Somersault Iron 113?

Dave,

I'm shopping for my 2nd 1/2 actually - Steelhead is going to be my mid-summer race.  I'm thinking Ottawa might be a fun end-of-season race... (I did the 1/2 marathon there a couple years ago and it was a wonderful flat fast course!)  I actually read the review on slowtwitch so I figured I'd look for more opinions.  (I've done 3 Somersault branded races in the past ... they were excellent events - but I've never done the Ottawa one.  Carleton Place and Smiths Falls Sprint distances.)

I don't want to do Muskoka or Peterborough just because of the hills... I'm lazy and I admit it. *laughing*

Hi Steph. I did the 1/2 Aquabike as a warmup for Muskoka. Like all Somersault events they are all inclusive. You'll find the swim pretty flat ( joke there) as well as the bike. Wew got cross inds but the course is quite flat and fast. The run doesn't have anything that one would call a hill either.

 Transition was large and roomy. I had fun as well. And just as a comparrison.I am a back of the packer. In the canadian my bike was 3:01 and Muskoka it was 3:45.

Hello Stef!

Like Robba, the 113 Iron SwimCycle served me very well as a warmup for Muskoka this year.  A very well organized race with a fast and flat course.  I would really like to race this one again in 2009 but will have to pass since there's only one week separating Ottawa and Muskoka this time around.

Ottawa is a great choice.  Go for it! 

I've done the Ottawa 113 for the past two years and I can't say enough good things about it. Though the event itself is small in comparison to the official 70.3 races, the professionalism of the event is top notch. Definitely one of the best run events I've ever been at.

It's a beautiful course right along the canal. The crowd support at the bike turnaround point, on the on the run are fantastic and the run into Terry Fox statium is awesome. I can't say enough good things about the event. Go for it!

I've raced the course many times (and it is part of my regular training grounds as well).  As others have said it is fairly flat, but there can be moderate crosswinds at times - usually nothing to worry about at all.  The scenery along the race course is fantastic as it is right beside the Rideau Canal.  Somersault puts on great races and there is nothing but good to say about the support.  There don't tend to be a lot of supporters out on the course (I was one of the few last year), but the finish is in an outdoor stadium, so the finish line support is 100%.  The only drawback I find with Somersault events is that there are multiple events on the course at the same time (full iron, sprint, and possibly running races but I'm not sure if they do runs at "The Canadian".  I find this gives me less of a "competitive" feeling on the course, but I don't know if others find the same.

I trained to do the 113 last year but was sidelined by an injury.  I plan to race it in 2009 if all goes well.

D

Hi Stef

I did the Canadian 113 in 2007 as my first half.  The swim was great, although the water was pretty yucky by the time my wave started, there was a nice current to help you along.  The run from the beach to transition is long.  The bike was 6 X out and back along the canal... about as flat of a bike as you'll find I'd think but by the 6th time I was pretty tired of the scenery.  The run was 2 X out and back along the same side of the canal as the bike so the same scenery again.  The year I did it they mismeasured the run so we were 1.2 km short.  The run is also pancake flat which caused me some cramping issues. 
I don't think I would do the race again, although I am there every May for the marathon weekend usually doing the half.  Like you I love the city and any excuse to visit.

This year 2008 I did the Muskoka 70.3..... although the course kicked my butt I loved this race.  The event set up (athlete's banquet, expo and the race day itself) was awesome.  I'm signed up for this race again in 2009.

If you don't mind repeating loops on the bike and run, and are looking for a flat course,  go for it at Ottawa.  If you want an awesome race weekend and a challenging course with unbelievable crowd support go for Muskoka (as of today there are still spots available I believe).

Cathy