Has anyone ever considered creating their olympic distance triathlon race?
How many people on this forum would participate in an event which isn’t one of the big names yet is filled with pure competition?
Has anyone ever considered creating their olympic distance triathlon race?
How many people on this forum would participate in an event which isn’t one of the big names yet is filled with pure competition?
I have created my own race, not any distance or any format anyone else has done. And yes, I would participate in an event that isn’t a big name. Sometimes these kinds of races that out of the norm are challenging and pretty fun. I believe competition will come with the race, if it is worthy of it. Believe in what you want to do… not sure if I’ve had the best competition at my race yet, but I believe in my race and who the race is for, I KNOW the competition will come. If you build it, they will come!!! Good luck and follow your dream race…
Really. Chat with your attorney and ask him how to get insurance for you and your family to be covered when there is an accident…or death. Anything above a group of friends training together you are responsible. Leave race organization to the professionals.
Really. Chat with your attorney and ask him how to get insurance for you and your family to be covered when there is an accident…or death. Anything above a group of friends training together you are responsible. Leave race organization to the professionals.
And again…an initiative killed by the lawyers. It’s amazing how “legal” everything in the US has become.
That’s just dumb advice and would leave us with WTC events only. Or should I say would leave us with America MultiSports Events? Troll over, go away.
Ha! Figured that would get a nice response…ignorance is bliss. A good friend is an owner of a huge insurance company, gym owner and triathlete…and he won’t even sponsor group rides…to much liability!
good luck. as for the troll part…been on this forum for years!
Regarding the lawyer threat, if your not insured and part of WTC you’ll be sued type talk. Has this happened to anyone? Anyone know of someone who was sued for organizing their own race?
That’s just dumb advice and would leave us with WTC events only. Or should I say would leave us with America MultiSports Events? Troll over, go away.
How is that being a “troll”. The advice is sound. If someone is thinking about organizing an event where people (other than just a group of friends doing some spontaneous activity) are being invited to participate (and likely pay something), they had better seek plenty of advice, especially in these days where people try to blame everything that happens to them on someone else.
It certainly does not just leave us with WTC (or America Multisports) events. There are a multitude of races being put on by people/organizations and in (hopefully) most cases, these groups have gone through all that work to both create a good event and a safe event.
I’ve known Steve now for a couple of years, both as having my son race in one of his events and attending the Mideast region’s race director symposium together. He is a professional and has been involved in this sport for many years.
The rant should be on why this country has made it a daily occurence to sue over incredible things, not over someones advice to be very wary before jumping in to becoming a Race Director.
not organizing…only if there is an issue/accident…geezzz
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Consider running the event through your local YMCA (if you have one) and have them pay you as an “instructor” as though it’s a class. Then you’re an employee of the YMCA for that event.
We have a very small local triathlon that’s been going on for almost 10 years now done this way. I’m going to get more involved this year with the planning and marketing. I might switch it to a reverse triathlon just for something different. Plus, then it doesn’t need to be a TT start. The only catch is that you’d need a passing rule for the swim where once you foot is touched, you have to stop at the next turn, or face maybe a 15 second penalty.
Some clubs have small club races and have insurance through their NGB. Not many venues around here for low key races like this. We tend to have off road du or aquathlon options for low cost low key events.
I believe that our NGB (USAT) requires any race sanctioned through them (for insurance or otherwise) to cause all participants to either be annual members or buy the one day pass; regardless of the size of the race.
I am looking at putting together some very low key, mid week Aquathlon events through the summer trying to keep the cost to a minimum so I am looking at private insurance to see how that compares (price/coverage).
Another race I am looking at taking over is just a “local” sprint distance triathlon (pool swim, etc) so that will be the same question for that race as well.
It is not that hard to get a mom and pop race going. Find a suitable venue, read the USTA sanctioning/insurance process, talk to land owners and local law enforcement about their insurance requirements, and how many police you need to pay, the race will cost a ton so you will need sponsors. Entry fees won’t usually cover all the costs. Get a board of your friends together as you will probably need 50-150 volunteers for a small race. Contact timing or racing service companies and see about renting equipment or timing equipment. Check race schedules so you don’t conflict with other events. Things like porta pots, shelter, food, music, awards, t-shirts will suck time and the life out of you later, but you need a good solid plan first.
Drink a couple of 6 packs and think about it again for next year. The feeling will pass.
The lawyers should not worry you all that much. There are tens of thousands of single or multi sport races put on in America each year. Very few actually have legal problems. All of them require much more work than you would ever dream possible. If you really want to get out of your racing career start directing a race or two, you just won’t have time to train. I have been to some really crappy races but never ever complain, because I have been on the RD side way too many times in my life. It is a thankless job, and I am happy to see any one take up race directing. I say go for it.
Then again I have done a fair number of mom and pop events that had very little legal stuff at all. Some of them are “outlaw races” with no sanctions, permits, no nothings. (See the Boulder Beer Run article) Everyone is responsible for their own behavior and interpretation of which local laws apply to them. As far as anyone knows it was a nonevent, nothing happened and you have no one to sue. I have had a lot of fun at those races. There is a lot of thinking to do about making races happen, but it is sort of fun in some ways.
Regarding the lawyer threat, if your not insured and part of WTC you’ll be sued type talk. Has this happened to anyone? Anyone know of someone who was sued for organizing their own race?
I don’t think he’s saying that you should be worried about liability of getting sued by one of the “big boys” for trademark infringement. He’s saying you should be worried about the kid who wrecks his bike (all on his own accord) and sues you because there was a pothole on your course. Now the couple thousand dollars you made on the race (if you had a bunch of people) doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of the massive legal cost you now face from the angry insurance company and its army of lawyers.
Shitty. But true.
I’d imagine insurance isn’t cheap either…
What I’m asking is does this frequently happen or this more of an urban myth? Are there any RDs out there who have been sued?
Then again I have done a fair number of mom and pop events that had very little legal stuff at all. Some of them are “outlaw races” with no sanctions, permits, no nothings.
The Rocky 50K started out like that this year … Just a stupid Idea that happened to catch on.
http://www.runnersworld.com/editor-blogs/rocky-50k-run-recap
It’s already planned for next year; let’s see if it stays “fatass”
What I’m asking is does this frequently happen or this more of an urban myth? Are there any RDs out there who have been sued?
No idea how frequently it happens. However, it’s the same reason everyone pays to have earthquake insurance in California (or why some people refuse to move here) - the risk is huge if it does happen.
My point exactly. I lived in Califorinia for 18 years. Never experienced any damage from Earthquakes. Nor has my family or friends. People worry about it but it is very rare.
Still no replies of anyone having been sued.
Oh - it has happened. For sure it has. In a triathlon last year in Ventura, Ca - some girl got hit by a car (double fault as a fellow competitor bumped her and the car also happened to come into the closed off lane) and she got fucked up pretty bad. From my understanding, she filed an insurance claim and the insurance company did what insurance companies always do - they name everyone they can in a lawsuit to recuperate the damages.
Now, I have no idea how regularly this happens, but I have had conversations with race directors who say the above scenario happens on a regular basis (which is why people get insurance for races).
Now, let’s say it happens once every 3,000 races (to varying degrees). That’s still a hell of a risk to take without insurance as - if it does happen on a race where you have no insurance - you’ll be bankrupt basically in the aftermath.