USAT Age Group National Championships : Official Thread

I'll be doing the race this year.  The bike actually looks pretty fast.  I believe there is only one significant climb.  As for the run, there is a pretty fierce hill right at the beginning on Battery St.  I'm looking forward to it.  

Church St. is a blast.  Lots of good restaurants, ben and jerry's ice cream.  Yada yada.  Have fun.  

Can't wait to go.  Making a weekend/week of it and heading up to Montreal after the race with the wife.

All in all, looks like it should be good.

Oh, and BTW, I'll race you for last in the AG if you are in M40-44. 

So how does this work?  I won my age group in a local sprint but got an invite to the Olympic AG nationals.  Can I enter either the sprint or oly?  The course you are describing, which race is it for, or is it for both.  Not sure I'll ever win my AG again so feel like this is an opportunity I shouldn't pass up.  Anyone know what the water temp would roughly be that time of year?

I too am thinking about making a trip out of it.  Never been to that part of the country and would also like to make it up to Montreal.  Anything else worth seeing doing in the area?

If you qualified for the olympic you can do either one.  You do not need to qualify for the sprint.  I am not sure of either course, they have not posted the maps for the races yet on USAT website.  Water temp should be high 60's low 70's.  I do believe it will be wetsuit legal, it was last year.  

Montreal is only 2.5 hours north of us here.  You will need your passport at the border though, so just something to keep in mind.  Burlington and the surrounding area is beautiful for a vacation.  Church street is wonderful pedestrian street with nice shops, and there is also VT Teddy Bear Factory, Ben & Jerry Factory.  Those along with Montreal should make for a nice family vacation.  Let me know if there is anything else you're curious about.  

I think I'll go ahead and do it this year.  I do fairly well locally, but I know I'll get my butt kicked. None the less it would be neat to go.  I guess I'd better check into the lodging situaltion first as it looks like things were filling up a while back! 

Start looking pretty soon.  Not much left for a decent price.  Even the cheap hotels are charging $200/night or more.  I found a nice b&b less than 30min away for cheaper than the close discount chains.

Look in towns like:

Wiliston

Shelburne

S. Burlington

Winooski

These are towns that are really close to Burlington that you may get a better deal at.  If you want to go swanky, then The Inn at Essex is super nice.  It is far enough away to not be booked for Nationals, yet close enough to get to Burlington quickly.  I live in Essex and will be driving in the morning of the race.  It is no more than 20 minutes away.  

Can anyone explain to me how I qualified for the Olympic distance at the Chicago Tri Sprint distance?!? It is just something that is announced to me every time I log onto the USAT page. Totally academic since the race is sold out and I can't go b/c of other things. Hoping to understand in case I ever manage to qual again. I would prefer the sprint distance as I am crap at the oly distance.

And mostly, good luck, wish I could be there, vying for last in my AG with y'all! Kidding, I know you're all fast.

Q

http://www.usatriathlon.org/events/usat/2012/08/age-group-national-championship/qualification.aspx

Here is the USAT website that explains qualification standards. My understanding is that there is currently no qualification standard to enter the Spring Distance Nationals event. My guess is that will change as it becomes more popular. For the Olympic distance race you have to finish in the top 10% of your AG at any USAT sanctioned event (any distance).  Or finish in the top 33% of a Regional or Special Qualifier, which is listed on the USAT website.

Good morning.  Does anyone have a .gpx file of the bike course?  I tried to build one on MapMyRide, but I cannot make it work with the computrainer.  Please PM me if you have it to share.  THANKS!  

I think the course is already up on MapMyRide.  Search for it.  It should be there.

Thanks.  That is really good to know.  I don't believe there are any significant changes from last year.  You are speaking of the bike course?  Right?