To anyone that has done this race before, Am I correct that about 5.5 miles of the 13.1 miles run course is on the beach in sand? If so, how is it to run on, hard pack?, or do the Seals make you run in the soft sand just to make you earn it?
And how is the race overall, does the bike circuit get pretty crowded since its a multi-lap affair? is there plenty of room to pass, etc.
Thanks in advance
There are a few threads on this. this race is the best bike course in So Cal. Closed to traffic with one lane in each direction. As for crowded, I never witnessed it even with 4 loops. There are only about 250 people in the race.
Yes lots of soft sand on the way back to transition. Going out on the loop is hard packed along the beach where the tide has packed things down.
the race is great. you do about a 2.5 mile circuit 5 times on the run. i would say about 6-6.5 is sand. half hard packed down by the water and the rest soft. and the SEALS do not let you cheat. last year i was running behind heather fhur on the soft stuff and she tried to jump into some ice plants on one strecth and a nice SEAL yelled at her to get out that and into the soft stuff.
the bike is not to crowded and flat so you can really crank it up. it is a great race. i highly recomend it.