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Race Details Ratings 18 Reports 19

Race Reports for Great Illini Challenge - Half Iron Triathlon

[1]
Reported by:
Race rating (2)
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: The heat killed this race for me. My first DNF ever. There was just no way I could do another 6.2 of that run. I was never so glad to turn in my chip in my life.
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[2]
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 really liked this race. The location and the course. I like smaller, out of the way races. I would really like this to be a fall race. Maybe late september. that would be great. Most likely, I will be back again next year.
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[3]
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?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: A HUGE thank you to the volunteers - they were out there in the heat with us, and some had no where to hide from the sun. They were AWESOME! On the other hand, I have a LOT of reservations about doing this race ever again unless the date is moved. The swim should never have been wetsuit legal. The bottle exchange stations were placed at ridiculous spots, and I think the run should have been cancelled once the PAVEMENT STARTED MELTING.
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[4]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
User photo
  • Organised?No
  • Events on time?Yes

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

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

  • Comments: They really should have made sure the aid stations were completely stocked. It hurt a lot of people.
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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? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: This race was just right for my first HIM attempt: close enough to home, well organized, not too crowded, flat and fast course if a little boring, especially the run. I am a a little concerned with the apparent drop in turnout of 109 versus 195 in 2009 and 181+ in 2008; hopefully the promoters are not discouraged from running this event again next year.
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[6]
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: Nice, small race. Not very fancy, but well run. Super friendly volunteers, families and racers. I agree with other reports: this is definitely about the athletic endeavor, not about the goody bag/sponsor/post-race party. I would do this again next year.
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[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: Good race support and excellent volunteers. Cool shirt, but I would have loved some other way (trinket) to remember the race (they didn't use race numbers). I will be back. The race was about the atheletic endeavor not the "event". Again, the Great Illini was nothing fancy, but the volunteers and supporters were excellent. The race had more of a family feel, with most people offering support and encouragement to each other.
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[8]
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? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: I really liked the race and the courses. If it was really hot this course could be a bear as there is simply no shade to be had on the bike or run. But it's flat and fast. I'd go back and do it again next year but Ironman Louisville will be on my agenda. Perhaps the following year.
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[9]
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: Volunteers and race spectators were awesome the whole race. Race was organized (except for the extra buoy on the course with pulled many off course and the bottle exchanges), but post race activies/food sucked. Had to hunt around for any water. Pizza was available, but gone in minutes so really no foot whatsoever after race. You would think since most did the half race there would be food, bananas, etc afterward. Nice thing was they had trophies for all races, all age groups. That was kind of cool. Goodie bag t-shirt was cotton (uugghh), should've been technical
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[10]
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 actually really enjoyed this race. I think I may do better mentally with smaller races rather than the big fanfare with a cast of thousands. I'll definitely be back to Mattoon to race again.
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[11]
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? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Lots of things they could have done different for this race................too many to list. Just average for a Half Ironman - but my experience is limited only to this race. Have been to sprints that are FAR more organized though. Volunteers were plenty on the bike and run course - aid stations were plenty on run course also. Shirts and finisher plaques are just ok - no date? WTF?
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[12]
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: Good race on fast course. Race director did a good job rolling with the changes. The 1/2 turnarounds on the bike and run were a little confusing. The run course is pretty rough, but doable.
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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? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Course does have a couple of rough roads on the bike. Alot of the volunteers on the run were school kids who could care less about being there.
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[14]
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: Good race. Very well organized. Nice people/volunteers. Not the most interesting run course but heck, I wasn't there for the scenery.
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[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?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Good race. WEll organized. The roads suck but that's not the fault of the organizers. The heat sucked, but again, not the fault of the organizers. Overall lots of fun. My goal was a sub-6 and I made it by 1.45 seconds!!!
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[16]
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: This was my first race of the year and my first half ever. I thought this was a great race for my first half. I didn't have a lot of expectations going into this race because It was a warm up for IMFL. I liked the course for a 1/2 but would not want to do it for a full. I thought the could have used more bike racks and need more than one porta-potties on the bike route. I think I'll do this one again next year. It's a good race for the money and pretty well organized.
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[17]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

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

  • Post race activities? Below average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Too hard

  • Comments: Nice race, very laid back. Everyone seemed to be very supportive.
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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: Very well directed race. Probably could have added a porto-potty on the course. Had to duck into bramble bushes on the run.
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