General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Mi Titanium 70.3 or Steelhead 70.3 Rss Feed  
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2015-01-28 1:13 PM

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Subject: Mi Titanium 70.3 or Steelhead 70.3
Looking for 70.3 race as prep for IMLOU. I've done Festival of Races a few times but it's a little late in my plan to do this year. Which race would you recommend and why? When will Steelhead sell out? Does MI Titanium sellout?

Other races in August would be considered within around 4-5 hours of Metro Detroit area.


2015-01-28 5:40 PM
in reply to: #5088088

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Subject: RE: Mi Titanium 70.3 or Steelhead 70.3
This is my first year stepping up to the longer distances but some of the people on my local team are involved with MiTi. I know that some of them occasionally post here. Let me know if no one answers your sellout question and I'll start asking around.

For what it's worth, I signed up for MiTi over Steelhead as it's cheaper, only a few miles from my house, and virtually no chance of the swim being cancelled. The biggest problems I've heard have been out of the directors control as contractors jumped the gun on road construction. The RD seems to have a good reputation around town and I'm a big fan of supporting the local guy. The biggest drawback is the lack of fan support and the finish line not being an Ironman finish line. Just my two cents.
2015-01-28 7:37 PM
in reply to: jdmitch_BOPer

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Subject: RE: Mi Titanium 70.3 or Steelhead 70.3
I did MiTi last year and can't say enough good things about it. My only complaint was the condition of the roads on the bike, which of course was out of the hands of the race director. Scroll down to see my posts about questions and race report. =)
2015-01-29 4:31 AM
in reply to: #5088216

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Subject: RE: Mi Titanium 70.3 or Steelhead 70.3
I just checked and MiTi does not sell out. Like most races, the prices will continue to go up the closer it gets to the event.
2015-01-29 11:34 AM
in reply to: Toefuzz

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Subject: RE: Mi Titanium 70.3 or Steelhead 70.3
Thanks for the replies. I'm not to concerned about the crowd support. I had the same concern about the swim but someone told me that everyone thinks that's a real issue when it's only happened once (so they told me, not sure). I'm leaning towards MiTi, at this point and will probably decide in the next week or so.

Thanks again.
2015-02-11 11:46 AM
in reply to: #5088325


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Subject: RE: Mi Titanium 70.3 or Steelhead 70.3
I am in the same boat, doing IMLou and looking at those two races or Tawas. I would kind of like to do big race since Lou will have close to 3k. I plan to do Lumberman in June, nice hilly course, to get training on.


2015-02-14 11:16 AM
in reply to: Toefuzz

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Subject: RE: Mi Titanium 70.3 or Steelhead 70.3

I've done Steelhead and MiTi and I'd give MiTi the nod for several reasons.  One, the swim is in a pristine spring fed lake with zero chance of cancellation due to weather.... Steelhead has canceled the swim on more than one occasion, and unfortunately for me, my year was one of them.  So I got a very expensive duathlon experience.

Another reason I recommend MiTi is the size of the field is smaller and therefore the lack of congestion will make the race flow better.  Steelhead did a decent job of dealing with bottlenecks but there were a few times I felt the affects of the number of participants..

Lastly, as someone else pointed out, the MiTi RD's work hard at controlling everything they can.  Each of their first two years there were road construction projects that were begun despite good faith planning by the RD.... I don't recall hearing about the 2014 race and road conditions...

Supporting the little guy vs. the corporate megarace IM brand will save you money and keeps competition in the race directing arena..

Oh and Grand Rapids is MUCH nicer than Benton Harbor.....

2015-02-16 9:41 AM
in reply to: #5092591

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Subject: RE: Mi Titanium 70.3 or Steelhead 70.3
I will give a nod for Steelhead. I am not a WTC slappy, but if IMLOU is your first full, I would say Steelhead is better prep simply because there will be 2000 people, not 200. It is true that you can't influence Mother Nature with regard to the swim, but racing with 2,000 people is a heck of a lot more fun than barely seeing someone for almost an hour. Leading up to IMCZ last year, I did Lumberman and Tawas, which were great, but the atmosphere of the finish line at a WTC race, is unmatched. I am all for supporting local races, but it is difficult to compete with WTC on a half or a full distance. Just my .02.
2015-02-16 12:11 PM
in reply to: Jeff B

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Subject: RE: Mi Titanium 70.3 or Steelhead 70.3

Originally posted by Jeff B I will give a nod for Steelhead. I am not a WTC slappy, but if IMLOU is your first full, I would say Steelhead is better prep simply because there will be 2000 people, not 200. It is true that you can't influence Mother Nature with regard to the swim, but racing with 2,000 people is a heck of a lot more fun than barely seeing someone for almost an hour. Leading up to IMCZ last year, I did Lumberman and Tawas, which were great, but the atmosphere of the finish line at a WTC race, is unmatched. I am all for supporting local races, but it is difficult to compete with WTC on a half or a full distance. Just my .02.

Good point on preparing for the masses as it's definitely an eye opener racing when it's crowded.  I would only clarify on the not seeing someone for almost an hour.  At least as far as Mi/Ti is concerned I always had someone around me and in numerous instances there were a lot of racers... 

Again good practice to experience the masses but I wouldn't say it's more fun... Definitely some dicey sections on the bike where "technically" people should be backing off as they are overtaken but with so many people a racer would literally have to stop pedaling until the big group that I would argue were drafting (another subject for another time) passed by... In fact I remember during Steelhead a couple very distinct pacelines blowing past me and I yelled out "nice paceline" and a guy not far behind me yelled something similar only he dropped in a few f-bombs.  We actually ran into each other after the race and shared a laugh about how blatantly they were breaking the rules...

Anyway spectators were definitely thin in spots but honestly I think most racers are inside their own heads for the majority of the run... 

 

2015-03-24 2:21 PM
in reply to: TriMike

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Subject: RE: Mi Titanium 70.3 or Steelhead 70.3

Anyone do the full MiTi?  I'm thinking about it as I grew up in Michigan and the timing works for me.  How's the weather and the humidity that time of year?  How well supported is the race?

 

2015-03-24 3:28 PM
in reply to: FF Stock

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Subject: RE: Mi Titanium 70.3 or Steelhead 70.3

Originally posted by FF Stock

Anyone do the full MiTi?  I'm thinking about it as I grew up in Michigan and the timing works for me.  How's the weather and the humidity that time of year?  How well supported is the race?

 

A buddy of mine did the full in 2014.  I did the 70.3 in 2013 and it's the same course, the full is two laps on the bike and run course.  

As for weather and humidity, it can be unpredictable.  I'd say it's more likely to be hot and humid since it's Michigan in August however if it's not hot and humid it's likely storming...

The race is well supported however there are sections of the bike and run that are sparse as far as spectators.  

The swim is in the cleanest highest quality water you'll typically find... It's on a private man-made spring fed lake that typically registers just below drinkable quality. .

Where in Michigan did you grow up?

 



2015-03-24 4:59 PM
in reply to: TriMike

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Subject: RE: Mi Titanium 70.3 or Steelhead 70.3

I grew up in Kalkaska, went to college at Albion, and lived in Kalamazoo for a bit before moving to Colorado.

I'm going to move this to a new thread...

 

New Thread
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