Races

Back to all races
Race Details Ratings 43 Reports 44

Race Reports for Ironman 70.3 Calgary

[1]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: This race is very well organized; officials, volunteers, locals, etc.are almost uniformly friendly,enthusiastic, and helpful. My only real complaint is the swim course--the change to a two-lap course and making all the women start after all the men. I really didn't feel like I was swimming, just trying to punch/slither my way through an endless stream of bodies. Like salmon spawning or something. Several other women made the same comment, and we let the RD know our displeasure with this. I think they should go back to the one-lap course, and use self-seeded wave starts. The new bike course was probably faster and seemed at least as challenging as the previous one. Not quite as scenic, and returning into a strong headwind plus a net uphill was physically and mentally tough. Roads were very rough in sections and there were LOTS of mechanicals. If doing this course, bring study tubes and tires. Disc wheels might be a bad idea for lighter riders due to strong crosswinds, both natural ones
read full report
[2]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: this is an ok race. a few thing missing from a normal Ironman event.
read full report
[3]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: If I had to summarize this race in one word, it would be HARD! The swim is okay (though crowded), and the run is pleasant and of average difficulty, but it is one humdinger of a bike course. The scenery on the bike course is beautiful, with inspiring views of the Rockies, but the so-called "rolling" course consists of a seemingly endless series of pretty substantial hills on the way out, into a strong headwind. Coming back is much faster owing to a net descent and (sometimes) tailwinds. But it's a point to point course with a large net elevation gain (over 3600 feet). It's not the best place to go after one's best bike split, which for some reason I'd decided to do! Racing on a narrow shoulder with traffic, sometimes heavy, just a foot or so away, particularly with the rumble strip, was also really nerve-wracking. I'd recommend that anyone thinking of doing this race have a good comfort level with riding hilly courses in traffic. Despite the difficulties (and the fact that I actually
read full report
[4]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?No

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: The weather was great- partly cloudy about 65* and little wind. Great Volunteers!! Kudos to all of them! I have been to Boise and CDA events and this one seemed a bit bare bones for expo/festivities and such - but it is the only non-profit so it is somewhat understandable. Being my first 70.3 it would have been nice to have a backdrop to take some finish photos similar to what was available in Boise in past years. Could have been more "Bikes on Road" or "Race in Progress" signs on the first half of bike course near the big series of hills as it was busy with traffic and may have assisted with their speed. Overall - My main goal was to finish within the cut-off times. I did - I had a spectacular bike - surprising swim and so so run/walk. Overall - I am happy with my first 70.3.
read full report
[5]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: This was a very good course of beginners in the 70.3 distance. Well run, very scenic, not too technical in any aspect. Bit of a mess with the 2015 swim, but I'm sure it will most definitely be resolved in future races.
read full report
[6]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Transition times are unavailable but I do know that they're slow... Unaware of actual amount or racers, started with over 900
read full report
[7]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: This was a miracle that they even pulled this one off. With the flooding this year the swim/bike portions of the race were totally re-organized in the month leading up to it... and it was amazing! I will continue to do this race year after year.
read full report
[8]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: A big thanks to the course organizers for pulling this one off on short notice after the flood devastation. The volunteers went the extra mile for everyone, and I felt really well taken care of. My only suggestion for improvement would be to see if there is a way to set the road signs off the shoulder - they would need to be levelled differently on the grassy outer shoulder, but I think it would improve course safety. Thanks also to the residents around MacKenzie Lake who let us race and use the lake for a day in the pre-race week.
read full report
[9]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Volunteers are fantastic. This was a really fun race. The lake is cold, but water is clean, and there was very little chop in the morning. Bike course is gorgeous, if a rough in sections. Run is also gorgeous. It was interesting doing a point to point. They had the logistics down, but it was a bit weird to not have all your stuff in one place. Makes for some anxiety as you are used to having all in one spot and that helps you make sure you have not forgotten anything!
read full report
[10]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?No

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: This race was fantastic. They really stepped it up with the bouncy castle and the food trucks for the spectators. The volunteers on this course kept me going, literally. The atmosphere they created was amazing. I will definitely be back!
read full report
[11]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?No

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: As stated above, good training race for IMC. I will do this again.
read full report
[12]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Met and exceeded all my goal times for this race swim - 50 min Bike - 3:15 Run - 2 Very happy with performance. Great race in a beautiful setting Gender Rank - out of 478 racers swim - 294 Bike - 254 Run - 210
read full report
[13]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: The organization staff and volunteers,RCMP etc were absolutely fantastic. Every one was amazingly supportive and went above and beyond to make the athletes progress as easy as possible. The whole course is amazingly beautiful and very challenging - which was great!!! I recommend the Calgary 70.3 Ironman to everyone - newbie to pro - you will not be disappointed!! I loved every minute of it - even the pain!!! So proud, happy, ecstatic of my performance. My transition from 48 yr old overweight unfit couch potato to HIM finisher is complete. I kow believe that I definitely deserved to be there at that start line and can't wait for next year!!!!!!!!! AWESOME - BRING IT ON!!!!LOL
read full report
[14]
Reported by:
User photo
  • Organised?
  • Events on time?

  • Lots of volunteers to help?
  • Plenty of drink stations?

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: great volunteers, amazing cops at the intesections, one literally walked over to an anxious driver and took the keys out of his ignition so he wouldn't try and squeeze through a gap (right infront of me) which i appreciated so much. better water stations on the bike would have been nice (both bottles i received were pre opened and without a cap) luckily i didn't need them for my bike. bus fiasco back to the westin was a little troublesome, but it worked out couldn't be happier!!
read full report
[15]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Hands down the best thing at this event were the volunteers. They always appeared to be there when you needed them most. Big thanks to all of them. I will definitely remember my first 70.3. I entered for this event 9 months ago to get back into shape after injuring my back a few years ago. At the time I was unable to swim 25m, I had never biked 90kms, and it was over 10 years since my last competitive running event. There were times I was unsure whether I'd make it, even on the day I was definitely nervous starting the swim. I found the day hard, definitely amongst the most phsically and mentally taxing events I have ever done. But I did have time in the day to smile, and can't wait until the next time!
read full report
[16]
Reported by:
User photo
  • Organised?
  • Events on time?

  • Lots of volunteers to help?
  • Plenty of drink stations?

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability:

  • Comments: They fixed some things from last years race, but still room for improvement.
read full report
[17]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: I loved the race. It was pretty plain but I the frills are not why I choose a race. This race had an excellent swim venue, bike course, and run course. You were treated to some great scenery for all three legs of the race. The volunteers were awesome! Cool and unique belt buckle for a finisher medal. The only thing I would change would be to have more port o pottys set up than just 1 at each aid station on the bike and T2.
read full report
[18]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: loved this race, the view was so nice on bike and run. Forced myself to look at it at regular intervals and not be just focused on road. loved the newbie category. I would have been overrun by the next wave if I had to start in my age group, and that alone would have screwed the race for me. As it was, it was the most calm swim for a triathlon that I have ever done.
read full report
[19]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?

  • Post race activities? Below average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: very well organized race. It's a 70.3 so well done of course. Loads of volunteers. But shwag is very lacking. Won't be back next year, as Ironman is calling.
read full report
[20]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Below average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Dissapointed with food tent. Powerbar was a major sponsor and they were great to provide gel, but more and more people are pushing on the "post activity" meal as being critical. Where were the PowerBar protein recovery bars? Fruit? Chocolate Milk? Anything? I had a bag of chips and a sub. That was a very strange post race offering. I would have liked some more freebies in the race package. Prefer tech shirt to a cotton T-shirt. Overall- entry fees were (relatively) high, race was well run and there was not a lot of extra stuff beyond the race itself added on. Volunteers were great and everything was well organized.
read full report
[21]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Good race overall...my only complaint would be that weird T1 thing. Well maybe the weather but they can't do anything about that...just have to take what the day gives you.
read full report
[22]
Reported by:
Race rating (2)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?No

  • Post race activities? Bad
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: I really didn't like this race and won't likely do it again. Not enough aid stations made this a long outing. Announcer at the finish line was referring to people as "Ironman" as they crossed the finish line. I know there is a debate about whether people who finish a 70.3 race should be called an Ironman or not, but this annoys me. For me and most people who have finished a 140.6 Triathlon this is an easy distinction. When you complete an 140.6 Triathlon, including races that are not of the "Ironman" brand, then you are an Ironman and not before. Of course I am easily annoyed when I am hungry. All the volunteers and Police were fantastic and very supportive. Can't say enough how great they were!!!
read full report
[23]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Below average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Race itself is no frills (I don't eat the carb dinners or any of that stuff anyway). Some draws and more samples/swag would be nice but whatever. The bike course was safe with lots of signs and cops, there were TONS of awesome volounteers and that's what matters most to me. I found all the pre-race logistics a pain in the butt. Driving to the hotel to get package/expo, then driving the bike all the way out to ghost lake, driving back, driving to the casino race morning, bus out to ghost lake, etc. Also the wind makes year to year comparisons difficult, more so than a out and back/loop course.
read full report
[24]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?No

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: This race was very well organized and the volunteer and spectators were amazing. If you are into the expo this one is OK..Ironman 70.3 merchandise for sale. Finishers medal was not a medal but a belt buckle. Cool 'cause it's Calgary and it just fits. My only issue was I like Coke at the aid stations on the run and it was only offered to me twice. I am not sure if I took so long they ran out or what. I would like more aid stations on the run and Coke......sugar please ;)
read full report
[25]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: This was a good race, well organized, beautiful course, lots of volunteers and tons of spectators. Lots of money though too!
read full report
Show Per page
 
 
of 2