SOMA

Well, I got kicked out of it before it started last year. I'm hoping this year will be a tad bit better  

tip: If they halve the bike course, try not to ask nicely if you'll receive a partial refund. They just might boot you from the race 5 minutes before posting that they extended the course just to teach you a lesson.  haha!

I've heard that they have a new owner, but still have the old owner running the race. 

I like the race, and I think that Red Rocks does a good job with it.  For an amateur like myself, it has a big and important feel to it, and I feel like I am part of a 'major' event.

I am in for the half this year.

I was beyond disappointed in SOMA last year from the event end of things.  It was good to see Jen doing the 1/2 bike while signedup for the 1/4 and seeing Josh and Tanya do thier first 70.3.  However, Like Chris I was ridiculed when e-mailing the race director about the many changes to the bike leg and the final, final (before the actual extended final) had the race down to sprint levels.  Instead of sharing the difficulty that they were having with Tempe and the light-rail - they basically made me feel as if it was my fault for signing up for the race.

On the run is was one loop of TTL with a very odd out and back to the 202 stuck in there.  Weather was freaky hot that day (blame the cosmos!) and it turned into a tough one for alot of folks.

That said - I am out of SOMA.  As I stated earlier, with the exception of IMAZ - I am of the opinion that Tempe is creating situations for race directors on Bike legs that take the fun out their races by having odd and often short multiple loops.  Not that Tempe donates the time and road rights and officers to the race - they make sure to charge a pretty penney for a tarnished location!  I am going to stick with the exotic race locations (Like Anthem, Glendale, AJ, Flagstaff, etc.) until rumor among participants shows that Tempe is back to trying to embrace the sport.

Still on the fence about SOMA!!  Training is finally getting consistent, so I'm leaning towards registering and doing the 1/4.  Would love to do the 1/2, but just don't have the fitness.  Plan is to [hopefully] do the 1/4, then switch gears to preparing for the RnR Marathon and maintenance/aerobic base building. 

Next year, then, follow the marathon up with getting ready for an early season 1/2 (thinking about Oceanside 70.3), some tune up races through the summer and IMAZ in November!!  And, hopefully, maybe, if the lottery gods are good (or bad depending on how you look at it) to me Kona in October.

I am in for the 1/4. I have only done sprints thus far and I am excited to see how it goes doing a little longer distance. It should be exciting. I don't really mind all the crazy corners on the Tempe bike courses. The seem to work to my advantage. Everyone seemed to be overly cautious on the corners yesterday and I was able to make up some serious time there.

I am in for the quarter and I can't wait. I've been counting down the days. This will be my first race in over a year and a half. 

I am all registered.  I am in it for sure now.  I have allot of work to do, but it should be fun.  I can't complain about the course since I have never done it.  Maybe after I complete the course I will gripe, but not until then. 

Anyway, I am a definite now!  See you in the training logs!

The only thing left for you to do is post pictures from Nathans.