Been holding off on this post for a long time but with the season fast approaching and after reading the post from the guy who ate it on the bike at a race recently where no one bothered to stop and see if he was ok, I can’t help but to ask …
How many of you have think the camaraderie of the sport has changed dramatically over the past few years … and not for the better?
I first started racing in '95, I was 17 and lived in St. Pete, Fl. I raced at Clermont and all south along both coasts. Back then, seems like, there was a lot of chatter during the races. You hardly ever passed anyone on the bike or run without dropping a few words of encouragement. After the race there was always a keg of beer and everyone would stay for the awards ceremony, lots of cheering, lots of howling from the Mad Dogs, lots of hanging out and talking. You heard a lot more “how’d you race?” than “what was your time?”
I quite racing for a few years. Started back last year. Raced Clermont and few races in South Florida. No chatter. No beer. Nobody staying for the awards ceremony except for those who won something and even then not so much. Maybe I was just young and remember it as being something it wasn’t. Or maybe things really have changed.
Triathlon has certainly become more accessible, more mainstream, more competitive. I think those are all good things. But I think maybe we’ve traded a little bit of exposure for a whole lot of soul.
I dont know much about the change in race day culture, but all i know is that anytime anyone notices my tan or shaved legs, there is an instant conversation about training and everything. Ive ran into a lot triathletes i never met before and everytime ive had at least a 10-15 min conversation with them.
i can’t relate to much, but at ralph’s awards banquet there were probably only about 100 people out of the 2000 that entered that stayed for the awards. i know people have something to do but 1900 of them.
I think there is still a lot of positive energy during a race, but you are right about after. There are a lot of races here in Ohio that hand out your award as you cross the finish line. It makes sense to the race director because they don’t have to mail trophies, but a lot of times they get handed to the wrong person and there is no reason for anyone to stay after because there is no awards ceremony. Cross the finish, take a trophy or get a handshake, grab a bagel, get in the car and drive home. Takes a lot of the fun out of it, but I guess that’s the world we live in.
Here n FLA. They wait till the results are in. Problem with that is – it winds up being an hour and a half after most folks are done before they start handing out awards.
I don’t blame folks for not wanting to hang around for 2 hrs in the middle of July; race directors are certainly responsible for some of this.
Any time I have had to stop in a race, others have asked if there were a problem. Maybe my experience is different since I am further back in the pack than you.
A keg at the finish line would be a big help though. I am guessing that insurance or lawsuits put the stop to that process though.
I hear what you are saying and from what I have seen I have seen similar things and trends:
A couple points:
My time in the sport goes back to the early days. Back then it seemed more like a giant club. Everyone, DID KNOW every one else.
I hate to say it but back then WE WHERE COMPETITIVE, but we were all good friends. Now, just like in running it is more participatory and more about individual achievement of goals. That’s why everyone leaves events, because, no offense most came to finish. The people that won top finishing awards are in a different league.
I have know idea why, what with computor timing spiting out real-time race results at just about every event, but the few events that I have been to recently, the awards take place way to long after the race is over. Some RDs say they do this out of respect for the last finishers. I say get everyone together while the last finishers are coming in. They can hand out the awards AND have a big crowd on hand for the people who really make the race - the BOP’s!
I have seen this in mtb bike racing too. The race director would wait until everyone had finished in all classes to hand out hardware. If you rode pro/expert you could start your race at 9 and be finished by 10:30 or 11:00 and not get awards until 1 or 1:30, that is just too long to wait for most people, especially those with a long drive home to do. Many people just come to race and that is it. Plus, as races grow you don’t know as many people, most people who stay for awards are friends (or family) of those who did well and thats it, everyone else hits the road.
I have been doing tris since 1990 and have unfortunantly noticed what you are concerned about. There has always been the competitive nature of trigeeks but the soul has seemed to fade which to me was the heart and sole of the sport, it was what drew me to it. In stead of just telling war stories of the race it seems to center on times. I have 2 friends which will drive 500mi the day before a 1/2 ride more of the course than they should(to be rested for the race) do the race the next morning be disapointed in their times (she usually does better the him) and leave to drive back within 15-20 min of finishing, thats 500mi after doing a 1/2. I seem to see more of this type of behavior as time goes on and I’m saddened. The “after glow” after the race is a great time to relax talk with friends and renew friendships.
Any change in race chatter is probably due to the increase in the size of the fields. When you’re in a little race with 50 others, you are much more likely to give/get encouragement from all other racers. When there are 1000 or 2000 others out there you could very well spend the entire race saying “good job” if you did that.
I’ve been racing since 1985 and post-race awards ceremonies have always had low attendence unless there is something to keep folks there for longer than about an hour. But beer or a drawing for a free bike usually keep people around!
I have know idea why, what with computor timing spiting out real-time race results at just about every event, but the few events that I have been to recently, the awards take place way to long after the race is over. Some RDs say they do this out of respect for the last finishers. I say get everyone together while the last finishers are coming in. They can hand out the awards AND have a big crowd on hand for the people who really make the race - the BOP’s!
I think one reason awards start so late is because often the last finishers will earn awards, as there are usually only a couple of entrants in the 55+age groups. Think about it: that 70 year old woman or man that finishes last almost always wins an award. I’m not venting just offering a possible explanaton.
As I posted eslewhere on the thread - with Chip tining now results are ready to go when people cross the finishline. I have know idea what the waitis for at many races.
Fine, hand’em the award in front of the assembled masses for all of the other awards as they( the older folks) cross the finishline. What could be better!
I always say something as I meet or pass another. BUT some on this forum have said they hate it when that happens, no one should speak when they pass them because it’s not what they want to hear etc. We have grown races are bigger and that takes more time for awards, finishers and things like that. Also we have picked up many many people, some nice, some tall ,some short, some not so nice!!! They try to make rules on what we should wear,think,ride,believe.
If you want to see the old type of race find a small local race 150-300 people and it’s still the same. Larger races sometimes bring the bike racing mentality with it.
I’m saying that the wait is for those last finishers to cross the line because they often win awards. In many cases those last finishers are finishing over 2 hours after most people are done.
I guess the question is, do you wait to start the award ceremony until the 68 year old woman who is still out on the course, finishes, because she is the only one in her age group and is therefore part of the award ceremony?
Back in the day when Fleck was winning races overall in the 80’s and early 90’s I’d hang out long after a race was over and chat, socialize, party and drink beer. Now I have a family who could care less about all of that. So I either go to races solo and pack my bags and get home ASAP to play soccer with my son or take him for a MTB ride, or I leave ASAP with my family to get to another non triathlon related family event. I suspect that the single folks still hang out and socialize and do all the stuff we older guys did 15-20 years ago.
Fine, hand’em the award in front of the assembled masses for all of the other awards as they( the older folks) cross the finishline. What could be better!
I like that idea. Just need to get RD’s to hold the award ceremonies near the finish line.
Very well said, I know exactly what you are talking about. Although I’ve only participated in this sport for about 10 years, I can remember the first couple of years being exactly as you describe. Back then it seemed like EVERY race had that “local”, “hometown” feeling. Nowadays, only the local/hometown races have that atmosphere. Where did it go for the others?
I was going to wait until closer to the race to post this, but I think that this is appropriate. This is a road race not multisport, but it has more of that warm fuzzy race feel than others. It is one of the largest races in michigan, and yes there is beer afterwards.
I posted the link to the event schedule because it has lots of things for the family to do while they are here, making it a family outing. And no I am not involved in the race committee, I just really think it is a fun time and I won’t spend my 4th of July any other way.
