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Race Reports for Grand Rapids Triathlon - Half Iron Course

[1]
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 is an amazing race! It is well-organized, well-run, and the community support is fantastic. You'll never go wrong with a Tri4Health race.
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[2]
Reported by:
Race rating (2)
User photo
  • Organised?No
  • 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: After having run out of ice at many of the aid stations throughout the middle of the course, which happens to be the worst for sun exposure, I was unable to keep a decent pace. tehy really needed to be ahead of this. they had sent emails about how warm it was supposed to get and about hydrating well but they didn't seem to be prepared themselves. I also didn't care that transition was so much longer than last year. i am guessing they added a lot of athletes to the overall race, but they also moved the Sprint transition area away from the side to allow a better flow fro these racers. THis made sense to do but it added a lot of distance to the T area. I didn't care for that. If i had actually had a decent race I may not have been going back to this race again. As it is I may return for redemption on this course next year.
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[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?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: This is a good race. They do a nice job. I do really hate the transition area tho.
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[4]
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: Andy and Ann do a great job of putting on this race. The volunteers are top notch and everything is well organized. The only drawbacks are some of the rough roads, and that's out of their control. My team sends 20+ people to this race every year as it's our hometown race and we always have a blast.
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[5]
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: I would do this one again. It was well organized with lots of folks energized about the start of the season. Lots of work to do for me moving forward.
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[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? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: When I got back to the lake place at lake Michigan, I took a shower, drank some water, and went to bed. I got up after a couple hours and had a headache and my stomach was still uneasy. I ordered a 14" pizza and ate 3/4 of is and the headache and nausea went away. I do not think I was too dehydrated. This was my best raced by 18 minutes for a HIM, but I could have done quite a bit better. We'll see how the next one goes.
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[7]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
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 race w/ great race directors and excellent course.
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[8]
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: Great race, terrific competitors and volunteers, fast course and faster racers! Overall just a great time!
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[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: Didn't like the difficult parking situation (and walking all my shit back to the car post race 15' away!) and the long transition area but I know that can't be helped in this race. Very pretty course, nice swim. I gave post race a good because I hung out with a ton of friends, and there was decent fruit as well as pizza (I can never eat that...gut won't have it!) for recovery food. As always, this race was made a great one because I raced with so many teammates and friends. Endurance Nation teammates, Team Fraser teammates, friends from the local tri scene. It was perhaps the most social race of my career...maybe surpassing Motor City! I had a total blast. :) Rooming with Jen and Nell (we were the chatty room!), sharing a meal at Brewery Vivant and Carraba's with friends and teammates before racing...all awesome stuff. Great weekend! Wish I could have stayed race night instead of heading home to celebrate at another brewery! GR is a pretty cool town!
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[10]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
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: i did one hour better than my previous 1/2 iron event.
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[11]
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: The volunteers at this race are probably on par with the best I have ever seen at a race. There were lots of them and they were all very knowledgable about what we needed. A great race and will likely come back every year!
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[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?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Awesome Race. Amazing volunteers - thanks so much!!!!! Packet pickup was a bit of a cluster, but everything else was so organized and just amazing. Loved the area. First thought after the race was that my body (stomach/GI) obviously just can't handle this kind of event - will need to stick to shorter races. But a few hours into the drive home I was thinking about all the things I could do to make this a better race next year. What a sport - addictive! Love it!
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[13]
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:

  • Comments: This is the second year of the event and they do a lot of things real well. The only gripes were packet pickup was a fuster cluck. I've done a few big races and don't think I ever waited in so many lines or for so long. Just a poor setup that didn't make any sense at all. The swim corral area was a bit strange too but this was a minor problem. The volunteers were plentiful and did a great job. Had no issues getting my water bottles on the bike course and all the stations along the run were well staffed and stocked with plenty of water, gatorade, ice, snacks, etc. I was really impressed. The only volunteers I could rate a bit higher were the ones at Muncie on the bike course in 2008 that stood out in torrential downpours and thunderstorms. But with the bike and run GR does things right! This race just may be on my calendar to start the year like Tawas is for the end of the year.
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[14]
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: Thank You to all the volenteers. They where great after a long day.
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[15]
Reported by:
User photo
  • Organised?
  • Events on time?

  • 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: The race had a few small problems but overall it was really well run and everyone was really helpful. I would recommend this race to all levels of athletes. They also gave all the half ironman finishers a running hat, which I thought was really cool!
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[16]
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: I enjoy this race and can't thank all the people to volunteered enough.
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[17]
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? Below average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Great event. Could use some better grub, but overall great. Would highly recommend it.
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[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? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: this is a well run race at a good veune
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[19]
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: This race was extremely well done with a ton of awesome volunteers. There was some good schwag at the expo. There were plenty of aid stations manned with hard working volunteers that were very motivating. I would highly recommend this race to anyone. If I lived in the area I would do it every year.
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[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?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: The Grand Rapids Triathlon was a first year event, and they did a fantastic job. If I didn't know it was a first year event, I wouldn't have known it. It was a positive experience for me, under not-so-positive circumstances. I'm very pleased with my performance. It would have been interesting to see what I could have done if I could have run. Thanks to Ryan, Mom, and the Shaw's who came down for a spell to give a cheer and such.
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[21]
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: Loved the race... very well run, organized and fun. A+ and amazing given it was a first year event. Very pleased with my time and effort.
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[22]
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: Too easy

  • Comments: I think the race organizers did a great job for a first year event- especially one that offered a sprint, Olypmic and Half all on the same day. That takes a lot of organization, and even if there were a few snafu's (a few athletes missed some turns), overall the race was a success. I highly recommend the race, especially for those looking for alternatives to WTC races. It's important to continue to support local RDs, and they did an excellent job taking care of the athletes, having a fair and accurate course, and making sure there was enough food and water on the course for all 1000 participants in the 3 events.
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[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? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: They did a good job on this race for it being their first season. There were a few wrinkles that will need to be worked out but over all it was a well run event.
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