What's duathlon?

I think its like when you ski and shoot stuff......

That was why I decided to go to American Zofingen instead of Worlds. I qualified at World's Toughest Half, but the cost was just silly and with a free ticket and help from John, AZ is going to be a relatively inexpensive trip for me.
And the scenery will be great.
And the hills will be long and steep.
And the running will be off-road.
After I thought about it for a while it was not that hard to choose.
Chad

You chose wisely. I think you mean you qualified at the World's 2nd Toughest Duathlon.

I think the people on Team USA should organize to try to get the fee decreased. The actual registration fee for the race is not that high. Other countries do not pay that much. Part of the fee goes towards having mechanics, chiropractors, team dinner, bringing a large staff of USAT, and who knows what else. Most of these things I don't use and should be optional for members to pay for if they want to use them. In 2006, for short course tri, I told one of the members of the New Zeland team what we pay and what we had to pay for our uniforms and they couldn't believe it. The good thing about the uniforms is that if you plan to race on the team again they plan to use them through next year I believe. Not great uniforms for Du--designed more for tri, although I personally don't like them much either. I combined the tri shorts with the Team USA tri top from 2004 because I liked it better. I didn't match with anyone, but I didn't really care. I will probably do the same next year.

They need the immediate response because worlds is only a few weeks away and they want to have a chance to roll down the spots so that they can have as big a team as possible.

actually, the 2007 team USA uniforms are a joke. they are not even designed for tri, USAT contracted with speedo to make them. speedo! the shorts have no padding. the tops don't fit most women well (at least from a casual survey of the teamUSA mailing list. if you insist on wearing your own black shorts, you have to ink out or otherwise cover the logo of any "competitor to speedo", even though in my mind speedo failed to fulfill their contract. oh well, its my wife's uniform, not mine. hint to usat: next year, zoot., desoto or sugoi.

I wondered the same things when I qualified and raced my first Du Worlds.

Q: Athletes from other countries/federations don't pay as much to race Worlds?
A: USAT is entirely self-funded--zero government funding. USAT is the world's largest ITU age group federation, and it's administrative costs are exponentially higher. And you get what you pay for (except for the crappy Speedo racing kits--what a complete joke).

Q: Why so "easy" to qualify, or, better, why so few competitors?
A: Even though there's no swim, duathlon athletes race in a relatively smaller pond than triathletes. Sometimes a duathlon qualifying race doesn't draw well and "average" Joe's and Janes can qualify for Team USA. USAT wants the largest rosters possible. If you're honest about it, sometimes this happens in triathlon as well. I think that's what Age Group racing is all about, and it's a primary reason that I got so passionate about multisport myself. My first successful qualifier wasn't because the field was so small or non-competitive in my age group, it was because so many others who finished in front of me passed on the opportunity to wear USA on their jersey and compete in a costly race on the other side of the world. I took the opportunity and have really enjoyed the pursuit ever since. My second qualifier was "legitimate", I improved a lot won a spot outright. I use quotations around "legitimate" because that's just how I felt personally.

Q: What is duathlon?
A: The division of our sport (Multisport) that has the easiest possibility of bringing in NEW people who have never raced before (in the eyes of average Joe's and Janes: no scary swims). You know, the people at the gym who already do spin classes a couple times a week and run a few miles on the treadmill, and the middle-of-the-pack 5K and 10K runners who all own some sort of bicycle...

That's why I wore a different top--I wasn't going to pay that much for a top a was only going to wear once or twice and be that uncomfortable in. Plus, the other top looks much better. It is Saucony/Hind. Actually, would be great for du.

Who needs a pad for distances like that. HTFU. Listen to H2Ofun, you should be honored to represent the red, white, and blue!

You are lucky they gave you the extra day--at long course du nats a couple years ago you had to give them $300 within an hour of the awards ceremony or you couldn't go to worlds. I think they'll gladly take your money late though ;) The uniforms have been a constant source of frustration because they have VERY few options (if any) and the suits are not tri/du suits!! In addition, they won't show up in the mail until about 3 days before worlds. I'm not sure how many diff't companies they've had make the uniforms recently, but I know they gone with HIND, Saucony, and Orca over the past 5 years. This unfortunately means everyone has to buy new ones--this pissed off the folks who go all the time. $130 for a uniform is a little ridiculous. My gf raced worlds a couple years ago and I think she swapped out the uni shorts for her own that looks similar.

I still can't figure out why they had a worlds qualifier less than a month before worlds. Maybe so people can just "maintain" their fitness instead of fitting in a another cycle? Like many have said before, USAT is a business. Just so I don't come across as bashing them too hard, I will say that my experience with the then director of USAT Du, Troy Stiles, was great. He was very helpful even though I decided not to go (they usually have a date where you can decide not to go and you get back $175-200 of the 300 you put down).

Congrats on finishing the race--sounded like a tough one!

I think you mean you qualified at the World's 2nd Toughest Duathlon.

I imagine you are right because of the race distance, but I can't imagine the course can be any tougher that in Auburn. The ride there is just brutal with some pretty steep hills and the run is just insane. Add in another 20 miles of the moutain foothills and lengther the runs just a bit and it would be very close to AZ. Soon I will be able to compare.
Chad

Sorry, I think the price is a bargin! As I have told USAT, no matter what the price, a small group of Type A racers will bitch.
Just as has been said about NAS, if you do not like the product, DO NOT BUY IT!! This amount of money is a drop in the bucket for what
this sport costs!!!!!

Next year will still be speedo. I had no issues with the stuff, I thought it was pretty nice. And, I believe the price should maybe go up
a little more so we can have a few other things purchased to improve the experience.

Dave

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

I would not pay $400 for a race. Unless someone proclaimed be to be some sort of superhero as I crossed the finish line. Then it would be worth it.

I guess you will never get to do a NAS race then.

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

What's an NSA race?

Maybe you mean NAS. There are plenty of NAS races under $400.

And the races with entry fees exceeding $400 have an announcer that tells me I'm a superhero as I cross the finish line. I can even get a superhero tattoo that everyone recognizes. ;).

Mistype.

So, I assume you will never do an IM since they cost over 400 and you said you would "never" do a race over 400.

Again, if one does not like the product, go find a better one to buy if you can.

I think USAT is doing a great job, trying to make happy the toughest Type A crowd in ANY sport.
And, no matter what they do, there will be bitching. So, it is just like the wolf crying the sky is falling.
You just ignore it after a while. If folks really did not like USAT, there numbers would be falling, not growing
like crazy!!!

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

If you paid $475 and when you crossed the finish line they announced that you were a "Ironman", would you do that? Tim

I said I would never do a race over $400 unless someone proclaimed me to be a superhero, or something of the sort as I crossed the finish line.

One can always participate or be a member of an organization and still disagree with some of their policies and procedures without necessarily having to stand against it on all issues. Have you ever read Federalist Paper No. 10?

Anyway, $400 for duathlon worlds sounds a little like triathlon-tourism. Just like the Island Triathlon Series and that race in Turks and Cacos. The entry fee pays for services or products that go beyond those provided at the actual race. But I really don't care, one way or the other what you, or anyone else does with their money. But, I'll debate it for a while if you want.

Gotta disagree h2ofun........$400 for an IM is definitely not the same as Du age group worlds, this race is a bit of a joke compared to an IM.

There is no other option, so it's not like you can go find another option, it's "here's what you have to do, otherwise you're out!" It's not like the numbers are going way up because USAT is doing such a great job, it's because the sport is catching on, and if you want to race a lot you need a USAT license.

$400 is insane for an age group duathlon race, not to mention a couple nights hotel plus flight etc.

Nobody cares to pay for the USAT crew to be there, I can't remember a time that I ever did a race where I needed a whole crew to go with me!

I totally agree with the original poster, no desire to pay well over $700 total for an age group Du race! I had planned to go otherwise until I realized all this............

[reply]What's an NSA race?

Maybe you mean NAS. There are plenty of NAS races under $400.
.[/reply]

Name one.

Again, this is your choice. Free country. But, I have been to one, and thought it was the best money I spent.
I never used the bike person, or other stuff. But, plenty of others did. And, it was great to have a FEW of the USAT folks
there.

Hope more of you folks think this is nuts since I really would like to go to Worlds in 09 and take the family.
Gives me a chance for my BOP time to get in.

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

Maybe you mean NAS. There are plenty of NAS races under $400.
.[/reply]

Name one.

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Ironman California 70.3

We good? Or shall we continue with this?

But, that is w/o the uniform cost.

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

And, it was great to have a FEW of the USAT folks
there.

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You don't mind that part of your entry fee pays for USAT representatives to travel to Germany for a vacation of sorts?

See, I mind that part of my membership fee is paying for that representation, if indeed it is, I don't know for sure. However, I'm willing to accept that if USAT provides other services I value.