Nations Triathlon, DC on 9/11/11, anyone signing up?

Already in under the alumni sign up.

My wife and I just signed up.  Very excited!

I signed up via the USA Triathlon's early sign up a couple days ago.
2d year for me. Great race! A touch expensive but it's worth it for the venue to me.

In for the third year in a row. Agreed it's a touch expensive but a fun race (and less than 10 miles away!)

would this be too close to my first HIM (poconos) 3 weeks later or no? Just curious. i either want to do this next yr or the year after. i am doing (nyc tri) a month earlier than this.

How quickly does this race normally fill up?

Last year it was open for a month or so.

Signed up through USAT on 11/29.  Ten year anniversary of 9/11 on race day.  Where else would you want to be but in our Nation's capitol?  May be hard to keep thoughts and emotions in check that day.

It's a fun race. I'd recommend it (did it a few years ago). I'd sign up but I think after IM KY, I'm going to need some time off. I'll definitely be there cheering though!

Did it this year. I'm pretty sure I registered in April, it was still open then.

HUGE RACE. Not sure I liked that aspect of it. I live in DC and had to get up earlier for that race, than the one I drove over an hour away to Lake Anna for in Oct. We had to rack the bikes on Sat & leave them on the mall. Everything (packet pick up, bike racking, transition the morning of the race, etc) was a major event w/ a list of logistical instructions. Also the transition area was HUGE. I forget the statistic about how many thousand squre feet, but they kept announcing it on race day. There was significant ground to cover just getting to & from transition from the water, and then out onto the course for the bike and run.

It also poured & was freezing that day. w/ like 4-5000 people racing, once they locked us out of transition most of us were standing around in the freezing rain for something like 90 minutes before our waves actually started. I don't wear a wetsuit, so I stood around in a regular speedo in like 60 degrees and rain for that 90 min. Not FUN! I shredded a tire on the bike on a wet storm drain.

Not well supported either. When I shredded my tire, I ended up borrowing stuff to fix it from a girl who crashed, and needed a ride back to transition. They didn't have any way to do that for her. ONE truck, who was ONLY there to follow the slowest rider & reopen the roads behind her. That truck wasn't available for dealing w/ people who crashed, or anything else along the course.

I STILL might do it again this year. It's expensive, huge, and not well supported. But I wasn't really trained well for the run, and want to do it again to redeem myself for that and the bike. The weather wasn't their fault, and I could better prepare for that. 

I did it last year. Good race for the experience of racing in DC but other than that not a favorite. It is pretty expensive considering the amount of people they draw in. I waited 2 hours for my wave to start so I couldnt get to transition and basically just sat there waiting. (disadvantage of that many people). I ended up with one of the top swims but very hard to negotiate through the mass waves of swimmers. I just stuck to the outside the whole time so I ended up swimming a little longer than most probably. It was well organized for the size, but can get very dangerous with the amount of people. 

Have another race I'll be doing... HIM the day before.  Would like to do the Nations Tri because it would be a fun course to race, but its a little spendy and the logistics of getting into town both days seem like a pain.   

Doing an Olympic distance 3 weeks before an HIM is a great way to run through all the transition practice and get your legs/arms ready for a longer race.  I personally usually try to find an Olympic to do either 2 - 3 weeks out of an HIM.

i'm signed up again for the nation's tri. it's an awesome race. one of you did mention that it rained and there was a wait for the swim because of all the people, but honestly... this race was very well run and i don't think many other race could have handled the situation as good or better.

the course is great, it doesn't always feel like there are thousands of people in the race, and bike racking saturday (which many races do) makes it easier on race morning. they provide shuttles from points in DC to get you to transition so you dont have to drive and can ride your bike back wherever you need to go. it's spectator friendly and just all in all i think a great race.

Any recomandations for place to stay (economically and logistically). I am driving from NYC so I need to park my car everywhere I go. Thank you!

I signed up for this race and can't wait.  True, it will be pretty big, but what an awesome way to spend the 10th anniversary of 9/11...that's motivation!
Plus it's 3 weeks before my 1st HIM...so it'll be a good race to get my mind/body right.

Can't do it this year. I thought last year's race was fun even with the rain.

Personally, I'd stay outside the city close to a Metro stop.  It will be much cheaper and easier, plus with the Metro access you can get most anywhere you need to go sans car.  Silver Spring, MD is likely the closest coming from NYC, or you could go to Arlington, Crystal City, or Alexandria VA.  I'd stay away from anything in PG county.