RACE NAME/DATE: Oceanside 1/2IM / March 27, 2007
FINISH TIME: 4:40:47
FINISH PLACE O/A AND A/G: 134 overall / 24th M35-39
On Saturday, March 27th I had the honor to line up and race alongside a very competitive field on a very fair course in Oceanside, California. Let me say, for anyone looking at an early season test then this is a great destination race for you to attend.
The athlete registration is very well managed and the expo is really nicely done. Both of these venues occur right next to each adjacent to the Oceanside pier and pretty much right on the beach. The water this year is a bit cool but the sun and sand cannot be beat. There is a number of places to eat and the hotel options are endless. You can also get a very nice condo at a reasonable rate at this race. If you are bringing family or friends they will not be bored – fantastic location and pre-race events.
Race morning I arrived at transition early as everyone has to ride/walk about 1mile into transition from parking (something to consider when choosing accommodations). I saw/hear Greg Welch doing the early morning taping/announcing which was really cool. Transition and bodymarking are very well set-up and smooth although there is a lack of the available toilets to use which was really the only negative of the race. The swim goes off in waves and the water is pretty cold (this year 59degrees) but you warm up quickly. This swim was pretty rough and I swam in wave8 or around 16 – just lots of people so it really seems like a full IM swim.
The bike course is really something else as it goes through Camp Pendleton which is a Marine base – they open up the base for the race so there is no pre-riding/previewing of the course. Anyhow, the aid stations were very well placed and the course is very fair with the first 23miles being flat except for a few climbs on some rollers. Miles 23-42 are slow and fast as you climb/descend some very good hills and then it’s a fast route into transition. Again, the support from the base and the Marines was awesome – the race marshalling was very well done – and the course overall was just a blast.
The run course is said to be flat but it really isn’t. There is a very small hill out of transition then you hit a downhill to flat section as you go along the beach – this gets crowded. Around mile 1.5 you do a very short, steep pitch and then you run on a shallow pitch up some rollers until the turnaround at mile 3.3 or so – then you just backtrack to transition and do it again. The run is super well supported with aid stations at every mile and lots of crowd support throughout all portions.
Upon arrival at the finish you have the massage tents and some food/entertainment. Getting your bike out of transition is a breeze. This race is really great – unbelievably well run and super fair for all of the sports. You cannot go wrong at Oceanside 70.3!!