The Nation's Triathlon : Official Thread (Page 2)

I experienced this for the first time during the DC Tri this past June.  I managed to touch the bottom when I jumped straight off, and it took a few seconds even with all my bouyancy to bob back up to the surface.  I didn't want to dive, or have to much forward motion for fear of losing my goggles.  And there is the element of the sudden shock of hitting the water and knowing you have to get swimming since the next wave is mere seconds behind you.  I think there's a better way to do it than I did.  Cannonballs were highly discouraged! 

I think it would be cool to have a new element introduced to the wave start.  Judges would rate you on a variety of factors.  Maybe something like the highest score gets time subtracted from the overall swim.  Criteria such a creativity, artistic expression, splash height, and smoothness in transitioning to to horizontal movement could be evaluated....

Overall, I kind of liked the wave start.  Spread things out a little more, but I think I managed to get whacked about the same.  Around the back side, I got chicked a lot as they swam around and over me.  Less than 2 weeks.  Looking forward to it.

Me too.  I am very disappointed

Rained & poured just before the race too.  Unfortunately my rack area was in mud (part of the baseball infield) so my little transition pile was a mess even before my 1st transition.  I'm hoping I'm a bit luckier this year.

Bike course preview by bike might not be possible without getting run over. The run course will be reviewable by bike (not much to review... flat as a pancake).

I'm not sure how they will be able to do the swim, or even parts of the run.  In past years they have worried about what flows into the river with a bit of rain.  We've pretty much had rain for a solid week.

Also, I thought I read Haines Point would be near record flood levels, last time it was that bad the entire peninsula was covered, (also doesn't the run go through there).

Keeping my fingers crossed for you guys.

The recent rain and flooding have created a very strong down stream current in the Potomac.  Should make the upstream portion of the swim tough.

Any word on the swim possibly being reconfigured? 

I havent heard anything. The website isnt much use for anything other than advertising their sponsors.

With river flows 3 or 4x normal rates, Im starting to doubt the swim will take place at all. Seems as thought the current race director state of mind is to cancel the swim if so much as a boat wake crosses the swim course.

Just got back from my run, went by transition, they're setting everything up now.  No dock as of yet, but that could be coming later.  River is very high but still within the banks on that side.

Word from Nations Tri is that the swim is canceled.

40k bike and 10k run only.

?"COURSE UPDATE Due to the recent storms, city officials and event organizers have canceled the swim. Flooding and fast moving currents have created hazardous conditions for swimmers, so this year’s race will be a 40K bike and 10K run. The race will begin at 7:00 am following the same time trial starting procedure. Check your Athlete Service Platform for your Start Group # (which is the same as your Swim Group #). However instead athletes will now head directly into the transition area, grab their bikes and head out on a 40K bike followed by a 10K run."

Lots of swim training this summer for this race...guess I'll have more energy for the bike and run though.

This is beyond bogus. I know that there's always a risk of a cancellation because its an outdoor event. I know that its an act of God and not the fault of the race organizers. I know this yet I'm severely disappointed. I've been working all year targeting this as my A race for the season. I've been tapering in order to peak this weeeknd.

I want to punch this race in the face.

So does this mean the timing mat is still at the river's edge and we still do the LONG run through (muddy) T1?

Agreed.  The wife and I just arrived in DC from Texas.  Looks like I will picking another "A" race in a few weeks.  I'm still going to have run - I'm just glad they didn't change it to a run/bike/run.   Good luck to all.