What's the deal with packet pick-ups?!? (Page 3)

It's officially true!  We really CAN argue about everything!!!!!!

With no packet pickup, where else will I wear all my triathlon an race tshirts?

Personally, I like getting everything the day before.  I can prep the bike, the run stuff, everything I need, all I need to do is show up race morning.  Perhaps it's because I have lots of local tris to choose from, but it's really no big deal for me.  The ones I have to travel 2+ hours for, I do day of race pickup if offered.  If they don't have day of race pickup and it's far away, and I am not making a weekend of it, I don't do the race.  Pretty simple.  I also think it's just part of the experience for me.

And having been intimately involved with an RD and his volunteer coordinator (that offers race day pickup for $20), it's not simply an issue of staffing it right.  We always hope enough volunteers show up just to man the course.  We could sure use those volunteers manning the late pickup to do other work, but it always gets done.  There's no recourse for a volunteer that flakes, other than divert other resources. 

 It is apparent a lot of people have no clue as to what it takes to put on a triathlon and it appears they really don't care about the volunteers.  The majority of tri's in the South are fundraisers for non profits and many just break even.  If you raise rates the participants rant about that.  I challenge people to join a race committee and see what really goes on behind the scenes.  I joined a triathlon race committee this year and it has been eye opening to me.  I have been on several run/walk race committees and they are simple to put on compared to a tri.  The time spent by VOLUNTEERS for a tri is enormous.

I have never raced a large race (over 500) where I could packet pick-up race morning.  I have done large races from Florida to Texas and each one of them I have had to pick up the day before (even non-WTC races).  Gulf Coast comes to mind.  Someone look at River Cities in Shreveport where they will give your spot away and there is a line waiting for those spots.

Wow.  Really?  I'd like to see the numbers that you'd pay if races had to pay everyone who worked the race.  I see no disrespect in thebear's answer but I see venom and attitude in yours.  

While customers are important educating customers is as well.  I have customers make demands on me all the time.  Sometimes I simply can't give them exactly what they want.  Usually they want to know why.  Why can't you send a technician to my site in BFE, USA next week?  Oh, because you're already booked for next week? Now they are more reasonable about understanding why we can't meet their expections. 

x 1,000,000,000

I don't buy the majority statement you made.  Most here are run by pro organizations and are for profit and I live in the South as well.

And, you are right, I really don't care about the ins and outs of putting on a triathlon.  I go to triathlons to compete, not volunteer.  It's the same way that when I go to a store to buy something I could really care less about the background of the store.  I do always thank the volunteers and am happy they have decided to use their time in that way.  But, it is not incumbent upon me to be all weepy and touchy feely about what it takes to put on a tri.

My family puts in a huge amount time annually running swim meets and I am keenly aware of what it takes to run an event.  As a person who runs a meet I have never resorted to whining about all it takes to the participants and telling them they need to know more.  The sole goal is to put on a successful and safe event.  Whether people know about all it takes is really not relevant at all.

I dunno, I get the "why" part of it, but having no race day packet pickup will stop me from doing races that I'd otherwise really like to participate in.

Thing is, I live in the southern 'burbs of Chicago.  There are a TON of cool races on the north side.  But - if I have to take 3+ hours to get there and back just to pick up my race packet?  I won't sign up for the race.  A lot of times I know that even if I didn't mind getting out there the day before, my schedule won't allow that kind of time for it.

Yes, it's aggravating, but I'm not asking them to change how they do it.  Those races do well enough without me there, I'm sure!   

Did you stop to think that's part of the point? There often aren't other ones to find that don't also have logistical problems. Sure, we all have choice. Some are asking for what they feel are better choices.

It's interesting to me that any number of business models can and do get critiqued on this site, but question the practices of triathlon races and watch the hackles come up. I suppose we should stick to banks and Internet service providers. We can (almost) all agree they are evil.

I have a group of hard core volunteers (including my husband, my mother, my best friend) who are willing to work BOTH the day before the race and the day of the race. 

If I don't have pick up the day before the race I need 24 man hours on race day to do packet pick up on the morning of the race (8 people times 3 hours per person).  If I do it the day before (or get a lot of people to come pick up the day before) I only need 12 man hours on race morning (4 people times 3 hours per person).  I then have 12 man hours to use else where on race morning. 

Note -- for my races people have the option of picking up race morning.

Also let me stress while there are lots of professional race management companies out there, I work for free (and in doing so donates hundreds or hours of my time each yeaR) and 100% of my proceeds go to the listed charity.  Its not too shabby to be a single person operation and have raised over $30,000 in less than 5 years. 

I strongly believe that RDs will do their best to put on the best race possible with the resources they have available.  The ones that do this, I fully support, both with my entry fees and by volunteering when I don't race.  The ones who do not, I avoid.

I would MUCH rather have adequate support on the course (i.e. at aid stations, monitoring turns, and even race officials) than have race day packet pick-up.  That's just me.

From my readng, it wasn't a RD who was doing the whining

Who did you think was whining in this thread?  The OP was perfectly reasonable, but was met with this, "Why don't you become a race director,then you can do things the way you want?"  From a RD.

I like your explanation.

Offering both race day and prior day seems to be ideal.

Seems like races in the South, don't offer race day pick up or I have heard some in TX charge extra to pick it up on race day.

I like to pick up before race day but understand some folks travel 50-200 miles to do the race. Having to go a second time is a big time suck. With gas $3.50-4/gallon waste of money.

Contratulations.  It's similar to a cyclist suggesting a design improvement only to be told they should start their own bike company if they don't like it.  It's I feel, it is rude and juvenille.

To answer your question, I contribute what I want within the posting guidelines.  If you don't like it, pick another thread or start your own.

No nearly as good as you obviously feel about yourself and all the super awesome great things you do so selflessly, but feel compelled to detail in minutiae on this site. 

I still don't give a hoot about what it takes to run an event that I pay money to participate in.  It's called an entry fee and designed to cover the costs of the event.  As the RD it is your job to make sure it is adequate.  I don't need your accounting, just a good race.

And, what have you contributed to this thread other than telling us how awesome you are and how we should be so appreciative of all you do?  There are tons of triathlons out there.  You are now the only RD I have ever run into with such a bizarre attitude about your customers.

That was from an iPhone? I'm impressed. I gave up early on try to follow the forums on my iPhone.

pretty sure the attitude they are referring to is coming out of the gate with this comment.  hardly the attitude a customer/potential customer wants to hear when asking a question.

Now that was funny.

I dunno, maybe because that is sandwiched between layers of self congratulations on your hours worked, telling us to become RDs if we don't like a race, telling us we need to know how a race works, berating us for commenting on race policies, and that we must be more reverent to all you and your volunteers do.  

/Hijack on [since it's more interesting than the discussion and these folks really need to get out and sweat this anger out], no problems with my Android!!!    (although it also doesn't recognize hard returns.....)

/Hijack off