Are you still up in Lake Placid? I know there was a wetsuit in the lost and found when I was working at the info table until 10 last night. When we closed up the table, the box of items was brought into the high school. Is that where you were sent to look?

Just so I understand this, you ended up with hypothermia after T1 correct? There's a lot going on in T1, and you're dealing with volunteers. I don't know how, if it's something of great value, you leave it in the hands of volunteers. I dump all my T1 and T2 bags stuff out and use assistance from the volunteers to an extent but I put my goggles and wetsuit into the T1 bag when I am done and tie it up. Same for helmet and shoes after the bike. Sorry to hear about your day, but if it's anything like the vultures picking through SN bags, I doubt it'll be turned in. Also don't see how they're liable you forgot to pack your bag.

That's said with the impression you made it through T1. If you were sent to medical during T1 then I would see how you could expect them to assume responsibility.

I made it through T1 , I am putting my bike gear on and the volunteer says, as he has done last year, leave it where it is , I will take care of it so I go and jump on the bike

I checked all lost and found

They are liable for me, ridiculous to say otherwise for me

I guess they should have left you shivering and unattended and looked after your wetsuit instead.

Perhaps your post is poorly worded or something but you are sounding a bit jerk like.

Put yourself in their shoes. Someone comes to them and claim that they lost a $700 wetsuit or $5,000 bike, without proof that it was lost or stolen, are they supposed to take your word for it? They ask you who you gave it to and your response is, "some volunteer dude." They ask, "what's his name?", and you give them a blank stare. Are they supposed to take the word of anyone who comes along and claim a lost?

I feel bad for you and don't doubt that you lost the wetsuit, but I'd be shocked if you get your money back.

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My marathon PR is "under three, high twos. I had a two hour and fifty-something."

He wont' get his money back, end of story.

Life's a shit sandwich sometimes.

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The Home of Advanced Running
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My narcisstic training log

Check any official video of the swim exit and/or T1 area, to determine proof you entered T1 with said wetsuit.

I assume you name and contact number is written on your suit somewhere? My two latest wetsuits have a white patch on the zipper flap area for just this purpose. I aslo use a whiteout pen to put my details on the inside of one of the legs as well, just in case of such an event.

I now have 3 wetsuits with "TriDork" and my phone number in case it gets lost. Thankfully there aren't too many short fat people wanting a smelly top of the range wetsuit where I live ;-)

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

I came down with hyperthermia on the bike , not in t1 , at all times I was very polite this morning , there was no accusation as you infer so take offence at the jerk comment , to be fair she saw my point , I really do struggle to see how it is not anything but their fault

My name and number is in the suit and yes I have photos coming out of the swim

As for asking the name of the volunteer to the poster who asked , that was a joke right ?

I don't see how it could be a joke. You pretty much just handed a random stranger $700? Pretty expensive lesson about responsibility. I kinda feel bad about the predicament you're in, but loose a little compassion when you don't accept any of the blame. Unless you're a FOP trying for a Kona slot I don't see why you wouldn't take the extra 10-15 seconds and secure your bag before leaving T1.

If you get your money back let us know. Next WTC race I do I'll hand my Ferrari key to a volunteer in an IM shirt and walk off because he said he'd take care of it :)

Did you have hyperthermia or hypothermia? Seems like the latter based on your frozen nuts?

Lost suit really sucks but I don't see how it's on them... it's a completely foreseeable outcome of the chaos of the event (especially when you land in the med tent). If you don't put it in the bag yourself you assume the benefit (time savings) and risk (potential misplacement) that come along with that.

Try filing a home insurance theft claim?

Agreed, asking for a volunteers name has got to be a joke.

I have three transition stories, all better than losing a wetsuit . Back in 2004 I was at a tri camp run by Hamish Carter (top bloke by the way) and met a guy Graham O'Grady, better known as GOG. He too is a good guy. Anway at IMNZ 2004 at T1, GOG screamed out to me to strip my wetsuit. Normally I do my own, but went over to say hi. I laid on the ground. Gog took one sleeve and another guy took the other sleeve and pulled like crazy. sure enough, they both got thwacked in the face by the wetsuit coming off. Later I watched the official video. Sure enough, a short fat guy appeared, writhing on the ground. My family was in stitches, wetting themselves with laughter! I never even noticed the camera in my face. LOL. It wouldn't have been so bad except the very next person getting their wetsuit stripped was a hot chick with lovely tan. It made me look even worse!

At the same race, in T2, in the mens change tent, a lot of the volunteers with university GIRLS. The guy beside me was older so a girl came to help. He was sitting on a plastic chair and she was on her knees in front of him, emptying his T2 bag. Well, he stood up, dropped his bike shorts and just about whacked her in the face with his generously sized male member. The poor girl had an incredible look on her face. I have no idea what she thought was going to happen in a mens change tent, but she learned something that day. Me? I couldn't compete in that male review show, so turned around and changed quickly as she scurried away. I bet the poor girl is still getting therapy, and she's still looking for a boyfriend to equal that well hung old man. Life will be an ongoing disappointment for her. LOL

BAck in 1995 a friend had his wetsuit stolen from over his bike, in T2. He was a slow runner and when he finished, he noticed it stolen. Damn. Anyway,he dejectedly headed for the car and drove home. Yup, you guessed it, the wetsuit spot prize was his to claim.........if he was there. Several people let him know he'd missed out. Poor bastard. He's probably still competing in a budgie smuggler.

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

If you have emailed the RD with the question, why are you now posting it here?

Remember the waiver we agree to before we're allowed to sign up and never read? Here's a piece of it:

- I am voluntarily participating with knowledge of the risks. Therefore, I assume and accept full responsibility for myself, for the inherent and other risks (both known and unknown) of the activities, and for any injury, damage, death or other loss I may suffer, resulting from those risks, including the risk of my, a co-participant’s, and/or a third party’s negligence or intentional or other misconduct, or any of the Released Parties’ negligence.

Sorry for the loss you suffered, but they're not responsible.

 

I am the RD at a very small XTERRA race in So Cal that was run this past Saturday. It's a 2 transition race so the athlete bags up their swim gear in T1 and we transport it to the finish line in numbered bags. We only had about 150 participants and 3 of them left their wetsuits behind. This happens every year despite our constant reminders for people to pick up their gear bags. When I called the athletes they were all totally surprised that they left their wetsuits behind.
Now multiple my 150 athletes times 20 and add a couple hundred volunteers over a 17 hour event and you can see how complex the problem can be.

All that said, you will most likely get it back. If it's there they will find it. If someone took it home and it has your name in it they will probably get in touch with you. Lost and found is a 2 part process. Give it a little time.

/

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Gary Mc
Did I mention I did Kona

I don't have as many great stories as TriDork, but I do have a lost wetsuit story that turns out well. At IM Cabo this Spring, I also finished minus a wetsuit in my bag. No drama of a medical tent was involved however.

The next day, I went to Lost and Found and Peter Anderson (I can't remember his ST handle) turned it in. My name was in the suit and I am elfin in size, so very few people would fit into my wetsuit anyway.

Peter took time out of his vacation to return the wetsuit to a different hotel from where he was staying after a volunteer didn't know what to do with it.

Good people are out there. Just give them time and I bet your wetsuit will find its way back to you. Not many people want a used and pee'd in wetsuit ;-)

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DFL > DNF > DNS

Have you ever done an IM?

UKINNY had a helper in T1 offer to pack his bag for him as he headed out on the bike leg. That's pretty standard practice. You would hope that the volunteer packing the bag put everything in so that when you collected your T1 bag after the you would get cap, goggles and wetsuit back, wouldn't you?

Hopefully it all gets sorted in the next day or so and it turns up.

hardly the same is it - WTC need to stop telling their volunteers to tell us that they will take care of it - if they cannot promise that and it seems they cannot then they should not despite the small print disclaimer we all sign

as it happens i was looking to qualify for Kona so the seconds do matter for me

sums up my shitty day if it is not returned thats for sure - i will wait to see what the RD says

So sorry for your tough day - bummer. And, losing your wetsuit is a double bummer. I sure hope it turns up. HOWEVER, there is no way there are liable . . . if you stay on that tack you are just wasting time, emotions, and frustrations.

Best wishes,

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David
* Ironman for Life! (Blog) * IM Everyday Hero Video * Daggett Shuler Law *
Disclaimer: I have personal and professional relationships with many athletes, vendors, and organizations in the triathlon world.

i know ,i know but i look forward to such a debate with the RD, i have mentally written my sarcastic reply

I have done an IM, and packed my bag in T1 and T2. It takes 10 seconds to stuff your things in your bag and tie a knot in it. As stated when you sign up for an IM you sign your life away. Anything could happen and WTC isn't liable, per the waiver nobody reads. Had he packed his bag himself and knew the wetsuit was in the bag, then it turned up missing, I'd have sympathy.

Who says WTC tells their volunteers to say what your volunteer did? They're volunteers. Their policy you're asking about is that "small print disclaimer we all sign"

who trains the volunteers ? they don't all unilaterally decide to say the same thing

i get the legal position and my earlier posts were borne somewhat of frustration on a really crappy day

my point is they cannot ask us to sign a waiver then have all of their volunteers saying something else - i.e. off you go, i will take care of it

i am not blaming the volunteers, its crazy in there, i get it but i still feel they have to think about this

I have no dog in this fight, but that language seems awfully vague. Maybe David can give his thoughts on this matter. I wouldn't try to fight it because of the costs (unless I was paralyzed or something) but I doubt that would hold up in court.

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.