Grand Rapids Triathlon chosen by USAT to be Mideast Championship event

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2011-01-02 6:17 PM

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Subject: Grand Rapids Triathlon chosen by USAT to be Mideast Championship event
I heard this on facebook a week or so ago but nothing here so I figured I would say something about it.
http://grtriathlon.wordpress.com/

2011-01-03 5:50 AM
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Subject: RE: Grand Rapids Triathlon chosen by USAT to be Mideast Championship event
Bummer.  Same day as Hawk Island, which I promised to do with wife this year.  Well not really a bummer but I'd like to do both.
2011-01-03 6:58 AM
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Subject: RE: Grand Rapids Triathlon chosen by USAT to be Mideast Championship event
I love how this sport will slap "championship" on a race when it has NO qualification standards for entry.

Based on the blog linked above, this "championship" means you get double points for your club in the MERCRS, which is a regional points series, if you compete. So really it should say that Grand Rapids Triathlon chosen by USAT to be Mideast Series event. But I guess that doesn't sell registrations.

Speaking of which, as of today, 14 people had registered for the Sprint, 11 for the Oly, and 49 for the HIM. Kind of a surprise that the HIM would have double the shorter distances combined.

Anyway, still considering doing this one as it's cheap and close. Anyone else planning on registering?

2011-01-03 7:12 AM
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Subject: RE: Grand Rapids Triathlon chosen by USAT to be Mideast Championship event
I'm planing to do the HIM.
2011-01-03 10:16 AM
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Subject: RE: Grand Rapids Triathlon chosen by USAT to be Mideast Championship event
thinking about doing the OLY
2011-01-04 7:48 PM
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Subject: RE: Grand Rapids Triathlon chosen by USAT to be Mideast Championship event

I would really like to do the HIM distance for this one but me thinks a new baby girl in late April may change that.  Just have to see how training goes in May.  Otherwise, I will probably just do the Oly. 

A plus about them having this as a Series event is that it will bring some good competition in from around the Mideast which is a good thing but agree with yeats about a chamionship with no qualification criteria.  Even when USAT does have qualifications like the AG National Championships where at qualifying events the top 33% from each AG qualify its not really that difficult for most all season athletes.  Seems like just a scheme to get people to some "championship" race that otherwise would only have a few hundred people in it.

Either way, it is a good thing for the race in GR and brings more people to the event.

2011-01-05 9:46 AM
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Subject: RE: Grand Rapids Triathlon chosen by USAT to be Mideast Championship event
Pretty sure I'll be doing the HIM this year. I was going to do the HHH 200k bike race in Wisconsin like the week after this, but I figure the HIM will be better training for Ironman Wisconsin, not to mention it's a lot closer to my home. I'm thinking about doing the insane terrain challenge 200k in Wisco as the time frame is better than HHH. As far as making this a "championship" I'm sure it is just to get people to register, but it doesn't seem to be working. I'm quite surprised at the low number of people registered thus far given the price of this race.
2011-01-09 3:55 PM
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Subject: Grand Rapids Triathlon: Where's the swim?
Where does the Swim take place?  Surely not in the river.....!    I am seriously considering this for an early summer event.   Can anyone tell me what the swim  is like?  I'm familiar with GR-- so the rest of the course seems like it would be nice.
2011-01-09 5:14 PM
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Subject: RE: Grand Rapids Triathlon: Where's the swim?
pmt - 2011-01-08 4:55 PM Where does the Swim take place?  Surely not in the river.....!    I am seriously considering this for an early summer event.   Can anyone tell me what the swim  is like?  I'm familiar with GR-- so the rest of the course seems like it would be nice.


Swim does take place in the Thornapple River. Here is a link to the race website page with course maps. http://grandrapidstriathlon.com/courses.php 
2011-01-11 1:58 PM
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Subject: RE: Grand Rapids Triathlon chosen by USAT to be Mideast Championship event
It is in the river just above the damn. So it will be a slow moving current.
2011-02-25 8:34 AM
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Subject: RE: Grand Rapids Triathlon

Just a heads up that there is a rate increase at the end of the month ($10).  I am going to pull the trigger on the Oly.  They have some nice course maps up on the website now.  They have tweaked the courses about 8 times now but the latest ones have been up for awhile.  The bike looks real fast...elevation stays in a 30 foot range the whole ride (Oly).  The run looks like there is one decent hill that you hit twice for Oly and four times for HIM.

Lots o people signed up for the HIM vs. Oly/sprint but think thats just because HIM athletes plan so much farther out.  I bet there is a good turnout for all 3 events.



Edited by rymac 2011-02-25 8:36 AM

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