Nathans (Page 7)

sorry for the post on info that was already on here. I was at the ASU game( errrr) when I posted that so thanks for the info on the wetsuit. Now do I wear my new one just to try it out? I will not be winning any awards, unless they give one for not dying.

 See you all out there and best of luck.

I guess the difference between the good age groupers and the average age groupers is that average age groupers don't put other's people's safety at risk to gain a few more seconds on the bike.  The similarity, however, is that we all just age groupers.  The weaving in and out of cyclists I saw today, and the witnessing of 2 "pointy hats" passing a woman on a mountain bike on both the right and left at the same time with NO warning to her was inexcusable. 

Now I really want to do this race next year...

I didn't see first hand how bad it got out there today. But I must say even in less crowded races a lot of the passing on the right (guilty here) and dangerous swerving into traffic lanes (even guiltier here) to pass could be avoided if slower riders simply stayed on the right. I just don't get it. Must be the same folks who block the left lanes on the freeway, going just about the speed limit...

This race was good in that it was my first and I came in under 1:30 which was my goal for the sprint.

I was pretty disappointed with the bike portion, I'll write about it in my RR later (probably after my midterm on Wednesday). I think I got a drafting penalty but I can't think of an instance where it might have happened.  My unofficial time was 2 minutes slower then what my watch said so that must have been what happened. There was some crazy stuff going on out there that's for sure.

How is the SOMA course?

Bryan, you were cookin' out there! Way to take 3rd from that guy in the finish shoot.

Sorry I didn't stick around to see everybody. I was a little frustrated with myself and I was getting fried in the sun.  

There were for sure some people out there that didn't have a clue what was going on. There were tons of people riding 2-4 people abreast, passing on the right and just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I hope SOMA is more organized and I'd imagine that the bike course will be more spread out since it's OLY and HIM.

I had a good time out there today and I'm pumped for the two tri's I have left this year. I really can't wait to do it again! As bad as the bike course was, I'd do this race again.  

BTW, the results are up. I didn't get a penalty, I guess I don't know how to work a watch.  

Wow...I was going to agree with you and leave it at that, and then I noticed the "Don't be so judge mental."  Dude.....YOU started the discussion with the statement "To anyone who I offended with a rude pass I apologize, the bike course was crazy crowded and made it very hard to be polite and hold pace. That course was terrible for wave starts so close. I heard a lot folks were unhappy with the pointed helmet crowd today, guilty as charged."  YOU self admitted to Rude passing and that if people were not happy with the FOP, Pointy helmet people, you were guilty as charged.  I did not start the discussion nor did I say anything like "Man...those FOPers are all dangerous a-holes!!"  If I had done that, you would have the right to jump me.  But you brought it up, and I simply stated what I saw on the course today.  Never once did I say I saw you and that you were not practicing proper race etiquette. You did that yourself.

 YEA! What she said!!!!!!

I did not race today, but I did manage to race all around to watch and support the Cool Kids as best as I could. And in doing so I managed to see allot of mistakes and blaten offenses.

I seen several of the really fast guys dropping into tight corners while passing on the right without warning. I wasn't even riding and I was upset. For the most part though everyone was okay. I did see several slower people usually on mountain bikes that took turns wide which forced several people to take the turn tighter and pass on the right.

So it was a pretty even mix of both rude, and inexperienced people out there. One thing that I would have changed would be to get more adult volunteers out there. Most of the people that were telling the racers what to do and where to go weren't even in High School yet and don't even Tri. There needed to be more competitors volunteering.

I think that I am going to start volunteering in the races that I don't race in. Hopefully I can help. 

Wow!  Sounds like an interesting race.  I think the RD's need to start working on some other plans for Sprint and OLY bike portions. Enough with the 2 - 4 loop courses!!

I think Tempe Town Lake can be a good venue for a Tri  - - you've got the lake swim and plenty of ground for run portions.  It's just the bike segment that sucks. There's got to be some other roadways that work.

 I think we can all move past this issue now.  Each side has said their piece. I think it all comes out to course design and lets just put the blame on that and all love each other.