Pumpkin Man Half (Maine)....Whose done it?

I did P-man (ME) this year as my first HIM, traveling up from NC. Overall, it was a good experience. I really enjoyed it as a destination race, going to Bar Harbor and the White Mtns post race. 

Pros: The race is local and relatively small. It's well run and organized. I really enjoyed the run course, with it's rolling hills and multiple aid stations. The post-race Thanksgiving style dinner is unique and delicious. The area has some great little restaurants. 

Cons: Parts of the bike course are on older, very bumpy, poorly paved roads, and I did not enjoy the bike as a result. (There are also some really nice, newly saved stretches). The finisher medal is also small and kinda cheap - not a big deal, just a little disappointing. 

I also did it this year and agree that it is a pretty well-run event. The swag is cool and the location is very pretty. I struggled with the event because my group (older women) was the last wave to go out (by the time we started, the first wave was finishing the swim). The swim is a two loop course in a somewhat murky/grassy/reedy pond - pretty tight course, so lots of folks in the water the whole time. The run up from the pond to transition is tough. The bike course is a two loop lollipop...and yes, there are parts that will shake the fillings right out of your head, and other parts that are recently repaved. Every intersection had volunteers and/or police to guide traffic. The run is a short loop to the right and then two out-and-backs...the out-and-backs were challenging to me because the out was a general grind up hill with the back being a slow slope down hill.

I am solidly in the BOP, and because my group was the last to go, I was out on the course for a long, long time. When I finally got to the finish line, things had really slowed down. There were no more massages available, minimal food and generally not much hoopla which was a disappointment for me.

Rev3 has an event the last weekend of August in Old Orchard Beach (pretty close to the Pumpkinman course) which I have heard very good things about...

Good luck!

I did the Pumpkinman HIM two years ago.  It was a great race, well run, awesome volunteers, great post race food.  Kate the RD is second to none if anything comes up and you need her help for something.

The swim is a two loop course in a small pond.  I’ve heard some years there are weeds in the water at the shore, but the year I did it the water was fine.  The course gets crowded with the wave starts and the loops.  As mentioned above, there’s quite a hill from the swim to transition, in fact the hill climb is timed as a separate event with prizes and awards.

The bike course is picturesque if that matters to you.  It’s pretty straightforward and about as flat as you can get in New England with some gentle rollers.  There are definitely rough sections but there is always road repair up here so there might be some improvements year to year.  In general I found it fine and not impossible to avoid the really rough stuff.

Since the run is a two loop out and back course you are with people the whole time even though it’s a very small race.  It’s a more challenging course than you’d think based on the profile.  In general, there are lots of aid stations and lots of fun people on the course make it a great run.

One challenging part of a Sept race up here is that the weather can be unpredictable.  Though the temps are likely to be perfect, it could be either hot and humid or possibly quite cold as well.

If you’re set on Sept then I’d give this race a 100% recommendation for a go.  If you can go a bit earlier, the Rev3 HIM in OOB was awesome as well, though a completely different experience, as is Timberman a few weeks earlier.

Nice!! I am strongly considering this, it really seems like a solid event.