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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [monty] [ In reply to ]
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monty wrote:
But I would not presume for 1 second that i could put on a great horse show, why would I? I would screw it up royally if left to myself. If I chose to do such a thing, first thing is i would hire an expert in the field. And I would not consider someone that teaches riding an expert in staging events with over a dozen rings/venues going on at the same time.. that is what happened here but opposite.

Well stated.

Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]
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devashish_paul wrote:
OK, despite the somewhat negative feedback to date, I might try to do the Napa event in mid April assuming I am able to bike properly by then (fingers crossed the body comes around). I have a week of biz at my corp HQ in San Jose the week before this race, so it would make it easy to do. I'm fairly self sufficient when it comes to race support, assuming they can get the safety issues sorted out. Does anyone have some feedback on the proposed Napa course....and also, how cold is the water in Napa in April....seems like it might be sub 60F which could be a turn off (for me). Some years, the temps at Wildflower are not even to my liking and that place is much warmer and a few weeks later.


Napa course is the same used by Dave Horning (Envirosports) for his "vintage half-iron" he's been hosting for years. Swim will be chilly, probably in the low 60's, it will depend on if we get a warm spell or not in the area. Bike is a challenging mix of hills and road conditions SUCK on about 50% of the course. The section on Silverado Trail is quite nice. If you have ever done Vineman, the beat up parts are a lot like Westside Rd. Heavy wine tasting area so open roads can get busy. The descents are pretty hairy too. Lots of pot holes that have been filled many times over. Run is out and back, large rollers.


Dave Stark
dreamcatcher@astound.net
USAC & USAT level 2 certified coach
Last edited by: karma: Dec 3, 11 20:27
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [SallyShortyPnts] [ In reply to ]
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SallyShortyPnts wrote:
runnerwv wrote:
I always take a crappy headlamp just in case....good luck!

Thanks; I packed my headlamp for just that reason. I got into town late. I have not driven what may be a poorly marked course ( and I HATE that) If I get lost on my bike and you never hear from me again, it's been nice to know all you fellow ST'ers!

If you get to a really big body of water, you're too far west. Ha ha.

Good luck to you and TriBodyBoarder Jay!!

clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [monty] [ In reply to ]
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Here we go, again!. Anyone can be a race director. All it takes is a couple of cones, a stop watch and a body of water and bingo! Call me a triathlon race director. Believe it or not, it really is a profession, one that requires planning, logistics, experience and common sense.
Last edited by: ironjack: Dec 3, 11 21:11
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [trackie clm] [ In reply to ]
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trackie clm wrote:
SallyShortyPnts wrote:
runnerwv wrote:
I always take a crappy headlamp just in case....good luck!


Thanks; I packed my headlamp for just that reason. I got into town late. I have not driven what may be a poorly marked course ( and I HATE that) If I get lost on my bike and you never hear from me again, it's been nice to know all you fellow ST'ers!


If you get to a really big body of water, you're too far west. Ha ha.

Good luck to you and TriBodyBoarder Jay!!

I think that I'll be fine on the bike as well because Phil Casanta of Hypercat Racing wrenched my bike into its best form. Thank you Cathy for introducing him to me. If only I could be in the shape of my bike :-/

As a swim race cap collector, I would have liked to have a souvenir cap that had the race logo on it. Next race, I hope they will advertise in such a way that I can remember the race when I'm doing laps at home after it's over.

DFL > DNF > DNS
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [monty] [ In reply to ]
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Sounds like they may have underestimated the scope of the events a little bit.

I sincerely hope that they use what they learn from this weekend and make the rest of their events awesome. I think there is enough support to sustain their series and if they offer a superior experience, and multiple race options as part of their events they have a shot at being a successful and well respected alternative to the WTC, similar to REV3.

Maybe the race directors will now accept the offers such as yours and accept input from seasoned veterans.


Chris
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [monty] [ In reply to ]
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Monty, thanks for the report -- the race organizers clearly are in over their heads. After I read the race guide, which prominently featured biographies of the HITS "big three", the fact that the athlete's briefing was mainly a "we're awesome... oh by the way, there's a race tomorrow" -- does not surprise me.

More bite, less bark, HITS peeps!



FIST Certified Fitter
Salt Lake City, Utah
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [monty] [ In reply to ]
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if they can't run a sprint i am worried for the long course folks' safety. good luck to them today
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [ChrisM] [ In reply to ]
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About to leave my safe, warm hotel and head into the maw. It's 34 degrees outside and the lake is probably low 50s. Hey, it's an adventure, right?

------------------
My business-eBodyboarding.com
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [GMAN19030] [ In reply to ]
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So is this a sanctioned series by USAT? If so when will our national governing organization stop sanctioning these total rookie events?
No direct assault on the HITS team but come on. We will saturate the market again in each venue/city and get a less than stellar race from an RD without even the basics?

Hire an serious RD and re-start!

STIndiana
America Multi-Sport, Inc.
America's Half June 10, 2017
USAT RD Century Club
http://www.americamultisport.com
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [TriBodyboarder] [ In reply to ]
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Good luck Jay. I recall that they posted on bt that they were going to be offering some amenities comparable to wtc when we were talking about the $600 entry for the IM. Be interested to hear how it goes
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [Stindiana] [ In reply to ]
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Stindiana wrote:
So is this a sanctioned series by USAT? If so when will our national governing organization stop sanctioning these total rookie events?
No direct assault on the HITS team but come on. We will saturate the market again in each venue/city and get a less than stellar race from an RD without even the basics?

Hire an serious RD and re-start!

If they are sanctioned by USAT then they were clearly in violation of USAT kayak and swim safety personnel requirements, at least based on the descriptions in this report and the other HITS swim debacle thread.

Failure to even mark the course blows my mind, but stuff like that is easily rectifiable and I'm sure they'll get their act together fast once the negative feedback comes in.
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [monty] [ In reply to ]
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Let me just say dev that they had every opportunity to use my knowledge, and i know the other local RD in town who has been putting on races for 30 years here was also recommended. I never got a call, and don't believe the other guy either. They were so sure of themselves, that they completely isolated themselves from that end of the sport, the nuts and bolts end.

Monty, thanks for the report. Joe (and other locals) have had the same impression. The organizers actually called Joe in their initial planning. We used to show horses at HITS, so our trainer recommended they contact Joe. After the initial phone call, Joe never heard from them again. Joe has organized many races here and is well known in local government. He has raced a few races as well. ;-) He could have been a great asset. The Naples race is next in January and Joe will not be racing as he was hit by a car a couple of weeks ago. We may go spectate, it will be interesting if they make any changes before then.



Support Crew
This information contained herein has been assembled for your assistance and convenience. It is believed to be reliable, however, its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All opinions shown are subject to change without notice.
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [support crew] [ In reply to ]
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Please report on that one when you spectate.........Thanks
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [support crew] [ In reply to ]
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Yes, please let us know how that one goes. And, send Joe some healing vibes from the car incident. :)
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [monty] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the report!

I'm bummed about the conclusion but not surprised. One of my triathlon rules is to never do an innagural triathlon for just these reasons. Triathlons are complicated affairs and directing one is an art and science that can only be "mastered" through experience....

I hope they survive until next year as I would be interested in doing some of their events in 2013 and beyond....Until then, I'll grab my popcorn and look forward to other reports....

Randy Christofferson(http://www.rcmioga.blogspot.com

Insert Doubt. Erase Hope. Crush Dreams.
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [rcmioga] [ In reply to ]
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I totally agree.
Each venue will offer its own set of challenges so I think it is a reach to think that HITS Cooperstown (for example) will be any more or less of a clusterfark than their earlier races. There are more than enough well established races around that I see no reason to enter first year races. I wish HITS well and after a year under their belt, maybe I'll consider them based on their record.


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you know my name, look up my number
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]
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My girlfriend and I plan to make this our first long course event... A little worried that it will totally ruin it for us if they do not work out the kinks. It is not like we are competitive or anything so I am not worried about a few detours, but I also don't feel like drowning too much.

The water here is always cold imo. In April, it will be warmer than most places but that doesn't exactly mean it will be skinny dipping temp. We plan on doing some practice at the actual lake because we live in Berkeley and have a friend in San Rafael so I can post some details on the course hopefully before the race comes up. We will probably end up training on the actual sections just to get everything nailed down tight. Hell, maybe I will spray paint some markers myself because I always get lost even with a q sheet.
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [TriBodyboarder] [ In reply to ]
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Are you done yet? I don't know how much longer I could wait for a LC race report. Just kidding, hope everything went smooth and your race was fast aand safe.
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [support crew] [ In reply to ]
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Support Crew,

One can only hope they kept Joe's phone number and am planning to use his vast experience when they start planning in earnest. If they don't call him back, I'll bet half a paycheck that HITS doesn't make it to year two.

And my best wishes to Joe for a speedy recovery -- I depend on him to set the benchmarks for us "60 will be the new 40" generation!



FIST Certified Fitter
Salt Lake City, Utah
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [ssn759co] [ In reply to ]
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I think they believe they can handle it on their own. Only time will tell, but Triathletes are a unique breed. They are used to well run races. You can say what you want about WTC and other well organized series, but they are run like clockwork with very few problems. The bar is high and I hope they didn't get the cart in front of the horse. It will be hard to gain interest if the first few are bad. Triathletes can be very unforgiving -for good reason I might add.

Support Crew
Last edited by: support crew: Dec 4, 11 13:28
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [support crew] [ In reply to ]
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Just updated some observations of todays races in my original post..

And Sue, tell Joe to take it easy, rest that heart of his, and plan for next spring. I hope they do call him, but it is late already for this race coming up, and not sure if they will get it. I meant this thread to be constructive and not personal, but no telling how they will take it. I'm just glad to be back in the saddle again, looking forward to meeting Joe at some olympic somewhere..
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [Stindiana] [ In reply to ]
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Stindiana wrote:
So is this a sanctioned series by USAT? If so when will our national governing organization stop sanctioning these total rookie events?
No direct assault on the HITS team but come on. We will saturate the market again in each venue/city and get a less than stellar race from an RD without even the basics?

Hire an serious RD and re-start!

I was glad to read Monty say that Charlie Crawford was there to see it first hand. It would be great to hear his conversation with the RD and USAT Headquarters.

My guess a lot of changes will occur to ensure their races conform with the provisions of the sanction. The Few lifeguards and watercraft, along with the aid station issues are most troubling to me.
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [monty] [ In reply to ]
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I did the Olympic distance race yesterday with my Daughter (her first) and my two son-in-laws. I agree with several of the posts about some of the issues, but we had a good time and enjoyed the event. I think several of the areas for improvement have already been mentioned, so let me just say a few things about what I liked about the event:
  • Venue location was really cool. Right up next to the mountains. Temps were colder than normal yesterday, but I think otherwise the temps would have been perfect for a race this time of year.
  • Lake water was definitely cold but clarity was good, could easily see feet and bodies around you. Compared to Tempe Town Lake, much better place to swim. I personally liked the 2 loop out and back course and I liked the beach start. I have never done a race where I got out for a second loop. It was nice to check my time and then see where I was in the pack. As mentioned, they definitely needed more safety support.
  • Bike was pretty windy on the way back so it was not as fast as it could have been. On a calm day the bike will be very fast. Pretty nice roads most of the way except for the last couple of miles before the turn-around.
  • I really liked the run course. Once you left the lake area, I liked the long stretches of flat with basically only one turn before the turnaround. I could see who was in front of me try and pace off them. The last mile or so of the run was challenging because you had to climb back to the lake, but overall it seemed like a very fast run course.
  • I liked the transition area, I liked using the boxes for the bike instead of the typical racks. Seemed like there was more room than the typical set-up with the racks. Having the stool was nice, I used it for both transitions.

I would definitely do it again and I hope they make the necessary improvements to make it better the next time.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
mikew
Last edited by: mike@tri-mesa: Dec 4, 11 14:39
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Re: 1st HITS triathlon, the good, the bad, the ugly [karma] [ In reply to ]
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Karma / Dev ... the race that is lined out now for Napa is not the same as the Envirosports race ... the current HITS has portions of the original and current Enviro/Horning course but they are different:
* Swim ... they will likely be similar since it's the same T1/T2 venue
* Bike ... in some senses they go different directions ... the HITS bike course has some pretty dangerous spots on it (especially for the FULL) ... Enviro course is now a straight out & back toward Middletown and though difficult / desolate it could be a nice improvement over years past (better pavement) ... HITS bike course will have one big ass climb from Silverado Trail to Angwin and. for some, a very dangerous descent to Pope Valley
* Run ... Enviro course is wisely a double out & back while the HITS is 6.5 out and 6.5 back ... that's a long way to go out on that road especially if it's hot

If Dave / Enviro would add 1 aid station to his half IM run course it would be a huge improvement ... and although a "bare bones" race it's a better course especially if you can be self sufficient w/ calories

Honestly (after Palm Springs) I'm currently a little concerned about the safety of the HITS half & full races @ Napa. I'm still gonna wait to see how the other races evolve but if I had to choose right now based on HITS #1 I'd pick the Envirosports Race

*** We even had some locals here contact them regarding working / consulting on the event and HITS contact openly said they are not hiring local people. hmmmmm

Best,

-------------------------
Dave Latourette
http://www.TTENation.com
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