Favorite New England Sprints & Olys

I only did 3 races this past year, Webster Lake sprint, Greenfield sprint, and Wild Dog in Bristol RI.

I def. plan on doing Webster Lake again since it is a 5 minute drive from my house, and I really like the course.

Greenfield was another race I will do again. The bike and run courses are completely closed to traffic which I liked. Some pretty nice scenery and quick course minus one big curvy hill on the bike. The little bridge where you have to go through single file kind of sucks too but I can deal with that for a very well organized race.

Bristol I most likely won't do this year unless I feel the need to do a race that weekend and there is nothing else to do.

I am really looking forward to the Black Fly weekend though!

I did a lot of traveling for races, but locally did Cohasset sprint which was really great -  the whole town was out cheering us on - and Bill has 2 more sprints this year.

I am doing Patriot HIM - same organizers due Cranberry Olympic which gets great reviews - unfortunately it is one week after Timberman HIM - I might go volunteer though.

 Duxbury sprint gets great reviews too - I was supposed to do it but got sick.

So I plan to relay Cohasset with my boys (it is one week after Patriot and I am nervous enough about doing a HIM!!) and will likely do his other sprints.

Mooseman Oly I am already registerd, and will for sure do the bike TT of black fly - have not decided on the rest yet. I also have a voucher for Hyannis II - but it was a long drive down that day....

Timberman has a sprint too.

Olys: Mooseman and Cranberry

Sprint: Duxbury

I like small independant races best.

Mooseman and Cranberry for olys.

Hyannis, Cohasset (sells out quickly) and Duxbury(sells out quickly) for sprints.

I didn't have any problems, I got all the info and guidance I needed (and this was my first tri) I think some of that lack of organization can be due to their record number of people. They had over 500, and over 100 of them were day of registrations which is a another record for Firm.

I did another Firm race in Bristol RI also and that seemed very unorganized and won't do it this year so I am in no way a Firm fanboy or anything. it also helps I live like 5 miles from the venue and ride the course regularly so I will do it again!

Personaly, I love any race put on by Eric (Cranberry and Patriot), or Keith (Mooseman, Timberman, and now Black Fly). From what I have seen they are top notch RD's. Loved Hyannis the one and only time I raced it. From what I saw, and what I have heard, they put on solid races overall.

As for Firm run races, my momma always said, "if you can't say something nice...."

The one thing that firm dose have as a strenght is they put on a ton of races.

I did the greenfield Sprint last year and I plan on doing it as an oly this year.  Like someone else said (and Ive said in other threads) Its well organized race and the course is good too.  The Hyannis II race was sold out by the time I went to sign up, so I did the Weare NH race by Concord.  The swim was good, the bike was hilly, but good, and the run was kinda boring, an up and back on a fire road.  But all in all, I liked it and may do it again.  Ill see how I like the first Hyannis before I make the final decision.

My 2009 schedule looks like this so far:

June 6th - Hyannis

July 4th - Whately, MA

August 2nd - Greenfield (Oly)

Sept 6th - either Hyannis II or Weare NH

October 17th - Lake Tully (xterra) in Royalston, MA

I may add another sprint in either June or late September 

Well, it's been a couple months since I first posted this thread, but think I've finally got my race schedule together.  This is my first time planning a whole race season, so I'd appreciate any feedback - especially regarding thoughts on which races should be my "A" races.  Thanks!

May 10th - Max Season Opener Sprint              

June 6th - Mooseman Oly 

July 10th-12th - Black Fly TT/Oly/Sprint (not sure if I'll do all 3 or just one of the tris)

August 9th - Gloucester Sprint

August 30th - Cranberry Oly

Sept. 12th - Hyannis II Sprint 

Hopefully this isn't too much...

Thanks again for everyone's great feedback!