Great Floridian Triathlon Official Website

The "Nitty Gritty" Details (User Opinions)

Ben S.
San Francisco, CA

  (06-03-2009)

"I grew up in Orlando, so this race was a homecoming for me. This race is a good alternative to Ironman Florida. It is held in Clermont, Florida, which is a suburb of Orlando. It has a lot to recommend it: it is a well-run independent, grass-roots race in a pretty location, at a time of year when the weather is usually pretty nice.

We lucked out with the weather: it rained on the night before the race, and was even drizzling early on race morning before the sun came up, but stopped by the time the race started. The day was partly cloudy and warm without being very humid by Florida standards. (Whaddaya want, it's a swamp!)

The swim was in Lake Minneola, which is freshwater. Visibility wasn't great, but the water was pretty calm, and the temperature was pleasant. It was a two loop swim course, and we actually had to exit the water after the first loop and run a short distance along the shore before entering the second loop. T1 was well-stocked with not only food and drink but also sun-screen, which is a good idea against the strong Florida sun even in the fall.

The bike in Clermont is beautiful, featuring rolling hills through fairly rural countryside. I hadn't ridden extensively in Clermont since doing the Horrible Hundred century bike ride way back in 2000. Back then, there was nothing in Clermont but open space and some farms. I was a little sad to see that the suburbs of Orlando had started to encroach into the area, making this ride a bit less picturesque than it used to be. We also rode past a few mostly-empty subdivisions that had been recently constructed (but not finished or sold) during the real estate bubble. However, I don't want to give the wrong impression that the ride wasn't still fabulous: traffic was still minimal, and most of the ride still went through beautiful open farm country. It's still probably the best hundred-plus mile bike ride in Florida! People who aren't familiar with the area who think all of Florida is flat might be surprised by the number of rolling hills around Clermont. The highlight is Sugarloaf "Mountain", which is a short steep climb with an aid station at the top. The bike ride includes two loops that intersect each other in a kind of lop-sided figure eight. The second loop is a bit flatter than the first loop, and is perfect for getting into aero position and hammering. Aid stations were plentiful and fully stocked, with special needs bags available mid-way through.

The run is a three loop course around Lake Minneola. It is mostly flat but has a few hills thrown in. There are plenty of aid stations, but there isn't great lighting in some parts of the course after the sun goes down. The aid stations were enthusiastic and great. The UF Tri Club aid station was particularly friendly. One of the aid stations is run by the Mad Dogs club, and if you custom order something on one of your first loops (e.g., a chicken sandwich, or a cheeseburger), they will go and get it for you by the time you come around on your next loop. I didn't actually take advantage of this, but they offered and I assume they really meant it! At one point, the run took us past a karaoke bar on the lake, and I'd like to thank the anonymous guys singing Bon Jovi's "You Give Love A Bad Name" and AC/DC's "Shook Me All Night Long" for rocking me down the road. All in all, we couldn't have found a more supportive crowd anywhere.

The massage tables after the race are well-worth taking advantage of. They are cheap, and they know what they're doing!

The best place to stay in Clermont is the Hampton Inn & Suites at 2200 E. Highway 50. "

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2008

Melinda L.
San Francisco, CA

  (04-23-2009)

"I would HIGHLY recommend the Great Floridian. It is a very well-supported, low-key Ironman-distance race. If a full-Ironman-distance race is not for you, there are several other options that same day, including: a full-aquabike, a half-Iron-distance race, a half-Iron-distance aquabike, and relays. Each event averages about 300 athletes.

Despite the fact that there are multiple events, the full-Ironman-distance race has cutoff times are very generous. It starts at 7:30 and the swim cutoff is 10:00. The first bike cutoff is at 42.3 miles and is 1:30. The bike course closes at 6:30. The run cutoff is officially 1:00, but they've always waited for the last runner to cross the finish-line.

The course is absolutely gorgeous. The swim is a 2 loop triangle in picturesque Lake Minneola. In all but 1 year, wetsuits have been legal. The bike is a figure 8 course. The first 40 miles are rollers (they found every hill in Central Florida and put them on the course). The rest of it is quite flat... and beautiful. The ride goes by farms and fields of hay and lakes. The run is 3 loops around Lake Minneola, which is amazing and serene at sunset.

The volunteers are awesome. They're all so extremely friendly and supportive. Plus, the "Mad Dogs" (local tri club) aid station is notorious. They have a BBQ running during the race. I was told that if you tell them what you want on the first loop of the run, they'll go out and buy and/or cook it for you when you return on your second loop. The University of Florida aid station offers beer--I never took them up on the offer though, so I'm not sure if it's a joke.

Another perk is that it's extremely easy to get to. Clermont, FL is less than 30 miles outside Orlando, FL.

Plus, the massage therapists at the end of the race are amazing. You get 10 minutes free + $1/minute thereafter. And they know what they're doing; many of them have done this race year after year.
"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2008