Vacation Sports issues

Well said.

Heh.  Whenever I see a thread like this, I am optimistic that it will say "Hi, I now work for Vacation Sports and all issues will be promply resolved and we're working on managing our races more professionally in the coming years" - signed New Vacation Sports employee. 

Yet that never happens.   Funny.

I don't know if you ever got a hold of Randy, but if it's a general race question and not specific to you then let us know.  Maybe one of us can help answer.

I remember when I first looked at the bike map.  It took me a good 5-10 min to figure out you just went up and down Wheelock Parkway.  Kinda hard to see under the Sharpie line.

Oh, and of course it's not 20K.  But that is immaterial I guess.  Or is it?  I am confused

Good for you, Dan!  I can't wait to hear.

I was thinking about this on my commute today (lame).  I wonder if Randy thinks that since he sells out events, he's okay.  It bothers me that he is willing to accept mediocrity (at best) and he can't be getting as many return racers as other RDs.  Nearly every other race has left me with a desire to keep tabs on that race organization in the future, and excited about signing up for races again or finding new ones.  The polar opposite of V.S.  However, there are a ton of new folks who are willing to do V.S. events, so what is his reason to change?  I just hope that it doesn't scare away new people, and that I am just being an unreasonable.  Although that fact that so many of you agree seems compelling.

I will say that the Oakdale Duathlon is "fine" and I will probably continue to go back there.  Unless I am banned from V.S. events, due to my big mouth!  Although the same types of silliness has happened there, it seems less dire since the course is shorter and the weather is always great so water and stuff like that doesn't matter as much.  Although I was chagrined to see the winner of this year's event allowed to drive out on the course to leave before the race was over.  That was wrong on a LOT of levels   While the course is not closed, that was rude and if transition had been closed it wouldn't have happened.

Hey - there's nothing wrong with that!  As long as you know what you're in for   Have a great race, I hope it works out well and fits the bill.

Away back in 2001, (I think?) I wrote a review of the inaugeral Square Lake tri that was published here and there and how it suffered from poor planning and etc....and I've heard echoes of that continue over the years. At that time, I also received a critique for my critique from a true triathlon old-timer who noted he'd swam with a kronosaurus, biked when the wheel was invented, and ran wearing leather jerkins....and frankly he had a point. Not every triathlon needs to be a corporate-sponsored, club-lovin', well-oiled operation... heck jump in the lake, hop on your bike and scamper down the trail - done.

 I've learned to take the VS events a bit more instride over the years. They are what they are and seem to have improved, albeit slightly, over the years ( I just did Square Lake half and it was fine, though the DJ music was just plain weird to my ears...). For the money (I recommend signing up in the winter at the first of the year when they're half price)  they're fun, reasonable events and Randy, god bless'm, is big hearted guy who does a lot of these.   

Frankly, I won't be too nervous about VS events and I recommend them for newbies as well as veterans.