Galveston Half Iron Man

I signed up on New Year's eve last year and there was plenty of room. Although, I'll be signing up earlier this year as I'm sure A LOT of Texans will be using this race as a long training day for the inaugural Ironman Texas which is being held in May. Just an FYI!

It didn't sell out last year.  I plan on signing up before the end of the year to avoid the price increase.

It might be more popular this year because it's a good tune up for IMTX.  Although some people seem to be scared of doing a HIM six weeks prior to an IM.  Not sure why though.  If you can't finish a HIM six weeks before an IM, you have no business doing an IM. 

It's more about the recovery it takes to recover from a HIM and lost training. Up to the person to decide if they get more benefit from racing or another solid week of training 6 weeks out.

What is this recovery thing you speak of?  I did the Syracuse 70.3 on a Sunday and did a 100 mile bike ride the following Thursday because I'm training for IMFL.  Smart?  Probably not.  HTFU?  Yep! 

Talking about the smart thing. I would do a HIM 6 weeks before, but that's me!

I'm pretty much doing it now with Syracuse 70.3 on 9/19 and IMFL on 11/06 (7 weeks) and will do it for Texas 70.3 and IMTX.  Everyone will be fine if they treat the 70.3 as a really good training day and not their "A" race with max effort.  Then the recovery would be an issue.

Has anyone done this Half before?  What was the experience like? I have only done sprints and was looking for a Half Ironman to do and April would be a good time for me. Thanks in advance for any responses!

I loved it! It was my first 70.3. It's early in the season, so there's a lot of winter training and little opportunity for a "tune-up" race before it, but it is a well-organized, well-supported race. The bike course is gloriously flat... windy, but flat and the run is a flat, three-loop course that has an aid station at every mile. Swim is in a protected bayou, so there's no rough water/ waves, etc. I'll be back again this year.

I heard the swim was cancelled one year... not sure if it's true.

Is there any way to tell how full it is?  I dont want to miss it, but I also want a little more time to think it through and feel certain I can do it. 

That's not remotely accurate.  The olympic swim had to be cancelled because of the rough water this year. We were lucky at the 70.3 that it wasn't that bad.  It was still real choppy. 

The hardest step is signing up - sign up and you will do it! 

Another question to anyone: I assume 2011 will race on Sunday as did the 2010 race.  But when you go to register, the register website has the dates listed April 9th 7am to April 10 7am. Why 7am on Sunday??  

So, will this one most likely race on Sunday as well?  The reason I ask is check was on Friday for 2010 and my wife and I would need to make sure we take that day off as well.  But if it's racing Saturday check in might be the Thursday before.

Thanks!

The sprint race is on Saturday.  The 70.3 is on Sunday.  Check-in will be Friday or Saturday.  Bike check-in on Saturday.

Thanks!

Lonestar HIM is also on my tenative calendar as a check-up/training day for IMTX. I'm planning on signing up before the end of the year. Recovering from surgery right now so it is hard to commit to anything else until I can start running again. Keith always puts on a great race.

I'm signing up for this tomorrow.  This will be my first HIM!  Looking forward to it!

I signed up a couple weeks ago... and my mouse hovered over the SUBMIT button for a good minute or two before I finally clicked it.

I'm using the free BT HIM plan and so far, so good.

-Joel

I signed up exactly 5 days after my 1st half - Iron Star - and after swearing on FB, here and quite loudly to all of my buddies that I will NEVER do another one!! It literally took FIVE days to go back on my word.

So looking forward to Galveston!!

I signed up yesterday!  There was an error with my debit card so I had to call the customer service number and redo the whole thing over the phone with the lady that helped me!  BUT, we got it done and now back to training!

So looking forward to it!

Im in....

Jb

Looking forward to this event. Kind of a bummer that Schlitterbahn only has the indoor portion open at that time. My wife decided that she'll stay home with the fam this year since the outdoor portion won't be open...so I'll be solo for the weekend.

This will be my third HIM after doing Ironstar in Nov 2009 and PrairieMan this past September. The Lonestar Sprint was my first Sprint tri back in April 2009, and I registered for the Olympic last year but it ended up just being a DU because of the choppy water. I'm looking forward to a nice "trial run" in preparation for IM-TX. THe Galveston bike course is nice and flat--but can be plenty windy--and the run course has plenty of spectator support and variety for mental checkpoints. Hope the weather works out this year. The power to the hotel actually went out at 3AM last year the night before the Sprint and Olympic because of the 70 wind gusts.

I'm planning on doing this race, and will hopefully sign up before the price goes up in January.