Thoughts on 70.3 Florida, Texas and New Orleans

MattAaronson

Hi Team,

I'm thinking of doing an early season HIM this year. Texas, New Orleans and Florida all are timed well. I don't really care about the destination and non-race stuff to do in the locale...I'm more interested in knowing about the particulars of the course and event and what people think. Also what kind of conditions you might expect (e.g. I know New Orleans has had lots of cancelled swims which doesn't make me too enthusiastic). Is Florida a wetsuit-legal swim? Florida and New Orleans both look pretty fast based on pro times.

Thoughts from anyone who has done them or heard details?

Many thanks,

Matt

Paul Hough

Matt, I did the old Fl 70.3 course 3 times but not since it switched to Haines City. I don't think Fl has ever been wetsuit legal, but since it is moving to April next year there is a chance depending on the weather. The Haines City lake is relatively small and shallow so it will heat up or cool down quickly with the weather. I would suggest bringing one just in case, and go sleeveless cause even if its legal it will most likely be close to the cut off.

Jan Schorpion

I did  FL 70.3  in 2012. It was in Haines City. Swim course was an M shape course, so a bunch of turns where it was very crowded. The race was in May so not wet suit legal. Bike was fast for first half, then turned hilly. Run is a 3 loop course, with a brutal hill in the first mile of every loop. After you conquer that hill, it was about finding shade because of the heat. Overall I thought it was a good but tough race. My wife and I will be there again this year.

Mark Roberts

Matt,

If May 10 is not too late for your early season half, Gulf Coast Triathlon in Panama City Beach is a great half.

Jeff Braaten

Matt, I have done the Tx race in Galveston 3 times and am doing it again this year. Fast and flat and a good location. The ocean swim is always wetsuit legal and is in a bay so not many waves. The bike course is a straight out and back along the ocean so if there is a wind it will only be halfway. The run is a multiloop course with big crowd support.

MattAaronson

The one I REALLY want to do is St George but that weekend is no good for me, nor is the following in May. The late spring starts to get filled up with conflicts in my experience.

It turns out the weekend of April 13 is the middle weekend of a 2-week school break for my kids. Might allow me to sell the FL concept to my wife...

GMAN 19030

Matt,
I have done TX 70.3 every year it has been a WTC race and will be back in 2014. I know every nook and cranny of that course.

I registered for NOLA 70.3 twice and have yet to do it as it was the two years they cancelled the swim. Supposedly, the move to the marina will lessen the chances of future swim cancellations.

GMAN 19030

John, they made it a three loop run starting in 2012. Looks like they're sticking with the same three loop course as this year which was different from the three loop course in 2012 that had us run on the airport runway (which was awful).

[Deleted User]

Matt: I just saw your post, I am signed up for New Orleans, one of my friends did it this year, he said it was very fast. I am going because my daughter lives in Baton Rouge. They moved the swim to the marina so should not see cancellations. The hard thing is going to get any good biking in here in Illinois.

MattAaronson

Ok, I pulled the trigger on Florida. I don't think I'll be in shape to shoot for a PB by early April so even if the New Orleans course is the fastest (which it seems to be based on both the course and likely conditions) I probably wouldn't be in a great position to take advantage of that. Plus I put a Disney cruise on the back end of Florida that departs from nearby, thereby allowing be to rebuild the SAU bank right after the race. I've already been told the family will be flying down AFTER the race!!

My hope is that the earlier time will result in lower temps for the Florida race than when it was held a month later. I'm not sure that'll be the case but here's to hoping. A wetsuit swim is highly unlikely too...

GMAN 19030

Actually, I think a wetsuit swim is very likely for that time of year.

Jan Schorpion

@Matt, my wife and I will be racing FL as well. Who else on the team will be there?

MattAaronson

@ Jan, no idea
@ Bob, my understanding was that the swim is in a really small and shallow lake that heats and cools pretty quickly. If it was a wetsuit swim I'd love it!

Paul Hough

@ Matt - If I were you I would bring a sleeveless wetsuit just in case, but expect a skinsuit swim. r/Paul

seanindc

Florida was brutal this year. F'n brutal. Swim was ok, bike was cake, run was omfg. That three loop with the hill was just wrong. Evil. No love for humans kind of wrong. It was like 94, brutal sun. The spectators (who were awesome and the only thing that made the run remotely tolerable) were out in force with hoses just spraying down the runners. People were dropping out left and right and I can honestly say if it wasn't for those folks with the hoses bringing my core temp down, I woulda been in serious trouble.

Having said that, the swim was sort of disjointed but the "M" lanes were wide enough, so I didn't get beat on too much. Beach start, nice water, gators in the distance - whats not to like?

Bike was flat the first half and a tad bit hilly the second. Easily one of the easier courses I've ridden, fo sho.

Good swag, nice shirt - shit food...boo.

Parking is good and easy, packet pickup was easy and they expertly rob you through the M-Dot gear on the way out. Lots of really odd vendors at the expo - like car mechanics and George' Foreman grill type things but much weirder.

Fun race mostly, just hot.

Ps - rent a house with a pool. Tons nearby since you're 45 mins from Disney. Super cheap.

MattAaronson

@ Sean, thanks. I heard it was super hot. I can usually handle the heat really well but this one may be tricky since it's so early-season for me and I'm training in Chicago. I know they moved the race a month earlier this year and some folks were predicting cooler as a result, but I looked at the historical average temps for the relevant dates and the difference was on;ly a couple of degrees. Oh well. Should be interesting!!

Paul Hough

The temperature may not be much difference but May is when the humidity really comes back and is much, much worse than Apr.  A late season cool front could make all the difference in the world and they are still possible in April...no chance in May.  The weather the week of the race will be the determining factor.