KANSAS 50 AND SPRINT

Very excited to do this race. This will be my second race of the season since May (since Shawnee Mission had to be canceled) and I'm itchin' to compete. I thought I'd do the 50 but my training volume has limited me to the sprint.

Sounds like this should be a really well run race, lets hope this becomes an regular competition every year.

Pretty sure I'll be doing the 50. I need to sign up.

I'm hoping to do the 50 also. KC Tri and KS 70.3 were top notch events. Look forward to supporting these guys in the races they put on.

Besides, I really need something to get me out of the lull I've been in since the 1/2 IM. =)

I'm doing the 50. It's my birthday present to myself. It sounds like it's gonna be a really fun race, and I have a feeling it will be very well organized.

I received a response back from the race organizers about the park usage fee. Normally, users of the state park have to pay a few dollars to enter the park at certain entrances. However, Ultramax said that any spectators and racers that show up between 5-8 on race morning will not be charged a fee, they are picking up the tab.

Very cool of them. The first time I went to checked out the lake and course venue I was sans cash or debit card and had to make the long trip back home to get some money.

That's good news that they will be coving the park usage fee!

Don't know if anyone else noticed, but the two bike course maps on the race website are marked in opposite directions. The interactive bike course has numbers indicating counter-clockwise loops, but the other map showed clockwise. And the text description didn't clarify. I emailed the RD and got a response back from somebody who said it was clockwise loops. I wanted to post this, just in case anyone is planning on riding the course before the race... and also because we're supposed to know the course! Don't want anyone missing any turns or anything!

Just to add to the bike course confusion...at the northwest corner of the loop the north/south section (Columbia Rd) is gravel.  If you want to stay on asphalt you've gotta stay on Old Kansas City Rd to the NW if looping CCW or go about a half mile further east on 223rd before heading south if looping CW.

Also, the Octomax route is now described as an out and back on the first 9 miles of the long course, which would indicate a CCW loop on the course map.

I expect the route to end up close to 44 miles so I'm calling it the Kansas 55.  I'm not too worried, they'll straighten it out before the start and it will be marked well enough to stay on course, just throwing it out there as another heads up.

I meant the North EAST corner of the loop and KC road to the NE.  Apparently I don't know east from west so take any route advice from me with a grain of salt;-)

Just registered for the 50!

I am very much looking forward to this event, mainly because it will be my first tri.  I am doing the sprint distance, and was going to drive the bike course today, so is it a CW or CCW out and back for the sprint?

any one see any thing for the packet pick up? or could i just not find it?

They just had an email sent out regarding packet pick-up along with other details. Packet pick-up is on race morning only starting at 5:00 am.

The impression I got was that there will be one aid station on the bike (not sure where exactly) but that you'll hit it twice, since it's on the loop.

What do you all think about the gravel part of the course? Anyone ridden it? I saw it, but didn't realize at the time it was actually part of the course, so didn't ride it. Do we really have the option to go farther east & ride on old KC road instead?

I am just taking a stab in the dark, but I would guess the aid station would be located near or at the turn around point for the Octomax bike route, which is about 230th and Old KC Road.  Just seem logical since that is about halfway around the loop for the Ultramax Loop.

Seriously? We have to ride on gravel?

Or maybe that is why the bike course got extended by 3 miles?

Weather looks fabulous! Now if I could just get a nice tailwind both ways it'll be perfect.
Of course this basically means no wetsuit (I haven't actually checked the water temps though). Looks to be my 1st non-wetsuit legal race. Woo-hoo! One less piece of equipment!

The web site now says there will be packet pickup Saturday:

Saturday, August 8th at Hillsboro Lake (RACE SITE)
3p-8:00p: Ultramax 50/Octomax Packet Pickup and Late Registration (if spots are still available)

And this web site says the current water temp (surface) is 78 degrees.



Edited by lisac957 2009-08-07 1:22 PM

I think it has said that since day one, I just don't think they ever changed it on the website when it was changed to Sunday morning only.

any one know if this is an open transition or will it be separated by numbers?

friend of mine told me that this race wasnt up to par with what he was expecting.  how was everyones race experience, seems nice to have another long course race in kansas and a unique one at that, but he said he'd been to much better races...

I was just a spectator (my wife did the short course, which she enjoyed), but here are some of the issues that I saw:

First off, the race started too late, especially for the long course. They explained why at the race (1st year, needed more time to get everything set, wanted to get the short course bikers off the course) plus they were a little unlucky that it was so hot out, but then again it is August in Kansas.

2nd problem that I saw was too much congestion around the bike exit/enterance/race finish. For a period of time, you had long course riders exiting transition, the slower short course riders entering, the fastest short course runners finishing, and some short course runners passing the transition area. Basically you has bikers and runners going in both directions at the same time on a 2 lane road. I saw one guy almost bite it on the grass because he was not sure where to go, but it could have been worse.

Again, my wife enjoyed the race, so I do not want to knock it too much, but those were the issues that I saw. Long course racers might have more to add.