Accenture Chicago Tri

Triathlon Forum
1

Just wondering what other people’s thoughts of the race. I race in the 25-29 age group and this was my first Chicago tri since i was in High School in 92. This is my first year back to sorta serious racing and have done several local level races as well and a Xterra Regional race. I have to say that the Chi tri was really a dissapointment. The race seemed really disorganized. I couldn’t find a wave start list posted anywhere till i reached the start area. Only to find out my wave was the last to go, unlike any other race i have ever done over the years were you work though the age groups in order of youngest to oldest( Anyone else seen this before?) and had to wait over 3 hours to go. There really wasen’t any water to be found and the portalets while plentiful pretty much were picked of TP, within and hour or two by the several thousand triathletes and fans sitting around for hours. The waves were only a couple mins apart. Those of us up front hit the back end of the previous wave only 150-200 yards into the swim. The run to the transistion was extremely long and on pavement the whole way, which was very unpleseant bearfoot, a carpet for even part of it would have been nice. The bike course was soo crowded i felt like i was in a Roadrace, and it looked like it from all the drafting. I didn’t see a race official once on the bike course. With the long day of racing, the sprint race before the main one, the water and gatorade at the water stations was boiling. I was overheating in the 90 degree heat, and on the the vols and the water station asked if i wanted water dumped on me, i said yes expecting to get a nice cooling effect. It hit me and felt like a hot shower. Maybe I’m being over critical, and use to doing smaller races, but having done many larger races in my day, i would have to say this seemed like the most unorganized race i’ve ever done of any size.

Now i do have to compliment the people who voluntered, and the people of the city in general. All the people helping out were enthused and cheerful the whole day even though many of them had been outside all morning. People driving on Lake Shore would cheer you on as ya went by, even though they were stuck in a pretty massive traffic jam. The course is great, with views of the lake and downtown.

Anyone else have any feeling about it?

2

All of your criticisms are valid. That’s exactly why I stopped doing that race years ago.

3

I have to agree with your comment there on Chicago. I still think it has the best backdrop for a race…the skyline

of Chicago, but that does not take away from the masses on the course. The reason you saw no officials this year is

because it is very much unsafe for us to be on the course. Last year, it was very difficult to make any call for drafting

because you might as well get the whole field. No where to go on the road, so you now have thousands of bikers on

a two lane road.

Love watching it, but never to race. I will race the 1000 and below participant races.

4

The race was just what I expected. Check in on Saturday took about 5 minutes. Heats and start times were posted at check-in. The course was a not too crowded for me, although I started in the third 35-39 year old wave which seemed to be much less crowded than last year when I was in the first 30-35 wave. They did allow racers to put an extra pair of shoes at the swim start for the ~600 meter run to the transition area but I ran on the grass to the side of the path in my bare feet. I did not observe any drafting in the race and I passed a ton of people. Further, I was suprised that they gave out Gatorade and cliff shots— Most Olympic tris just hand out water on the run and nothing on the bike. The only problem I had was that I was slow as molasses that day, but that had nothing to do with the race.

I did a few triathlons in the rural Michigan that were flawless— No crowds, race day check in, cool temperatures. However, those races did not have 6700 participants, did not let my friends walk along side me during the swim, did not let me ride my bike up and down the middle of Lakeshore Drive, and did not let me run along Lake Michigan. Another benefit to Chicago— it’s impossible to go off-course.

Anyway, I think they did a decent job given the setting. Personally, I race Chicago because it is crowded and nuts.

-Marc

5

I raced London a few weeks ago which I think has aspirations to overtake Chicago as the largest race in the world. It’s held over two days which may serve to eliminate a lot of the problems you mentioned. Most olympic distance waves started 45-50 minutes apart. Therefore, the swim was trouble free for the front-runners and the cycle was pretty quiet with only a few stragglers from the previous heat to weave through. The run was a bit busier but lots of slower runners are easier to deal with than slow cyclists or swimmers. Not really sure what my point is but it would seem that Chicago is going for quantity at the expense of quality.

6

Well, except for your comment about being in the last wave and having to sit around and full porta potties, etc. (welcome to the Masters women’s world), you hit it spot on. I did Chicago once. That was enough. And even then, I was in the first Olympic race wave. Still a big hassle.

7

I mostly agree. The race is too crowded, the bike course is dangerous with so many riders. This year I did the sprint and it was much better than the Int’l. In the sprint you start earlier, no crowds on bike or swim, and finish early. It was great! I wont do the Chicago International distance again. For the most part I think the organizers do a good job, they just need to limit it to less people or a 1 lap bike course and better swim venue.

You should go to usatriathlon.org and fill out an evaluation for the race. Maybe USAT and the organizers will get the message.

8

I did 4 tris this year and found Chicago to be fabulous. It’s no secret that it’s the largest in the world, and I suspect that’s why a lot of people do it. For 7,000 athletes, I thought it was incredibly organized. There were wave start times posted in about 10 places all over the Expo on Friday and Saturday. As far as the warm water and Gatorade, granted I’m still a newby, but I’ve yet to do a race that provided cold water and Gatorade. I also didn’t feel the 90 degree heat, as it didn’t get really warm until late afternoon around 3. I’m pretty sure the race was over by then, since I watched the pros take off at 11. I did a tiny all-women’s tri of less than 225, and still had the issue of the swim waves running together. I thought that was just part of a tri?

Sorry to be so defensive, but I’m a local, I love this city, and I had a purely incredible time. Being in the middle of thousands of triathletes in the pre-dawn quiet transition, anticipating a great race was enough to make me anzious and excited for next August.

9

I had the worst run of my life there, but as far as the venue and the organization of it all, I thought it was great. I loved the swim (of course I wasn’t speeding through the waves as I am a MOP swimmer). I liked the bike as well, since I generally place well in my AG on the bike, I liked being able to mostly stay in the passing lane. The run was crowded, but I wasn’t blazing through by any means, so it didn’t bother me. The hot water and gatorade did bother me, as did the late start for my AG (43rd wave of 45). I don’t think it’s a great race to go for a PR, and also if I placed high, I would wonder about others who perhaps had an earlier wave with possibly cooler and less windy conditions, but it was a fun race nonetheless.

I probably won’t do it again for a while, but that’s more because it’s expensive and my wife is kind of sick of traveling to tri’s, than everything else. I do think it was worth the experience of doing it, it’s a different kind of race, and I like variety.

10

I agree with many of the responsive comments posted. When you do a race that has over 3000 people (many more if you include the sprint), there is bound to be certain logistical issues that are not present in smaller tris. I hated having to wait 3 hours b/w when we had to be out of the transition area and my wave, but I have come to expect this. Other than that, the bike course is great, the run course is flat, and there are people cheering you on throughout.

11

" I couldn’t find a wave start list posted anywhere till i reached the start area."

Posted all over the place in the Expo and about three feet from where you got your chip scanned.

“Only to find out my wave was the last to go, unlike any other race i have ever done over the years were you work though the age groups in order of youngest to oldest”

I’ve been to plenty of races with both types of waves organization. Personally I gain a little head advantage by being in a position to pass more people. Makes me feel faster even if I’m not.

"The waves were only a couple mins apart. Those of us up front hit the back end of the previous wave only 150-200 yards into the swim. "

I think waves were 4mins apart. I haven’t ever been to a tri in three or four years where I didn’t swim over someone or have someone swim over me. That’s part of the sport in age group competition.

"The run to the transistion was extremely long and on pavement the whole way, which was very unpleseant bearfoot, a carpet for even part of it would have been nice. "

Carpet,…what is this the Academy Awards?

"The bike course was soo crowded i felt like i was in a Roadrace, and it looked like it from all the drafting. "

Go fast, pass right. There’s going to be some positional issues with 6700 athletes.

“I didn’t see a race official once on the bike course”

I agree with this one. I think I remember more motorcycles last year.

“With the long day of racing, the sprint race before the main one, the water and gatorade at the water stations was boiling. I was overheating in the 90 degree heat, and on the the vols and the water station asked if i wanted water dumped on me, i said yes expecting to get a nice cooling effect. It hit me and felt like a hot shower.”

I drank lots of water and gatorade (I was in wave 42, not long before you) and none of it actually scalded me. Maybe you weren’t properly hydrated beforehand.

"I have to say that the Chi tri was really a dissapointment. The race seemed really disorganized. Maybe I’m being over critical, and use to doing smaller races, but having done many larger races in my day, i would have to say this seemed like the most unorganized race i’ve ever done of any size. "

I’ve done several big races and my training partner came out to this one for the first time and we both remarked that this was an outstanding race with lots of aid stations, plenty of volunteers, a kick ass expo, lots of great competitors, and a beautiful course. Maybe this just isn’t your type of race, but this is my second year here, done both sprint and international distance, and I really like this race.

12

You go slowguy!!! I’m with ya. …and to add 1 more cent, if this was the most disorganized race of any size that Indytri’s ever done, he clearly has a triathlon horseshoe where the sun don’t shine. I did a small tri 2.5 weeks ago that was disorganized to the point of comedy. They ran out of swim caps, (How do you do that? don’t know how many people are registered???) and decided against timing chips this year. Had no splits, spouses and dogs in transition, one of which knocked over my bike. At the end of the race, they showed me 8 minutes longer than my watch. When I told them it wasn’t right, they very nonchalantly told me they probably listed me in the wrong wave.

Compared to this, (and a couple others I’ve done) Chicago ran like a swiss watch, especially given it’s size.

13

It never fails to amaze me how things get personal on here when you state an opinion. I never said this was the most dissorganized race I’ve ever been too. I’ve been to several small races that were clusterF***s. Maybe I’m being unfair. I’m comparing it to other races I’ve done in the past including this race when it was the SunTimes In the early 90’s. I’ve done my share of larger races over the years several of the old USTS(Bud Light) races, SunTimes, Muncie, USA Tri national champs, etc…so I have a broad base to compare them on. Just stating some observation, if your aren’t the same then that’s your right, but to say i have a horse shoe up here rear is alittle childish.

Like i said before I love the course downtown (my PR is on the old course), I love the people up there they are great. When the wheels were falling off the cart on my run people were cheering me on to keep pushing and keep going, and there was the couple standing on the wall on north end LSD(Anyone else see them?) that were cheering on everyone that went by the whole time I was out on the bike course. I grew up in the area so it’s like a home coming race for me…

All my observations where about what i saw and how CAPRI events did things. I’ll probabaly do the race again next year, jsut because I’m not happy with the way I performed, and i like the city and people.

My point in posting was to see what other people thought, maybe there are things thay can fix to make the race better, maybe there isn’t.

14

Jeez, no offense indy - I just meant you were lucky. Talk about getting personal. Also, you may want to refer to your first post, as this is a quote from it. “Maybe I’m being over critical, and use to doing smaller races, but having done many larger races in my day, i would have to say this seemed like the most unorganized race i’ve ever done of any size.”

15

Sorry, Kate…my bad…i miss read your statement and took it a different way, and i didn make that statement…i do retract…guess i was ranting…Where was the race that they ran out of caps?

16

That’s ok, Indy - I’m often misunderstood. (Could it be my approach? Hmmm…) The race was in Manteno, IL. Small town about 70 miles south of Chicago. Beautiful course, not so beautiful management.

17

I’ll have to remember to stay away from that one…We are lucky down here in indy. We have a good management company that puts on 6 tri’s a year, that are of pretty good quality for being smaller local races.

18

You won’t have to worry - Manteno’s all chickies. I’ve heard good things about Indy races, and am thinking about doing the Mideast Regionals on 9/7. Ha! That actually sounds like I’d be competing with someone other than me. Not likely.

19

It is a nice course. Swim is a triangle confi…bike…is kinda rolling to start when is prety flat…same with the run. Which age group do you compete in?

20

35-39…and really - I use the term, “compete” loosely.