This has likely been posted before, but I can’t find it. Someone smarter than me will likely post the link…
How many people have, or would, travel to a small, out of the way triathlon with the sole goal of taking the overall win? Yes, I’m considering it. Yes, I’m shallow. No, more training will not likely get me to the top spot at other larger triathlons in my area.
Chris
Just make sure that there are not others like you doing the same thing. I think that podium spots are subject to the * for where they were aquired. you will note that many here will differenciate between big races and local races when calling themselves by MOP, BOP.
Me, I’m a AG Podium finisher in small races and BOP for large ones. Go figure.
A race is a race and the time will tell the story.
I prefer small races just because they’re small - less washing machine effect in the swim, fewer “fast swimmer/slow biker” types to thread through on the ride.
Yes, an AG win may follow (as it did in my last race), but that’s not why I’m there.
I did that once at a local very low key duathlon. When I looked at the results from the previous years, I saw that as slow as I am, my times would still let me win the race. When I went and raced I was 3 minutes faster than the previous year’s winning time, but still lost by five minutes to the fast guys who decided to come and do the race as well.
Past history doesn’t mean some fast guys won’t show up and steal YOUR glory.
Oh, I’ve definitely considered that someone speedier might show up. The nice thing about this event is that it’s timed on the same day as some bigger events that the speedsters would be going to. In the end, I still look only at my times and see how I did relative to other events, so I at least keep myself honest that way!
Chris
I tried that in a 5k run up at Santa Anita Racetrack - you start in the parking lot, run around the gardens and finish on the track. I looked at the prior year’s times and thought, ‘easy win’. HA! Came in something like sixth and not a good time for me. Lot’s of turns and running on the track dirt is like running in sand. Plus, I found out the prior year’s race was in major rainfall and the track was brutal. Everyone was slow.
There was an article in Runners World 2 years ago (about) that discussed “cherry-picking” a race. It was actually kind of a funny read. I race in smaller races all of the time, mostly because they are local for me, and I don’t consider that “cherry-picking.” I would never enter a race specifically because I could win it. That is not why I enter races. Now the woman in the RW article did enter a race so that she could win it. She had goal of winning a trophy (not a medal, ribbon, certificate, etc.) for an athletic endeavor before she was 40. So she researched races (mostly smaller, local ones) that gave trophies as prizes for top finishers. She checked the history of the finishers’ times to make sure that she would be in contention. Then she signed up for the race and won her trophy. Like I said, it is not one of my things, but who am I to judge?
Bernie
I did something similar to that for xterra points a few years ago, but it was more strategy to stay ahead of the competition. Was not looking for the overall win, but thought it would be fun to go check out a new place and grab some points at the same time (Vashon Island).
Got me to thinking. If that Louis Licari fellow wanted to win a triathlon overall he could show up at a local race and pay someone to drop 100 bills, a lot of them out on the bike course.
While every other triathlete is busy picking up the cash he would ride on and take the overall win. Might need another distribution of “C” notes along the run course depending on how slow he is.
i would do it. hell, why not? besides, there is no guarantee you’ll win, but personally, i enjoy smaller races.
the only problem is if you care about your USA Triathlon ranking. Doing those small out of the way races are good for your ego but hell on your ranking since the field is pretty weak sometimes.