Despite the warm local temperatures, it appears that Miamiman is often if not always a wetsuit legal swim. I’m wondering if anyone has a link to a web page that shows the current temperature of the body of water used for the swim in Larry and Penny Thompson Park where the swim takes place. My wife read a report of swimmers tearing off their wetsuits halfway through the swim due to over heating so it sounds like the race director must use a “special thermometer” for checking race day temperature.
Despite the warm local temperatures, it appears that Miamiman is often if not always a wetsuit legal swim. I’m wondering if anyone has a link to a web page that shows the current temperature of the body of water used for the swim in Larry and Penny Thompson Park where the swim takes place. My wife read a report of swimmers tearing off their wetsuits halfway through the swim due to over heating so it sounds like the race director must use a “special thermometer” for checking race day temperature.
Thanks for any informed replies.
Hugh
I’m also interested in this…
What are the chances it will be wetsuit legal?
I haven’t done the race in a few years, but in the past the reporting of water temp has always been more than a little suspect. I think what they list on their website says everything you need to know:
The swim should be wetsuit legal (below 78 degrees), as it has been in all previous years. The water temperature at the 2014 Miami Man Triathlon was 73.4 degrees, perfect for swimming either with or without. A wetsuit will make you more buoyant (safer) and decrease your swim time. A few people did find it too warm to wear a wetsuit last year and took theirs off after the first lap. (http://www.miamimanhalfiron.com/wetsuits)
Expect them to allow wetsuits but if you are prone to overheating don’t wear one.
Miami Man goes by USAT wetsuit legal water temps of 78 degrees. There are about 10 days leading up to the race with “cool Florida weather” lows in the high 60’s. That should be plenty to cool the water below 78 degrees.
It’s a spring fed lake so temperatures are lower. People tearing off their wetsuits… a little exaggerated perhaps. I’ve done the race twice, both times in a wetsuit and it was just fine.
It’s a spring fed lake so temperatures are lower. People tearing off their wetsuits… a little exaggerated perhaps. I’ve done the race twice, both times in a wetsuit and it was just fine.
We’ve been on a canoe adventure on a “spring fed” river in northern Florida and were amazed at how cool the water was. It’s just amazing that it’s also true as far south as Miami.
It’s a spring fed lake so temperatures are lower. People tearing off their wetsuits… a little exaggerated perhaps. I’ve done the race twice, both times in a wetsuit and it was just fine.
This seems very odd to me. With 20 or so miles of coastline in Miami, they chose to have the swim in an inland lake??? This is just totally bizarre to me as I had always assumed that it was an ocean swim like almost all coastal races are. Any ideas on why they chose the lake over the ocean??? Maybe safer???
This seems very odd to me. With 20 or so miles of coastline in Miami, they chose to have the swim in an inland lake??? This is just totally bizarre to me as I had always assumed that it was an ocean swim like almost all coastal races are. Any ideas on why they chose the lake over the ocean??? Maybe safer???
I did this race last year and the whole event is centered around the Miami zoo. The swim is in a small lake/pond and they have an international distance as well (2 loops for the 1/2, 1 loop for the international). I’m guessing they chose that spot because it allowed them to keep the swim/run/transition within the zoo area. The lake was surprisingly clear and you mostly swim around the edge so can see the bottom the whole way.
It’s a spring fed lake so temperatures are lower. People tearing off their wetsuits… a little exaggerated perhaps. I’ve done the race twice, both times in a wetsuit and it was just fine.
This seems very odd to me. With 20 or so miles of coastline in Miami, they chose to have the swim in an inland lake??? This is just totally bizarre to me as I had always assumed that it was an ocean swim like almost all coastal races are. Any ideas on why they chose the lake over the ocean??? Maybe safer???
Simple. As a Florida resident I’ll give you three reasons.
The lake is well inland from the beach and close to a more rural section of Miami. So the bike course is easier to marshall and likely safer than any point starting on the coast and attempting to head inland through the city.
Florida triathlons on the West Coast swim in the Gulf of Mexico. Florida triathlons on the East Coast rarely swim in the Atlantic due to a much higher prevalence of sharks. These tris are either in the intracoastal waterways or like MiamiMan, in a lake. Your assumption of Ocean swims on the East Coast of Florida is way, way, way, way off base.
The lake is situated just outside the back gate of the Miami Zoo. The run through the zoo is unique, is popular, and is why WTC, having placed Miami 70.3 a few weeks before, has utterly failed to kill it.
I’ve been doing triathlons in South Florida since 1992 and this is the first time that’ve heard that triathlons “on Florida’s East Coast rarely swim in the Atlantic” because of sharks or any other creatures or any other reason. As a matter of fact I can’t recall any race that has had the swim portion cancelled in a South Florida triathlon for any reason, not even weather related.
I’ve been doing triathlons in South Florida since 1992 and this is the first time that’ve heard that triathlons “on Florida’s East Coast rarely swim in the Atlantic” because of sharks or any other creatures or any other reason. As a matter of fact I can’t recall any race that has had the swim portion cancelled in a South Florida triathlon for any reason, not even weather related.
What are you talking about? Where did I even mention about a race being cancelled for any reason? How did you get so far off topic?
Now back on topic. Yes, a large number of races on the east coast of Florida (news flash, this extends all the way from Miami to Jax…not just where you live) stay in the intracoastal waterways due to sharks. Are you not aware that attacks are more prevalent on the east coast. See here: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/isaf/shark-attacks-maps-data/north-america/florida
Do I need to start listing all the EAST COAST Florida triathlons for you that are in the intracoastal (or Key Biscayne) vs off the beach? Perhaps there is another reason why organizers on the west coast of Florida routinely hold their triathlons in the Gulf (from Pensacola all the way down to Naples) but so many on the east coast go for the intracoastal. Enlighten me.
It’s a spring fed lake so temperatures are lower. People tearing off their wetsuits… a little exaggerated perhaps. I’ve done the race twice, both times in a wetsuit and it was just fine.
This seems very odd to me. With 20 or so miles of coastline in Miami, they chose to have the swim in an inland lake??? This is just totally bizarre to me as I had always assumed that it was a coastal swim like almost all coastal races are. Any ideas on why they chose the lake over the ocean??? Maybe safer???
Simple. As a Florida resident I’ll give you three reasons.
The lake is well inland from the beach and close to a more rural section of Miami. So the bike course is easier to marshall and likely safer than any point starting on the coast and attempting to head inland through the city.
Florida triathlons on the West Coast swim in the Gulf of Mexico. Florida triathlons on the East Coast rarely swim in the Atlantic due to a much higher prevalence of sharks. These tris are either in the intracoastal waterways or like MiamiMan, in a lake. Your assumption of Ocean swims on the East Coast of Florida is way, way, way, way off base.
The lake is situated just outside the back gate of the Miami Zoo. The run through the zoo is unique, is popular, and is why WTC, having placed Miami 70.3 a few weeks before, has utterly failed to kill it.
Huff - Thanks for this info. Just for the record, i have done several east coast of FL races that did have the swim in the ocean, albeit it was point to point along the beach and the buoys were only 50 yds or so from shore, just far enough so that no one could walk. Also, while there is a distinct diff between the intracoastal waterway (ICW) and the open ocean, I would still consider the IC swims to be “in the ocean” since the ocean flows into the ICW, and it would definitely be an “on the coast” swim. Anyway, thanks for the info.
Done the Miami man and several east coast florida races. Not one was in the open ocean per se. Most were in the intercoastal, specifically harbors within the intercoastal. With no direct access to the ocean for at least a mile.
Now Escape to Miami (same promoter) and the 70.3 are in the Biscayne bay, but that too is largely within a barrier island and is really just a giant dredged swamp. Few points are deeper than 6 feet. I have done several on the west coast in open ocean.
Somewhere on slowtwitch is a thread about racing in the old days, and one poster commented about swimming along the coast of Florida when a shark came right up into the middle of the swim pack. So I’m not saying those races do not or did not exist, just that they are very rare. I’ve swam a number in the ICW and they feel like swimming in the bay to me…not remotely the same as the ocean.
Here’s another article with a map that will show you exactly why those east coast Atlantic triathlons are now so rare. Based on that data, it’s a little foolish to put a tri into the Atlantic especially between Jacksonville and Ft Lauderdale.
Yep, that’s my experience, especially in shark alley in the center of the state. Races like the Tomoka Tri, Pineapple Man, and now defunct Rocket Man, swim in the ICW. But when you get north of Jax, DRC Sports will go into the ocean at Fernandina Beach which is consistent with the risk profile for that area of the coast.
You go out 100-200 yards in the Atlantic and there are a lot of sharks. You can see them when you fly over sometimes. I’m talking significant activity. While probably harmless in the grand scheme still a risk for an rd.
Somewhere on slowtwitch is a thread about racing in the old days, and one poster commented about swimming along the coast of Florida when a shark came right up into the middle of the swim pack. So I’m not saying those races do not or did not exist, just that they are very rare. I’ve swam a number in the ICW and they feel like swimming in the bay to me…not remotely the same as the ocean.
Here’s another article with a map that will show you exactly why those east coast Atlantic triathlons are now so rare. Based on that data, it’s a little foolish to put a tri into the Atlantic especially between Jacksonville and Ft Lauderdale. http://www.nydailynews.com/...ch-article-1.2651496
Sure, I recall an article in Inside Triathlon back around 1994-96 which reported on a race wherein Karen Smyers, one of the top tri-girls in the 90s, was actually attacked by a hammerhead shark who pounded on her thigh several times. She got away from the shark, finished swim feeling a bit beaten up, literally, but went on to win the race. Talk about one tough Momma!!! Also, this race was in Daytona Beach, right in the heart of the #1 county in the country for shark attacks.
I fully understand that the ICW swims are not nearly as rough as ocean swims can be but my point is that, given that many out-of-town entrants are from inland areas, having the swim at least “on the beach but in the ICW” is much more what this land-locked athlete would prefer. After all, there are tons of lakes-swim triathlons here in eastern TN where I live so, if I’m going to drive all the way to FL for a race, I would like it to be diff from the many conventional triathlons I can do within a 4-hr drive of my house. Now I have done 7-8 tris in Clermont which is obv inland but, given the choice, I’d go for a race on the coast over inland.
