Boilerman Triathlon Official Website

The "Nitty Gritty" Details (User Opinions)

Dan H.
Ada, OH

  (09-13-2009)

"A fun race, but, on our particular day, needed a LOT more cover from the sun.

SWIM: The water was like glass. I've never had an open water swim that was more like swimming in a pool. A really fun time! The course was relatively well-marked (not great, especially given the position of the sun at certain times) and the corners allowed for good vision of the competition, whether you were in the front or the back. The only really challenging part was the steepness of the bank coming in to T1. A real killer, especially after a fast mile!

BIKE: The bike was great, partially due to a fortunate change in the wind's direction. Only one or two hills that required significant downshifting. One could complete the course with relative ease on their big ring alone. Well-paved roads with little traffic made the ride that much better. The only downside was the lack of cover from the sun. Make sure your water bottle is full!

RUN: The run was the most challenging–and at times, frustrating–part of the course. The first 3.5-ish miles are in a neighborhood paved with concrete. There is absolutely no shade on the course. Despite the aid stations at miles 1, 2, 3, and 5, I still ended the race quite dehydrated. After escaping the neighborhood, the race crossed the transition area and into the woods where, believe it or not, there was STILL no shade! After becoming accustomed to the stability of a slightly crowned concrete surface, my ankles were quite dismayed to learn that they would be finishing the race on golf ball-sized gravel and pocked grass/straw. The icing on the cake is the race's uphill finish. Enjoy that!

Despite the challenging run course, this is still a race in which a PR is easily attainable. The crowd, while small, was friendly and supportive, and the refreshments were plentiful.

Overall, this was a good event. Not good enough to earn 5 stars, but good enough that we'll definitely be returning next year!"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Ryhder M.
Indianapolis, IN

  (07-18-2009)

"Solid course. Nice lake to swim in. My friends cheered me on during the 3 lap run. good placement of water/gatorade on the run. Bike was well marked, plenty of volunteers on the road, clean roads. Plenty of hot pizza, fruit, water, gatorade after the race. will be back!!!"

Reviewed by a: Repeat Participant for 2007

Scott K.
Chicago, IL

  (06-01-2009)

"I split this with a few friends, i biked. The bike course was horrible, they had us going through construction zones and at times there was lots of gravel on sharp turns. Plenty of flats along the way. "

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2007