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Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience
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Im thinking of camping the night before Eagleman (if allowed). Its not like I sleep very much the night before a race, so I thought it could be fun. I'm not out to win any AG awards--just have a solid race.

Would you do it again? Any tips and tricks from those who have done it?
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [JPDMD25] [ In reply to ]
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I've done race-camping for various races, including Lake Placid IM. I had a good experience with it and will do it again. The biggest thing to consider is having enough comfort stuff to try to get a good night sleep. Another is ensuring you are eating well. Those are both easy to do with some planning. You are only considering a day, but I had the best experience when my family made a longer trip out of it.
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [stomponafrog] [ In reply to ]
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stomponafrog wrote:
I've done race-camping for various races, including Lake Placid IM. .

Where did you camp for Lake Placid, I will be there camping this year before my first full and curious where you stayed. We currently have a spot reserved at Drapers Acres.
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [JPDMD25] [ In reply to ]
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Sometimes I camp the night before a race. I am comfortable camping, and I know my gear. I would not try it with a new tent that I hadn't practiced setting up, for example. If you don't want to cook at the site, make sure that you bring food or know where a restaurant area is. I have found that rotisserie chicken and potato salad from my neighborhood grocery store are a good meal the night before a race, and I make oatmeal and coffee in the morning with my little stove.
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [tem375] [ In reply to ]
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I've stayed twice at the Lake Placid (Wilmington) KOA. You can tent there or get one of those little cabins. Either way a HUGE difference from the cost of accommodations in Lake Placid. I only discovered Draper's Acres a couple days ago, so no opinion on that place. There also is a Wilmington State Park Campground (the official name is eluding me) that is directly on the bike course too. I also believe you can camp at the North Pole place. These options of course are more rustic than a hotel, but that's a known going in.

I plan on volunteering instead of racing this year at IMLP and will still use the KOA most likely. If it was just me, I'd stay at the Wilmington State Park campground. But with family they want a bit for "stuff" that a place like KOA would cater to. (pool, some activities, mini-mart, etc.)
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [JPDMD25] [ In reply to ]
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Bring earplugs.

I've camped before almost all my races. Never had any issues. Only time I didn't sleep well was at mooseman ('06? maybe) one year there was a torrential rainstorm in the middle of the night. Couldn't really sleep because of the noise of the rain on my tent (honestly, one of my favorite sounds, but it was loud) and people scrambling and yelling to get their tent fly's on.


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All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. ~Gandalf
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [JPDMD25] [ In reply to ]
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I camped out before a sprint tri. It worked out well. I have a shell on my truck. Slept in it. Boondocked at a church near the parking lot. I don't get the quality of sleep needed to do two nights in a tent before a race. But, the night before doesn't hurt me. Me and my wife camp a lot. So it doesn't add another layer of stress for me. But, if you don't camp much it could be stressful. If your in an RV then why are we even talking about this?
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [JPDMD25] [ In reply to ]
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Have camped for the past 10 years. I have a pop-up for some races and take the motorhome for others, depending on the venue, accommodations, and access. Never had a problem, almost always ride a short distance to transition, and it's cheap. Do it for both triathlon and ultras. Best ever...
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [JPDMD25] [ In reply to ]
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Me and two friends camped for Wildflower 3-4 years ago. Flew into SFO and rented a VW van with the pop top. Drove down and camped the night before at the site. Only downside was a bit hard to get cleaned up after the race but they set up these portable shower trailers I think you just had to wait a while. It was my first half after a 20 year absence from triathlon. I'd do it again with the right guys.

They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [JPDMD25] [ In reply to ]
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JPDMD25 wrote:
Im thinking of camping the night before Eagleman (if allowed). Its not like I sleep very much the night before a race, so I thought it could be fun. I'm not out to win any AG awards--just have a solid race.

Would you do it again? Any tips and tricks from those who have done it?

Never camped before a Tri, but I have often camped out for the Camp Pendleton Mud Run (admittedly this is more about drinking than racing). The main thing I would suggest it to have something comfortable to sleep on. I'm a big fan of the REI Kingdom Cot. when it comes to car camping.
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [JPDMD25] [ In reply to ]
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Having to empty and take down a family sized tent after a full iron distance race is a bit crap.
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [knighty76] [ In reply to ]
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I should have mentioned I'm going solo (no way the wife would "rough it" with kids). At least its a 70.3 and not a full -- not sure I could breakdown anything after that.
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [JPDMD25] [ In reply to ]
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The range of what people refer to as camping is pretty broad. I'm probably not interested in sleeping on the ground the night before a big race.

I talked to some guys tent camping at Triple T a couple of years ago when it rained all weekend. Everything the owned was wet.
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [Thom] [ In reply to ]
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You're right--figuring out now that there's a broad definition of the word "camping." I was thinking of tent camping (with an air mattress/or cot). If the weather was a complete mess, then I f sleeping in the back of Grand Cherokee might be an option (even looking into those SUV tents --anyone have experience with those?).
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [JPDMD25] [ In reply to ]
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Are you talking about the SUV tents that go on top of the car? Because those look like a terrifying idea if you have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. They also seem like they would move a lot in the wind.
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [happyscientist] [ In reply to ]
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Just the ones that connect off the back of the SUV with the rear gate open-- something like this:

https://www.etrailer.com/...ehicleid=20171169800

Those rooftop tents look crazy! For sure I'd end up killing myself with one of those.
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [JPDMD25] [ In reply to ]
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I'm in a similar boat and plan to camp at the YMCA a couple of blocks from race site. $150 for two nights is hard to beat. Especially when compared to the prices for anything within a reasonable distance.

I've done the car camping but will probably bring a tent this go around.
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [stomponafrog] [ In reply to ]
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I camped at Timberman in 2015. The people at the campsite next to me were not there for the race. They partied long into the night, ignoring the quiet rule after 10:00 PM. I complained to the camp site management the next day, as apparently did a lot of other campers that like me that were there for the race, and management told me they'd never let them in the park again, but that didn't help me get to sleep the night before.
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [JPDMD25] [ In reply to ]
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I've done it before at a local half ironman, and would not do it again. Smoke from neighbor campfires, uncomfortable sleeping on tent floor (hammock would be MUCH better), loud neighbors chatting into the night, and then I had to break everything down after the race. Definitely not worth the $100 or so I saved.
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [JPDMD25] [ In reply to ]
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Camp for every XTERRA! Only way to go! :)
Have camped for shorter races but when it comes to IM... The comforts of a hotel are priceless...
Camp at KOA at Wilmington or North Pole for IMLP if volunteering.
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [JPDMD25] [ In reply to ]
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The quality of camping is all about location. I have loved and gotten great nights of sleep camping before races when the climate was nice. Pretty much everywhere in Southern California and Colorado where the humidity is low, the sleeping temperature is great, it doesn't rain at night, and there aren't many bugs has worked well and I'd do it again.

Having said that, I'm from NC, lived in DC and Texas and tried to camp before races in those places and it's been pretty awful. Doesn't cool down quickly enough, super humid, lots of bugs, and afternoon/evening thunderstorms make everything more uncomfortable. If I were racing Eagleman I'd go for a hotel room.
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [JPDMD25] [ In reply to ]
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Rented a camper for Savageman a few years back. Sleeping in a tin can under an oak tree sounds like gunshots going off every time an acorn falls on the roof.
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [peace242000] [ In reply to ]
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You make a great point about the climate. I havnt raced Eagleman before, but its notorious for hot/humid climate. I'm sure the nights in the area dont cool off all that much (making for a sticky night).
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [Alaric83] [ In reply to ]
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Alaric83 wrote:
Bring earplugs.

I've camped before almost all my races. Never had any issues.

+1 good well-fitting earplugs can save your night's sleep..

a lot depends on the campground and whether they will enforce quiet time.
I backpack mostly when camping, so car camping is already a form of luxury. It's worked out well most of the time.
Wouldn't do it to save $100 but typically the difference between camping and hotel is more on the lines of $300-500.

The only time the family came to one of my races I spent the money for a hotel, was not going to attempt family camping..
Younger son then 5, said on the way back, "so that was a strange vacation- no camping, no canoeing, no fishing.."
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Re: Tell Me About Your Race Camping Experience [JPDMD25] [ In reply to ]
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Camped before a half at a state park in Ohio. Parked in the beach lot 100 yards from transition. AirBed in the back of a minivan. Went to bed early, slept great, got up late, walked over to transition, went back to the car and back to sleep, got up and warmed up before the race, restrooms right next to the vehicle. Had the best race of my life, ran sub 1:30.

Absolutely would do it again!
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