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HITS Triathlon Series
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Any one have experience with these races? Any feedback - size of event, organization, etc.? I'm specifically thinking about the Olympic in Upstate NY in June (Hague).

Thanks!
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [ninagski] [ In reply to ]
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I did the half iron there a few years ago. It's a tough course. Some tough climbs on the bike, nothing but up and down on the run. Not sure how different the Olympic course is.

Transition area and the swim area is pretty nice and a good place for family to hang out. The organization was decent, you've got to understand it's a lot smaller of a race. I don't know that I would ever do a 140.6 with them due to less on course support compared to an IM branded event. But for an Olympic you'll be fine.

Their RD back then was amazing, really cool guy that just loves what he does. He's since left so I don't know how they've been in the last 2 years.
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [teichs42] [ In reply to ]
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How was the water up there at that time of year?

---------------------------
''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! đŸ˜‚ '' Murphy's Law
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [ninagski] [ In reply to ]
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well organized generally but distances were not accurate.

bike was 39km and swim was 2km. this was at HITS PALM SPRINGS in dec 2015.
Last edited by: edm-tri-guy: Mar 22, 16 9:58
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [ninagski] [ In reply to ]
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I've done HITS Hague (half) 3 times and doing it for a 4th time this year. It's a small event and very family friendly in a quiet part of Lake George. Well organized and a good atmosphere. Don't expect a bunch of hoopla and big cheering sections but it's well done for a small event.

The bike is awesome. 5 mile climb right out of the gate and 5 mile high speed descent to T2. Run is tough but is closer to 12.5 miles than 13.1.
EDIT: The comment about the bike is for the half distance. The Olympic course is rolling and doesn't climb the mountain.

The half is on Saturday and the Olympic/Sprint is on Sunday so you can double if you want. There is a super sprint later in the day on Sunday that my kids usually do. We stay right on the beach in Hague and make it a family vacation. Great place for a triathlon if you ask me.

Bob
Last edited by: Bob S: Mar 22, 16 10:51
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [Sweeney] [ In reply to ]
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Sweeney wrote:
How was the water up there at that time of year?

Water temperature is usually chilly until July but very comfortable with a wetsuit. One of the nicest triathlon swims you'll ever do.
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [ninagski] [ In reply to ]
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I did Naples, FL in January this year, so I can't comment on the NY course. But I can talk about the organizers - it's a small race, so the communication is almost instant. They are very friendly and can sort out your issues, if you have any, with no drama. The Naples race was a full range of distances, so there were a lot of families with adults racing longer distances and then supporting their kids on the shorter ones. Don't expect much of the expo, but as far as a family outing and an enjoyable race - HITS certainly delivers.
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [ninagski] [ In reply to ]
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I've done HITS many times. When you sign up early, it is pretty cheap for a half. The Palm Springs course is fun (often a bit cold) and the Napa course is a good early year check on where you are at before Wildflower. When Mark was the RD he was really hands on and very accessible. The new guy is not Mark, but he's pretty good and they put on a good race. Sure, they have had some distance problems, but everyone has. And if you're doing an Oly, you are going to be out there long enough for anything to go wrong. The transition area is always done right, the events are family friendly, and I can't really complain about much.
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [seeyouincourt] [ In reply to ]
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seeyouincourt wrote:
I've done HITS many times. When you sign up early, it is pretty cheap for a half. The Palm Springs course is fun (often a bit cold) and the Napa course is a good early year check on where you are at before Wildflower. When Mark was the RD he was really hands on and very accessible. The new guy is not Mark, but he's pretty good and they put on a good race. Sure, they have had some distance problems, but everyone has. And if you're doing an Oly, you are going to be out there long enough for anything to go wrong. The transition area is always done right, the events are family friendly, and I can't really complain about much.

i second this, even ironman has been short. the reason why HITS got screwed one year on distance at palms springs is cause police moved a cone .5 mile shorter

its a great series, great price point and support. just not popular cause of people wanting to brand whore
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [synthetic] [ In reply to ]
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i second this, even ironman has been short. the reason why HITS got screwed one year on distance at palms springs is cause police moved a cone .5 mile shorter //

Thats not really what happened, I was in that race and got to see what actually occured. I was one of the leaders on the bike and the truck with the course cones came flying by me setting the course up on the fly, during the actual race in progress. The police saved their asses actually, setting up a turnaround at an intersection near where the turnaround was supposed to be, but empty of all cones and markings when the first few of us got there. I actually knew where it was supposed to be, and went that direction, overshooting the new turnaround set up. I quickly abandoned that strategy as I looked back and saw my competitors turning where the cops had set up at the intersection..


I agree that if you want a low cost(if you enter very early) family friendly race to do, these will fit the bill. Just don't expect much else, except pretty empty courses.(a good thing in my mind in this day of 1000's on the starting line) Kind of a throw back to the early 80's, still finding their way in the sport.pp. I was leading the bike and the truck with the course cones came flying by me setting the course up on the fly, during the actual race in progress. The police saved their asses actually, setting up a turnaround at an intersection near where the turnaround was supposed to be, but empty of all cones and markings when the first few of us got there. I actually knew where it was supposed to be, and went that direction, overshooting the new turnaround set up. I quickly abandoned that strategy as I looked back and saw my competitors turning where the cops had set up at the intersection..


I agree that if you want a low cost(if you enter very early) family friendly race to do, these will fit the bill. Just don't expect much else, except pretty empty courses.(a good thing in my mind in this day of 1000's on the starting line) Kind of a throw back to the early 80's, still finding their way in the sport.

Last edited by: Slowman: Mar 23, 16 10:20
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [ninagski] [ In reply to ]
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my tri club does the one in Kingston, NY every year, and they all love it. they say it is well organized and lots of people, since they have every distance.

however, the longer the race, the less competitors you'll have alongside you. from what i've been told, the 70.3 and 140.6 distances can get very lonely.

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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [ninagski] [ In reply to ]
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 I did the 1st and only race they put on in Corpus Christi, Texas back in 2012 or 2013. It was a small event but very memorable due to the rain the day/night before, the cold water swim, and Dave Scott being there at the event as well. I did the Olympic distance and was my 1st Triathlon I ever competed in. They fed everyone the night before Free of charge and was a great event considering the weather. We were all under a small canopy eating Italian food, staying dry and listening to Dave Scott telling stories and jokes about his years of Triathlon. I do remember telling myself not to do a Full Distance event in the HITS series because it seemed a bit lonely out on the course with very few spectators or volunteers. I am sure they(HITS) have come a long way since that 1st event. I did enjoy it.
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [ninagski] [ In reply to ]
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I ran the 5K in 2013 and a half-marathon in 2014 here in Oklahoma City. they didn't offer any Tri events here.

BUT, at the 2014 event, Michellie Jones was in town for an un-related event and ran the 5K!

They didn't have a lot of participation, but they were well set up.
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [synthetic] [ In reply to ]
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synthetic wrote:
its a great series, great price point and support. just not popular cause of people wanting to brand whore

You should have ended your post without the last part. It's great that HITS offers athletes an option other than WTC for half and full distance but there are a myriad of valid reasons that people would choose to go elsewhere for long course beyond being a "brand whore." To name just one, perhaps they want some competition in their age group. The two closest to me are Naples and Ocala. Naples had 50 finishers in the full (Jan 16) and Ocala had 28 finishers in the full (Mar 15). For almost all age groups, just finishing equals podium.

It HITS rocks your boat, that is superb. But don't knock others simply because they choose differently.
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]
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HuffNPuff wrote:
synthetic wrote:

its a great series, great price point and support. just not popular cause of people wanting to brand whore


You should have ended your post without the last part. It's great that HITS offers athletes an option other than WTC for half and full distance but there are a myriad of valid reasons that people would choose to go elsewhere for long course beyond being a "brand whore." To name just one, perhaps they want some competition in their age group. The two closest to me are Naples and Ocala. Naples had 50 finishers in the full (Jan 16) and Ocala had 28 finishers in the full (Mar 15). For almost all age groups, just finishing equals podium.

It HITS rocks your boat, that is superb. But don't knock others simply because they choose differently.

Just curious... I can get into a full distance through HITS for 200 if I sign up early enough... what exactly, besides hearing: "XXXX, you are an IRONMAN", is worth that extra 600 dollars?

It's a genuine question, as I am considering entering a full HITS (Napa) for 2017.
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [davejustdave] [ In reply to ]
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I know this doesn't exactly answer your question, but I really enjoyed the full HITS I did in FL. I have no complaints.
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [davejustdave] [ In reply to ]
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davejustdave wrote:
HuffNPuff wrote:
synthetic wrote:

its a great series, great price point and support. just not popular cause of people wanting to brand whore


You should have ended your post without the last part. It's great that HITS offers athletes an option other than WTC for half and full distance but there are a myriad of valid reasons that people would choose to go elsewhere for long course beyond being a "brand whore." To name just one, perhaps they want some competition in their age group. The two closest to me are Naples and Ocala. Naples had 50 finishers in the full (Jan 16) and Ocala had 28 finishers in the full (Mar 15). For almost all age groups, just finishing equals podium.

It HITS rocks your boat, that is superb. But don't knock others simply because they choose differently.


Just curious... I can get into a full distance through HITS for 200 if I sign up early enough... what exactly, besides hearing: "XXXX, you are an IRONMAN", is worth that extra 600 dollars?

It's a genuine question, as I am considering entering a full HITS (Napa) for 2017.

As a genuine response I will ask this question: Why pay $200, or anything at all? Why not just do a self supported full distance event on your own? That is essentially what a HITS full distance triathlon experience is. Part of having a race is having competition, peers to share in the misery, and perhaps some spectators to help when your motivation is flagging. The issue here is that WTC and HITS are at opposite ends of the spectrum...no happy medium either way.
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]
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HuffNPuff wrote:
davejustdave wrote:
HuffNPuff wrote:
synthetic wrote:

its a great series, great price point and support. just not popular cause of people wanting to brand whore


You should have ended your post without the last part. It's great that HITS offers athletes an option other than WTC for half and full distance but there are a myriad of valid reasons that people would choose to go elsewhere for long course beyond being a "brand whore." To name just one, perhaps they want some competition in their age group. The two closest to me are Naples and Ocala. Naples had 50 finishers in the full (Jan 16) and Ocala had 28 finishers in the full (Mar 15). For almost all age groups, just finishing equals podium.

It HITS rocks your boat, that is superb. But don't knock others simply because they choose differently.


Just curious... I can get into a full distance through HITS for 200 if I sign up early enough... what exactly, besides hearing: "XXXX, you are an IRONMAN", is worth that extra 600 dollars?

It's a genuine question, as I am considering entering a full HITS (Napa) for 2017.


As a genuine response I will ask this question: Why pay $200, or anything at all? Why not just do a self supported full distance event on your own? That is essentially what a HITS full distance triathlon experience is. Part of having a race is having competition, peers to share in the misery, and perhaps some spectators to help when your motivation is flagging. The issue here is that WTC and HITS are at opposite ends of the spectrum...no happy medium either way.

overall positioning matters at HITS rather than age group. i was chicked that put me into 4th place over all, but this girl did go pro, her fastest time being 10:01
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [synthetic] [ In reply to ]
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Ok I have a general question on the Hits Series. I just finished Grand Junction this past weekend (2nd year) and was looking at their schedule moving forward. From what I can see Lake Havasu is not on the schedule for 2016 and Grand Junction is not there on the tentative schedule for 2017.
Did I miss some announcements? I can't find any information online for either race going forward.
Thanks in advance for any insight...
Last edited by: AJTriHard: May 24, 16 7:08
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [AJTriHard] [ In reply to ]
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AJTriHard wrote:
Ok I have a general question on the Hits Series. I just finished Grand Junction this past weekend (2nd year) and was looking at their schedule moving forward. From what I can see Lake Havasu is not on the schedule for 2016 and Grand Junction is not there on the tentative schedule for 2017.
Did I miss some announcements? I can't find any information online for either race going forward.
Thanks in advance for any insight...

Email them and ask!

I registered for Napa full 2017 and emailed them with a question. They got back to me literally within 5 minutes.

What distance did you do at Grand Junction? Impressions?
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [davejustdave] [ In reply to ]
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Thank you for the suggestion (figured maybe someone had knowledge before going righto the source ;-) ).
Anyway, I inquired and they got right back to me - no more Grand Junction or Lake Havasu. Oh well.

I completed the Half (both years) and liked it both times. The smaller field is nice, once in a while. Although the weather wasn't great either year. 2015 was crazy cold and toes didn't thaw out until a couple of miles into the run. 2016, temperature was much better, but the wind was nasty.
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [AJTriHard] [ In reply to ]
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AJTriHard wrote:
Thank you for the suggestion (figured maybe someone had knowledge before going righto the source ;-) ).
Anyway, I inquired and they got right back to me - no more Grand Junction or Lake Havasu. Oh well.

I completed the Half (both years) and liked it both times. The smaller field is nice, once in a while. Although the weather wasn't great either year. 2015 was crazy cold and toes didn't thaw out until a couple of miles into the run. 2016, temperature was much better, but the wind was nasty.

That's a bummer about Havasu and Grand Junction. Hopefully they won't cancel the others. It's nice to have non mdot options
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [ninagski] [ In reply to ]
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I did the Ocala full last month and had a great time. As many have pointed out, the race was much smaller than the WTC circus: we were 10 finishers for the full.

To be fair, a bunch of competitors dropped out on race morning as the swim was cancelled because of thunder, so they're usually bigger races.

Oh, and HITS gave everyone who dropped out a transfer to another of their races, which I thought was above and beyond what WTC provides.

My favorite part was having the coffee truck parked right outside transition. There's nothing better than a double espresso as you head to the start line.

More in my race report.

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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [Arnaud] [ In reply to ]
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Arnaud wrote:
I did the Ocala full last month and had a great time. As many have pointed out, the race was much smaller than the WTC circus: we were 10 finishers for the full.

To be fair, a bunch of competitors dropped out on race morning as the swim was cancelled because of thunder, so they're usually bigger races.

Oh, and HITS gave everyone who dropped out a transfer to another of their races, which I thought was above and beyond what WTC provides.

My favorite part was having the coffee truck parked right outside transition. There's nothing better than a double espresso as you head to the start line.

More in my race report.

That's a great race report and congrats on the win!

You did hot on one thing I am both looking forward to and dreading: it looks pretty lonely with the small number of competitors doing the full. Being out there on the course alone has gotta be tough.
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Re: HITS Triathlon Series [davejustdave] [ In reply to ]
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I have done the Napa Olympic since there first race. Am already signed up again for next year. Pretty much says it all.

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