The Nation's Triathlon : Official Thread (Page 4)

Latest weather report is for an inch of rain tonight, and into tomorrow.  Sunday should be beautiful with a high of 82.

Current river temp is 74.8 at Little Falls.

Now, if I could just fix my bike's cloudy weather.  3 more broken spokes (makes about 10 in 6 weeks), a broken skewer, a sliced tire, and rear gear noise.  Argh!  Maybe I should just give up and rent a modern bike.

Almost sounds like I've been taking my road bike in the mountains.  Nah, it's just 23 years old...

I don't care how many people are out there.
I don't care how many people i have to swim by, just to have them pass me on the run.
I don't care wetsuit or not.
I don't care if it's too hot, too cold, or just right.
I don't care about my time (well maybe a little)

I get to do a TRI w/ my Sister this weekend!
I can't wait!

A few days to go and I'm a ball of nerves!  This will be my first OLY (I did one other tri, the Luray Sprint, earlier this summer as a practice).  I appreciate everyone's sharing here.  I am curious if anyone had spectators come watch, and if so, where did you send them? Looks like there is no easy way around the city for them to get to various parts, right now I'm thinking they have to stick in the transition area, which may be boring for them since I'll probably take close to 4 hours to finish.

Thanks!

PS is it true that the swimmers are vicious? I plan to stay well out of the way to the side, but the idea of someone swimming over me is not helping the nerves

There are plenty of places to spectate.  If you look in teh Athletes Guide they just sent in an email, there is a map on the second page.  You will see little pink triangels with a V...theis is a good viewing place for your family/friends to watch.  They will not be allowed in Transtion. 
The swim isn't as scary as you might think, but jsut know that it is possible to get kicked and hit in the head by arms. elbows etc..mostly during the first 200 yds of the swim while everyone is trying to get into their groove.  Jsut do your best to stay focused and not let it get to you.  Ignore it...and have a great time!


..my bike is in pieces in its travel box and i am almost finished packing.  FLight is at 1 pm tomorrow!  Yipppeee can't wait!!!

My folks are comming into town, so a little stress about making sure they are ok.  I'm having them hang out by transition area, to watch for My sis, her BF, and myself.

My concern for them is gettign to the area by transition b/c of the road closures.

My plan is to set up early on sat, do the swim practice, and be very early on sun.

My hotel is about 1.5 miles from transition, so I'm planning on parking the truck on sat, and  walking down in the very early am sunday.

Does anyone else plan to cover their bike?


Anyone want to get together to take a pic for the BT banners?

Thought I'd share my goals for this---my first!--triathlon.  Context:  58 y.o. guy.  Started doing Marine Corps marathons 5 years ago.  Looking for a change of pace.  My goals for the Nation's Tri are:
1.  Stay safe
2.  Have fun (which means enjoy the swim, bike, run, spectators, atmosphere) and of course FINISH
3. Get lots of pictures
4. Finish ahead of 2 guys in my age group
5. Finish ahead of 5 people overall.
6. View this as the start of my training for a half ironman sometime in late 2010.
Fairly modest, but I hope to achieve them all!

I'm up for a pic.  Do we want to meet up for a BT swim on Saturday?

Looks like some friends and I might show up for some jockstrapping/spectacle viewing. If anybodys interested in a few cheers, post your bib number, and we'll be on the look out. Cheers.

Are most people just racking their bikes on Saturday or are they completely setting up their transition area? I've never done a race where you hjave to rack the bike the day before. Couple that with a swim practice, are people going to leave their wetsuits and transition bag ther overnight or bring that stuff Sunday morning? I guess I'm concerned about theft, but I also would prefer not to have to haul all that stuff around early Sunday morning.

I did one other race with a day before racking requirement and did not set up my whole transition area. Just the bike. It probably isn't a good idea to put other stuff out--it will just get trampled. Big question, already raised by one other person, is to cover the bike or not to cover the bike overnight? I think the weather forecast is supposed to be good. I may cover the seat, but it is a lot of trouble to remember to bring plastic bags to cover the drive drain then to have to take it off and trash the stuff race morning . . .

By the way, who thinks this race might turn into a duathlon? I know in Philly it would.

Hush yourself!!!  I for one would be devestated if that happened.  I ma flying in from South FLorida for this and iti is my A race of the season an my last of the season...St. Anthony's laready did that to me in April...it will not happen!

You do not leave anything else besides your bike...
Off to the airport in 2 hours!!!

Bad idea to set it up on Saturday.  And sometimes not even allowed.  Just drop your bike off and go.  I do not cover mine and I simply take off the cyclometer head unit so if it rains it does not get frazzled.

The swim is whatever you make it.  If you stay off to the side and wait a few seconds after the start you can let the melee go by and then you can swim in relative comfort.  Yes, you will bump into people.  But in general it is on accident and no one is really out to get you.  Key is to just stay relaxed and keep a nice even stroke.  Follow the crowd and you will be fine!

Driving down at lunch today to go through the meeting and pick up my packet (and hopefully win a door prize!!).  That way all I have to do is drop off the bike tomorrow.

I'm headed down today too.  I drove in to work with my bike on the roof, 3 kids in the car and a dog.  I have the dog's house, transition bag...but I forgot my suitcase. I can't believe it.  I couldn't go back for it since I was already running late and needed to get my kids to school.  So...that I drove from NYC to CT (my daily commute), instead of going right to DC after seeing 1 patient, I have to back to NYC and get the suitcase...in rushhour traffic.  UGH!!!!!

Do not setup transition the night before.  There are people who do that, but it's risky.  I will cover my bike.  When I was at the NYC tri, some people didn't think of the bag and it was scheduled to pour.  People even stole other people's bags, so the next morning, people who covered their bikes found their bikes drenched.  Not nice at all. 

a note for people with spectators, my folks came and watched me last year and were famished by the end of the race (and almost as tired as i was).  id suggest to any spectators to bring some food and water because its a long time to be sitting around. 

At Little Falls, which is about 5 miles upstream from the swim course, the water temperature is 71.6 degrees.  Several cold, cloudy days and heavy rain can bring the temperature down fast.  It was 79 degrees or so just five days ago.  And the flow rate has gone from 1400 cubic feet/sec. up to 2030 cubic feet/sec due to the rain, but are both below the historical average of 2400 cubic feet/sec. for this time of year.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/dc/nwis/uv?cb_00060=on&cb_00010=on&cb_00010=on&cb_00010=on&cb_00095=on&format=gif_default&period=7&site_no=01646500

The tide will be going out during the race (high tide is at 3:11 am at Key Bridge, with low tide at 10:42 am), so the tides and current will be running in the same direction--against us during the first part of the race and with us for the second half.

Got all registered and such.  The "raffle" was not really a raffle, it was a question about time to complete passing in the drafting zone and of course ......... I won.   $25 gift certificate to a shop in VA.  Good thing was that they were on site setting up their booth so I picked up two pairs of socks for the wife and avoided having to drive down there!

Bib #933, 7:18 start with a darker blue swim cap.

Now all I have to do is drop the bike off tomorrow and not worry about the cluster of registration.  It was pretty packed today.

Edited by Daremo 2009-09-11 2:10 PM

Great info! Thanks for that.

Is there a "rivercast" site for the Potomac similar to that for the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia (http://www.phillyrivercast.org/)? It gives water quality which is awfully nice to know when rain has been moving through.

I just found another water-quality website, this one has turbitidy, pH, dissolved oxygen, etc.:

http://www.ysieconet.com/public/WebUI/Default.aspx?hidCustomerID=167

Temp is 74.47 at Roosevelt Island, just a 1/2 mile or so upstream from the swim site. 

That was you at the 12:30? I was in the back and almost shouted it out...you raised your hand...Enjoy the socks!

I am #2206.

x2 on all the advice for covering and swimming. I'm covering the bike just in case. Getting excited!

Went to the expo etc, crowds didn't seem so bad for me, I was at the 2pm briefing.  Then again, I'm used to large races like the Marine Corps Marathon so that could just be my own filter.  Tried my wetsuit at the pool today, will be my first race with one. Glad I rented it with the temps in the low 70's, I'm used to 80 degree pools .  I'm #2755, will be with a white cap. Anyone know what the A and B waves mean? I thought at first it must have to do with which of the two swim loops you get, but there is only the one loop now.  (BTW I overheard at the expo the one loop is because they couldn't get the permit for the second).

It was fairly deserted when I was there...4pm brief.  I bet a lot of folks went at lunch.  And tomorrow will likely be a HUGE cluster.

I was wondering about the one swim loop thing too...

Were you in the 1 pm briefing?  because that was the same question they asked for my briefing.  I am number 770, Wave 6 (0715 start time) in a red cap. 

I'm mad at myself because when I got home, I realized that I forgot to pick up my goodie bag and event t-shirt.  I was planning on only doing the practice swim and avoiding the expo on Saturday, but I guess I'll still have to get it.