I have only really traveled to one race, and that was the Buffalo Springs half IM in Lubbock. I decided last year that I wanted to finish a half IM, and I had always wanted to go to Texas, so I used the race as an excuse to travel to the Lone Star State. I drove from south Georgia with my pregnant wife (she went willingly; I tried to talk her out of making such an arduous trip) to Lubbock -- 1350 miles one way, 22 hours. We left home about 8 p.m. on Thursday and arrived at our hotel at 6 p.m. Friday (Georgia time). I wanted to see what Texas looked liked, and I got to see how the state changes as you cross the LA/TX line and head west. It was quite an experience. Once we got to Lubbock, we didn't do much -- got ready for the race and rested. Did the race Sunday, and on Monday, we loaded up and headed back to Georgia, stopping in Abilene to visit cousins I had never met and Dallas to visit with a friend and take a tour of the grassy knoll.

The return trip took about 25 hours with all the stops. I didn't get to do all that I wanted to do, especially with the abbreviated schedule. But I got to see a part of the country that I had never seen, and that was cool. I plan on going back to Lubbock this year, though I hope to fly this time!

RP

Cathy, I'll bet any race you run within any same given country will have a certain "sameness" but also local scenery and color. But say for example, running races in the USA and Canada will have strong similiarities but will also be a little more different than two races in the states. If you really want to see something really different then I guess we would have to travel to somewhere really foreign.

A big part of the fun of the sport is travelling to races. I've raced on 6 continents including Antarctica (the only one I'm missing is Australia). I love to travel and getting to see new places, new culture is a big deal for me. I really enjoy it. Also, for me, it is easier to race somewhere when I don't have to work on a lot of people's bikes whom I know. At local races I invariably wind up working on a lot of people's bikes and that takes focus away from my effort. I don't mind it (I like it in fact) but it is nice to be able to do my own thing and that usually means leaving the U.S. to race. It's also a window into other people's lives. I did Desert Cup (a 105 mile running race in the desert) in Jordan following Sept 11, 2001. We landed near the west bank and travelled to an area not far from Iraq. As an American with U.S. flags all over his racing equipment it was interesting to hear people's responses to me and the U.S. It was an interesting expereince you don't get on CNN or at the local race.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

 If you really want to see something really different then I guess we would have to travel to somewhere really foreign.
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That's my point. Do you really want to travel somewhere (Europe/Asia/South Pacific/etc.) and have the race feel like you are back in the USA? If so, why waste the money to travel?

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

It seems like there are two race expereinces: the local one where compettition, perfromance/finishing at the top of your abilities may be your primary focus; and then the race that encompasses the travel expereince. Almost all of my travel involves racing so I enjoy both types of experiences. I think travelling to race is important and sometimes is a defining element in a person's commitment to the sport.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

There are two reason I have traveld to tri's. The first is that it is still too cold in Ohio and I want to get my season started ( I can't think of any other reason to go to Birmingham, AL if it weren't for a race), or the race is somewhere that I also want to vacation (IMCDA). Now it seems that most of my vacations also have to have a tri available to do. I just haven't been able to decide if I'd rather go to New Zealand or St. Croix next year.

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I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

I have never been to a race that I felt was like another. Not even the same race a year later. I love to see the newbies, the old pro's, the interaction around the bike racks. I travel everywhere I can , We even call people up we have met in previous races and go out together the night before, Sometimes we train and take our own newbies.
RACES THE SAME??????????
Tri Jesus is a race in a small town at the local park and all the people are church people. They have prayers etc.
Woodriver is a very small town and they hold it all in a neighborhood Swim in a pool------6 2mile loops on bike-----2 2mile loops on run . I think everyone in town comes!
My 1st tri is on an Airforce Base on the gulf. The soliders(?) work it and all roads are closed it was very patriotic
Mountain Grove is held at a private lake, and the run is all on paved sidewalks around the lake, the water is COLD. Awards are pictures framed of the property and a CD of a local Blues Band
Heck I could go on for ever. If you see them all as being the same somethings wrong. Things change , people change, We change,
I remember running one day in another state . We were traveling and stopped to train at a YMCA. I went for a run and saw a broken bottle along the road , I remember thinking how strange it was that I knew about that bottle and people who had lived there forever didn't .I knew things about the road, the shoulder etc. I love remembering little strange facts about places. No place is the same not even the same place a moment later