Ashlee Kucinski's Staging Area

-Best crowd support you’ll ever experience!
-Bridges are tough (especially Queensboro because of where it is in the race), but doable
-On-course fuel is great! Many options every mile
-Expo is huge. Would’ve liked more discount running gear, but it was still really cool. Tons of cool photo ops!
-Post-race poncho is awesome. Def pick this over the bag!

My only gripe is travel to the start line. The Staten Island Ferry took two Subway rides to get to, and then a bus after the ferry took FOREVER. Make sure you use the bathroom before getting on the bus! 🙂

Take my thoughts with a grain of salt. I did all of my training for this event in New Jersey (sea level), with the exception of a couple of warmups in Boulder before the race. It was likely more difficult than necessary for me because I hadn’t had any exposure to high altitudes prior to the race.
Anyway…
The good:
-Race swag was phenomenal. We got a really cool waterproof bag, and the shirt was really nice (much better design than the Muncie 70.3 shirt I have from 2016).
-Scenery. Watching the mountains on the bike course made 56 miles a lot more interesting than it could’ve been.
-Hydration stops on the run course had a ton of options (oranges, pretzels, cookies, chips, coke, gels, etc.), and were placed frequently throughout the course (at least one per mile).
-Swim start was self-seeded, and the other racers did a great job of placing themselves. Very little congestion throughout the swim, and the flow of swimmers getting into the water was very smooth.
-Post-race photo ops were great – lots of IM-branded backgrounds.

What could be better:
-The finish line crowd support was lacking. I had to try to hype up the crowd when I was running down the red carpet.
-The run course is 100% unshaded and mostly on gravel. Not the end of the world, but tough to transition from road running.
-Bike course nutrition was minimal (and very slim – I think the first station wasn’t until mile 15-20).
-Swimming at altitude is a lot harder. It feels like someone is sitting on your chest. Be prepared for that if you’re coming from sea level, and chill your pace, at least until you are comfortable enough to get into a rhythm.
-It would’ve been nice to have water handed out at the athlete briefing. Make sure to bring water with you to stay hydrated during all of the walking/exploring IM Village.
-Post-race food was pretty minimal (hot dogs, chips, cookies, salad). I was totally fine with the spread (because I could’ve eaten my left hand by the time I finished), but some racers felt underwhelmed.

Overall, I’d absolutely recommend this race. It’ll challenge you (especially if you’re coming from sea level), but the scenery and excellent organization make it worth pushing through the added level of difficulty. Plus, you feel more accomplished with the extra barrier! 🙂

I ran this race coming off of biking as part of Ironman training, so my perspective should probably be taken with a grain of salt. Either way, here it goes:

Pros:
-Easy access to start line from parking lot (<1 min walk)
-Really small race, which made for quick porta potty lines and no crowding at the start line
-Pace groups
-Some shaded areas on the course

Cons:
-First three miles have hills (especially mile 3), making it hard to PR but easy to negative split
-NOT ENOUGH WATER! I think there was water every 1.75-2 miles or so, but I needed more because of the sun/heat
-Expo was lame (took place at a running store)
-Medal/shirt was meh

Overall, the race seemed more like an organized training run. It was so small that I was running seemingly by myself for a good chunk of it. The course is very rolling, which made it hard to keep a consistent pace. For those looking to PR, I’d recommend starting slower during the first hilly miles and then ramping up for a strong finish. Wear sunscreen/sunglasses if it’s a sunny day – there are plenty of unshaded parts of the course that can leave you baking in the heat.

Another tip…bring gu/chews if you need them. The course had only water, so you’re on your own for any additional hydration.

Pros:
-Expo is fantastic! Lots of vendors, free stuff, discounted stuff, and general race excitement.
-Really cool sights and sounds – lots of bands play around the course, and downtown Nashville/the stadium are really cool to run around
-Shirts/swag are nice

Cons:
-Hilly course that can be extra tough if it’s hot/humid
-Not nearly enough porta potties/bathroom options prior to the start of the race for the size of this race
-Corrals are really clustered and people don’t go to their appropriate wave

Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this race, unless you’re local and running it as a training race for something else. It’s too hilly to PR, and the weather can make or break your performance. While it’s fun to see live music and cool parts of Nashville, it’s better to do that in a non-race setting.

Pros:
-Really flat course is perfect for a PR…if it’s not 93% humidity like it was for me
-Really cool to run through Magic Kingdom and Epcot, but the majority of the course is on a highway/backlot
-Corrals are extremely well organized.
-Pre-race entertainment to hype you up (although the National Anthem singer messed up the words…yikes)

Cons:
-Really early (5:30am) start means you run in the dark for much of the race if you’re in an earlier corral
-Definitely arrive very early to manage the inevitable traffic congestion (lots of charter buses with runners who stayed in the resorts)
-Expo is too big (three different buildings within the Wide World of Sports), but there are not many cool things. The Run Disney stuff was a little too cheesy/princessy for my liking, so I didn’t buy anything. 🙁
-Long walk from the entry area to the start line – it was about a 20 min walk, and there were no porta potties near the start line, so you have to make sure you time a trip to the bathroom well
-Finish line food is mediocre at best. For the price of the race, I expected a full blown meal, but instead received an applesauce pouch, banana, and unappetizing tortilla chips.
-NOT RECOMMENDED to run after three days of park hopping. My legs were gone, and the heat/humidity didn’t help. Otherwise, I think the course could make for an easy PR.

The good:
-Very great course for a PR: Swim is calm, bike is flat with a few rollers, run is challenging but fast
-Crowd support at transitions is great
-Plenty of nutrition throughout run course
-Ice sponges on run course (this isn’t the case for all IM courses, so it was nice to see them here!)
-Run course is an out-and-back, so you know what to expect and when to push on the back half of the course

The not so good:
-Finish line was kind of underwhelming (on a grass field in the middle of people getting food from a hot dog truck – kind of anticlimactic)
-Race shirt was meh
-Post-race food did not have a ton of variety (bbq sandwiches and hot dogs)
-Muncie isn’t the most exciting venue – I’d recommend staying in Indianapolis and driving to the race site if you’re coming from out of town
-Swim may not be wetsuit legal (wetsuits were NOT allowed this year)

Overall, I’d recommend this race if you’re looking to PR, but it can be hot. As with other IM events, the organization and support is phenomenal, but this won’t be the most interesting scenery in the world.

The weather was really hot, and I had an injury, but this race was still a ton of fun. It was great to run with so many other B1G fans, and the swag was outstanding! Very well managed and efficient, despite the large size of the race.

I’d highly recommend this race for fun. Great post-race food, tons of energy throughout the course, awesome shirts/fan gear, and a cool opportunity to run with friends in a fun city.