Race Coverage

Finding Silver Linings...

Friday, 04 September 2015 00:10

By Amy Bauch (amysrunningaround.blogspot.com)

Superior Man 41.5 RaceReport - My 2015 “local” triathlon outdoor season ended last Sunday after I crossed the finish line of SuperiorMan‘s “short” course in Duluth.   It was a fun day in a fun town.

The race initially intrigued me because of the swim start.  Racers are loaded on to a Vista Fleet ferry boat and taken out on to Lake Superior and get to jump off the boat in to the lake.  How fun is that?

I did the long course in 2013.  It was the hottest day of the year in Duluth – heat index was well in to the 100s along with some pretty heavy humidity.   Very unexpected for this time of year upnord der.   
 
I have long thought about doing the Escape from Alcatraz race, which also has a “jump off the boat” swim start.  There are just a few other things about that race that keeps me away (sharks, currents, cold temperatures and a lot of  hills to name a few).

SuperiorMan offers the same cool start without worrying about Jaws.  It does have its fair share of currents, cold water and hills, though.    

I had planned to race the long course again this year, but when Ironman Arizona 70.3 opened up, I made it my “A” race for the season.   (And, truth be told, my pretty lazy training season left me not really ready to pull a ½ out of my legs yet.   Fortunately, I have six weeks to get them ready for Tempe)....

I pulled back to the short course in early August, which consists of a 0.5 mile swim; 35.4 mile bike and 5.6 mile run.  

I’m not really sure why everyone calls the 41.5 mile race “short”.  It is longer than an Oly  but I guess in comparison to the event’s original 70.3 mile event (now known as the long course or ½ iron distance), I guess it is “short”. READ MORE