HIT Palm Springs

Chris,

I will be leaving from south OC if that helps.

Scott

I'm doing the Half, along with my neighbor...we are coming out from Orange County. Trying to talk another neighbor into it too! 

Who else is doing the HITS Palm Springs event?

Which distance? 

Thoughts/comments from anyone who did this last year?

I did this last year.  You can take a look at my race report if you want.

I do recommend getting the neoprene cap and maybe the booties for the swim as the lake is cold.  Also I remember reading somewhere that they may have changed the course from last year so you may want to double check that.  But last year's course was flat and fast, there were some rough spots on the roads coming and going from the lake and some of the corners were sandy due to high winds the day before.

I lucked out and had little to no wind the day of the race but you should probably plan on having some winds just because its Palm Springs. 

Also don't stay in PS or at least be careful where you stay.  I suggest as close to the venue as possible.  Palm Springs usually have their holiday parade thing going on right about then so traffic that weekend can be horrible with closed streets and a billion people walking around.

Thanks Panda_Jack! Just read your report...so, was the water cold?  Thanks for the tip on that one!

It looks like the bike course was changed....you recall it being fairly flat, the map on the HITS website has a link to a "mapmytri.com" site where it shows one long, 5 mile hill that you climb...then do a turn-around and come screaming down it! Says about 1,700 feet of total elev gain with nearly all of it on that 5 mile section. The rest of it looks pretty flat, perhaps some mild rollers.

You are exactly right about NOT staying in Palm Springs proper....it's not close at all! Palm Desert and Laguna Dunes are fine, La Quinta is ideal. I just booked my room at the La Quinta Resort and Spa, the host hotel. I've stayed there many times and love it...part of the reason I was able to convince my wife on this one!

Not doing it this year?

Thanks again for the info!

Not this year.  After transitioning directly into running season last year after HITS, I'm feeling a little burned out and plan on taking a 6 month break to focus on body recomp and drop some body fat and then get ready for IMAZ 2013.

I had originally planned to stay with a friend of a friend but that night one of her relatives had gone to the hospital so the family was staying with her so I had to get a hotel at the last minute and ended up about 30 minutes from the race site.

If there are any military members doing this race DO NOT use the link from the HIT Palm Springs Website.  I went directly to the website and booked a room for 92.00.  Originally the HIT discount was 132.00 per room

I did the olympic last year.

IIRC the surface water temp they reported was around 58, but it felt much colder a few feet down.  Bike course was pancake flat but it was terribly windy last year. The bike was basically an out and back so the way out I was cruising at 23+mph but struggled to maintain 13mph on the way back in.  Run is a little hilly getting out of transition and around the lake but mostly flat.

70 deg as of today, per one of fishing websites.  Drove thru PS today and it was 78-80 degs outside.  Lets hope it continues.

Yes please Brent, that would be an awesome water temp instead of the 55 degrees it was last year. Also, a little less wind wold be nice, but I will take nice weather over the wind

I m racing with you!!  going down for some R&R and racing.  I love the competing part.  I have a full plate for 2013 with Oceanside, Wildflower, Vineman and IM AZ.   So this race is all for fun! 

I am not doing both only the sprint, Spjon25 is doing both.  I believe he is doing the open with a family member.  I dont think they frown at that at all.  I think HITS is doing their best to make triathlon a fun but also a family oriented sport.