What Midwest HIMs are the top EN picks for 2010?
I'm in a postIM year in 2010 and plan on a midwest HIM for my priority A race. I'm considering either June(High Cliff, Rockman) or July(Door, Racine 70.3). Thoughts include:
1. June races are usually a bit cooler but I'm unfamiliar with High Cliff and Rockman( although I grew up 8 miles from Pierce Lake where the race occurs).
2. Racine 70.3- I liked the race but even 3 yrs ago it was beginning to be a draft fest. Steelhead 70.3(the year without the swim) also had lots of bike traffic/drafting. $200 seems pricey(IM corp strikes)
3. Door HIM- I've heard good things. Although it's 6 hrs drive from my home I'd consider it. One factor is that on Tuesday afternoon my wife and I are flying out of Chicago to spectate the TdF starting on the Col de Tourmalet Thursday. I've travelled immediately after HIMs before including a trip to Puerto Rico where we drove to the airport from the race venue, broke down the tri-bike and packed it in the trunk, parked at the airport and flew out.
What's everyone else doing?
Any thoughts
John
Comments
I'm thinking my A HIM will be Door Country or Racine 70.3, depends on what my goals end up being for the race/season. I'm also thinking high cliff but a B or C race and there seems to be a good number of EN folks that might be interested in it.
I've heard too many bad things about Rockman so that's probably out, and I don't know why but stee head doesn't interest me that much right now, but I'm sure I will do it sometime.
In other words, I could probably be convinced to race any of them if there was a large EN group that really wanted to do a particular one. Otherwise I will probably default to the one I am most familar and comfortable with...Racine.
Looks like I'm doing High Cliff also. Both Racine and Door are way too close to our trip to TdF. Hopefully we can show some EN presence on Jun 19!
John
I could be talked into High Cliff instead of Kansas. I had been planning on Kansas in order to attempt a Clearwater slot. My heart's really not into it though. High Cliff would be a good alternative since it's also in June.
Matt, consider your arm twisted!
I am so pleased I'll get to have so much company at this race.
Anyone know how long of a drive it is from Chicago? Can we rack the bike and pick up packets race morning?
I kind of already spent my entire 2010 race budget on one race in Oct, so I may have to be creative with others.
Looks like it's about 3.5 hours away.
maps.google.com/maps
Jinx
Matt -- It is about 3.5 hours from Evanston, if one doesn't get stuck in traffic in Milwaukee.
My college reunion happens to be nearby and the same weekend, so I'm there Thursday - Sunday, if that works for anybody's carpool needs.
I'm also trying to decide if sleeping in a dorm room the night before an A race is a good idea. Probably not.
Matt A if you liked Racine you will like Steelhead just as much, if not more (the run is different than when I did it but I've heard great things.)
I will be at Door County this year. It's an exceptional race...challenging but very well done and beautiful!!!! Book lodging now...contact Egg Harbor Lodge...that's where we stay. Affordable, close by, fridge in room and right on water. Run goes right by it. When I went by last year I screamed "BBBBBIIIIILLLLLL" and shortly after my husband was biking behind me. Too funny that he heard me. Door County registration opens Jan 1 and is limited to 1000. Expect it to sell out quickly. Plz keep me posted if any EN folks plan to go.
Also, for Midwesterners come up and visit during the Great Lakes Multisport Expo at Wis State Fair Park in Mke Jan 30 and 31. Web site is www.multisportexpo.com. Great expo and proceeds benefit kids with cancer. Would love to meet you all. There is a 5k too. Check www.raccfund.org for the info on the 5k. It's part of a winter series of 5k.
Okay time to watch the Packers..for the record, I'm a bears fan but that doesn't do me much good this year. (Born in Chicago and then lived there from 87 to 200) I'm also a Brett Farve fan. I just love watching football.
Wish was doing Racine again this year, but figured it was too close to IMWI. It will be fun to see what improvements if any that the new management brings. I am planning on attending, I have family in the area and my nephew may be participating. I will be cheering on all the EN peeps!
Instead of Racine I am doing Liberty HIM in Minneapolis. It is in June and close to home. I have done the olympic course in previous years and like the hills
Well, small tiny hills compared to IMMOOOO....
Hi All,
I have signed up for the Racine 70.3. Last summer I rode the course 7x and just like the location; can't beat being able to practice on the course and still be home by Noon on a weekend.
I know it is more expensive this year and people have not liked the drafting or short swim but I am really looking forward to seeing how it changes as a 70.3. And like I said, the clincher for me was being able to train on the course. I need all the home field advantage I can get (-:
Having said that, I remember Stringcheese had some very nice comments about Door County back when Matt asked the question originally. I will do that one sometime in the future. I also would like to try the Breakwater HIM up in Petoskey Michigan in late August. Our family loves that area of Michigan and I heard the bike course was tough.
But hope I can slot in a few races with the team somewhere. I also plan to go up to Madison and ride the IM course a few times.
Regards,
Bill
Hey Pam,
Have you had experience with that company? I've never done a race with them and so far I've heard great things about High Cliff. Just curious what you are basing this on.
Also interested in High Cliff feedback. Not yet signed up. I have 3 very good friends who did it last June the same day that Hayes and I suffered in Effingham.They had only good things to say except that Lake Winnebago is big enough that it had a fair amount of chop. 2 of them have done at least 2 HIMs and 1 IM length course each year for the last 6 years so I tend to listen to their advice.
Having done Pigman, Racine, Steelhead, and Effingham(twice) HIMs in addition to IMWI x 2 I'd agree there's a lot of difference in the "personality" of races. I suspect it has a lot to do with the personality of the race director and the volunteers. Often the bigger and costlier races seem more efficient but also more impersonal. As a MOPer who is just testing out what I can do each year I'm looking for a company that is big enough to get the mechanics right but small enough to truly care about helping individual participants succeed whatever their natural ability or time for training.
John
I'm doing Doore County and Branson (not really midwest)....lots of local small races though
Galena Du
Big Foot Sprint
HyVee
Bangs Lake Du
Pleasant Prairie DU
Need another Triathlon as well in our Tri club series to qualify for points.
@Pam - I just got a reservation for Eggharbor lodge. Looking forward to my escort from Bill
Hy Vee- Awesome that is basically in my backyard a great race. I'm doing it as well.
There is another great august half near Cedar Rapids Iowa. Pigman, it is an old race that is well run. Challenging course reasonable entry free
I've fallen behind here so I apologize if I've missed the post, but when is the EN Midwest Camp - 2010 style? I vaguely remember it being tentatively scheduled in mid-July which would make Door County difficult. I'm tempted to do the Madison to Chicago run relay but it's the week before High-Cliff.
Also, wondering how many of you not racing WI this year might be interested in Race the Lake this year? It'd be fun to have an EN Team out there for a nice 90 mile race. I've never done it but a biker friend of mine said it's worth doing.
I am still debating on a half in June. In July, I plan to do the Muncie Aqua bike. It was a blast to just hammer the bike a few years back and I also decided to heed Matt's advice.
I'm also planning on the Muncie aquabike.
Camp is in July, correct?
I'm way late to this thread, not sure if anyone still following. However I was planning to do Rockman as my B race leading up to IM-Moo. HOwever it doesn't look like it's happening this year, anyone know about it? If it's axed, I may end up doing High Cliffs - my husband did it the year he did IM-Moo and said it was a really nice race. So Matt & Beth, add another Evanstonian to the mix if you're serious about carpooling or anything.
Someone else commented that Racine was too close to IMWI, really? I used it as a great training weekend, it's close to the peak so I did a monster brick the day before and then raced, was great for confidence.
How/when do we coordinate this with RnP as far as putting the IM training schedule together?