Thinking about racing this race but would like to know more about the race course, temps and such. Any feedback would be great!
thanx
I did the race last year. They moved the date back, so it should be a little cooler.
Swim course was a small lake. Buoys drifted, so ours was short.
Bike is a big loop. Its a little rolling, and a hill at the end. Nothing to worry too much about.
The run is a 2 loop course. There’s not a lot of shade. first half is on asphalt, the second half is on a trail. you run up a hill called “Quadzilla” at the end of the loop. This is the same hill as the big hill on the bike course, except now you’re running on dirt.
Crowd support was great. several bands and even superheros cheering you up Quadzilla. I’m planning to head there again.
I loved this race. Keith Jordan who puts it on knows how to put on a great race. Swim was indeed short, but fun and easy. Bike was rolling hills with some winds, not too hard, and the run was fun as all hell. Bands everywhere, lots of great aid stations and two loops so you could see people everywhere. Great post-race activities. Going again this year for sure.
Last year was wet suit legal…barely. The temps were pretty hot on the days leading up to the race, and were it not for a partially cloudy day, it would have been more of the same. Swim was short. T1 was long. Bike was good except for one bad bump is a shaded area that had lots of bottles and equipment laying around, and the fact that the roads had cracks parallel to the direction of travel due to the extremely dry summer. The run was good. 1/2 pavement, 1/2 grassy trails. Quadzilla was over rated, but mainly because of the fact that you get to go up it once on the bike and twice on the run. It’s not that bad.
The race was extremely well managed. Support was excellent. Food was good. I’d do it again if I hadn’t signed up for Augusta.
Mellow Johnny’s is worth the trip down town to see. Below is a pic of one of the girls at the shop… That’s one cool tat! And also below was one of the locals that I came across while scouting the course.
Some changes in store to make the race even better this year…
You’re going to finish in the 6500 seat arena right next door, which houses an Arena Football team. Jumbotron, great sound system, LOCKER ROOMS with showers, lots of activities for families, AIR CONDITIONED.
The added plus is that you won’t have to walk back to get your car after, as you’ll finish where right next to the parking.
Hot, Hot, Hot! But FUN! The bike course was pretty good but had some bumpy parts. The run was HARD and it was HOT! But, (unlike NOLA) there were plenty of aid stations, lots of cold fluids, cold towels etc. The volunteers absolutely ROCKED! The superheros cheering you up Quadzilla made the race! There were kid volunteers on the run squirting you down with water guns if you gave the ok. First class race all the way. Definitely recommend it.
Some changes in store to make the race even better this year…
You’re going to finish in the 6500 seat arena right next door, which houses an Arena Football team. Jumbotron, great sound system, LOCKER ROOMS with showers, lots of activities for families, AIR CONDITIONED.
The added plus is that you won’t have to walk back to get your car after, as you’ll finish where right next to the parking.
Thats a great change! Very cool way to end the race… and even better you dont have to ride your bike back to the car after the race. I did the longhorn last year, traveled from CT and would definitely recommend it to anyone thinking of doing it. I thought the course was great, challenging but its not going to destroy you. Keith and his team put on a great race… probably the best stocked race I have done in terms of on-course nutrition, potholes and rough patches clearly marked, and the volunteers they have are really into it. The run course is exciting, quadzilla will burn but its short, lots of fans and live music, and good post race food.
I second taking the trip to Mellow Jonnys as well, also walk through the UT campus, that stadium is huge!
I’ve done Longhorn both years.
Swim was not wetsuit legal the first year, was last year. There’s a better chance of it being a wetsuit swim since Keith moved the race back a few weeks this year. Last year the swim was short, but that most mostly due to the 25-30 mph gusts that kicked up in the hour before the race started and moved some of the buoys.
Bike isn’t too bad. Some decent rollers, but nothing too crazy. There were some definite rough spots last year due to cracks from the drought we had. Keith and his crew did a pretty decent job of marking things and even patched some of the roads themselves.
Run is a two-loop course that mixes road/asphalt with grass/trail. The big hill is definitely something you’ll notice and you have to do it twice. I went 4:55 last year and I was working on that second lap to run the whole thing.
Weather can be a crap shoot. In 2007, the race was early October and the heat index was over 100. It was brutal. Last year was warmish, but not too bad. With the race a few weeks later this year, there’s a better chance of cooler weather. It’s unlikely that it will be anywhere near what could be considered “cold”.
Keith and his crew are some of the best so the race organization is fantastic. Lots of enthusiastic volunteers, tons of well-stocked aid stations, and lots of thoughtful touches throughout the race. If you haven’t done one of his races, you’re missing out.
Don’t go into it thinking you’re going to finish on the steps of the capitol. Venue is essentially a rural setting, though close to town. Post race party location too far removed IMO.
Race itself very well run, though.
Good race. I flew down from WI to do it. Good swim course. Bike course was fine, but chip and seal was pretty brutal. Some angry drivers along the way that were held at stop signs by police. But the cbike course itself wasa good and rolling. Asphalt/parking lot for half run course was a little boring, but aid stations galore on the run. Good spectating on the run. My wife was 8 months pregnant when we were there and she liked the event and everybody was great to her.
This was my first HIM and I absolutely loved it. Keith Jordan is an excellent race organizer and really does think of everything that you’ll need for the race. The course descriptions were accurate; however, I personally thought the bike course was hilly but manageable (in my defense, I live in Houston). The volunteers are fabulous and were quite a few supporters on the bike course. The run was HOT - very little shade and the first half was asphalt - lesson learned, do take the time to reapply sunscreen.
He just had a race in Galveston this past weekend (sprint, quarter and half distances). As usual, one of the most organized races I’ve ever done.
Good race. I flew down from WI to do it. Good swim course. Bike course was fine, but chip and seal was pretty brutal. Some angry drivers along the way that were held at stop signs by police. But the cbike course itself wasa good and rolling. Asphalt/parking lot for half run course was a little boring, but aid stations galore on the run. Good spectating on the run. My wife was 8 months pregnant when we were there and she liked the event and everybody was great to her.
I had a driver about 1 ft. from my rear wheel as i climbed Quadzilla on the bike. I was on the left passing a long line of riders that were going slow, and the car just kept creeping closer honking the horn. If I would’ve slipped, they wouldn’t have been able to stop before running over me. It was a nice way to end the bike with a PISSED off feeling.
Other than that and that HUGE bump described earlier, where it was at the bottom of a downhill and not marked, I loved the course. I do remember getting to that bump in the road and thinking, “Why did everyone ditch their water bottles right here?” Hahaha
I am thinking about doing this race as well, but the slower run times make me nervous…It this a combo of the heat/hills? Debating between this Soma or Silverman 1/2…any thoughts?
Great Race. I would recommend it. I thought the run was tougher than Buffalo Springs which is to be on par with Kona Conditions. Road was rough, and I do remember hitting the dip that was not marked…they do need more police on the road to handle the angry drivers that live in FAR East Austin…
Best thing I remember about this race was getting passed Lisa Bentley on her 2nd Run Loop…I swear she was possessed with something un-holy!!!
Yea, I’d say that for sure MY slow ass run time was due to being woefully unprepared to run on the hills. In reality, NOT that bad at all, but being from flat lands of Louisiana didn’t do me any favors. But I think there were still some pretty quick run times. For people that were well-prepared.
I’m PRETTY sure I’m going back to do Longhorn again this year. It is a GREAT race, except for the two things I mentioned. I do still highly recommend it. I think the changes Keith Jordan made to the venue might be really nice as well. I can’t wait.
with the arena finish, the bike course WON’T go up Quadzilla. You’ll only have to tackle that for the run now:)
The last 10 miles will be in a closed, coned lane for you. The new bike course maps will be posted shortly.
Also, you’ll only run to/from the arena, and won’t have to go north through the access road in the Parking Lot. Nicer run, and will include the west end of Walter E. Long park, which is paved and shaded.
You’ll actually start the run by running through the arena, and will go through it after your first lap. You’ll finish like a rock star too, in the arena:)
excited about the changes.
A question for you sir:
The finish will be where we parked last year, right? And transition is staying in the same place, I’m assuming . . . so, we’ll still have to walk to get our bikes from transition . . . and then walk/ride bike back to the arena? Maybe I’m confused. . .
Nope, it’ll be a two transition area race, even though the two transitions will only be .75 miles apart.
You’ll park at the Expo Center, and be bused (or you can walk) to the park for the swim and T1.
You’ll bike from there, but finish at the expo center/arena. In fact, T2 will be on the back portion of the arena. We’ll transport your swim gear from the park to the Expo center, so you won’t need to go back there after the race.
Planning on having bike handlers, so you won’t have to rack your own bike at T2 either.
The Arena Finish will be really cool, but I’m equally excited about not asking you all to walk back to the parking after the race. Much easier for all of you:)
I knew you had a plan. What was I thinking . . .?
You just really made me want to do this race for sure again this year. Me and that run course have a little talking to do about what it did to me last year.
Thanks for the updates!
We try to think these things through. 3X the number of buses in the AM, too, to get you to the park…
We’ve got it all mapped out, and it’ll be slick. Looking at moving T1 to the lower portion of the park, which is all grass even in a drought. Shorter run to T1, too. Gotta just make sure it’s flat enough.