'Piss poor'

signed, A Pedant.

The marines are jarheads, proper spelling is not covered at Paris Island.
But they do drink a lot... so when they piss, it pours.

One thing I learned while doing Timberman this year (this was my first WTC event) is that participant safety is not all that much of a priority.

Glad your girlfriend is okay, sounds like quite the ordeal.

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

Since you brought it up, a friend volunteering at the finishline, "caught" one of the finishers at 11:56. She said this guy looked bad and was really struggling when he crossed the line- cramping, dehydration, etc. She said at exactly midnight the finish line and medical areas were shut down and immediately dismantled. The best that they offered this guy was to call an ambulance. The guy was there alone- no family or friends. My friend stayed with him, located some food and fluids, got a wheelchair and carted him down to the transition area to get his bike and gear. She loaded him and his bike into his car and stayed with him until he felt ok to drive to his hotel.

It seems that it's all about the $$$

man, why do you guys do these events?

can't fathom it

lets all do norseman instead. at least if you die there you can say "IT WAS A GOOD DEATH!"

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

why do you guys do these events?

I retired from IM last year. It's funny, when I volunteer for these I ask the same question.

Dude unless you are or were a marine thats a asshole remark. that being said WTC was screwed up pretty bad. hearing what happened there I wonder if they actually have a emergency plan if anything happens in the water / and if they do if that plan is rehearsed so everything goes smoothly when it has to be implemented. i would bombard WTC with emails everyday about their sucky service and the cost. Remind them WE are the reason they have a job. the price is going up also ???? Rev3 is going to be the new player in town. Give it 5-7 years and see if rev3 buys out ironman brand.

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Official Polar Ambassador
http://www.google.com/...P7RiWyEVwpunlsc2JtQQ

Wow, that's entirely unacceptable, on both instances. I really don't hope they really do tear down the med tent right at midnight. Seems those are the people that would need it the most.

Ya, goes up by 25 or so bucks every year. Not even counting the gouging that active.com does.

That sucks, I am glad she is ok though. As a spectator I can tell you it didn't seem that they were lacking officials. I was watching the race at the intersection just before the special needs bags. This was my first race to spectate and I enjoyed it. You guys and gals that raced it rocked. I have always read that spectating a tri wasn't all that fun, well thats BS. Wife and I did our homework I drove the course found out where I wanted to be and was able to jump around several streets for the run.

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"Sometimes you got to learn to hurt"

The volunteers and people of Louisville were great! WTC and the race director are another story all together. You shouldn't feel like you have been taken advantage of when you show up to a race.

Your girlfriends story should be unacceptable to every athlete that loves the sport. I have done this race every year and this year will probably be my last year doing WTC races.

I had a far better "Experience" at Rev3 Knoxville this year. Sure it wasn't perfect, but I also feel that they cared and will make continue to improve. I can't say the same for WTC.

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Eric Doehrman
E3 Multisport

"This is unsat for a company that charges $600 for entry and can't garantee someones safety."

Nobody can guarantee your safety.

Had your girlfriend done many long distance triathlons before this and had any problems similar to what happened at this one? 60 miles into the bike is pretty early in the day to be having problems.

Come on, I'm sure this was a very frustrating day, but really? Only one day of swim practice...how much do you need two days before a race? What exactly do you want to "practice" at this point? And it sucks that the official made a mistake not calling you or the communication got lost somewhere along the way, but that is likely a problem by one single person, not WTC. Do you even know for sure that a race official called the EMS and not some other person? Also, how do you know she was laying there for 20 minutes if she was passed out as you say? I did the race as well, saw a bunch of wrecks and a ton of overheated people and can only imagine how crazy busy they must have been. Plus, they got her bike to the transition for her eventually; I doubt you can expect UPS style "package tracking" in such situations.

Looking at the amount of ambulances I saw around all day long and into the late night, this was definitely a nightmare for a race organizer, but I think they did a great job given the circumstances. Also, the fact that medical closes at midnight is a clearly stated fact and usually mentioned in the race meeting.

Tell your girlfriend to recover, take a few weeks off and then use the frustration to come back stronger. Last I checked, Ironman racing isn't supposed to be easy...not necessarily as tough as yesterday, but definitely not easy!

All the people on the course, except for a few marshalls, are volunteers. I think most would know what to do in case of an emergency, althought what to do with equipment is another story. Frankly, with so many undertrained and borderline unfit (for an IM) people doing these events, it's a wonder more tragedies don't happen. Sorry to hear about your GF, but I can see how she could go unnoticed for 20 minutes as there aren't marshalls riding by every few minutes and it could be a long time before one drives by and they don't stop for everyone on the side of the road. Also, the ambulance doesn't carry around the emergency phone numbers. If she suffered from diabetes or some other blood sugar problem she should have had an emergency phone number attached to her wrist or something.

These events are way too crowded. She should try doing something fun and cheaper.

Sorry but I don't believe this story. I was also a finish line catcher and we were clearly instructed NOT to leave anyone until they met family or friends to hand them off to or we were to walk them to the convention center ourselves. If they needed medical then there were tons of medical folks at the finish to immediately help them and transport them to the medical facilites in the convention center. Granted, maybe some volunteers did not ensure the athlete they caught were in safe hands before leaving them but during my shift it was clear that was standard procedure, even when athletes argued that they didn't need our help (which happened more frequently then I expected). As far as everthing shutting down right at midnight, I don't quite buy that. I was completely dead and back in my hotel room at midnight (so yes, I can't say first hand) but a friend I stayed with was at the finish past midnight. She was telling my about the people who were coming in just past midnight and how the volunteers weren't sure if they should givem medals or not, etc. I'd heard about the sinish line being pulled down "right at midnight" and she said no, they were not tearing things down right away and there were quite a few people coming in after midnight. So I'm sure they started to tear things down shortly after midnight but I have a hard time believing, especially someone who finished before midnight, was denied medical assistance. I also talked with some of the medical and massage volunteers on Saturday and they stated what a long day Sunday is for them because they are working in the covention center assisting athletes way past midnight. Also, you're trying to tell us your friend pushed this finisher in a wheel chair about a 1/2 mile from the finish to the transition? Why didn't she push him in the wheelchair the 2 blocks to the convention center to where his dry clothing was and where medical and massage was and where he could get some help? Sorry, that story just doesn't add up to me. Also, I can't speak to the story of the woman who passed out but I saw a man who stumbled off his bike in LaGrange recieve immediate help from volunteers and medical assistance. All I can say to those who complain about how they perceive, or hear, how things are run is that they should volunteer at an Ironman to see things from the other side. I've done 4 ironmans but this past weekend at Louisville was my first volunteer experience and you definitely get a different perspective as a volunteer.

Did you call the race day emergency number? I believe it's listed on page 2 or 3 of the athlete guide.

I also retired from the ironman scene and did Louisville in 2007. IMO Ironman is losing some of it's luster, being focused only on $$$. As someone who started racing Ironman in the early 90s, doing these races now seems to have a plastic and commercial feel. It's almost like the races are cloned - there is nothing distinctive about each one from an organizational standpoint. Perhaps it's a consequence of Ironman for the masses.

As for waiting by the road for 20 minutes, I'm not sure if that's unreasonable. There's a lot of distance to cover on the bike. I once got stranded for a similar amount of time at Ironman Canada before any race personal came by, although my issue was not health related. It would be interesting to know how the course is monitored. I would think officials would be assigned to monitor sections of a course.

Their conduct at the finish is deplorable. Again to my point about being about the $.

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When I die, I'd like to go peacefully. In my sleep. Like my grandfather.
Not screaming, like the passengers in his car...

Every time I think about doing an M-Dot IM as opposed to an "Iron distance" race I read one of these threads and wonder why people pay ridiculous amounts of money for them. No thanks. I'll stick to marathons, local races or stand alone bike races, the most expensive of which I've ever entered has been $90.

Why is it $600 per person when my local triathlon agency can run four races of various distances on the same weekend (with over 2000 total participants) for $75 per person? I'd love to see a breakdown of where all the money goes. Does anyone have such a thing?

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Part of the Slowtwitch Strength Training Association. Picking up something heavier than a bike makes me happy.

I'd love to see a breakdown of where all the money goes. Does anyone have such a thing?

It's a corporation with investors. They pay off debt, salaries, marketing, travel, and a million other things, plus the investors make a profit. I wouldn't be surprised if they either don't make that much profit, or if they make a lot. It's just hard to say. But they do it for the money and not for charity.

My friend finished the last IM AZ that was in April and it was in the high 90s too. She finished at about 11:40PM and the medical tent was also closing BY 12. I had to take her to the hospital there was not even anyone to help me get her to the car. Luckily I had another friend with me. I was pretty surprised that they end an event like that at midnight and end medical at the same time. The slower athletes are most likely in more trouble at midnight then someone who takes less time to finish.

I believe it, it happened to my friend see the details above.

The money goes to the private equity company that bought Ironman a few years back. Like any company they are in it to make money. As long as people step up and pay the 600$, prices will continue to go up. Every race they add is sold out it would seem there is no shortage of willing participants.

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When I die, I'd like to go peacefully. In my sleep. Like my grandfather.
Not screaming, like the passengers in his car...

OK let me give ST this one more time in case you missed it:


WTC did not charge $600 this year: so far all are $550 going to to $575 (IMTX sponsored by Memorial Hermann and not Ford is $600 NEXT year, others %575).

There are non-WTC 140.6 races for $75? Really? (before someone said $150, which I still doubt)

The Redman in OK is $325 this year and this years Vineman $325-425 depending when you register.


Now lets compare the atmosphere:

http://www.youtube.com/...&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dBRXA4ihJo

http://www.youtube.com/...&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/...&feature=related

(had to fix links)

And for the record...med tents are still volunteers. Serious medical issues require an ambulance.

I saw this guy and your friend pushing him in the wheelchair.

Otherwise, they allowed several athletes to finish up until about 5 minutes past midnight (they did not receive medals) and then shut it down and immediately began dismantling the finish line. I have it on video. But, the 17 hour time limit is well known. Not sure what happens with those still out on the course past 17 hours?