I was out there today too, and saw a lot of what you are talking about...would come up and through large groups...but was riding fast enough that I didn't really pay too much attention to them. What you did was not uncalled for.

This race is pretty big, and even with the multiple waves there is not much way to avoid this. If you're a relatively strong rider, you have to make a decision rather quickly----obey the letter of the law, sit back and essentially wait your turn to pass, or you just do it. I had to pass left, right, split riders, drift occasionally over the midline because of riders going 4 abreast, etc.

I think what wind there was kind of grouped people together by default, as it did make it a bit tougher....I was hoping for a bit faster than my 1:05 and change split for the 40k, but so be it.

As for the announcers, my girlfriend was telling me after the race that they were also making fun of the elite and collegiate athletes who were putting socks on before the run...as a large chunk of the 10k was not paved, I did the same and couldn't blame anyone for doing that, let alone make fun of them. Dickish, yeah.

Overall, a fun race. Marvelled at the first swimmer coming out of the 1.25k in just over 15 minutes. In my dreams!

Even starting in the LAST wave, I was picking my way though all kinds of people. Not riding 3 abreast, but singles who were riding almost all the way to the left.

Yesterday I rode the course (except for the out/back) and there was no headwind. I drove in from that way this morning and when I saw flags almost ripping off poles, I knew we'd have a good headwind. But loved it when we turned around! 15mph to 29mph on that short stretch. By the time I hit the run, it was a little warm. But, I'm thrilled....35:00 PR and first place Athena.

And, I got to chat with Cousin Elwood, who is as handsome as ever!

Announcers: Didn't hear them making fun of beginners. Maybe Brad's sense of humor isn't for everyone.

clm

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

He has the same jokes at every tri...

Anyone notice the AG winner? a 21 min 10k... that's a 3:30 Pace. WR?
Or course cutter?

Cathy, was looking for your red hair, but no luck. Had my flower up. Was in the last rack at 25.

Thought the race went off very well. Could not believe the first swimmer coming out in 15 something. Water was nice and warm, even though a good amount of weeds. The bike head wind was tough. The first leg or about 6 miles was fine. But, just like I saw last year, once you get out to the straight section you turn at, there are just too many folks to do anything other than ride, and to be honest by the letter of the law, draft. At this point I hit enough slower bikers that basically everything slowed down going into the wind. Once we turned around it started to break up and I did not see as many packs. The guy who came flying by me on the bike at 61 years old is a stud. Run was getting a little warmer but overall, really could not have asked for nicer weather.

Some, from an Ex race director angle, what would I change. They need more toilets. The line was just way way too long. Get more clarity on the bike transistion area sooner. Need more bike racks. Aid stations were super!! Body marking was super. Bike course was super marked with lots of folks at corners!! Best I have ever seen. Great not having cars to worry about. Cops were great, they were all over. They did a super job at the intersections. Food after the race was first class, and they had full bananas!!!!!! The road surface was first class, never saw a real pot hole!

Overall, one of the best races I have seen in Northern Calif. Will be back next year even though I continue to get my butt kicked on the bike. I still only had 10 people beat me who were older!! At my age, this is all I can look at.



Dave

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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

There are almost never enough portos at any race. At least the line moved fairly quickly here.

My suggestion for this particular venue would be to start the race a little earlier (perhaps 6:30?) and spread out the waves a bit. I was in the 7th wave and as Cathy notes, if you're decently strong on the bike you have to make decisions pretty quick as to what to do when you're going considerably faster than those in front of you....a bunch of whom don't really know how to handle a bike (damn triathletes!)...

It's a big race and lots of people end up on the bike course at almost the same time, and even though it's advertised as a "wide bike course", it's just not *that* wide!

I was in the Clydesdale (11th wave) and the lap traffic was terrible. I don't think what you were saying was in bad form, I yelled at a few wheel suckers and tossed a few spit bombs myself on wheel suckers. I'm unattached, so I'm not pulling you around the course.

It was windy as hell on the drop down. I wasn't going to push air for anyone. They do need to space those wave out better. I caught the pack in the women's 40+ wave (#10) and it was ugly. The bike was bad, if not worse. I was passing wherever and whenever I could. some groups looked like crit packs without the handling skills. Accidents waiting to happen.

I didn't hear them making fun of anyone, but I'm not a fan of their announcers. It was painful to listen to them through the awards ceremony. If they would of made fun of me when I was up there, I'd strangle them with their mike chord...to be funny.

p.s. I PR'd there too, 3rd in Clydesdales =o)

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-zakk

Death Squad Cycling Club
http://www.ridethedeath.com


"Why is that people will drop $2000 on race wheels and a few c-notes for an ugly tattoo and then balk at the race fee?" - Blackie

Two things on the bike yesterday:

--On the out portion of Santa Teresa a guy who is riding what looks to be along the lines of a beach cruiser decides to take his hands off the bars and adjust who-knows-what...and about 2 seconds into that, a gust of side wind hits us and he nearly dumps it. I laughed because nothing happened, but it could have been a disaster.

--Coming down McKean to the corner at Harry---downhill, sharp right hand turn. I'm behind a guy who takes that moment, setting up for the turn, to wave to some family who have stationed themselves at that point. So I'm thinking, okay dude, pick a line so I know which direction I have to go in order to pass your ass. He starts on the inside and seeing that, I set up to stay to his left and pass that way...and then proceeds to abandon that at the last moment and goes real wide, ending up outside the cones. I just shake my head as I go by him, after correcting my line at the last second of course.

So for the rants about roadies and triathlete riders we've had this past week....I now clearly understand where the roadies might get whatever attitude they might display when we're around them. The vast majority of us really don't know how to handle a bike, nor make good decisions while we're out there.

I muttered 'dumb triathelte' a few times too. woman on Bailey was bobbing and weaving so much it looked like a boxing match. another was a guy who couldn't shift and thought a sharp left would help for some reason.

That cornor at the bottom of Bailey is tricky. doesn't help with the gravel that they didn't clear.

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-zakk

Death Squad Cycling Club
http://www.ridethedeath.com


"Why is that people will drop $2000 on race wheels and a few c-notes for an ugly tattoo and then balk at the race fee?" - Blackie

On that out/back section there was a TNT coach riding along with one of his athletes. BOTH riding side by side in the middle of the lane, on the wind to your back section where some people were flying along at about twice the speed. That entire section in both directions, half the people didn't have enough sense to stay over and not ride down the middle of the lane.

PS--Nice race zak!!

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

All this gets into a question Greg has been asking. Just for safety sake in the swim and bike, sure would be nice to have folks start by expected finish time, rather than age. If they can make happen in run races I go to, they should may be able to try something in Tri races?



Dave

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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

So- is the general consensus that the swim was short? My swim time was 3 min PR and really didn't feel like a "strong" swim for me.

I loooved that wind. I am able to get pretty aero on my bike, but did you see all of the racers sitting straight up into it?

About that 3:30 runner- could be that he didn't circle the pond. They didn't have the timing mat out there this year.

that is my .02

and just one more thing... I really missed Chipotle this year! I was bummed that they weren't sponsors again.

I thought the swim seemed short also. Meaning, my swim time was much faster than at the TBF OD.

It looked like the same markings as last year, but, since lake is a fixed size, I have a hunch it is not to spec.

How about the bike ride being a little short. My computer said 23.8 or something like that.



Dave

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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

[reply]All this gets into a question Greg has been asking. Just for safety sake in the swim and bike, sure would be nice to have folks start by expected finish time, rather than age. If they can make happen in run races I go to, they should may be able to try something in Tri races?
[/reply]

Not so easy. do you go by total time? or split?
What about a super fast swimmer who sucks on the bike/run? Or a slow swimmer who burns the road on the bike and then can't run to save his/her life? You'll still have people passing each other throughout the race.

clm

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

>>So- is the general consensus that the swim was short?<<

What, shorter than the 1.25K that it's advertised as? No, I think it was on.

Now, my one gripe would be with NO FOOD for those of us who started last. At least there was still free beer.

clm

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Cathy, are you saying that there is no better way than doing it only by age.

Nothing would be perfect, but, there must be many ways better than what happens now.



Dave

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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

I'm saying that no matter how you do it, someone will bitch about it.

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Yep, I agree, but, that should not be a reason to not consider is there a way to make things better. Guess this must be the engineer in me. I love to think outside the box.



Dave

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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

Actually, Lake Almaden is not a fixed size. It varies quite a bit depending on how much water they feed or drain throughout the year. So with the same placement of course markers, the distance can vary based on, quite literally, how much water is in the lake and how far from the beach the lake starts. Same deal with UVAS. High water there = shorter swim.

Dude,

Did you really spit on/at people? If so, that is totally not cool and really gross.

Matt

if I ask you to get off my well, then curse at you, I don't care what you think, as you obviously don't care what I think. I don't want a penalty for pulling your ass around the couse.

Example: the headwind over the ST hill was bad. I have the aerodynamics of a flying brick. sitting on my wheel your hair doesn't move. I'm on the extreme left of the course, passing people. A guy leaps across to get on my wheel. I sit up (costing me time) tell him to bugger off. then I slow down and vere right. He won't get off. I start to spit. He moves.

But thanks for your disapproval.

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-zakk

Death Squad Cycling Club
http://www.ridethedeath.com


"Why is that people will drop $2000 on race wheels and a few c-notes for an ugly tattoo and then balk at the race fee?" - Blackie

6:30 start, 8 minutes between waves...something along those lines would help, in my opinion.

Other miscellaneous notes from Sunday:

---It was funny how many people were sitting up out of the aero position into the wind, most of whom were on tri bikes or road bikes with aero bars. Amazing.

---As I was standing next to the finish line after the race, it seemed as though many people mistook the first arch as the finish line, even though there was another, much larger arch with the word "FINISH" on it just a few yards further....Always, always, always know where the finish line is.

---Great support from the volunteers and the San Jose PD. Made a point of saying thanks to at least a few of them, and to a person they said "hey, thank *you*". Very cool.

---Transition area...advertised as "first come, first served"...which left maybe 1/3 or the racks for those not affiliated with any tri team. Finally as race time drew near they "opened" up the team racks to anyone. So if you got there late (as I saw a number of people do---showing up at 6:30 for a 7am start!), you could get some primo transition space.

>>---Great support from the volunteers and the San Jose PD. Made a point of saying thanks to at least a few of them, and to a person they said "hey, thank *you*". Very cool.<<

Yeah, excellent volunteers! I also said thanks to every volunteer and cop on the bike course (helped to keep my intensity down too) and all they all responded as you say above.

clm

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

I thought it was a well organized and executed race. I started in the third wave, so course congestion was not a problem at all. I did see one huge pack of riders, but I also saw a race marshal closing in on them and taking down numbers.

Transition set-up was a bit difficult. I was there early and got what I thought was a good location - until I learned that we needed to run the entire horseshoe, as opposed to cutting over at the top. This meant two long jogs, one barefoot and the other in bike shoes. Would have much preferred to be in the college or team racks, but by the time they opened them up - it was too late.

Traffic control was awesome, and the SJPD did an outstanding job.

Announcer's made a few offending remarks about the college teams - which was kind of surprising. He quickly retracted one comment, but it was a little too late.

Like Mike C. noted, I saw many people sitting up into the wind. I've got a road bike with clip-ons and was surprised that I was able to get more aero than a lot of the tri-bikes I saw. But during the windiest stretches, people were sitting up like sails - couldn't figure it out.

Transition set-up was a bit difficult. I was there early and got what I thought was a good location - until I learned that we needed to run the entire horseshoe, as opposed to cutting over at the top. This meant two long jogs, one barefoot and the other in bike shoes.

You were probably in the same area as I---I was in the very last row of that horseshoe---the only benefit being that it was very quick exit for T1, such that even with a 2 minute plus jog from the beach after the swim my transition was still under 3 minutes. Other than that, it sucked!

I arrived there shortly after 5, and it looked like a ghost town. Had I not been there the evening before I would have wondered if I was in the right place!

Having said all of this, it is an awesome race with some pretty damn good competition. Certainly a must-do from now on; can't believe I let 10 years go by between races here.

Oh, and if you feel something funny/gooey/sticky in your running shoe, it probably is a packet of GU that you left in there thinking it would come in handy. Looked like I stepped in a bucket of snot by the time I had finished the run.

Loved the race, my first SJIT. Newbe question though, during that out and back section when we switch to the left lane, then turn around and go back in the right lane, I assume as a slower rider I needed to stay on the right side of the traffic that I was in, so that faster riders can pass on the left. In this section, that ment I was riding close to the red cones down the middle of the road. But on more than one occasion some guy would come up and be yelling "passing right". I assumed I was in correct position staying to the right? If I was in the wrong I appolagize.

I only wish I had the luxury of yelling "on your left" as I had to swim around the slower swimmers . In a race like this shouldn't be courtesy for the slower swimmers to stay to the right as much as possible so the faster swimmers in the waves behind can keep the inside track?

Actually there are Canadian races that set waves by anticipated swim times...and one that actually seeds based upon prior year swim results (given that people are usually legends in thier own minds). Piece of cake from a timing perspective and establishing the waves. By starting the faster swimmers earlier you do spread out the field and put your more competent athletes in front so top athletes are not victims of their age wave in trying to negotiate the bike crowds.

Newbe question though, during that out and back section when we switch to the left lane, then turn around and go back in the right lane, I assume as a slower rider I needed to stay on the right side of the traffic that I was in, so that faster riders can pass on the left.

That's actually a pretty good question, and judging by the packs I had to weave through there was no definitive answer. The lane was somewhat counterintuitive for us Yanks, as we're normally used to being in the opposite lane we were riding in...It is typical that if you're slower, you should be on the right side...but normally that would be closest to the shoulder, which was not the case in this section.

Fortunately it was a relatively short part of the course.

I totally agree about the transistion area. I kept trying to find out how is was going to work, and no one knew. When I heard that they opened up better spots after I had gotten there so early to try and find a good spot, yep. that was a drag. I knew I could not place in this event so I just ignored it.



Dave

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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

I was right near you, I was second row from the top. I got there a little before 5 AM because I still had to do packet pick-up and was worried about the line.

All that time and all that rack space, and I still picked the wrong row.

This actually makes sense to me, and is something I'd expect. Isn't this event rather heavy w/ new(ish) or beginner participants? Less experienced riders often feel compelled to ride harder into the wind, which often results in abandoning the aero bar position as the stress accumulates. Sooooo... the harder the wind, the more folks I would expect to see sitting up.

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**************
Too f@ckin depressed from various injuries to care about having a signature line.

Sponsored by Blue Shield PPO.

LOL! No kidding, huh. Next year, we'll pick a different row and we'll still screw it up. Oh, well, keeps it interesting. Or maybe I'll finally join a tri club and get a reserved space....

Even the Eletes were confused. You should have seen this one guy. He came blazing off the bike in third place overall (Asian guy in a white & red skin suit). He takes off out of transition on the run and he looks strong. About 20 minutes later he comes running up the bike "in" lane asking race workers which way he is supposed to go and they are all looking at each other asking him where he came from because the run course doesn't come back through that area at all. HE WAS PISSED!!! Somewhere he took a wrong turn and he DNF'd as a result.

KNOW YOUR COURSE

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Dave Stark
dreamcatcher@astound.net
USAC & USAT level 2 certified coach

Holy cow! How the f did he do that??? That means he ended up on Almaden Expressway, which doesn't even intersect the run course at any point....unless he somehow missed the first turnaround on the paved path and then made his way west, back to the bike course....or something like that.

Yep, always have an idea of the course. Usually not much of an issue for me as I'm always following lots of folks, but I still look at the maps almost obsessively in the days leading up to a race. Makes for great bathroom reading.

>>Isn't this event rather heavy w/ new(ish) or beginner participants?<<

Actually, no. Or at least in the past this race was the NorCal Oly Championships, so the field was really stacked across all AGs.

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

I agree Cathy, this is one of the best fields around. Wildflower is another. After that is probably the half vineman. Then Donner.

TBF is getting tougher now that they are USAT certified. Oh well, ...



Dave

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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

I noticed that the AG winners name is gone. I do not see a person in the penalty results saying was DQ'ed for cutting the course. Darn, I thought we had a new world champion. Now, did he get an award on race day? If so, did he return and the awards get redistributed?



Dave

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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