What's the deal with packet pick-ups?!? (Page 4)

I love the day-before-packet-pickup.  I always feel it's one of the most exciting and motivating time.  Looking at the other athletes - walking the expo, etc.  Even if it's a race that I need to travel to, I would have to there the day before anyway since I have to be up so early, so I just get there and go to the pickup before checking in.

The only thing I didn't really like is the Ironman events that require you to be there TWO days before.  I know those are huge events, but there was a ton of downtime and since I was there by myself, I just had to kill time solo.

I don't care if they offered race day packet pickup, but even offered, I would never do it.  I just want to focus on setting up for my race, not going through a race packet pickup.

As my daughter's 2nd grade teacher likes to say: it might be time to take a chill pill.

Most race directors work some kind of magic, such that they sweet talk countless people into giving their time for free to help us do our race, and also do what it takes to persuade all of the relevant local authorities to let us disrupt their lakes, parks, roads for a morning/day so that we can indulge our athletic fantasies. There are a few that are beholden to profit hungry investors or for their livelihood, but the vast majority are doing it as a service, and get nothing more out of it than the satisfaction of helping out some grateful souls. Fortunately, these probably vastly outnumber the rude and ungrateful ones.

Just for fun, I wonder if a RD could throw out an estimate of how much more expensive race fees would be if they had to pay the volunteers, pay full price for all facilities, and make an honest wage for their own time investment. 

(Having said all this, I do find early packet pick-up to be a pain in many cases. I recently learned of a big HM race that I'd like to do early next year. It's on a great course, just a few miles from where I live, and tends to have a strong field. But I won't be able to do it because they require packet pickup the previous day, and I have an immovable work commitment out of town the day before.)

Very well said. 

Wow, thanks for the lesson on volunteering. I fully grasp the concept of running an event, probably better than most.  I guess I'm fortunate in that the people I work with don't require the amount of coddling that is apparently required by some RDs on this forum.

I would be pretty offended if I made a complaint to any service industry and their response to me was "If you don't like it, go somewhere else".

"Waiter, I don't like this steak, it's not cooked right."

"well, sir, if you don't like it, start your own restaurant" wouldn't fly right with me.  I would hope they would either explain the reason or make it better.

Also, I guess if we all followed the rule "be more aware of the issues before you complain", no one could ever really complaine or criticize.  So no more complaints about the president or the government - since I'm sure NO ONE knows ALL the issues.  If everyone needed to know all the issues before complaining, most of Cup of Joe would be gone!

I recant my rant thread about the plumber who marked up a repair by 4000%.  There may have been SOME kind of issues I didn't know about.  Perhaps he didn't have the right tools and needed to unthread the faucet with his teeth, so there were going to be dental bills.  I just happened to have the tools and did the job myself for 8 bucks instead of 280.  But there maybe something I didn't know, so shouldn't complain.

Is there two different OP's?  Because it may have been a minor whine/complaint - but I don't see any backhanded swipe at RD's.  I read the post about 3 times just now, and I don't see it.

Tapping out after the douple post...

LOL...you gotta love public forums.  It's amazing to see how little it takes to get people's panties in a bunch.

I tend to read most posts BUT, if you were asked a survey question on the street, would you request to know all the answers that everyone else gave the pollster before giving your own.

If I asked your thoughts about the earthquake, would you research everything written on the subject before responding?

Sometimes poeple want to share their oppinion, despite what was written before.

I may contribute to a politcal topic after reading the last page of posts (most recent) to get in the flow of the conversation, without reading the previous 5 pages and 100 posts.

Back to the topic.  I don't understand the purpose at all of physical packet pick-up.  It seems like a big waste of time and energy in the digital era.  In addition, many tris I attend are trying to green up and nothing is less green than forcing hundreds of people to drive all over creation to pick up a plastic baggie filled with paper.  

I think it would be entirely possible to have as part of USAT registration, or even a tri registration, a link to a kit that includes the "home essentials" of printing your race day numbers.  This could be provided by an outside vendor and mailed separately from them.  Say, you get like 10 bibs or something.  

Then, upon registration for a tri you are presented with a PDF file that you can use to print on your own home computer.  You can always get body marked and your t-shirt/worthless coupons/keychains at the race and maybe have to present ID for this or something.  

I'm sure this is not an original idea and has its downsides but it sure beats having to miss and event due to a packet pick up the day before or having to take time off to get a packet.

Now this is a constructive idea.  No idea what's involved from the technical side, but every tri I've done recently has done all of their pre and post race communication via email.  Plus you could print out the coupons you really want (in my case, and historically, that would be ...  none) rather than simply removing them from the bag to put them in recycling

Fred Doucette - 2011-08-26 1:46 PM

RedCorvette - 2011-08-26 4:43 PM

Fred Doucette - 2011-08-26 4:35 PM

jdotten - 2011-08-26 10:53 AM

I didn't read through all the responses, so I may be repeating something here.  

Not getting into the substance of the OP, but I am always curious why people do this. No time to read other's responses, but time espouse their thoughts on the situation, or 'their approach'.

I just find it odd and see it quite frequently online.

I am sure it's only me troubled by this....

You need to start a 'rant' thread and whine about it... 

Mark

Maybe I will do that, maybe I will....

Not allowed, without knowing all the issues.  Maybe they didn't have time to read all the posts because a car exploded outside.  Without knowing all the issues, we shouldn't whine/complain.

Speaking just for myself, as I have used that phrase in the past.  It doesn't mean what I've bolded.  It means "my apologies, this may have already been mentioned, but.... "  Plus, have you seen a BT thread lately?  They get up past 3 pages, and it's usually just a minefield of cr@p rather than a useful discussion.

OK.  This thread is/has taken some very strange turns.  Off to Santa Barbara for my last long course tri of the season.  Packet pickup TODAY for TOMORROW'S race!  Hope everyone has a great weekend!