What do you want to see/get at a race

Triathlon Forum
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Although our local club race sells out every year, we are always trying to make it better. What are the things that you want to see/get at a race.

What have you seen at other races?
What do you wish you had seen?
What is important to you as a racer? As a spectator? As a volunteer?
What would make you go out of your way to register for a race?
What kind of awards do you prefer?
What should be in a race packet?
What would make you hang out at the race site even if you did not expect to win an award?

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*What is important to you as a racer? As a spectator? As a volunteer? *

Safe/fun/scenic/challenging courses

*What would make you go out of your way to register for a race? *

Mostly reviews from other people and the reputation of the race. Also time and location plays a significant role also.

*What kind of awards do you prefer? *

Not a freaking finishing medal, I don’t know what to do with these things.

What should be in a race packet?

Um… Good socks? I don’t know. Whatever the sponsors want to promote, I don’t pay too much attention to schwag bags.

What would make you hang out at the race site even if you did not expect to win an award?

Food. Depending on conditions, shelter from the rain or sun. Music is good too.

3

What is important to you as a racer? (1) Things for the fans to do. i.e playground for the kids., (2) a good fair course that is properly marked, (3) time postings rather quickly (4) LOTS OF BATHROOMS
What would make you go out of your way to register for a race? location, location, location…
What kind of awards do you prefer? None
What should be in a race packet? things that will get used: sox, powerbar gel, running hat, tech t-shirt without to much on the front of it. My favorite shirt had the race name and distance on the front in small print (where the pocket would be) and then bigger print on the back.
What would make you hang out at the race site even if you did not expect to win an award? Lots to do for the kids. For example, I’m doing the Rev3 1/2 Iron distance this June and it is at an amusement park. Very good for the kids.

4

1+2) well marked course with good road-conditions
3) As a racer: well marked course with good road conditions. As spectator: course planned so you can see the racer more than 3 times (loops or similar). Volunteer: free entry to a race
4) Discount early registration
5) The kind that comes immediately after a race, not 2 hours after.
6) ChampionChip, Bib Number, Frame Number, + Schwag (socks, gel, bottles are my favorite).
7) Beer. Burgers. Did I say Beer??

5

I’ve been racing along time, 19 years now. I don’t really care about anything except:

  1. organized transition - enough room for all the bikes and gear

  2. marked course

  3. awards asap after the race

  4. MOST OF ALL - the food afterward. The best races are the ones with the best food afterward, period. Great food will keep people around for the party and awards. Lots of races in Virginia had awesome food at the party follwoing the race. Beer, BBQ chicken done on site, potato salad, sodas. In Jax, Fl one had a party catered by Sticky Fingers BBQ - totally awesome!!! Bagels, donuts, oranges, bananas, don’t cut it!!! Its lunch time!!! FOOD!!! Most racers and families have have been awake for over 6-8 hours by this time!!

I don’t care about give-aways, swag, whatever. I also don’t care much about awards anymore.

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What I absolutely love getting is another bland light-grey cotton race t-shirt to add to the collection. No wait, I hate that. A technical, dry-fit or some other sort of synthetic exercise-worthy shirt should be the expected norm for race apparel, and any deviation from said norm should result in the tarring and feathering of the race director.

No public allowed in the transition zone. Race volunteer at the entry/exit matching bikes to race numbers. This isn’t absolute security, but at least it stops someone from really easily walking away with a bike and reduces the chaos of the transition zone.

7

  1. Something other than a t-shirt (we all have too many). A tech T would be good; Vineman gave out some DeFeet-type socks that rocked. One idea I’ve been pushing is to scrap the t-shirt and use the money to hire photographers. Everyone can download their race pics for free. The photogs would probably make more $$ since they get paid for every entrant, and they can still sell prints, coffee mugs with the pics, etc.

  2. I agree with Zipp that good food will keep people after the race (make sure there’s something for the vegetarians…pasta and salad always works), as will something to entertain the kids (this also make it less stressful for spouces).

  3. Well marked course, with volunteers that know it.

  4. Plenty of porta-potties.

  5. Large cups at the aid stations (12oz.+). Some races I’ve done have used those 3oz. dixie cups (=1oz after you grab it).

  6. A coulple of spare helmets (have you been to a race where someone hasn’t forgotten one?),and some basic bike stuff (pump, tubes for sale,etc).

  7. Massage afterwords (free is great, but the $1/min. works too).

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What have you seen at other races?
At Antrim every year in Columbus, the announcers do a great job of play by play as much as possible. They try and announce names as people get out of the swim and bike, etc. It makes you feel like a pro.

What do you wish you had seen?
Better drafting marshals. Better marked swim courses(more buoys)

What is important to you as a racer? As a spectator? As a volunteer?
I hate when races, sometime unavoidably, make it so family and friends can only see you once for like 5 seconds. I am also not a fan of loop courses so its hard to deal with both issues.

What would make you go out of your way to register for a race?
Closed course, CROWN SUPPORT, fun for spectators.

What kind of awards do you prefer?
Medals and/or reimbursement of entry fee. Or free entry following year.

What should be in a race packet?
Bib # and Swim cap, nothing else

What would make you hang out at the race site even if you did not expect to win an award?
Not much.

9

Make it half price for non clydes women
cuz I want to see women, mostly

Although our local club race sells out every year, we are always trying to make it better. What are the things that you want to see/get at a race.

What have you seen at other races?
What do you wish you had seen?
What is important to you as a racer? As a spectator? As a volunteer?
What would make you go out of your way to register for a race?
What kind of awards do you prefer?
What should be in a race packet?
What would make you hang out at the race site even if you did not expect to win an award?

10

  1. A good swim venue with clear water and a solid bottom.

  2. Food is nice, but not necessary. Don’t waste money on shirts, medals, or trophies. If you want to give out prizes, give something useful. Maybe mugs, pint glasses, or water bottles.

  3. Roads that are safe to ride on. I don’t need a closed course, but I don’t want to die either.

  4. An entry fee of $40 or under for an olympic distance. A half ironman should be less than $100. Race fees have gotten out of control.

11

I’m going to tag along and watch this as I’m a co-director for a first year tri and we are finalizing the details.
Much of what has been discussed here is all great stuff, and some of what we are trying to focus on for our race:

Venue: We have a really good spot for the race. Tons of parking, good bike course and an interesting run. We are hoping that is enough to sell the race.Incentives: We are offering cash for top 3 male & female, plus prizes for fastest swim, bike and runs.Friendliness: We are offering a shorter sprint race in addition to the olympic so that we can try to lure first timers. Plus we are having 2-3 question and answer clinics in the months leading up to the race open to anyone wanting to try a triathlon.
Uniqueness: Everyone gets trophy’s and medals. We are working on something unique.Extras: Food (Savageman is tops with free bbq and icecream) and other refreshments are high on our list. We are also working on dj and other stuff to keep those interested during and after the race.
Family: For those of us with little ones we are having a kids race (duathlon) for ages 4-10 or so.For me, like others have said, stuff like t-shirts rank low on the list. I want something unique, in a nice area that is run well. Timeliness in results and awards is, like others have said, a big deal.

Now, shameless plug, check out www.thedamtri.com and tell me what you like/don’t like and what is missing.

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as a racer:

Well marked course w/ proper distance markers or none. I can’t stand it when the mile markers are actually at .75, 2, 3.4, 4.2, 5.5, 6.6 for a 6.2 mile run. If your run is long or short let us know, we don’t care, we just want to know.

Lots of information from the starter. Solana Beach Tri has a very organized start and I wish more people would imitate them. 5, 1 minute, 30 sec, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. They also are very good about telling you what the next wave is.

Volunteers who know the course and are paying attention. Again Solana Beach has people directing at every place you have to make a decision of where to go. And the people are paying attention and yelling out simple effective directions. Some triathlons that I’ve been to have had people smoking and chatting with friends instead of paying attention and it has directly led to crashes on the bike when the people realize they are about to overshoot the turn.

Assigned or at least marked bike racks. There is nothing worse than arriving at your rack to find out that the people of either side have brought a cooler full of stuff and are taking up 2 times as much space as they should. I’m not a very confrontational person face to face and I hate having to ask the person setting up for a picnic in the transition to move their stuff.

I don’t care about finisher medals, and i would rather have tech shirts over t-shirts, even if they are target champion brand with no race logo. Just make sure that there is water being handed out near the chip removal. The first year the LV Marathon had no water until you exited the finisher area which included the line to get your photo taken with the show girls. So it took an average of 10 minutes to get water (which was in another tent 100m away) after you crossed the line.

Music, beer, and good food would make me want to hang out at the race site even if i didn’t expect to win an award, but it’s not me you need to convince, it’s my wife who has been standing around since 5am so she could see me 4 times during 2 hours of racing. Needless to say she’s almost always ready to hit the road once i’m finished. :slight_smile:

Security in the transition area.

As a spectator:

a course that has lots of places to watch, and maybe a packet that describes the good spots to view the race. For example the packet for Pumpkinman in Las Vegas should let people know that there are a couple of spots on the big climb into Boulder City that you can stop and cheer on your athlete and still drive to the top and cheer them on at the bike-run transition.

Lots of Bathrooms.

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Cash is always good but of course that only favors the top athletes. They’ll be sticking around for the awards anyway. We are thinking of having mid-pack prem’s - if your split is dead smack in the middle of the pack you win.
Beer is a sure winner too, but our event is at a local YMCA and they aren’t too thrilled with the idea. We do have Chipotle as a sponsor though, so the food is great.
Has anyone used/seen a tv feed at a local race?

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What have you seen at other races?
I have seen pallets used to hold bike, preferentull placement of local in the transition area,
What do you wish you had seen? Bike Racks, no favortism, marked areas or open first come first served.
What is important to you as a racer? A well marked course and not paying a arma nd a leg to race, $100 for a sprint is just crazy! I remember paying $25 back in the 80’s and complaining, now that would be a bargin
As a spectator? Areas marked where we can watch the race, something to do while waiting to watch the race.
As a volunteer? Maybe a discount to a future race, food out at the aid stations for the volunteers, something to drink, but those are nice to haves, I mean I am volunteering. I volunteered as a draft marshall at IMFL and they took real good care of us, we even got into the VIP area at the finish when our shift was over to watch our friends finish that was the best.
What would make you go out of your way to register for a race? Location and reputation
What kind of awards do you prefer? I like plaques to hang in the garage but even those are not needed, I would prefer a gift certificate to the local bike shop or to a somewhere I can buy something I need for training and racing.
What should be in a race packet? The minimum, I get tired of throwing away race flyers because I’m not driving 100 miles for your local 5K.
What would make you hang out at the race site even if you did not expect to win an award? Our local race is done at a outside nightclub, it is rare for people to leave before lunch is served, that is one of the benefits to that race is the great spread of food, I have meet quite a few people at that race because they hang around and eat where I had seen them at other races but they pack up and leave right after the race.

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What have you seen at other races? Most races are pretty much the same. Depends on distance. What do you wish you had seen? More volunteers holding out spectators in transition What is important to you as a racer? As a spectator? As a volunteer? Good road conditions for the bike, enough shade for the awards, and good food What would make you go out of your way to register for a race? Moderate entry fee…getting OUT OF HAND, good food, awards 5 deep. What kind of awards do you prefer? I am sick of the medals and trophies. Mugs, glasses, jackets/sweatshirts/pullovers, gift cert. for shoes, Tri-Sports cert., $–even 5 bucks would be nice, or even coupons to national restaurants What should be in a race packet? *swim cap, number, map. * What would make you hang out at the race site even if you did not expect to win an award? Beer.

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You have to get the fundamentals right: Good course, good swim entry/exit, accurate distances, good roads, well marked and controlled and well officiated Get the timing right and get it done fast Have ample room in transition for all the bikes PROPERLY TRAIN YOUR VOLUNTEERS! I don’t think I’ve been at a race yet where the volunteers weren’t ignorant of some rule or procedure and diminished my race in the process (as much as I appreciate their help).

The extras that are nice: A venue that’s good for my kids to hang around at and to play in the water with me afterwards (that will keep me there afterwards) Good food!!! Great sound system playing good music

Compared to the above, nothing else really matters. I’m tired of SWAG and awards…unless the awards are something usable like a new tri-top or shorts…or tires/tubes…

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Tires/tubes - hmmm, hadn’t thought of that one. Good info - thanks

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What would make you hang out at the race site even if you did not expect to win an award?

Stuff for the family to do, so maybe a) food for very cheap or free for spectators b) some kind of activites for my kid c) encourage kids volunteer activities on the spot (like giving out water at the finishline). I like to stay to watch all the finishers and the award ceremony; my family gets bored between my finish and the awards ceremony so we seldom stay.

My daughter once became a dog sitter for a competitor, another time was recruited to give out water to finishers. It kept her interested for a good while, but not all the way to the award ceremony…

Brian

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What is important to you as a racer?

Assigned bike space in the transition area.

It keeps people from crowding, moving your bike so they have more space, and lessens the advantage for those who are able to arrive early to rack their bikes in prime spots. Doesn’t seem like it’d be that hard to do, even at smaller local races. It’s also nice when all your AG is racked together so you have a better sense of where you are in your AG during transitions.

Brian

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The venue is the main thing for me. I want a safe, scenic and well-marked course. I am partial to a rural setting at least for the bike. I would like to see fewer frills if it could mean lower entry fees. I’ll bring my own food and beer.