Barb's Race - Half Ironman
Windsor, CA
Official Website : http://www.vineman.com/Barb_s_Race.htm
Date : July 31, 2010
Race Type : Triathlon and Multisport
Race Distance : 1.2 mi swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run
Race Description: Barb's Race is held on the same day as the Full Vineman Triathlon. The event is intended to be a unique opportunity for women to do a half-Ironman distance triathlon that raises money to support women facing a cancer diagnosis. Athletes will swim 1.2 miles, bike 56 miles, and run 13.1 miles. Barb's Race will follow the same course as the Full Vineman, but is half of the distance as the Ironman-distance Vineman. There will also be a relay competition for teams of two or three women.
Half of all entry fees from Barb's Race will be placed in our Vineman Cancer Charities that donates to local cancer charities. More than $265,000 has been raised for these organizations through Barb's Race since 2001.
Barb's Race is being held in honor of Barbara Recchia, a long-time Vineman volunteer and race committee member who has twice been faced with the daunting task of fighting cancer. Twice she has taken this challenge head-on and is currently living a full and healthy life.
3 Reviews for Barb's Race - Half Ironman
barbs + friends + happy racer. I have done Barb's the last two years and minus the heat, this is a great race. The volunteers on the bike course could use a little training on how to hand off water bottles but I like the low key feeling of this tough course. I really enjoy having the different distances happening at the same time.It helps me to not feel so slow with all of those iron distance athletes out there. It is a really good challenge with a very homegrown feel.
What a great race for women!!! I only did the run portion of a relay team, but never felt like I was not one of the full triathlete participants. The crowd cheered as I looped through the transition area four separate times as I ran and when I headed up the homestretch my name and the name of my teammates was called by the announcer which was an added bonus, making me pick up the pace and finish in style!! The course for the run is rolling with moderate ups and downs, but nothing that is too tough to tackle. You wind by vineyards and fields of cattle that are unimpressed with the athlete's pursuits. The course is shaded by towering oak trees that add to the ambiance. Well stocked and well placed aid stations full of enthusiastic volunteers help click off the 13.1 miles.
I think this is an enjoyable race and it is always well attended. It was a great day and being in the wine country added to the excitement.
Plus, it is for such a worthy cause!
Any Vineman event I automatically love, I did my first half and full Ironman with them, so they've got a special place in my heart. Barb's is a great first time half ironman for any woman who is looking to try a half distance event. It is super low key, there aren't that many participants, and everyone seems more concerned about encouraging other racers, than doing well themselves. It is a really positive environment.
The swim is a quick out and back in the very shallow Russian River in Guerneville. At the turn around it is so shallow I walked and dolphined off the bottom for about 2 minutes. Pretty entertaining. The bike and run follow the same course as the full Vineman Ironman on the same day so you are surrounded by lots of different racers doing different distances. The course is soooo beautiful. Riding 56 miles and running 13.1 miles through the Vineyards of the Russian River wine country is an experience not to be missed. I actually enjoy myself so much on this course that I sing to myself and comment aloud how pretty it is.
My only issue with the race is that it is always so hot. Last year, 2008, it was like 96 degrees and made for one painful long run. This year I am doing it as a relay with my mom and mother-in-law and am so excited to participate again. The race directors are really nice. That always helps with the whole racing experience, too!
Regarding loding and logistics for the race, note that it does not start and end in the same place. The swim and T1 is in Guerneville and the bike/run T2 and the expo, finish line are about 15 miles away in Windsor. You are going to want to stay in Santa Rosa or Windsor and just drive to the start morning of. You can't even rack your bike in T1 until that morning, so there is really no point to stay near Guerneville.