Anyone going? Anyone done it in the past? Impressions? course info etc?
thanks
what were your thoughts of the race?? first time i did it too…
had a great time at the race although the bike course could have been marked a bit better. I went off course and it may have cost me the overall win. I ended up 2nd but subtract my detour and it would have been close. Otherwise the race was fun and free beer at the finish is an added bonus!
i just looked at the results…you were fast! I know what you mean about the bike course. I think the folks at the sprint bike turnaround finally realized they should be sending everyone on the olympic further down the road. horrible direction at that point. even at the olympic turnaround there was no cone or clear marker to turnaround. the RD said he would fix that for the next time. great venue though, and the course is great. a little more organization and should be a great race. why does he not make it a true Oly distance??? he has the room on all legs to do so! congrats on a fast race!
I did the race also. Turned out to be a very expensive training day.
Terrible race oganization…but nonetheless, athletes are responsible for knowing and following the course.
Everyone knew that there was a sprint turn-around and about 4 miles later, the intermediate turn-around. I was riding in 7th position approaching the sprint turn and saw all 6 in front of me make the turn!!! I continued to the prescribed turn-around. I was confused a bit and backed off a little until a mile or two down the road saw a sign that said “race in progress”. That was welcome. Hit the turn-around first and saw my trainingbuddy close in 2nd. Game on again. Came out of T2 first but my buddy dropped me late in the run. Basically the race because of the "DQ"s came down to a training day battle.
Spoke with the RD after the race. They were well aware of the course cutting yet did nothing. The list of DQs would have been impressive had there been any checkpoints out there.
The bike course of the ones who did the distance was challenging. Most of the climbing took place past the sprint turn-around including a 1/4 mile at 12% about 2 miles from the turn, where the lowest point of the profile was reached. It was 20 with probably around 1800 feet of climbing. I rode very hard tempo and came in at one hour and change with the best split of the ones who stayed the course.
In real terms, I would say the best the field could have put up, on the course, had they stayed the course would have been 55 minutes. Forget what I saw with my own eyes (there were some behind that I did not see that cut also based on their swim and T1 times). Those times the overall positions 1-9 put out were impossible. Those times would have required averages between 28-31 mph!!! Only top TdF guys could put out the wattage for that.
The run course was confusing with little direction. There was this final little out-and-back to the turn-around with a water stop (no gatorade) that many bypassed. There was this chick we came up to approaching that point and I asked my buddy “where did she come from” for we were past the sprint run turn. She was going to bypass the out-and-back but we called her back onto the course. Figured it out that she had obviously cut the bike short.
The distances were not Olympic. Swim; around 1100 yards. Bike; 20. Run; around 5.5.
All in all, for me, was a good training day. An indicator of one’s training plan. Am progressing as hoped for and have 100% confidence in my program.
http://www.sunsetracing.com/results/SS_08_Results/2008_Olympic.htm
You were a little more frank than I. I think I remember you screaming past me at one point on the bike (I think I came in just over 1:04). You had a nice time! It is unfortunate that the organization was weak and direction on the bike and run poor. The venue is great and the race could be really could with some better organization and more people on the course. They need to hand out more beer coupons to get some more volunteers out there, or pay a few more, I guess. It is a local race, which I try to do save $$$, but it would be nice if it were a true OLY, with more consistent distances. In some instances people may have gone off course because of lack of course direction, but i was lagging a fair bit on the run and figured out the route, all with a fairly limited IQ. Anyway a good training day, and beautiful weather wise, I was pleased my race, and enjoyed the beer following the race. May do another of their races, but would need to see improvements, otherwise that would be all for me.
They have a 1/2 IM distance ths year on 3/27…any ideas on the course, specifically what the bike course is like: flat, rollers, steep grades etc?
Perhaps better race organization this year?
Mrs. AmericanPeople wants to go to Vegas soon, so I’ll likely sign up. Any insight on what to expect would be appreciated. I think the 1pm start time is kind of cool…
Thanks