The average finish time at this year's Rhode Island half ironman distance event was 6:04, just a few minutes faster than last year's 6:13. However, the difference, resulting from slightly faster bike and run splits, will move the half ironman Rhode Island from the top 1/3 in our ranking of
Toughest Half Ironman races to about the middle of the pack.
The triathlete's major challenge -- on the Rhode Island course or any other triathlon -- is getting the balance right between a fast bike split with enough energy left over to also execute a fast run split. In Rhode Island, most either got it right (lower left quadrant) or took it too easy on the bike.
