I'm not sure what reasoning Kemah used to deny the permits, so I won't speculate. I'll also preface this that, while I know lots of race directors, I really really really don't know the ins-and-outs of that business.

But I do know that increasingly, some municipalities have made it harder and harder on race directors as they squeeze them with restrictions, red tape, and expense. For example, some races require excessive police presence and traffic control that might lead a skeptic to believe the races are being gouged for easy overtime pay. It's trimmed margins and increased financial risk. That's one reason why, locally, the races are effectively the same races they were 5 and even 10 years ago.

I suspect it's one reason why it's difficult for new race directors to break into the business. Those race directors with established relationships and experience dealing with municipalities are at a significant advantage over those that don't.

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Trent Nix
Owned and operated Tri Shop
F.I.S.T. Advanced Certified Fitter | Retul Master Certified Fitter (back when those were things)

both these races had great police presence and although they may have been getting a little squeezed there I don't think that was an issue.

From what I was told it was nothing more than locals not wanting to deal with the inconvenience.

Then the locals that raced need to voice their frustration and inconvenience. Squeaky wheels get greased.

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Trent Nix
Owned and operated Tri Shop
F.I.S.T. Advanced Certified Fitter | Retul Master Certified Fitter (back when those were things)

Of course it's NIMBYism.

That's why I'm starting to org gravel events. Rural areas where the traffic is low and a couple hundred cyclists doesn't really inconvenience anyone

Of course it's NIMBYism.

That's why I'm starting to org gravel events. Rural areas where the traffic is low and a couple hundred cyclists doesn't really inconvenience anyone

IMO a PAC (political action committee) presence in local politics is necessary. We have to let these people know we spend our tax dollars local AND that we vote.

Our vote counts just as much locally as the person crying NIMBY.

Local running, tri, bike groups need to team up with coalitions to "promote" candidates that support the community.

My thing about it is that it's incredibly selfish to allow loud voices on one side to pull the NIMBY but turn around and cause traffic jams for every local sports game that takes place, or state fair, or gun show, concert or other event.

It's been the same thing for decades in America with cars, street racing, and tracks. Nobody wants the tracks around, but nobody wants street racing either. What's it gonna be? Pretty sure Poland and Russia close down a major boulevard and have state sanctioned street racing on the closed course once a month or something.

Yeah, but they added Sylvan Beach Du and Tri.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

Houston is one of the largest cities in the country

its a double edged sword

tons of population should have lots of events to choose from

tons of populations leaves a lot of people inconvenienced by events going on

Guess which group is bigger

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Boots
Fleet Feet Rochester, NY
Fleet Feet Buffalo, NY
YellowJacket Racing, Rochester, NY

Well that bites! That was my A-race for this fall.

Challenge Baja pulled the plug on their race yesterday. I got the spanish email which was difficult to read with my google translate app but the rough version was that the local government was not cooperating and issuing permits, had changed the bike course on them and overall could not be relied on.

That sucks. I wanted to do that this year

Houston native here.....

I have known the prior races owner Aaron, and also know the new RD and local RD manager. What I have "heard" via FB is that Towne Lake, was canceled due to one resident on the HOA board who was bothered by the early race morning crowd, music, traffic, announcing, and of all damn things... that "his" lake was being used on a Sunday morning (when apparently he wanted to go motor-boating).

As for Kemah being canceled, well the past few years have been difficult there due highway reconstruction, road closures, re-routing the course, the Boardwalk businesses complaining about the run course interfering with tourist business, and of course....the locals being inconvenienced on race day. I haven't heard exactly "why" Kemah was denied permit this year. But, it is a sad happening to not have this race now. It was great race.

I can not independently validate this information as 100% accurate, as it is what I have heard locally, and on FB pages. So, if I have an accusation wrong, please correct me.

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Team Zoot-Texas, and Pickle Juice

This is easy - friends with many mayors and city commissioners.


The city isn't making that much money off them. The residents get butt hurt because the roads get clogged or they can't get to their greasy breakfast spot fast enough, they complain, city has to deal with it.

If they made a ton of money off these permits - that would over ride the residents opinion. Hence why the residents can be up in arms about something, but "the future of the city and revenue from tourists and it will make it beautiful and increase home prices" etc always win out. Then they close roads for 2 years while they construct a prettier downtown or something.

Politics.

Also a reason why I no longer associate myself politics. It is all bad math and bullshit haha

Unfortunately not the first races around here in the past few years that have bitten the dust.
Their Mammoth Lake event only lasted one year because the municipality wouldn't allow the permits again after locals complaints.
I guess even the big boys aren't immune with IMTX having to re-route due to upset locals.
Some of the smaller events that have gone by the wayside recently includes Try Andy's Tri in Sugar Land - last year was its 26th and final year (although smaller number of entries was cited for the cancellation not lack of permits) and Tejas Tri.

Still lots of events being put on but if we don't continue to support these smaller companies the only option will be rolling along the Hardy Toll Road in 5 mile peloton in April!

Happening in Austin as well. There used to be two events in downtown, on Memorial Day and Labor Day. The Labor day event is gone, the Memorial day event is a Lifetime race that used to have a pro wave (does not anymore). The Half Ironman is gone to Waco. The big event organizer here, High Five Events, used to a season-long series across 6 events, now they do I think 3 triathlons, all at the same venue, plus one larger event in late September... 2 hours away from Austin.

The same company used to organize a Splash n Dash series from April - Oct, and even held the national Aquathlon championship in 2017. Now Lifetime bought the gym that hosted the events and who knows if it will continue.

There are 3 good events 20 minutes south of Austin in San Marcos, but 2 of those are capped at 300 entries as that is the limit the local authorities will allow into the spring for swimming (for good reason), and the third is at the grace of a private community around a man-made ski lake. Last year the normal run course had to be diverted due to a new house in the development, so this event likely only has a couple years left.

There seem to be more high-profile running events around town, but nothing that excites me. I tried a full Tough Mudder last year, was very unimpressed. There are at least 3 or 4 obstacle-type 'races' in the area each year, but they are not actually races, just a completion event.

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note that this article followed the article: pacify the locals. there's just no excuse for not having your race be not simply suffered by the locals, but welcomed by the locals. if you didn't read that article, i recommend it. of course i would, since i wrote it. nevertheless...

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Any ideas if the Tuesday Splash and Dash will be a USAT event going forward? Heck, will it even exist going forward?

I raced it quite a few times, though never against you, I think.

In consideration of what is happening with triathlons I was thinking about aquathlons as a alternative. But if the races in Austin are gone too....

I think in both of these articles you are underestimating how charming and persuasive you can be. I don't know how learn-able that is.

I'm not sure if they will continue at all. I haven't heard exactly what is going to happen at the Quarry Lake location, specifically with the lake.

But I doubt it would be USAT sanctioned. Wasn't it Lifetime who stopped using USAT for insurance?

Yeah the labor day one died when tri rock went away, it was going to become the Austin Tri but that never came to be. Honestly whilst i'd race it if it came back I do somewhat understand limiting the downtown one to once a year. Hopefully Jack's will go back to the old venue (although that run is brutal).

I really like series, it's a shame the tri-series seems to be scaling back. I'd far prefer some other things be added (ie. a duathlon at COTA, splash & dash, Cap10k)

it doesn't take charm. it takes thoughtfulness. empathy. placing yourself in the position of the "victim" who is, in this case, the local merchant or resident, and asking what's in it for him. is that a special gene?

i don't think it takes anything special to create win/wins. most RDs aren't without the necessary gene. they just never even thought to consider the effects of their events on locals. they are, literally, thoughtless. without the thought. never considered it. and if you don't consider the effect, you can't proactively inoculate against the upheaval your race will cause.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

I have no idea about the Splash n Dash series being USAT going forward. I looked today for info on this year's series, but Lifetime has swallowed up what used to be Pure Austin Fitness, and the calendar I could find did not reach past the first week of April.

I don't know if they were making money on the event or not. It was always that location's "thing" being able to do tri-training and open water swimming since they had the quarry lake in their backyard. There were certainly many regulars who did it almost every month, and every race there was a good amount of first-timers. I might have the RD's contact info and will try to find out more. I would hate to see it go, despite how painful that 20 minutes are.

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