Boulder 70.3 2013 questions

It's a fun race, but as wannabefaster said, there is very little shade for the run.   Being first week in August it will be hot and majority of the run is on a dirt road, so it gets dusty.

The bike is 2 loops and is very fast at parts with really great views of the mountains.  It is a fun race and good atmosphere.  I am thinking of doing this one again in 2013.

This one is on my radar as well.

I'm worried about the altitude. I'm in Iowa and all my training would be here. I haven't been in the mountains for awhile, but I seem to remember it being really tough just to play basketball or climb the stairs at red rocks.

Anybody have any input on racing at 5000+ feet?

I did Boulder 70.3 as my first HIM last year. I liked the race a lot. It does tend to sell out, but I don't think it tends to sell out in hours. 

The swim in Boulder Reservoir is very nice. Water temps are likely to be (just about) wetsuit legal, and the water is unsurprisingly fairly clear. The bike course has a reasonable amount of elevation, but it doesn't feel like it, as almost all the grades are gentle, and they're straight and on good road surfaces. With the assistance of the thinner air, it's a pretty fast course. As others already mentioned, the run course is deceptively hard. The fact that it's on a dirt road turns out to be a blessing, as that surface doesn't radiate heat in the way that blacktop does. The problem is that the course is very exposed to the sun, and by late morning it tends to get pretty hot in Boulder. Average run times on that course are lower than for other 70.3s. I felt great on the first lap of the run, but suffered mightily on the second lap. The expression "death march" appears in many race reports.

I live at sea-level, but had a few weeks to acclimate to the altitude as I was working in Boulder for the summer. The first few days were hard, but I got used to it. Going straight into a 70.3 out there would have been tough. The thing that I found hardest to adjust to - to my surprise - was swimming. On the run I could simply slow down a little, but on the swim I found that I had to adjust my normal breathing pattern, which was a bigger shift.

Athletically it's a great event - very well organized and in a beautiful venue. If it's a scorcher of a day, though, people tend not to want to hang out after the race. Boulder's a great little city to visit, too.

Boulder 70.3 does not sell out immediately. It sells out eventually. Usually by April-May. BUT the specualtion for 2013 is that this race might sell out earlier than usual thanks to IM Tahoe. Word on the street is that some folks want to test out a race at altitude as a tune-up for IM Tahoe.

Also, the bike course might be changing completely next year, to 1 loop. Nothing defenitive yet, but they are exploring options.

it's official; bike course is now one loop.

if you're coming from sea level, the altitude may probably only be a problem with the swim. if they still do day-before packet pick-up this year, bring your wetsuit to that and hop in the res to see how it feels for your lungs.

I'm planning on this one, too.  I'm going up a week early to stay with family in Vail (8,000+ ft), then coming back down to Boulder the night before the race.

Most importantly, I want to see Mork & Mindy's house.... and taking a stroll past where the music store was might be cool, too. 

Any elavation-acclimation advice for folks coming from the heartland to run their first 70.3 in Boulder this year?  I've heard you should either arrive and race ASAP, or spend a week prior to the race.  Whats the real story?

Yeah, the mere mortals among us have to simply make the most of short acclimation. I think one of the main things to look out for is to avoid getting sick in those first few days, getting digestive problems etc. Some people are hit by that when they first get to altitude. Take hydration seriously. And be prepared for it to be very hot on the run. It's a really fine event, though.