You only live once?

Oh well.. YOLO!!!

Welcome to slowtwitch and way to start out; with a total hatchet job. Even in a place as uncivil as slowtwitch, that's a bit much. You clearly *think* you know where to begin: By creating a new anonymous account and posting this. Grow up a bit or get lost.

Really? My coach and a few others I know did it and loved it.

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Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca

My wife did the Olympic and said it was fine but the swim course design needed some improvement. Some confusion over the buoys. I heard some people doing the sprint went past the bike turn around but that's there fault not the RD. There were maps on the website.

"WHAT CAN'T I POST HERE? We are especially cranky about trial-by-internet. Do not register to post on this forum only to have your first post be a complaint against a company doing business in the sport of triathlon."

Way to come out of the gate swinging...

I didn't race but volunteered at the race from my perspective things went smoothly. I know at least 10 athletes who raced it and all had good things to say. Care to elaborate?

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The secret of a long life is you try not to shorten it.
-Nobody

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=5210323;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

This thread has a product you will want to get to make your next Triathlon a better experience.

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Ian

I raced the Olympic yesterday and while there were some challenges I would not call it a "complete disaster."

The race organizers took this race over from the group that had run it for many years (Rattlesnake Triathlon). Traditionally this race had hosted the Olympic on Saturday and Sprint on Sunday - allowing folks who wanted to do both races. They mentioned they will be going back to that format next year which will be great.

I was personally not a huge fan of the way that transition was setup as they had intended to separate Olympic and Sprint athletes, but didn't really communicate that so a large number of folks had to move their setup late in the game. There also weren't a very many aisle way causing some congestion entering and exiting.

The swim course is confusing at this race, made worse yesterday by the fact that the buoys wouldn't stay in place, making racers have to ignore all except the turnaround buoy - I definitely had to sight a lot more than desired. However some of that what out of their control and the permanent buoy anchor was lost. Despite some confusion about the swim course I felt it went smooth (for me at least).

The bike was smooth, with your normal congestion that you see when Olympic and Sprint riders have to merger together towards the end of the course. But overall good.

The run was well supported with aid stations and volunteers on what was a very hot day.

Post-race I wasn't a huge fan of having to get back in line (took about 10 minutes) to get your shirt, versus just having it in the race bag.

Overall it was a fun day and while there were some hiccups I am sure they will get it figure out in the years to come as they host more event at the venue.

I hadn't heard they're splitting the races between two days next year. Puttin those two on the calendar already!

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The secret of a long life is you try not to shorten it.
-Nobody

I heard it mentioned during the awards ceremony, so hopefully it is true. They were that way in the past which made a fun and full weekend of racing. It would also greatly help with course congestion on the back half of the bike.

Delayed start, delayed awards, lines for everything, and transition closing an hour before the race is supposed to start... not a great start to the day.

Swim was poorly planned - sighting straight into the sun, and only having a single buoy to look for. Otherwise, it was great.

Bike was fine - I didn't see anybody at the front of the sprint race go through the "unmarked" corner - I heard of a few after the fact, but when I saw the road, it was empty of riders and I was looking about the time any competitive racers should have been there. Bike course isn't great, but it's the same course that everybody uses at that lake (Crescent Moon, Rattlesnake, YOLO, My Way or the Tri Way, Harvest Moon...), so I don't really account for that in my grade of the event.

Run was hot. Always is at this location. That's why I won't do Harvest Moon again. Oh well.

No bottles - only small cups for water/Gatorade. This is probably my biggest complaint whole thing. Just annoying. Of course, then we waited for awards... and waited some more.

Tough day for RD, but I'd do it again unless they change my placing with the whole "wrong turn" thing.

Edit: I forgot about transition. That needs to be fixed. Nowhere near enough room - bikes too close to fit in racks... not a good setup. Parking lot was plenty big to fit everybody, but they tried to pack it in a small area!

I was out at the first/last run water station all day so I was unaware of the transition issues. Though we did think the first wave went off late, we could see and hear the swim start pretty good from our vantage point.

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The secret of a long life is you try not to shorten it.
-Nobody

If it's the same course as Rattlesnake, they don't really have a choice about the sun on the swim, it's just one of those unfortunate things.

All the rest is indicative of an inexperienced RD and should get better. Except for the "wahh, only got paper cups" part which belongs in the cry like a biatch thread.

John

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Top notch coaching: Francois and Accelerate3 | Follow on Twitter: LifetimeAthlete |

No argument here. I thought it was a pretty good race with a few issues. Nothing that can't be fixed next year.

If the bike course is the same that they used for Rattlesnake, loved it. Enough rollers to keep you very honest in your pacing. They will eat you alive if you screw it up.

John

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Top notch coaching: Francois and Accelerate3 | Follow on Twitter: LifetimeAthlete |

The RD is Barry Siff, fairly experienced.
http://303triathlon.com/5430-Sports-announces-new-YOLO-tris

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The secret of a long life is you try not to shorten it.
-Nobody

Hi y'all,

I'd like to start by saying that Jodee and Barry were great and super accommodating as I signed up late and with issues regarding the bike. I will definitely do this race again and feel bad that 2 good directors and nice people had such a hard day.

That being said, the bike was a disaster for sprinters. I was the first to the 'turn' leading a handful of others and there was no sign that there was a split and just one person standing on the side volunteering and waiving people straight. I asked (while going fast) 'sprint left?' and he said nothing and just continued pointing down the road. I know that this was done to a lot of the people following me and the leading girl as well. It sounds like he figured things out later on because others were given the proper directions. I think Barry and the race handled it as best they could and are going to adjust times before turning into USATriathlon. I was happy to still place in my AG but bummed that I didn't get 1st due to this and missed out on a gift card. Not the end of the world though as it is just a sprint race that I'm doing for fun to round out my season.

To address the 'its the racers job to know the course' point, I totally understand that that is how it is supposed to work. However, if you are the racer that is coming to an unmarked turn where everyone else is going straight and the volunteer answers your question by signalling down the road, would you make the turn anyways? I think I would feel like I was doing something wrong and potentially viewed by others as cheating or something which wouldn't make for very good race feelings either. It should also be noted that there were changes in the swim with all of the buoy confusion so I just figured they adjusted the bike course as well. I have been in a couple races where things were changed on race day and folks were not notified, for what its worth.

Hopefully that all makes sense as it was just kind of of the top of my head.

Take care,
John Freaney

If I read what you wrote correctly about the bike, and it was a USAT race, since you are responsible to know the course, and you went the wrong direction, this is a DQ.
No way the RD can adjust times!! Totally illegal!!!

.

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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

It's not always that black and white.

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Eliot
blog thing - strava thing

From what was written, in this case, sorry, it is!

.

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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

USAT black and white policy


TRIATHLON SCORING
Triathlon is scored by time. The object of each participant is to accumulate the lowest aggregate time when crossing the finish line. The time for each participant commences with the starting time of the participant’s assigned wave or group. The time continues, uninterrupted, until the participant completes the race by crossing the finish line. A participant’s official time shall include his total elapsed time plus any assessed time penalties. Official overall results shall list all participants ranked in order of their official time, sorted by least time to greatest time. A participant who receives a Disqualification shall not have a finish time listed in the official overall results.

There shall be no adjustment to any participant’s total elapsed time for any reason other than the addition of penalty time. Adverse effects on overall time caused by delays on course due to traffic, accidents, trains, or straying off course are considered part of the participant’s time and may not be mitigated by “adjustment.”
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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

Hi H20. Not sure what to tell you as I am not the race director. I do think I heard him say he is the president of usatriathlon though... but I may have misheard. Either way, if a person that is giving directions on course tells me to go one way and I think the course goes another, I'm not really in the position to argue as I'm trying to move quickly down the road, am I? Would you have ignored the course volunteer and done your own thing? Perhaps you would and I should do the same in the future, I just feel like that would be looked at weirdly by others. Happy to hear your thoughts though.

Cheers,
John

Yep, it is a tough call, but if you go the wrong way, and it gives you an advantage, you are Dqed. It you go further than you should and your time is more, that is your time.

I ran into this during a race earlier this year. The top couple of guys ran long on the run course. They complained to the RD who then changed their time. Well, when he found
out this will illegal to the rules I just posted, he put them back to their "finish" time and said he was sorry he made the mistake since he should have know better.

So bottom line, volunteers are just that. We have to know the course.

If that RD changes the times and gets caught, he or she is in trouble. (Again, assuming I read the post correctly from what was posted.)

.

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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