Kansas City Triathlon

Don't remember what kind of sports drink they used last year, but you can look at BTers race reports by clicking here.
I thought it was a great race - one of the best I've ever done.

I volunteered last year and the sports drink was GU2O, not the greatest tasting stuff, but doesn't over power you with sugar either.

I worked the swim from a pontoon and the swim waves last year ended up being one wave of men and one for women for the OLY and Sprint. They didn'd have enough volunteers for AG breakdowns. The bike route has some challenging hills but plenty of room to get into a groove, and the run course looked easy mostly flat.

I signed up for the OLY this year and I am looking foreward to the race.

Good luck if you sign up!

Awesome race, carnival atmosphere, well organized and run.Swim course:longer than 1500m, warm waterBike course:rolling hills, section with too many sharp turnsRun coursegently rolling, mile 1 has a steeper crest after about 3/4mi gentle climbingspectator friendly

Awesome! Thanks for the replies. 

I ran the olympic last year.  It was a well organized event and I took advantage of the triathlete expereince.  Close parking, reserved bike rack area, discounts for gear, free gear, nice tent and massage... they only thing I would have changed was the part of the bike that weaves through some neighborhoods.  I don't know if they can change that, but it was hard to keep my groove and hammer it through this part.

I don't remember what sports drink they had but by the time of the run I stick with water and us GU if I need something to get me to the finish.  Sugary sports drinks make my stomach twist on the run.  =)

GU20 will be used on the run.

Same course as last year.

Swim was NOT long...just 90% of most swim courses are short so most athletes aren't accustomed to a correct distance course. It did go directly into the sunrise last year so we will try and angle the buoys better this year.

Looking forward to an even better year in 2010!

I love your race and I am racing it again this year as well as 70.3 KS and Branson.
Swim course was longer. I disagree with you.
Bike course should have been corrected on the east side of the lake as you have too many tight turns and a crowd that meets up on the second lap of Olympic bike and first lap of sprint. It got hazardous and also slow on occasion or two.
Regardless of that, I will be there to have fun.
 

Not to make this a thing...but what is your reference that the swim was long?

If it is because your time was "more than usual" that is my point about most regional triathlons...they are short! Even though I know we all love that PR swim!

..or if it is because you took 3 different measurents by two different measuring devices and establishing way points (like we did) then we would need to talk. (which still is not 100% accurate...but it is as close as you can get with GPS) (as you know GPS units are only as accurate as the way they are used)

Like I said...it's not a thing because everyone does the same course...but I take a lot of pride in what my team does.

Thanks for the info! This will be my first tri, and I'm super excited

Just don't get too wrapped up triangulating your coordinates and position on the swim...  =)

Sorry guys... I just had to poke fun.

I agree with the point that everyone does the same distance regardless of what it REALLY is.  I had a fight with the waves last year and it felt longer than the KS 1/2 IM swim... I kept getting swept out to the lake.

WOW, calling bull$hit on the RD.?!  Nothing like telling the guy that set up the swim that he is wrong. 

I personally love the portion of the bike course in the neighborhood.  It really separated the men from the boys.  An ounce of bike handling skills is all one needed to navigate this technical section of the course. 

Edited by L45 2010-04-08 11:38 PM

I agree, while I didn't race last year I did do a Time Trail on the bike coarse a few weeks before the race and the neighborhood section was a fun challenge, much better than having to dismount your bike to cross a wood bridge like the Longview Triathlon.

Don't they race on cobblestones in the Tour De France?

Can't wait to actually race in this one. Volunteering last year was fun but I wanted to be out there racing the whole time.

I averaged slower on that swim than I usually do (not going to speculate on why), and swimming 1:55/100yds got me 3/13 in my age group. Just for reference.

Either way, it is an excellent race - one of the best in our neck of the woods! Great job Ryan and staff!
 

I just addressed the swim length just for educational purposes...but like I said everyone does the same course so all is good

I just point out that there are so many things that go into a swim course. Longview Lake actually has a pretty strong North to South current that flows off of the break. We found this out when we had to double up our weights for our buoys the day before the race.

I mainly point this out for most triathlon swim times are an illusion...one must factor in currents, swim angles, tight turns, sunrise, sighting, timing mat placement...all the things that make swimming in open water fun! Going off of your fellow competitors times is a better way to judge how good of a swim you had.

Judging a swim distance off of time is about as accurate as judging a bike course off of time (without odometer). Too many factors.