Musselman Half Review/RR (no pics yet)

Triathlon Forum
1

After my weather rant, I feel like I need to pump this race. Organization was first rate, great instructions throughout from directions and signage to the packet pickup, all the way through all of the race courses. Aid was plentiful and varied, all the volunteers were really really great. I liked the “Make proud today” label in your transition spot.

Swim
I don’t envy the organizers with the lake conditions. Since the water level was so low, it’s got to be tough to set up a course that’s actually swimable in that lake, as opposed to “walkable.” This is the closest thing I have to anything negative to say about this race. Water was rough, due to the wind, and we had to walk in the last 150 yards to get to T1.
38ish (slow even for me)

Bike
A good stiff breeze for most of the bike. Again, excellent course marking and volunteers to screen off the traffic. Aid stations about every 10m. Mostly rolling hills, with 1-2 decent climbs. Felt like we were into the wind for most of the course.
2:55 (10 min pr for me)

Run
Again excellent support. Figuring I hit each run aid station towards the back of the pack, it’s great when they all still have everything, coke, water, endurolytes, gel, heed, sponges, ice. I don’t think they were official, but the kiddos with the hoses in the residential areas were awesome. I think I went out a bit too hard on the run, and the wheels came off at about 10. Held it together and managed to get in under 6 hours, a pr by over 20 mins!
2:20

5:58 final.

Excellent race, nothing of any substance to complain about. Great job by Jeff and the whole town! By the way, the people at the Hampton Inn there are the nicest, most accommodating hotel employees I ever met. What a great weekend. (temp was perfect, despite my earlier bitching :wink:

2

Hey, congrats!
I had a solid race too, loved the whole race. I’ll write a report later today when I get my pictures uploaded.

3

I also did the race forthe first time and really enjoyed the whole deal. Bike course is really great and the organization was top shelf all the way - you can tell its run by a real triathlete (example - ice bath after finish line was a great touch). Having the dorms for lodging makes it very affordable (biggest expense for me was gas getting there) and watching the ITU race on Saturday was also really cool, those guys are amazing up close. I would highly recommend the race to anyone. Only issue was the two loop swim, which I have to think was a bit long given everyone’s times, but given how the race is run, I have no doubt that will be squared away next year.

4

Felt like we were into the wind for most of the course.

We were. I noticed that the wind shifted from the south to from the west just as I started to head back to the start.

I also would like to recommend this race to all. It is well run and, with the possible exception of the swim, a great course. Volunteers were all wonderful and well organized. The ice bath was great as were the volunteers who kept coming over and asking if we wanted or needed anything. The free post-race massage was also very nice.

Victor

5

yeah, from the times looks like it might have been long. also might have been the fact that the mat was a bit up the chute, and we had to walk in that last 200 yards or so because of the water level. not much the race organizers could do about the level of the lake. in retrospect, seems like a good decision for them to move it to a water start instead of beach, as we all would have gassed ourselves getting the 200 yards into the water if it was a beach start. maybe a big mat or something to protect your feet from the rocks at that last bit of shoreline would have been nice?

6

Great race!!

My first HIM and I had a blast. I second everything you said about the organization. Jeff and crew do an amazing job.

Yeah, the swim was tough. I had swum the Lake Placid course in 34 minutes three weeks before. I was 42 minutes on Sunday with what felt like similar effort. Part of that was obviously not being able to hug a rope line and swimming somewhat further. But between the current and the need to walk, it no doubt slowed us down.

The bike course is really great except for the few spots where the road got a little gnarly, but that’s a minor complaint. As noted above the wind did change direction as the cold front passed through. Woulda been a hammer fest if we coulda done the course backwards. :slight_smile:

LOVED the run (of course, I’m a runner). Challenging, but fair and with a fast finish. I’ll definitely be back for this event.

Congrats again on your race!

7

Agree on all of the above. Also think it’d be easier to measure an accurate distance (and less congestion) with a one loop swim.