I usually reserve feedback for any post-race surveys that might come to me through email, but since I now know that Charlie will be reading this thread, I figured I would chime in. This was my first Rev3, but not my first half iron and not my first double transition event. I think Rev3 did many things very well, actually some things were outstanding compared to other races that I've done (WTC, Set Up events, and a myriad of events in the state of Florida such as St. Anthony's, Nautica, etc...).
I was blown away by the following:
1. Check in process. My husband and I were pretty much the first people to arrive on Friday for packet pickup. The Rev3 folks weren't quite set up yet, but regardless, pick-up was super smooth. I loved that we received our chip right then and there and taking a photo for the jumbotron was a fun surprise. I was also really excited about the rear wheel transition racks with our names on them. I have never experienced this type of transition set up before and I loved it!
2. Announcer. I don't know who he is, but he was awesome. Keep him, Rev3!
3. Signage and road markings. By far, the best I've ever seen. I understand the need for changing colors since some of the bike course (near the end) overlapped the run course. There were a lot of twists and turns out there on both the bike course and the run course and I was near delirious during the run (wracked with GI issues), but the markings helped keep things crystal clear for me.
4. The volunteers were AWESOME!!
Things that could be improved:
1. I agree 100% with looking at tidal charts and then selecting the route the swim should take. Had the swim direction been reversed, Rev3 could have just set up longer chutes to corral exiting swimmers through the little park and back over to the grassy run up to T1. I don't see this as being a problem at all, especially if it had been thought out prior to race morning... via the use of tidal charts. The current was very strong yesterday and I really felt for the weaker swimmers out there. I've been swimming to some degree all of my life, am very comfortable in open water and I still felt like I was in an endless pool after I rounded that first red buoy. Making it to the second red buoy was one of the more difficult challenges I've ever faced in triathlon. I'm not sure weaker swimmers would have even been able to put up a good fight against the current, so I'm not at all surprised by the course cutting. In addition, I agree that more kayaks, etc... were needed out there. With the two swims going on at the same time and athletes spread out all over there place, there's no way the few kayaks that were out there were sufficient.
2. Double transitions. I didn't have a problem yesterday morning, but I also arrived early. However, since I've done a race that has separate T1/T2 before (Beach to Battleship 2010, so things might be slightly different now) and that particular race was done so well, I know that Rev3 CAN improve here. At B2B there was no visiting T2 on race morning. All of our run gear had to be bagged and checked in the day before the race and when we got to T2, it was hanging there waiting for us. Now there is still the issue of actually getting all athletes to T1 and for most, driving there and parking at Jamestown Settlement is not an option b/c how do you get back to your vehicle after the fact? Possible solutions: Run more busses, begin bus service earlier and stop it sooner (this will force tardy athletes to arrive earlier), make busses for athletes only (no spectators), use Jamestown Settlement parking lot and have athletes find their own way there to begin with... then run bus service AFTER the event? I'm not sure what the ultimate solution is here.
3. Ok, this flatlander from Southwest Florida is begging to know... what sort of bike and run elevation did you all pick up for the event? My Garmin 910XT captured 2690' climbing on the bike and over 800' on the run. I know that bike/run courses can change and we should be prepared for anything, but this is a massive difference from what was advertised and if the profile I got holds true, I'm not sure I would have signed up for this event in the first place. Perhaps my Garmin is completely broken or I don't know how to read Rev3 elevation charts? However, it was indeed a beautiful course from stem to stern.
Note: I think someone asked about swim distance. I managed to hold buoy line for the half and got 1.26. My husband had 1.27 and he also held the buoy line. I captured the run to T1 entry at 1/4 mile.
I was blown away by the following:
1. Check in process. My husband and I were pretty much the first people to arrive on Friday for packet pickup. The Rev3 folks weren't quite set up yet, but regardless, pick-up was super smooth. I loved that we received our chip right then and there and taking a photo for the jumbotron was a fun surprise. I was also really excited about the rear wheel transition racks with our names on them. I have never experienced this type of transition set up before and I loved it!
2. Announcer. I don't know who he is, but he was awesome. Keep him, Rev3!
3. Signage and road markings. By far, the best I've ever seen. I understand the need for changing colors since some of the bike course (near the end) overlapped the run course. There were a lot of twists and turns out there on both the bike course and the run course and I was near delirious during the run (wracked with GI issues), but the markings helped keep things crystal clear for me.
4. The volunteers were AWESOME!!
Things that could be improved:
1. I agree 100% with looking at tidal charts and then selecting the route the swim should take. Had the swim direction been reversed, Rev3 could have just set up longer chutes to corral exiting swimmers through the little park and back over to the grassy run up to T1. I don't see this as being a problem at all, especially if it had been thought out prior to race morning... via the use of tidal charts. The current was very strong yesterday and I really felt for the weaker swimmers out there. I've been swimming to some degree all of my life, am very comfortable in open water and I still felt like I was in an endless pool after I rounded that first red buoy. Making it to the second red buoy was one of the more difficult challenges I've ever faced in triathlon. I'm not sure weaker swimmers would have even been able to put up a good fight against the current, so I'm not at all surprised by the course cutting. In addition, I agree that more kayaks, etc... were needed out there. With the two swims going on at the same time and athletes spread out all over there place, there's no way the few kayaks that were out there were sufficient.
2. Double transitions. I didn't have a problem yesterday morning, but I also arrived early. However, since I've done a race that has separate T1/T2 before (Beach to Battleship 2010, so things might be slightly different now) and that particular race was done so well, I know that Rev3 CAN improve here. At B2B there was no visiting T2 on race morning. All of our run gear had to be bagged and checked in the day before the race and when we got to T2, it was hanging there waiting for us. Now there is still the issue of actually getting all athletes to T1 and for most, driving there and parking at Jamestown Settlement is not an option b/c how do you get back to your vehicle after the fact? Possible solutions: Run more busses, begin bus service earlier and stop it sooner (this will force tardy athletes to arrive earlier), make busses for athletes only (no spectators), use Jamestown Settlement parking lot and have athletes find their own way there to begin with... then run bus service AFTER the event? I'm not sure what the ultimate solution is here.
3. Ok, this flatlander from Southwest Florida is begging to know... what sort of bike and run elevation did you all pick up for the event? My Garmin 910XT captured 2690' climbing on the bike and over 800' on the run. I know that bike/run courses can change and we should be prepared for anything, but this is a massive difference from what was advertised and if the profile I got holds true, I'm not sure I would have signed up for this event in the first place. Perhaps my Garmin is completely broken or I don't know how to read Rev3 elevation charts? However, it was indeed a beautiful course from stem to stern.
Note: I think someone asked about swim distance. I managed to hold buoy line for the half and got 1.26. My husband had 1.27 and he also held the buoy line. I captured the run to T1 entry at 1/4 mile.