Toyota Desert International Triathlon

Here's what I came up with based on last years race reports:

• You may have to park about a mile away and walk or ride to set up transition. 
• Get into the water for your warm up to get used to water temp and murkiness, though the water doesn't taste bad.
• There maybe a practice swim available on Saturday, which we should receive an email about.
• The race is a beach start that heads out on a diagonal setting you up for a sharp left turn before a long straight away across the lake and then another left to head back in. 
• There might be some bumping at the swim start, but it isn't overly crowded and should spread out until the front of pack swimmers from the wave behind you catch up.
• You're swimming into the sun as you head toward the first buoy so you may want tinted goggles or you can sight off the trees that are on shore ahead of you. 
• It's gravel and pavement from the water to T1 so expect for some rough running. 
• If you start in a later wave, the transition and mount area can be overly crowded so don't expect an easy jump on the bike and go.  You may want to put your bike shoes on in transition instead of trying to do it on the fly at mount. 
• There is a short incline to start the bike course, but overall it is flat and fast.
• The run starts out on a packed sand/gravel trail for about the first mile.
• It rained last year and everyone was freezing. 
• Cover up your running shoes in transition if it's going to rain

I'll be there....I heard this race is really fun...can't wait to get back in action! First race of the year....

< PSA >

Just an FYI (since this comes up every year with this particular race):  It isn't really an Olympic distance race (all three segments are shorter than the Olympic standard...the swim is a lot shorter, actually...320 yds shorter).  That's why they refer to it as an "international" distance event, rather than using "Olympic."  Every year it seems like someone gets excited by how fast their "Olympic" finishing time was at Desert Tri, only to be disappointed when told after the fact that it isn't actually an Olympic distance race.

< /PSA >


Anyhow...fun race...fast course.  Was planning to do it again this year, but derailleur hanger failed on my bike on Saturday and the race fee has become a repair bill...  

I'm actually doing this race with my TNT group as preparation for Vineman, so I will see you there. It should be a fun one. 

I did this last year.  When I recall the race and try to remember the "fun factor," all I can remember is the freezing rain.  I'm considering doing it again this year, but I won't sign up until I have a good idea about the weather.  And if it is sold out and I don't get in, so be it. 

haha your race report was the best

I'm in for the sprint on Saturday, will be interesting to see if they get a lot more people by splitting the race into two days.  As long as it doesn't rain this is a good one.  The flat, fast bike is fun.

Ha!

Gotta love CA where we can have 10 weekends in a row with perfect weather, but every so often we get sleet!

That was one crazy day. I raced the sprint and the weather was perfect, but turned ugly about 10 minutes later. As we left, we saw cyclists with probable hypothermia getting into police cars. Anyone who finished that International was bad@$$.

i had a blast at this race last year - but, granted, i only did the sprint, so didn't have as terrible weather as the int'l distancers.  i got a little sprinkled on during the bike, and my whole run was in rain.  however, i'm not originally from california, have trained in terrible weather, am primarily a runner (from michigan - we run in ice/snow) and LOVE running in the rain.  so i had a blast.  and marked my fastest 3 mile time since high school 15 years ago.  

i'm hoping to do the sprint again this year, just as a warm up race for Wildflower long at the end of april.  i'm a terrible swimmer, (i was FOP bike, FOP run, BOP swim last year!) so the flat, calm lake swim was ideal.   

Would this be a good sprint for a first timer?

I'll be there for the international distance.

Yes, it draws a big field with a wide range of abilities. I did it on a mountain bike as my second tri and had a blast.It has a festive atmosphere, is professionally run, and has good souvenirs! If you're like most people, you really want a cool shirt to show you accomplished your first tri.

and i'll second all the above, plus add in that the swim is in a flat, man-made lake and the bike/run course are both pretty stinkin' flat.  not a hard course ... and it's well-run, well-organized and a fun event.    LOTS of people on their mtb, lots of first-timers that i saw last year.

i usually do this race but i do the sprint which they put on saturday. gotta work saturday so...guess not.

I did the Int. for the past 2 years.

Last year was cold! As mentioned before as you exit the water, the dirt and gravel are rough. My feet were numb so I did not know that I had cut my foot until after the race. Just be careful for the rocks have to run on.

And lastly stay to the right on the bike course. Since the roads are wide, people think it is ok to ride where they please. Even if there is no one in front of you, stay to the right. People seem to be all over the place. Keep the left open for passing. Since it is a pancake flat course, the faster people fly. It's a 2 loop course so the fast folks will be be mixed with 'not as fast' folks.

Good Luck

I'm getting pretty excited but not sure how the whole diagonal swim thing is going to go for me! I've done an OWS 4 times in the ocean now, but never in a race so I'm anxious about this swim.

Don't think of it as swimming diagonally.  You're still going to be swimming in a straight line, just not straight across from shore to shore. 

I will be doing the sprint this year.
I skipped the race last year because I didn't want to drive from El Cajon in all that rain.

This will be my first olympic/ "international" and I decided I want to finish in three hours but that isn't including transition. 35 minute swim, 1:30 bike, 54 min run. This is a very reasonable goal for me. We will see how it goes!!!!

Thinking about putting this one on the calendar....

Prefect timing as a tune up for Oceanside. 

I am totally stoked about this race! I registered for the Sprint distance as well. This will be my first ever triathlon and I'm glad to hear all 3 legs are pretty flat and fast! Good to see that this venue has recieved excellent reviews also. Good luck to all who are attending this race and I'll see you there!

OK, I'm in, international on Sunday, staying at some resort I never heard of in Indian Wells...  priceline is cool 

I'm in!  This is my 2nd tri, but my first OWS...a little nervous and a lot excited!!

Thanks everyone for the comments from last year's event.  Keeping my fingers crossed that our gorgeous weather continues through that weekend!