Run Run Away

Question:

The New York Triathlon Club handled something like this really well. The first incident was a surprise, even to them. Apparently, the Parks people decided to cash in on the triathlon and set up shop conveniently at about 5:30 am and demanded payment. The RD was furious on behalf of his race and the athletes. NYTC mailed each and every triathlete a $5 bill after the race. This was pretty classy. But then, the next year, NYTC made arrangements so that there would be free entry UP TO about 6:45 am (7 am race start). We were simply waved through, no questions asked. All in all, I think the collection of fees died off as the "profit" did not justify the hassle to the Parks people. -Rolf —     "In rivers, the water that you touch is the last of      which has passed and the first of that which comes:      so with present time."   — Leonardo Da Vinci IMC94-14:07  IMC95-11:59  IMC97-12:12  IMC98-14:02  IMNZ99-11:52

Response:

        So next year when your race fee goes up $6 you will know the reason. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Murphy’s Law applies to the stream I guess.  The police should of given you more room. I still think that the entry fee should to been picked up by USTS. With as expensive races are these days, USTS should of shelled out the money to make it free both days! —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

To this date, I have received no confirmation of my entry and there no details regarding this event on the TriEvents web site.

I have to take the blame for not updating the web site. Things got real hectic and I didn’t get around to it. My apologies. As for the confirmation form USTS, I am not sure what happened there. I know they got out late, and only about half the people I know got them. It’s a shame because the USTS people did a great job on them. I will be meeting with Bill Fulton next week, and will bring up all the other concerns and suggestions that have been voiced here. Any other suggestions, feel free to email me. Hope to see all you back at Bonelli for the Xterra race (June 20) or the Steamboat on August 29. Mark Rinaldi Inland Inferno Triathlon Club http://members.aol.com/infernotri/home.htm

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I would happily pay the six extra dollars and not wait 30 minutes in line. Brandon —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

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I just got back from the field today, so I know I’m a little behind but here is my take on this event. I was shocked that we had to pay $6.00 to enter the park.  

When I got there (early) there was no one even in the booth at the entrance, so this was a non-issue. The bike course had some screaming decents.  The only problem was that the course was about 8 feet wide at the part that everyone was cruising at 45 mph.

I have to agree here. Twice I had to dart between the cones and go out into traffic to avoid slower riders at about 43 MPH. Not fun. And what was with the river we had to run through during the first mile of the run.  I got nice soggy shoes and a health blister because of it.

I didn’t mind running through the stream but I couldn’t help but wonder if we might have been able to run the course in reverse to avoid the blister problem. Ironically, I had just picked up a new pair of Saucony Grid Azura 2000’s from the Saucony outlet the week before the race, and due to their mesh upper, the water just ran back out and I had no problems. A great shoe if you know you’re going to get wet.    A couple of things that weren’t brought up. There were no mile marker signs on the run, as advertised, and the bottle exchange for the bike never happened. I talked to Mike Plant after the race about this and he was not a happy camper.   Overall I loved the race and won’t hesitate to  race there again.                Steve Fredericks                Oceanside, CA

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I  also agree that I would race there again.  I enjoyed the venue and liked that I was home by noon.  I thought the course was reasonably safe and for the puddle I just jumped across it.  Ok so I didn’t just jump over it-I felt like I was in an adventure race and enjoyed the whole experience.  Stan Gertler

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The RD should have a pretty good idea how many vehicles to expect – especially if it’s not a first time event.  Why not just have a block of numbers allocated for pre-paid parking.  Tell the gate keepers that numbers nnn-xxx are prepaid.  That way you could just show your number at the gate and drive in. Larry

If there is an entry feee involved collect it beforehand and issue a sticker or – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – something that can be visible easily when the vehicle drives in. Have a cop or park person standing at the entrance actively waving cars past that point. Keep traffic moving. This is really a no brainer if RDs want to do it right and save some hassle on everyone. I mean, if there is free entry to a park for a tri, is it necessary for me to stop at the gate and tell someone that. "I am in the triathlon" when I have a bike on the roof and it is 0530 in the AM????

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FWIW, I’m doing a bike ride this weekend starting and ending in a Texas State Park.  If you drive into the park with either a bike on your vehicle or if you flash your bike ride number tag you get in free.  Normal day pass is $5 to $6 bucks, ride fees are only $20 and all profits go to MADD.  Now that seems pretty organized… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Additionally, having to stop at the gate and pay caused about a 20-30 minute traffic jam at the entrance.  This is probably why the race had to be delayed because people were arriving late at the start. But then why didn’t that happen in 1998, 97, 96, 95, etc? I understand some parks really can’t afford to let hundreds of people in for free, and some places that _could_, won’t. Would it be at all possible to work something out with park management to let you buy a pass for race day the day before the race when you show up to pick up your packet? I asked about this at XTerra, and the lady at the gate told me she couldn’t do it. I think it would help because traffic the day before is spread out and unhurried, whereas race day traffic is all at once and people are in a hurry. Vanessa "don’t like getting up even earlier to wait in a line at the gate" Smith

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We could only get the park to let everyone park for free on one day, and that was for Saturday’s expo.

But how about pre-paid entry?  That shouldn’t be a big problem especially with pre-race packet pick-up. You’re correct, that is why the start was delayed. We pleaded with everyone to get there early to avoid this problem. But not everyone heard us.

Sorry, Mark, but, IMO, this is lame.  It means we have to come in 30 minutes early to sit in a line that wouldn’t be there if this was taken care of up front. And regarding notification, many of us received NO notification at all.  The only reason I knew to pick up my packet the day before was because I heard about it in this ng.  I knew about the parking fiasco from other races at this park. Here are my comments that you may pass on to Bill Fulton if you’d like: Overall I enjoyed the race.  It was well organized and I liked using the chip for timing. (So did Chip).  The course was decent and so was the food.  I had some concerns about having faster swimmers in the waves behind me but that proved to be no big deal.  The stream thing was weird but no big deal either.  I’ll do the race again next year. To this date, I have received no confirmation of my entry and there no details regarding this event on the TriEvents web site.  I view this as a serious shortcoming.  I nearly missed picking up my packet because of it. An effort should be made to reduce the wait to enter the park.  Pre-paid parking makes the most sense.  There is no reason for people to have to wait 20 minutes just to get in. That’s my $.02 worth.  A good race with a couple of areas for improvement. Larry – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

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having to stop at the gate and pay caused about a 20-30 minute traffic jam at the entrance.

This point is well taken. I did not do this race, but have been at many where this seems to be a problem. Even when there is free entrance traffic hangs up at the entrance to parks. Motors running at idle is not great from a pollution standpoint. All the aggravation and worry on athletes waiting in line wondering about the time factor of getting in and setting up is no good for anyone. It makes for surly people in transition setups. Suggestions- If there is an entry feee involved collect it beforehand and issue a sticker or something that can be visible easily when the vehicle drives in. Have a cop or park person standing at the entrance actively waving cars past that point. Keep traffic moving. This is really a no brainer if RDs want to do it right and save some hassle on everyone. I mean, if there is free entry to a park for a tri, is it necessary for me to stop at the gate and tell someone that. "I am in the triathlon" when I have a bike on the roof and it is 0530 in the AM????

Response:

Additionally, having to stop at the gate and pay caused about a 20-30 minute traffic jam at the entrance.  This is probably why the race had to be delayed because people were arriving late at the start. But then why didn’t that happen in 1998, 97, 96, 95, etc?

I understand some parks really can’t afford to let hundreds of people in for free, and some places that _could_, won’t. Would it be at all possible to work something out with park management to let you buy a pass for race day the day before the race when you show up to pick up your packet? I asked about this at XTerra, and the lady at the gate told me she couldn’t do it. I think it would help because traffic the day before is spread out and unhurried, whereas race day traffic is all at once and people are in a hurry. Vanessa "don’t like getting up even earlier to wait in a line at the gate" Smith

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I was shocked that we had to pay $6.00 to enter the park.

It’s been that way at Bonelli ever since I’ve been racing there (six years or so). I have never done a race in an area requiring a entry fee that the fee was not included with the race.

Funny, for me it’s almost completely the other way around: Malibu, Hermosa, Huntington Beach, Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Bonelli, Pacific Coast, Bud Lite ocean races, they all had associated not-included parking fees. Additionally, having to stop at the gate and pay caused about a 20-30 minute traffic jam at the entrance.  This is probably why the race had to be delayed because people were arriving late at the start.

But then why didn’t that happen in 1998, 97, 96, 95, etc? And what was with the river we had to run through during the first mile of the run.  I got nice soggy shoes and a health blister because of it.

Been that way almost every year at Bonelli. I agree that a few planks would be a good thing. Truth to tell, I’m not totally unbiased. I keep coming back to Bonelli because I love the park and the course. Aside from the problem with age group results after the race, I was very happy with the USTS management. (I rode down without my wallet, and didn’t have any problems registering.) But then I had a PR in the swim, bike, and overall, so of course I have a sanguine view of other little glitches… Andrew Duncan http://www.cs.ucsb.edu

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Murphy’s Law applies to the stream I guess.  The police should of given you more room. I still think that the entry fee should to been picked up by USTS. With as expensive races are these days, USTS should of shelled out the money to make it free both days! —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

I was shocked that we had to pay $6.00 to enter the park.  I have never done a race in an area requiring a entry fee that the fee was not included with the race.

We could only get the park to let everyone park for free on one day, and that was for Saturday’s expo. Additionally, having to stop at the gate and pay caused about a 20-30 minute traffic jam at the entrance.  This is

probably why the race had to be delayed because people were arriving late at the start. You’re correct, that is why the start was delayed. We pleaded with everyone to get there early to avoid this problem. But not everyone heard us. The bike course had some screaming decents.  The only problem was that the course was about 8 feet wide at the part that everyone was cruising at 45

mph.  Not exactly safe when some riders are going 20 and other 45. The Sheriffs will only give us that much. I agree this is a problem, and a solution will be looked into. And what was with the river we had to run through during the first mile of

the run.  I got nice soggy shoes and a health blister because of it. The "stream" has been only 3 feet wide all spring, and was so up until about 5 days before the race. Not really sure where the extra runoff came from. I have run that course every Sunday morning for the past 3 months and it only decided to rise for race day. Not much you can do about that. Mark Rinaldi Inland Inferno Triathlon Club http://members.aol.com/infernotri/home.htm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have raced in approximately 5 other USTS races over the course of last season and this season.  I have had only good things to say about them (i.e., courses, organization, competitors) until now.  I have a few complaints about this one.  Let me know if anyone else shares my feelings. I was shocked that we had to pay $6.00 to enter the park.  I have never done a race in an area requiring a entry fee that the fee was not included with the race.  Additionally, having to stop at the gate and pay caused about a 20-30 minute traffic jam at the entrance.  This is probably why the race had to be delayed because people were arriving late at the start. The bike course had some screaming decents.  The only problem was that the course was about 8 feet wide at the part that everyone was cruising at 45 mph.  Not exactly safe when some riders are going 20 and other 45. And what was with the river we had to run through during the first mile of the run.  I got nice soggy shoes and a health blister because of it. Anyone share my feeling?

i share your concerns myself, i’ve been racing the bonelli course for at least 15 years, and this is the biggest field bonelli has had since probably the mid ’80’s.  we had a lot of things to achieve at that race, and although i represent the series, not the local race itself, i think this race was an interesting combination of a local, more home grown, race and a larger national organization.   i think we succeeded in some areas and failed in others. your comment about the cones was germaine, as bonelli doesn’t usually get this many athletes (about 600) and so doesn’t usually need any cones at all, or at least not nearly this many.  so the people who laid the cones laid them in accordance with what they thought was the correct lane width.  i rolled onto the course just as the racers were going from swim to bike, and i was alarmed myself, just driving to the park, at how narrow the lane was.   so when i got to the park i grabbed mike laurion (for those who went to our road shows, mike is the rather imposing fellow who fit you up) and we went around the entire lap and moved every cone out, during the ride (those who did the race and passed six inches by us at 40mph met us there).  so i certainly concur with your appraisal. as to the other stuff i don’t have a personal knowledge, except for the parking thing, which, i think if the inland inferno folks got them to abate the $6 for the expo day they did a good job on that, i think it’s rare to get bonelli to abate parking at all. finally i want to make a comment on something which i know bugs many of you, which is having to come to the expo the day before to pick up your registration stuff.  i am going to come clean on this and tell you that this is not a thing the local race organizers make you do, it is us, the usts, that makes you do it.  the reasoning has to do chiefly with sponsor and vendor expectations  yes, there are other operational reasons for this (like giving out detailed course and rules descriptions, and to make it easier for registration people at well attended races), but to be honest, even if there were no operational issues, we’d still require picking up the stuff at the expo. insomuch as i raced my first triathlon in ‘78, and did ironman as far back as ‘81, and have competed since then, i do know that in many cases it is much easier to go the day of, and pick up everything.  but i think it differs with the race.  one would not think of rolling into wildflower, or gulf coast, or mrs. t’s the day of race to get your packet.  pre-race day packet pickup is what makes the events so popular with sponsors and expo booth buyers.  we (qr) only sponsored three events outside of usts this year, and it was these three races just mentioned, specifically because we had an opportunity to make our case to the product buyers, and sell our products, through our retailers, at an expo one or two days prior to the race (it is hard to really sell anything at a race expo the day of the race).   other sponsors feel that way as well. but that is the difference between a grass roots event and a larger production.  having said that, i think it is incumbant for a "larger production" to put on a pre-race  production that is worth going to, if we are going to mandate that you come the day before.  i think in that we sometimes succeed and sometimes fail.   anyway, that is the rationale, and i know it will not change anyone’s mind that doesn’t like this strategy. the next usts is oceanside, in just under three weeks i believe, those who were there last year can attest to the fact that, absent anything else, it’s an expansive– and expensive– show.  i hope that those who must come the day before to pick up your stuff feel that what is offered the day before in the way of an expo, etc., feels that it wasn’t a total waste of time.  i am really looking forward to this year’s race, because we have our old course back, and we’ll have an incredible field of pros– probably the best pro field of the year in north america– as well as a fabulous race in every way. btw, something the tri world doesn’t much know about, the weekend after the oceanside usts is a race which is just as important to the road race world as the usts oceanside is to the tri world.  it is the vista village cycling classic.  while the QR Events Group puts on the usts, it’s the qr sales force and bike factory people that put on this local downtown criterium, san diego’s biggest prize purse for road racing, and it’s biggest road event field as well.  this year we’re adding a bike swap. this is a really neat race.   my model for this race is nevada city classic. for those in northern cal/ northern nevada who’ve been to that race, this is a lot of what the vista race is like, in terms of the course and town.  i would really like triathletes to come out and see what a good cycling event looks like, it is really a lot of fun. qrman

Response:

I have raced in approximately 5 other USTS races over the course of last season and this season.  I have had only good things to say about them (i.e., courses, organization, competitors) until now.  I have a few complaints about this one.  Let me know if anyone else shares my feelings. I was shocked that we had to pay $6.00 to enter the park.  I have never done a race in an area requiring a entry fee that the fee was not included with the race.  Additionally, having to stop at the gate and pay caused about a 20-30 minute traffic jam at the entrance.  This is probably why the race had to be delayed because people were arriving late at the start. The bike course had some screaming decents.  The only problem was that the course was about 8 feet wide at the part that everyone was cruising at 45 mph.  Not exactly safe when some riders are going 20 and other 45. And what was with the river we had to run through during the first mile of the run.  I got nice soggy shoes and a health blister because of it. Anyone share my feeling? Brandon —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

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