Subject: RE: Musselman Half-Iron Triathlon : Official ThreadI did the race last year and it was my first time (and my first HIM for that matter). Swim isn't so bad. You can walk out ~50ish yards so it 'saves' you a bit on the swim leg. The only issue on the swim is the sun coming up over the tree line makes it hard to see the bouys. And the lake was fairly choppy last year - I heard from folks that the lake is usually calm. oh well. The bike has a few hills - one or two are pretty tough - but overall a good course. Aid stations at useful locations. The run is interesting. As you leave T2 you run along the lake for 2ish miles. No shade. Then the hills start. The first hill is up somebody's backyard...kinda weird, but there are stairs too. If I recall correctly, it's generally uphill to about mile 8. The last major hill is a rocky gravel road (used for tractors) alongside a corn field. Not an easy run. There is a band 1/2 way up which is nice and there is an aid station at the top. Once you climb that hill, then it's generally down hill. And the last 2ish miles are alongside the lake with no shade. Last year it was really hot (high 90s) and sunny. A lot of folks suffered with the high heat. Hopefully this year, it won't be as hot. It's a great race, the organisation is great, and the volunteers are fantastic. |