also recommend staying anywhere except near the race site (Millington) unless you really don’t mind staying in the stereotypical motel with “FREE HBO.” Downtown or any of the surrounding “suburbs” would be a better choice and only a 20min drive or so on race morning. Start Pricelining now and you might snag a good deal.
Maybe all the rain we’re getting in Memphis this year will help the water quality for the race. (I’m hopeful, anyway.)