Muncie Endurathon

I'LL BE THERE AGAIN TOO.....HOPEFULLY WITH TWO GOOD TIRES!

I think this will be the 30th anniversary...longest running half in the country.

x2

It was my first HIM too.  I thought it was a great well run race.  The only negative was there was some rough roads coming back on the bike for the last 4 miles or so, but being from Michigan I didn't consider them that bad   Otherwise the bike course is outstanding with closed roads and plenty of room.  The swim wasn't wetsuit legal but that helped me more then hurt me.  I liked the out and back run course, thou as mentioned there are rollers, so it's not flat by any means and the finish is at the top of a hill.  All the aid stations were great and well stocked, thou some of the aid stations on the run only had one flavor of gel, and of course when I was looking for a gel all they had was banana, YUCK!  But it was only another mile to the next aid station so no big deal.

Last year it stormed and rained pretty hard for the bike, then the sun came out on the run making it a humid soupy mess, so temps can get a little warm.

The reservoir is out of town about 20 minutes from most of the hotels which are on the NW side of town, and the reservoir is SE of town.  Make sure you know the route to get out there on race morning.

 I really enjoyed Muncie and wish I could go back in 2009!

Muncie was my first HIM last year.  It started with lightning during the swim, poured down rain for most of the bike, the last six or seven miles of the bike course were awful roads (especially compared to the first 50), and the sun came out for the run.  What a blast!

 It's pretty well put together, and well supported.  The only changes I'd make would be to do the bike course the other way around (get the bad roads out of the way early) and not use plastic straps for timing chips (lost mine during the run because the strap broke during T1).

 I'm definitely planning on doing it again this year!

The rough roads at the end helped slow me down a bit coming in to T2 and my legs felt great and ready to go for the run.  My bike computer crapped out due to the rain and I really didn't know how much further I had to reach the end of the bike and the few folks I'd ask when passing didn't seem to know either, or didn't feel like chatting.  I blew the time away I thought I'd ride so I was further ahead then I knew. 

I found it to be a huge benefit and was glad I heard about the last few miles being rough from the RD in the pre race meeting.

My recollection is that the bike is quite flat, and the run just has some gentle little rollers.  It seemed to me the bike might be just very slight downhill on the way out, and very slightly uphill on the way back.  Or, maybe I was just getting tired ;-)

 I don't recall there being much shade on the run, so a hot day can make this a tough event.

The ride is pretty much flat with some real gentle grades and out in the open once you emerge from the rail trail in the first few miles.  The road is closed to traffic and in great shape.  Just the last few miles are a little bumpy (kinda like Michigan roads)

The run was hillier then I expected, but nothing that will kick your arse.  There is some shade along the run but once that sun came out in 2008 after all the rain it got hot quick.  Sun or shade didn't matter as it was a humid soupy mid July mess.  Oh yea the finish is at the top of a hill so it has you screaming at the end a bit.

Well run race on a very fair course (by this I mean not really hard), great closed course on the bike....

I've done it three times and just signed up for number 4!

Paul 

I am all signed up and ready to go!

Is anyone following the 20 week beginner half ironman plan on here?  What is everyone's plan for training?  This is my first HIM and someon in my club said that Muncie is too close to train for - but I think that 20 weeks with my base is fine.  I am also very stubborn. 

 see you all in just over 20 weeks!