Motor City tri

clear as can be. the water temps were still pretty chilly last week but we'll see what the warm temps this weekend do to help that. the sprint swim is out of the current and you can stand up on most of the way. there is a decent run from the beach to where you can start swimming but it hasn't been rocky (in the past)

say hi at the race. i've will have a giant black dog and a brown german shorthair in tow. with those two and my red hair, i'm hard to miss.

Sorry to be so dense, but do you mean that I need not be concerned with this advice given on 3D's website:  Remember you will get to that last buoy very quick, so conserve your energy with longer than normal strokes  with an extra long Glide across the back 5 buoys.  You will swim your fastest 500m of your life.  With the modification to the 2007 course the current coming home is very minimal.  A slight turn in and you are all set.  You will actually be swimming down stream on an angle towards the shore which will negate any difficulty with the current following your last turn

>>I'm concerned about bike and wetsuit theft<<

Having just plunked down some change on a new wetsuit (albeit quite reasonably priced -tnx, Bikesport!) I'm a bit worried about this as well.

Thanks for the tips!

the olympic swim does go a lot further out than the sprint. i never really felt there was an issue with the current on the sprint swim course.

as for bike/wetsuit theft, i raced the last two years and both transition areas have always had someone staffing the area. last year, t2 was right at the finish line and t1 transtition bags (they give these to you for wetsuits, swim stuff, anything you don't need after the swim) were loaded up after the last person was out. i never heard anything about lost bags. you do have to take the time to put your T1 stuff in the bag which is clearly marked with your race number. it's picked up after you finish the race.

>>bring a big bag for T1<<

Someone else mentioned a wetsuit barely fits.  Are you saying as long as your numbers on the bag, no matter what bag?  Maybe a larger white trash bag would work?

Thanks for the heads up about the beach / glass.

second the small bag issue.  IF you do use the issued bag, make sure to put the small items in the bottom, then put your wetsuit in on top. 

lgabbs, I see you're in F-dale, too.  I was thinking of heading down to Belle Isle on Saturday for PP, so lemme know if you'd like to carpool.

Why, you gonna finally use the tubulars? 

I don't remember the road being an issue last year, tho there is sometimes glass to watch out for.

So knowing that it's smooth, my brother just offered to loan me his Zipp 404 tubulars.  Would it be wrong for a total BOP poser, who has no idea what that means, to use them on her fancy schmancy new Felt B2 tri bike ??

Hey, I have a Spectator Logistics Question for the veterans of this race:

Is it possible for them to come later and still get onto the island?  Or do they close the bridge?  I'm wondering best how to advise a couple folks who want to come down but don't want to leave quite as early as I am.  How best to advise them?

Thanks!!!!

They leave a lane open on the bridge and traffic has to go to the right.  The two outer lanes on the island are open.  Spectators could come onto the island and park anywhere they can to cheer us all on.