Longhorn Ironman 70.3: ARENA FINISH!!!! (Page 15)

The 2 transition area design works fine, I'd just request bigger bags. The bags barely fit a sleeveless wetsuit, cap, & goggles in there, I can only imagine how difficult a full-sleeved wetsuit would be to fit in those bags.

And the finish was perfect; the victory lap around the inside was greatness.

That was my first split-transition race, but it wasn't bad at all. The arena finish was awesome. I say keep it!

Next year, though, a little better communication in the pre-race emails about what exactly is and isn't necessary for the transition areas: T1: set up bike gear as normal but bag all swim gear before leaving, T2: set up as normal with no need to bag up bike stuff before heading out on the run. You explained on this thread and at the pre-race meeting, but the pre-race emails and athlete's guide basically said everything had to be bagged at all times.

I'm going to have to go against the grain - sorry. It wasn't terrible by any means, but I've done a 2-transition 70.3 before that had nowhere near the logistics that this one required. Here is what I wrote in my RR about the event:

While I appreciate all of the effort that went into planning this race, I honestly feel like it's "trying too hard." With the arena finish, the race had two transitions this year, which meant 3 "gear bags" - one which had to be checked in the day before, and one which had to be packed up mid-race or you wouldn't get your wetsuit/goggles/etc. back. It just seemed like so much effort just to finish in the arena - which was cool, but not something I'd have traded off for that transition setup and gear bag logistics. It was way more complicated than racing should be, in my opinion.

The bike course roads were rough, with lots and lots of turning and cornering. I realize there are only so many roads to work with, but it was honestly the worst bike course I've ever ridden on. I've never seen so many items launched off of bikes - tubes, C02, bottles, full nutrition packages, I even saw a saddle bag in the middle of the road. Just really rough out there.

And while I am not a big fan of multi-loop run courses, this was not as bad as I thought it would be. If you had a cheering section it was nice to see them multiple times. The aid stations on the run were amazing, as were all of the volunteer and staff.

The arena finish was different and cool. I enjoyed having a place to sit down (air conditioned!) and something hot to eat afterwards. Excellent finish gear - a towel, a bottle, and a finishers hat, in addition to the tech tee in the race packet.

This is a good race and I enjoyed being a part of it. But I'm not sure I'll do this race again - because of the cost, distance from home, and the stress of the logistics that aren't there in 99% of other races.

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Edit: I'll add that part of the stress was that packed pickup ended at 4 p.m., which I think is VERY early (other 70.3s I have done have a 6 or 8 p.m. deadline for checkin). With an 8+ hour drive from Kansas, I just squeaked into the arena at exactly 4 p.m. Then I had to rummage around in my stuff in the parking lot to pack my Run Gear bag to drop it off. Didn't get my bike to T1 until after 4:30; guess I was glad they were still letting people check bikes in at that point - definitely a kind of stress I've never had in a pre-race situation before.

Edited by lisac957 2009-10-27 10:13 AM

Great race, Keith. I like the fact that the relays received the same post-race perks as the full halfers--my teammates were first time triathletes and that touch (hat, medal) made them feel very special. They have said they want to do the half next year as individual racers! Your race was that good! I would suggest that something be done to keep the lower level of the arena free from spectators--it was hot down there and lots of family members were in that pen area eating and drinking and some of the athletes were getting a little too crowded and warm. Otherwise, fantastic job! It was also nice that the race finish was kept open for the very final finishers--they looked so happy to be finishing even after 8 + hours. I'm glad the finish line was left open for them! Can't wait for next year!

Keith, thank you for putting on a first class event!  I came from Arizona, this was my first HIM and the Longhorn will now be a part of my annual race schedule!  Yes to keeping the two transition and arena finish.  I couldn't believe how much energy that gave me at the finish line, wow!  Thank you to ALL the volunteers.   I had a PR on the swim, and beat my bike goal by 18 minutes.  I was ahead of goal by the time I got to the run...the killer run.

I didn't get a chance to ride the bike course ahead of time, but I was warned about the downhillwith the right turn to a sharp uphill - thank goodness.  The course was very well marked and the aid stations were great, I grabbed bottles and rolled through and was really impressed with the volunteers out there!  The run course was HARD, and that surprised me because running was my best event.  I'm not sure if it was the hills or because I had such a good time on the bike...but it was hard from start to finish.  The rockin' aid stations and bands on the run definitely gave me more energy, I loved the cold sponges.  The DJ at the turn in the park was always entertaining, he made me laugh every time through.  Still...my run time kinda bugs me, but I did beat my overall goal and I'm still alive.  I loved every second of my trip to Texas - thank you again for putting on the best race EVER! 

Did anyone else think the bike was .5 mile too short?  And I thought the run was a hair short.  My watch said 1.15 when I got to the one mile mark.  I'm not sure where the run start mats were, though.  Was it before or after the run through the arena?  I started my watch before and probably got a straight line distance out the other side when it regained the signal.  By the time I got to the mile 12 sign, my watch was actually behind the sign.  I ended up at 12.93, but that doesn't include the finish, but the part in the arena couldn't have made up the difference.  The race course maps made it look like the run was supposed to enter the park on the same road we left the park on the bike, but instead we went in through the dirt parking lot.  Could that be the difference?

There's definitely a disconnect among what was said was required, what was actually required, and what should have been required.

The 2-transition set up could be very simple:
- Bike check in the day before, just the way it was
- Race morning, set up T2 with run gear before boarding the bus (don't see any need for the run gear bag)
- At the park, set up T1 as normal with helmet, shoes, etc.
- Morning clothes bag dropped off before swim, just the way it was
- A swim gear bag (don't call it bike gear) that everything goes in before leaving T1.

That's pretty simple. Two bags: morning clothes and swim gear, only one of which is used during the actual race itself.

Keith great race man.  This was my first 1/2 IM and I loved it.  I am feeling it now though.  Swim was awesome.  I swam friday right after yall set the bouys and it was rough, come race day it was calm.  The swim is what I have been scared of this whole time and I had more fun in it than I did on the bike or run.  I was disappointed when I had to come out of the water just cause I was having fun.  Swim time for me was 39 min, my goal was 45.

I liked the 2 transition areas and T1 was nice, I thought.  I didn't have a problem putting my full wetsuit in the bag, but I did practice it in the hotel room.  T1 I did in 3 min.

Bike, I enjoyed the bike even  though I wrecked on mile 20 fiddling with my water bottle.  Got up looked over the bike, it looked good, I was bleeding a little on my right arm but after I got going in aero it hurt a little but that is what this sport is about right (Pain).  I settled back in and kicked off a 2:55 bike, I anticipated a 2:53 so I was right on track.  I have read on these forums too many times in long distance racing it is not if something will go wrong but when and how you adjust to it.  Well I just set my mind to have fun and I did.  If that wreck was the worst that could go wrong I was in good shape.

T2:  I really liked as well.  Not very crowded and easy to manuever. 4 min.

Run:  This was my strength in my training, my goal was to break 2 hours and I really thought I would break 1:50, breaking 1:50 didn't happen the hills were very, very challenging.  I have never seen so much support on a course in all my life, that was awesome.  Run 1:53

Finish:  Plain Awesome, I dang near teared up crossing the finish line, my family loved it, I could hear my friends hollering for me in the stands and it just felt awesome.  I could have used some pizza for a post race meal but I took in a potato.

Keith you have hit a home run with this race in my opinion, I really enjoyed it.  The run was tough but that is what I trained for also.  The only thing I think that you could do to make the race a little smoother is to lay out some of turf carpet stuff where you come out of the lake.  By the time my wave 13 got out it was pretty muddy.

Thank your volunteers they were awesome and I tried to tell everyone of them I could thank you.

Keep the two transitions, but follow this for the T2 bags.

It was a little stressful not being able to setup T2 the day of the race and I wasn't really sure why we couldn't. Maybe there was a good reason for it?

The Toyota US Open in Dallas, did it the way dgunthert stated above and it worked fine.

Overall a great race... and thank goodness for having ENOUGH SHUTTLES to get athletes to the SWIM!!!!

The race was a great time- I really enjoyed the whole event. Great organization, fair/fast course, and a great overall experience. Ending in the expo was cool! Great support, great volunteers and thank you to all the police keeping us safe!

With that said, I can not recommend the race to anyone who comes from a state that actually PAVES their roads. Is that what all the roads are like in Texas? Holy crap, you guys have it bad! I'll take my cold weather riding over those conditions any day- and we have some seriously messed up roads in Michigan- but NOTHING compared to that course. I'm not even talking about the giant tire-sucking cracks in the pavement that caused everyone to swerve their bikes all over the place- I'm talking about the non-asphalt (chipseal?) bullsh!t that covered miles 10-25 (or there abouts). Awful!!!! Those were the worst roads that I've ever ridden on- and I've even ridden on a bunch of unpaved (dirt) roads here in Michigan on my cervelo. I know how hard it is to close the course- but couldn't at least one section be used as an out and back where there is actual asphalt to reduce riding on that godawful section of road?

The road conditions didn't ruin my overall experience- I just can't believe that those are the roads that are being used for a race that costs $250, while everything else was totally top notch. I didn't see too much drafting- or at least no intentional pacelines- and I saw 2 race officials for about 30minutes of my race.

Swim seemed accurate, bike and run course a bit short (but I'm not complaining! Makes up for the 3 minute transition times ).

And yes- the gear bags were too small- just as I feared. Has the WTC or whoever supplies them ever actually TRIED to fit a wetsuit in them? But I still understand WHY we need to have them- just make them BIGGER!

As dgunhert already said- packing up your T2 gear bag the day before seems unnecessary, but having 2 transitions isn't a big deal.

Oh, and finally- post race food left a lot to be desired. A potato or tacos, and that's it? Did I miss something? I've had MUCH better post-race food at almost every race I've done - even for events that cost $150.

Again- overall, I had a great time and loved the support and thought the race went well- even with the ridiculous amount of people- but I do not ever want to ride my bike in Texas again. Sorry.


Thank you guys for putting on a great event and keeping the weather pretty calm for my winterized-blood!! Even the wind cooperated!

Actually, unfortunately, most of the roads around here are being covered with chipseal. I imagine its a cost-cutting measure, using recycled road materials, but that is only a guess. Be glad that none of the roads on this course had been chipsealed recently. What was out there was pretty much packed down. A freshly covered chipseal road would have been 1/2" thick black gravel, an absolute nightmare to ride, and a speed killer. There's nothing the race directors or anyone else could have done about that. There are very few roads out in the country (where the traffic is lighter and therefore safer) that are not chipsealed, and I think we were on most of them.

I live in town (a normal city street) and my neighborhood gets recovered every few years. I have to sweep the chunks of rock and tar out of my house and truck for weeks after they cover the streets. Trust me, it could have been a lot worse!

Keith: Awesome again. I've been with you since year one and things keep getting better. The AM parking and busing was excellent this year and keeping all cars out of the park, while diminshing some of the spectators on the "out portion" served to concentrate them on the arena grounds, which was awesome. Two minor observations - the turn into the chute coming off the wet/mud entrance into the arena felt slippery. I wonder if anyone wiped out there. Some more mats or astroturf would solve that problem. Second, no cold towels this year? that hurt. there's nothing I look forward to more than draping that ice cold longhorn towel over my head upon completion. The beer ladies dunked it for me, but the ice towels really help with the immediate cool down process. Plus, it was steamy in that barn.
I mostly loved the bike course. I discovered (and enjoyed) the new hills on Taylor late Sat. afternoon. glad I had a chance to preview them, as well as the finish. Not sure about the new stretch on 969, though. Seems you could send us home the same way we came down (to Taylor this year) like in year's past, and maybe add the distance, if needed, somewhere else. I know it brings back quadzilla, at least on the bike which is tough, but so is Longhorn.
Finally, thanks for not having a support kayak in my vicinity when I had my wetsuit induced panic attack not more than 250 yds into the swim. I seriously was looking for a tow home. I'm so glad no one was there cuz I would have been bummed to quit. Obviously, I sucked it up and managed to get through the swim, whereupon I had the ride and run of my HIM career.
I've got 3 new guys and at least one girl already drooling for next year's race. When are sign-ups?
Thanks again for all your efforts.

Yeah, that chip seal was GOOD... it was really crushed down. It sucked, but it was NOTHING like what I've had to ride on in the past in Texas on country roads. I have been shook so bad my feet and hands went numb from it.

The chip seal we had on Sunday was NOTHING.

Seriously, you went through EXACTLY what I experienced.  It's kind of nice to know someone else had that happen at the swim start.  I wondered if I would drown and I was looking for a boat. I too am glad they were not there.   It wasn't from the wetsuit, it was the adreniline I think.  I couldn't breath right and kept drinking water.  Finally, I settled in and had a record swim.  

Wow... good to know so I won't sign up for a race in Texas ever again! (not really joking, but trying not to be a biiatch).
I had the same reaction as Jazz regarding the roads. Guess I'm just spoiled in Kansas. And Missouri, and Oklahoma, and Colorado where I've ridden/raced...

 

Don't give up on Texas yet. I'm from the St. Louis area and had the same reaction when I moved here. I agree with others that relatively speaking the Austin course wasn't that bad. The
f-----g chip seal by my house is painful!
However, their are races in the Dallas/Fort Worth area that are not bad and one of my all time favorite races is the LoneStar down in Galveston. This will now be an IM 70.3 event. I've raced all over and this was probably my favorite race.

Wow. I really feel bad for you guys My negative comments are nothing personal, and like I said- it's all relative- I probably won't ride outside again until April! I'm glad I came down to race and experience Texas!

BTW- the Super 8 on 51st street that was approximately 4 miles from the race start was the BEST hotel I've stayed at in a while. No joke- that Super 8 was amazing. For anyone doing the race next year, it is the perfect place to stay. Fridge, microwave, king size tempupediac bed, flat screen TV and gorgeous, soundproof rooms. Loved it! The staff even served breakfast early, and it took 8 minutes to get to the race.

Just adding my 2 cents for what it's worth and saying thanks to Keith and team for putting on a great event.
Despite some rough roads, logistical challenges, not enough training, and finishing nearly last I had the greatest time of my life and can't wait until next year!

I'm pretty sure I saw all of you pass me at some point and I have to say I spent the entire race amazed by the athleticism and mental strength of each and every one of you.  Congratuations to all the finishers and thanks for the good times! 

I would agree, we'll allow T2 setup on Sunday AM next year, if folks wanna do it. This was essentially a NEW race for us. 2 transitions, new set up, etc. We learn, too.

I was concerned about having good enough security on Sunday am to allow folks to set up, but it'll be fine.

As far as "trying too hard" to make the race great for the athlete as a criticism....if that's a crime, consider me guilty. That'll go in my book of best criticisms, along with "caring too much". I'd think that athletes would WANT us to "try too hard" to instead of taking the easy way out on things.....Sometimes, you can't win I guess....

What was meant by my "trying too hard" comment was that while I appreciated all of the effort that went into the race (which I did say), it made the race too complicated for me. It was trying to hard to incorporate soooooo many extras that as a result, it became stressful for me, the athlete, and eventually it all added up to a slightly negative aftertaste. When the end result is that you have athletes wondering why the organizers went to all this trouble, just to finish in an arena? I'm not sure the tradeoff was worth it. Thus, trying too hard just for an optional finish line experience. A finish that did not make or break the race - for me. When "trying" and "caring" too hard turn things into a negative experience, even if just a little, it's time to re-think things, IMO.

Obviously I am in the minority, at least in this thread.

It was a good race... just a little on the stressful side for me because of the added logistics. It felt like what I imagine a full Ironman will feel like - with multiple gear bags, multiple check-ins and such. Good practice, I guess, since I'm doing a full IM next year. But definitely not what I expected for this kind of race.

 

Hey Lisa,

I can understand the stress and frustration you felt. However, I've talked with many folks who have done full Ironman races, and it seems like this race was on par with the challenges in the big races. This was my first triathlon longer than an Olympic distance, so I have nothing to compare it to, really. But it seems the logistics of putting on this event are as big a challenge as (if not bigger than) the race itself. I did go and watch the Longhorn in 2008, and I think there is no comparison in the coolness factor of the Arena Finish at this year's race. My family greatly enjoyed every bit of it. (well, actually, some did say the music was too loud, but you can't please everyone.)

What amazes me still is that there were nearly 2,000 finishers in a race of 70.3 miles! Yes, there were many elite athletes out there, but those are the Super Humans. I was simply amazed at how many of us mere mortals there were out there. NOBODY wakes up on a Sunday morning and thinks to themselves, "Hmmm, I think I'll go race 70.3 miles today."

To me, the transition area setups, the race bags, the conditions of the road and the course, etc. (not to mention the swim, the bike and the run) are all part of the challenge. Nobody said it was going to be easy!

Lisa, I can understand where you are coming from, in that the changes and differences for transition add some stress and confusion. Having done Longhorn last 3 years, it really did end up being a big improvement; and Keith will take all the input we give and try to make it even better next year (e.g. the athlete's guide being clearer on the clean transition for T1 only).

Depending on which IM you're doing, there may be more complicated transitions and rule differences. I did IM FL in 2007, and there it was totally clean transition, couldn't even have helmet or shoes on the bike. Needless to say that stressed me out quite a bit as I had to come up with a completely new transition strategy (and didn't do it so well, either). On the other end of the spectrum, I believe you were also at Redman this year; where even for the full we were allowed to set up normal transition area, which was great. I'm doing Cozumel next month, and I believe that is a two transition race as well; although probably with enough twists to cause some stress again

For me, one thing that would be helpful in all these cases is to have things really clearly spelled out in a step-by-step manner. Even at Redman there was a lot of confusion about the transition bags and were they required, what could be set up on/near the bike, etc. But I am also admittedly very OCD about that stuff...

I agree....Our plan is to allow set up in T2 next year, and T1. YES, you'll still have to pack your gear back in swim bag after you get out of the water, that's just so we can deliver it to the finish line.

Honestly, this was all done to make the race EASIER for the athlete. Are there some things to be tweaked? Sure. Did we do all of this just to finish in the arena. No, absolutely not. We did it so you didn't have to trek 1.2 miles back after your race with all of your stuff. We did it so if we were still in a major drought that the finish area/park wouldn't be a giant dust bowl. We did it so if there was inclement weather, it'd still be a good experience for the families/spectators AND the athletes at the finish.

It'd be WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY easier for us to just leave the 1 transition area race as it was, and make everyone carry their stuff back after the race. In exchange for having two transitions, we think we made race day easier for the athlete, better for the athlete and spectator.

Not everyone has to agree, and I completely respect that. We really try to make everyone LOVE the race. It sincerely bugs me when it isn't a home run for everyone. At some point, I have to come to grips with the fact that it's not possible to make 2500 athletes and 7000 spectators happy. It just isn't. That doesn't mean we won't keep trying.....

As for the roads, if it was possible for me to bribe Mother Nature, I would. A 2-year drought does some rough things to roads. 2 years ago, the roads were beatiful and perfect. We did the best we could given the circumstances. Look, this type of weather condition can happen ANYWHERE. In NH, we had the opposite problem...Roads washing away due to too much rain.

It's an event that happens outside. We're completely at the mercy of the elements. Let's get a normal year, and you'll see the cracks close up, the roads repaved, etc....

I don't have much to say, only that I thought the race was well run and the two transitions was actually easy, clean and painless.  Nice job by keith and his gang.  thank you.  See you at Lonestar next year.   This time will volunteer and not race since it is the week before IM St George.