IM Kansas Spectators (Page 2)

Aahhh. Duh. Thanks for explaining. Why didn't I think of that.
Still it would be cool to have the spectator bus be the only vehicle allowed on the course... people screaming as it passes you... ok maybe not
Yeah I am crazy busy at work. I can only drive-by post today and such.

2tony,

Rant Alert:...........

With all due respect.........

Have you thought about how you could make this work instead of whinning because it isn't working out exactly like you thought in your head?

You must have some weird kids, give mine a shovel, a pail, and a beach and they are good for hours.

But BV, its 8 hours, ok, here is what you could do. Tentative schedule pulled out of my @$$ in 5 minutes thought.

Get to race venure, you go get ready while mom sets up camp at the nearest picnic table near the beach.

They watch you go swim and while you swim they go have a little snack finishing in time to head back to water exit.

They watch you exit on bike, then play games or read until its warm enough to play on the beach.

Ok kids, its almost time for Dadddy to coming back lets walk out a little ways and cheer him on. They see you bike in and run out.

Now its time to head over to the playground for an hour until Daddy gets back from lap 1, yeah daddy go daddy go, back to the playground, no wait they are hungry, lets go get lunch, yikes lunch isn't even over and its time to see daddy finish.

Its about planning so many activites that they don't get bored, you are at a gorgeous state park and your family can't find enough to do?!? Good god, thats shameful.

Imagine what you cold come up with ten minutes thought.

Last Saturday MrsBVfromPC did her first multisport event, at 7am, in 40 degree temps, with 20mph winds, we were there from 7-10:30 and it never warmed up. Bundled up like they were going skiing, my 4 and 6 year olds and I hit the playground, they spent an hour playing king of the mountain on a sand hill near the beach, we had a big breakfast and got to cheer mommy on each transition, often having to pull ourselves away from whatever we were doing to make it in time to see her.

If you thought that they should be able to drive up, see you take off then head downtown for some shopping, tv, and video games for 7 hours then run back and see you finish would make them a part of your race, well, I guess you thought differently than I had. What exactly were you planning???

For the signifigant other, get a freakin book, take a walk, its a frickin state park, try swimming. Maybe this isn't the right sport for your family, go join your soccer mom friends at the mall and have a ball.

FWIW, my kids play soccer, we drive a mini van, but we can still entertain ourselves at astate park for 8 hours.

Remember I started with all due respect : )

rant over for now.

First off thanks for the posters who have pm'd me thanking me for shedding light on matters on here.

However, this shows you what one person starting fires can create.

95% of what is on here is untrue based on no knowledge of actual logistics come race day.

I don't have the time to get into a debate on here...but I please ask for people to wait until official word comes via e-blast. Not pure speculations on message board.

All I can do is make suggestions. These are not suggestions so that you or your people will have a bad time. These are suggestions so they will have a good time. People will be able to do as they please come race day...I am merely offering suggestions so that they will have a better time.

This will be one of the most-spectator/family friendly events offered.
We are offering a spectator friendly triathlon event...that includes several activities aimed at spectators; parachute team,live music,picnic style food, volleyball, etc...
Not a spectator friendly shopping event.

Guys...just for clarification....there is no "THEY" it is "WE" and we need to all make the event great. This is a collaborative effort.

feel free to email me at [email protected]

Thanks!

Not sure we should be judging people's personal situations and expecting everyone to be the same as you. Are we not allowed to express frustrations here?

Personally yes I have thought about how this could work for my family. I just emailed them with their options and unfortunately, probably none will work for them. It's not that there isn't enough to do, it's that I don't want them to feel obligated to GET UP AT 3 AM to drive 3 hours and sit for another 8. I would love it if they would, but I am not going to ask them to do that. My problem, I know.

And some of your comments like this one are just infuriating. Totally un-necessary.




Edited by lisac957 2008-05-14 10:40 AM

Your kind of taking the Iron out of Ironman 70.3

Its too early, its too long, its too hard to schedule, its too, too too.

HTFU

Just so I get this right, the 3 hour drive will be three hours not matter what time they leave so that is not really an issue.

Getting up early to make it by the start is a decision, do they want to to see the race or not. Is the camping all sold out? Just looking for options here.

Again, no race director should need to make apologies that people have to spend 8 hours at a state park. Its actaully a nice thing. Try it, have your family try it.

I know this is begginer triathlete so everyone can whine like little kids and feel good about themselves all the time without ever getting their feelings hurt, but there has to be a point when someone holds the mirror up and says, STOP.

Okay everyone, I think it's time to back away from the keyboard, go out and do a nice workout, THEN come back and post. We're starting to cannibalize one another when really all we want is for our families to have a good time while still being able to support us.

To be quite honest with you, I'm doing this race for myself. I'm not doing it so my wife can see me finish, nor am I doing it so I can have a big hug at the finish line. In fact, I'd probably much more welcome a huge hamburger than a hug at the end, all things considered. If there was no possibility of spectators at this event I would still do it because 1) It's closer than everything else, 2) It's another new challenge for me above the Olympic distance. I don't do triathlon for my family, my friends, my co-workers, even my training buddies [but I love you all!!]. I do it for ME. So close the roads down if you want, or open them up - I ride in traffic every time I get my bike out so it won't bother me any. I have a feeling that 90% of the traffic on those roads during the event would be family/friends of the participants anyway and would be extra cautious around the cyclists because they know how miffed they'd be if someone screwed up their participant.

Don't you love that final build/peak period........makes everyone nuts.

Do you not see the difference between leaving at 3 a.m. and leaving at 9 a.m.?

But cool, I'll just tell my family to HTFU. Problem solved.


Edited by lisac957 2008-05-14 11:12 AM

When did shopping become such an evil?

I'm not trying to start fires. I understand the situation the race organizers are in and I empathize. Finding out this late in the game that my family won't be waiting at the finish line is a tad upsetting, though.

I'm a planner and I had things well planned right down to how I was going to let my family know when they should make their way back to the race area to watch me finish. Those plans are now out the window and that upsets me. I can't POSSIBLY be the first angry participant you've experienced.

If it were just my wife, then the whole `Honey, HTFU' might actually work. But it's not. I have to consider, first and foremost, my mother. She's 74 and not in good health. She was excited to see me finish a race for the first time ever, but I'm not going to ask her to hang around for eight hours in the sun and play volleyball and go hiking. Then my in-laws. They like hiking and swimming and all that jazz, but they already said they don't want to be stuck there with no way to actually leave the start-finish-transition area. Then of course my wife, who isn't very outgoing and gets really bored really easily.

BVFROMPC, your wife is an endurance athlete so she probably enjoys these types of events. My wife is not, and, as I said before, will get bored. If your family is well-entertained, that's great! My wife and in-laws (I have no kids) had other plans for the day while I was racing. If shopping while I race is such a bad thing in your opinion, that's your opinion and I respect that. I don't see anything wrong with it, though.

As for the soccer-mom comment, that doesn't upset me because we have no kids. Still, snide comments and personal attacks aren't necessary. Besides, I'm not the one with the minivan.

Edit: Just to clarify, that last line about the minivan was meant to lighten things up.

Edited by mr2tony 2008-05-14 11:17 AM

74 year old mothers are a different story. My apologies that that she won't be able to see you finish. My mom and dad, same age but both horribly unhealthy, even inquired about driving down from MN to see this. I let them know it really wouldn't be worth the drive and the logistics would make it difficult. Luckily they get to see my 6 year old do his first tri this weekend.

The nice thing about mini-vans, lots of room for bikes, and thats about it

I have a question...

Just how far is the Ironcross from the Transition area? Four miles or so? Is that completely and totally out of the question to have someone walk that far to the cross-section? (theoretical question, by the way...for some it is, for others it isn't).

I think it's really cool that the RD is working hard to provide entertainment back at home base...this isn't something that he HAS to do. With everything provided it almost sounds like the transition area is turning into a party, which is pretty cool. I'm sure that Mom&DadJayhawk will really appreciate their options to keep busy during the day. But we've encouraged them to bring a pic-nic and some books just in case.

I get that there's a difference between spectating on the course and going back into town for lunch and shopping before heading back to the finish. But the good news is, I would think that by the time the bike portion is over (after what....5 and a half - 6 hours?) that spectators would be able to drive up to the finish line to cheer on their loved ones at the end. Although it's all relative to speed, I suppose.

In my opinion, all of the unknowns is part of the risk of doing an inaugural event. You really don't know how it'll all go down until you're in the thick of it all.


And in the event the RD continues to read this thread...what about renting a some golf carts or something of the nature? ...or maybe encourage folks to forego watching the swim and have 'em just start off in the iron-cross section?

One question that I had was where will overflow parking be? The parking lot down at Bloomington can only handle so many folks.

You know all this is probably moot. I'm slow enough all the bikes will be done and the roads will likely be open in enough time for my family to come watch.

I guess I'm just kinda suprised everyone is realizing this now. The Athlete guide has been on the race website since at least mid march and we've known the course longer then that. The Athlete guide said the road to transistion would be closed by 6:40 and from the course maps we know thats's the only road in there. I'm sure the RD's realized this early and thats why they have been trying to provide some entertainment for the families that have come to watch.

Try to remember the race directors are putting on a world chamionship qualifying race, not family day. Their priority is the athletes safety, not spectator convenience. I think it would be great if they could shuttle some folks closer to the cross to watch but they are only limited to the roads that are there.

If your families really want to come see you they are probably going to have to stick out the slow times. From the sounds of things the folks putting on the event are going to try to make the down times as exciting as they can. Mom and Pop Climbin will be out there and have been looking into what the park has to offer. Instead of complaining, that might be where your energies are best spent. If for whatever reason someone can't make it, I agree that sucks and its dissapointing but you also might have better luck thinking of a new plan for them to watch then just complaining about a 2 month old issue.

Edited by climbin5414 2008-05-14 12:38 PM

can i just say that im really excited about this race and cant freakin wait til its june look out kansas, im coming for YOU!

How ironic this was the "Random Quote" offered at the top of the page as I was viewing the most recent posts.

"Random quote: If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain. -Maya Angelou"

From this can we infer that the older AGs will be starting the swim first and the younger ones starting last? I'm feeling more confident about my bike portion so it may not be an issue for me, but I would like to know when my AG is starting to see if I should be concerned about making the 8 hr. cutoff. If that info is not available to the public yet then I understand.

The cutoff is from the start of the last wave. And I do believe I read somewhere that it is going in reverse age order...don't hold me to that, though.

Edited by RunningJayhawk 2008-05-14 12:48 PM

I want to know if I'm going to get some free time by starting the swim before the last wave! 8 hours from 7:50 means 9 hours from 6:50.

Ryan, I thought you told me on the phone yesterday that the roads would be closed until the last bike was off the road??? Oh well. Fu** it. I'm done complaining about it. One way or another I'll be sure my wife and maybe some others will be there to see me.

I have a new plan that will make everybody happy!!!

Edit: For what it's worth, I think this whole thing got blown out of proportion. I generally try to keep my opinions in check until I know all the facts but the prospect of the fam not being there upset me. I apologize if I ruffled any feathers. Please don't flatten my tires.

Edited by mr2tony 2008-05-14 1:15 PM

I am so excited to hear what this plan is.....

I'm working on it.

Lisa's dad is going to offer rides in his airplane to see the race from the sky.... j/k but that would be cool.

I'll try to talk him into it. And a banner flying from behind would be soooo cool! He could really bank if he played his cards right

I think he needs that commercial license first....