I really miss the 5k/40k/10k format

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Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
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Does each AG race by themselves in the draft legal sprint race?

Is my fear that the field might be so small as to feel ridiculous?

Not last year. If I remember correctly, there were three waves for the men separated by 15 minutes. I don't remember about the women but they started after most of the men were off the bike course.

Nope, bend's DL race last year had a ton of folks. And everyone I talked to who raced, loved it!!!!

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

As someone who goes to greenvile every year (for the last 7 or 8 years)... there just isnt any flat, anywhere. So not a huge surprise.
It will be lots and lots of punch climbs for sure!

I really, really don't understand the USAT strategy on race locations. Yes, the weather in Greenville is just about perfect in early April, but still, Greenville? And Ohio for junior and age group nationals??? Oklahoma for ultra nationals? Would any of you go to any of those three places if it weren't for a race? I don't want to go to Ohio or South Carolina or Oklahoma and a race doesn't change my mind. And Alabama for high school nationals? We better hope Alabama's soon to be elected senator is in Washington so the girls competing are safe.

I want to see the races in places we want to visit. Try New England in the summer. How about Arizona in April? Why not the Oregon coast in September for ultra nationals? What about Jackson Hole or Colorado Springs for summer events? Chattanooga for 70.3 Worlds was great, but Greenville is no Chattanooga. If the races are in interesting and accessible places, we are more likely to go. Cleveland is definitely accessible, but interesting???

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2018 Races: IM Santa Rosa, Vineman Monte Rio, Lake Tahoe 70.3

If they race in waves, does that mean you are on the bike lapping people all over the place during the three loop bike loop? Sounds ominous.

One reason I have not done many nationals in the last decade. Not at places the boss wanted to go. Now Bend, it was great.

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

I didn't do Bend and I wish I had. Racing there would have been great. But for some dumb reason even though I suck at swimming, I didn't think much about doing a duathlon, but I have gotten more and more interested and wish I had done it.

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2018 Races: IM Santa Rosa, Vineman Monte Rio, Lake Tahoe 70.3

I want to see the races in places we want to visit.

Try New England in the summer. Done just about what 5 years ago for AG Nats.

How about Arizona in April? Done 3 years ago doe Collegiate nats.


Why not the Oregon coast in September for ultra nationals? What about Jackson Hole or Colorado Springs for summer events? Colorado Springs held the 1st USAT JE Nats I believe in 2007-2008ish time frame?





Chattanooga for 70.3 Worlds was great, but Greenville is no Chattanooga. If the races are in interesting and accessible places, we are more likely to go. Cleveland is definitely accessible, but interesting

Also you mention Ohio for junior nationals. That city/event has gone above and beyond what USAT hopes a host city does. They’ve invested in the property and location that makes 1 day drive for 85% of the junior teams in the US. eta: It's also I believe the only USAT event contract that is guaranteed for more than 2 years. It's good through I believe 2020 or 2021 and has been in West Chester since 2012.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Also USAT High School nats is for time being attached to Collegiate nats race location/weekend. And since Collegiate nats has to be done by middle of April, race locations are limited to pretty much below NC and south or Cali/Arizona.

Also you should visit the Tuscaloosa event especially if you have a HS kid. The race venue has held I believe 6 national championship races and I don’t think any are in duathlon- all tri. It’s actually really good race venue and large enough metro area that can handle the visitors,

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Not even lapping, you'll probably be in bike packs with different AG and thus likely different laps. I didn't read the rules on it yet, but I'm assuming the only absolute rule is no cross gender drafting. But they usually set up the timing of each wave so that, that can't occur. But when I did AG DL Tri down in Clermont, it was 4 lap bike and we had 15 min start waves and thus groups all over the place on different laps. It's pretty much "count your own laps".

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Greenville is actually a great place. Much like Colorado Springs in my opinion. I've been to both. Super excited it's being hosted there.

One reason they no longer do multiple laps for the AG DL races.

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

This duathlon DL event is 3 laps of 18k. There really is no way they can’t/won’t have bike packs on different laps.

ETA: which isn’t an issue as long as you don’t ride through mount/dismount line each lap. Which according to maps won’t be case in this race. You do U turn for each lap and then leave course to finish and ride to transition. Event I did we rode through transition, so that made it kinda crazy riding 20 mph and coming up an mounting rider. But it was 1st time event and kinks had to be worked out.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

I don't think they'll be an issue with mixed laps exactly because the loops are out on the main road. I did the DL races in Clermont in 2015 and it was a "hot" transition. The triathlon especially was dangerous because there was 15 minutes between waves. Thus, the older guys could be racing in a pack with younger guys. It was tricky when the earlier group finished because they were dismounting as we were riding through transition for the next lap. The course made it more challenging because it was 100 yards of winding single lane road with a 90 degree left into transition. So much fun!. Here, like Bend this year, it shouldn't be an issue.

What? The DL race at Bend was two 10k laps (I know because I pulled you up the first lap). The two DL Worlds qualifying races in NOLA in 2016 were two 10K laps. Greenville is three 6K laps.

In all cases, the pre-race announcements said that it was the athlete's responsibility to count their laps.

The schedule is also posted. There are two men's waves in the DL race on Saturday going off at 7:30 and 7:40. The schedule does not have the break point but I suspect it'll be at either 45 or 50. The woman's race goes off at 8:45 (single wave, so far). Thus, the women will begin after a majority of the men are off the bike course so there should be little to no inter-gender drafting.

Have not been to Greenville, but will race this year. Easy to get to and fairly cheap. It was going to be very expensive and a pain to get to Bend so we skipped the last 2 years. I know - it was easy for the people on the West coast but when people living in major metro areas have to make a double connector and the airfare was very expense - not a good location if you want a lot of people to show up.

Will also do Ohio. Again Easy to get to and fairly cheap.


I do question having High school nationals attached to college rather than attached to age group nationals. High School kids travel with their parents. Why not let parent and child race the same location the same weekend.

Race with your parents or race with 1500 college kids in a much more “exciting” environment that lets you see what college club tri is all about (and keeps you motivated to stay in sport). Collegiate nats is easily the most exciting/fun event of all the national champ events.

If anything they should attach it to JE nats 1 weekend before AG Nats but I don’t think they want the “competition” between the elite racing style (must qualify for within usat’s Cup series) and non-draft anyone can enter so the level of competition is very extreme.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

I raced collegiate nats last year, and while it was hot and humid and I raced terribly, the course itself was one of the nicest I've ever raced on. Assuming I'm in a position to do so this year, I absolutely am going back.

I agree with you if time and money were on no concern.

If I'm budgeting 2 travel races I'm picking ones both my son and I can race. We'd both rather travel twice and race twice than travel twice and race once.

But then I have limited time and limited money.

Now if "most" of the high school racers don't have parent racers, then it doesn't matter and keeping it how it is makes sense.

I'd be curious what the ratio of high school racers with parent racers vs. high school racers without parent racers.

Thus, the women will begin after a majority of the men are off the bike course so there should be little to no inter-gender drafting

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That’s good and they’ll always add the one itu rule that is always used in mixed gender racing. No inter-gender drafting...that is and will always be a penalty.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

I think your missing the setup of HS racing and how it’s structuted. It’s not being structured like AG racing. It’s being built as “team” structured sport, like the football team or baseball team or track team (if not an individual HS atleast a “club” team within an geographic area). There are now lots of “teams” popping up and taking groups of athletes vs single family kid going to a race and it being easier to go to a race where pops can race too.

I don’t know where you live but there likely may be a HS club team in your area to atttach your son too. That’s how it’s being built, racing as individual as part of team.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Got it. Thanks for the clarification. Very different than I thought.