Can some one who races IM events and is familiar with N O comment on what to expect at this race.
Is water clean? Warm?
Bike coarse hills, pavement quality?
Volunteer support?
How hot and humid on run?
Do you expect this to be a good race atmosphere event ?
my faves are Wildflower and IM Canada but I have a conflict with WF this year.
thanks
Water is eh. It’s Lake P and very fertile. There are spots where high e.coli counts can be found on the shores but its a HUGE lake. you can monitor where/how much via water quality websites. Easy swim course to navigate, rocky exit (it’s carpeted but still a bit rocky). You’ll need to be careful of shells/barnacles if get near any structures or the storm wall, they’ll cut you up pretty quick. Don’t expect Lake Placid. There is no water in South Louisiana that has any visibility to speak of due to ‘circle of life’ going on in abundance around here.
Bike Course flat. an overpass or two. when we flatlanders say flat we mean it. probably windy.
Mixed reviews on the inaugural event for course support but I don’t think it was from lack of volunteers. I think PEM got enough feedback that they’ll correct the other issues.
Not really hot and humid by OUR standards…but it was a warm day in early April and many folks from elsewhere were suffering. Note: the race date for next year is later by a couple weeks I think. April can be beautiful spring weather or it can feel like full on summer. Just expect it.
I loved the French Quarter finish and festivities. The Quarter was rockin’.
Logistics were tough this year with just about everything…packet pick up, T1, Swim Start, Finish, and awards…all being in different locations.
I’m a former New Orleanian and I did the inagural New Orleans 70.3
Swim - - swim exit area was murkey. I had a “crust” for the rest of the race. Fecal counts were the highest at that portion of the lake on race day…BUT…it won’t kill you. I’ve felt filthier swimming in Lake Michigan. There is a higher probability of wind direction adversly impacting or eliminating the swim from this event in any year. I don’t recollect anything interesting about the water temp which means it wasn’t cold.
As mentioned the bike course is pancake flat with the exception of two overpasses…but it is WINDY that time of year and in order for them to not cancel the swim you are guaranteed a wind direction that will produce headwinds on 50% of the bike. Pavement was fine. IF they let you go out on the real bike course next year, the pavement out there is mostly new.
At that time of year in New Orleans you can pretty much get anything weather wise. If you live up north and the race is as hot and humid as it was last year, you will be miserable because you won’t be acclimated. Yes, to locals and others from southern climes it “was not that hot” and they were blessed to have been able to log a lot of outdoor miles before the event, (thankfully most everyone that beat me also had a tan), but if you are a yankee you may not be able to. Don’t go there expecting a PR if you live in a cold clime… The days prior to the race were relatively cool and windy (but SUNNY) and the day after was relatively chilly, overcast and super windy. Seemed like the only constant the entire week I was there for the race was the wind.
Wind direction the day after the race could have caused a swim cancellation. I believe the wind was coming from the north. Wind from due north or from the northeast (I think), are potential grounds to cancel the swim.
The run has virtually no shade save for the last 3 miles or less (when you start down Esplanade and head to the quarter). Believe me on that (ignore whatever the race guide says about a shady run) - - NO SHADE. City Park lost a lot of old trees in Katrina and that time of year things just aren’t as lush as they are later in the year anyways. bring sunblock and a hat. If you are a guy with no hair on you head, definitely bring a hat. Now if you don’t mind the sun and the temps are cooler it is probably o.k. but for yankees coming down there at that time of year the combo of heat and sun can really kick your butt.
Besides the above, and because I lived there for a large chunk of my life, I can tell you it is a GREAT venue for a race. If they put the bike course back to the way it was originally planned it will be a little more scenic - - lots of crazy new McMansions jacked up on stilts so high you could drive a semi under them. Weird stuff - - which we didn’t get to see last year for some reason related to asphalt quality on one of the bridges (I recollect seeing a hole in the bridge during a recon drive).
Volunteers were excellent but I felt they were hamstrung with poor supplies. Hope that doesn’t adversly impact future volunteer turnout. If you are a female who is 36+ you will be starting towards the end of the race…it doesn’t matter how fast you are…they may be out of stuff. Be self sufficient just in case they haven’t worked out the kinks.
The course is really the exact opposite of IM Canada with the exception of potential heat and wind!
Another thing - - hopefully the awards ceremony will be at the finish or later that evening. Last year, to accomodate locals who had somewhere to go, they made the awards ceremony immediately after the race - - actually when a significant number of people were still on the course. This made it a challenge for out of towners to get to where ever they left their wallet (for that clearwater money!), to the venue in the warehouse district for the ceremony to claim their spot…then you still had to go back to the UNO campus / tech park to retrieve your bike. That was a serious pain for some folks…
The only thing I can add which I don’t think was said regarding the bike is the roads were closed to traffic. That made it very nice and despite having 3000 people on the course made for very little drafting.
I concur with the other posters. I think that looking at last year’s race design problems is a waste of time because the supply issues will be addressed, that is for sure. And race waves can always be changed so it’s also a waste to look at that.
The water is very comfortable.
Weather can be anything at that time of year (probably above 50 degrees), but it is more than likely to be hot. The course is probably windy but you can get lucky and not have wind. Regarding last year’s temperatures, Macca compared it to Kona-like conditions and considered the race a good early season test for Kona preparedness. You can bet on it being warmer this year due to pushing the race back a few weeks later than last year.
The one thing that the race director can control and which bothers me is the point-to-point design of the race course. I am really against having to use shuttle buses to get around. I had a huge issue with this setup at Nations and this, above all else, bothers me about the New Orleans 70.3.