General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Philly Tri - Worth the Money?? Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply
2013-04-24 5:17 PM

User image

Member
166
1002525
Delco, PA
Subject: Philly Tri - Worth the Money??
I was checking out the prices for the Olympic race and it's currently at $185 and to me that seems very expensive.  Just curious if you guys think the race is worth the money. Why or why not?


2013-04-25 6:47 AM
in reply to: #4713979

User image

Pro
6011
50001000
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania
Subject: RE: Philly Tri - Worth the Money??

I've done the oly 3 or so times with Team in Training.  It's a well-run event, but the bike course can be very crowded.  The swim is extremely fast, because it's with the current except for a short distance just before the exit.  The run is mostly out in the open and can be very hot.

Whether it's worth the money or not is very individual.  For me, and our local TNT chapter, we've decided it's not, and have opted for Black Bear the last few years instead.

 

2013-04-26 9:07 AM
in reply to: #4713979

User image

Pro
5755
50005001001002525
Subject: RE: Philly Tri - Worth the Money??

It's a good race, I've done it three times. I will not do it this year. I can do two races for that price, plus I'm only doing cheap races after Boston and Lake Placid Any event in a major venue will be expensive due to the cost of security, EMS, insurance. etc.

The plus for me is that I can bike two miles to the start, it will be packed with people I know, and I actually do enjoy swimming in the Schuylkill. Also the pros are great, and I'm a fan of Andy Potts, especially after last year when he randomly came over and said hello while we were waiting to pick up bikes.

The minus is that the swim gets cancelled a lot due to weather or pollution, the bike course is crowded and it's easy to get tangled up with people who really have no idea how to ride (people just stop on Lemon Hill), and the run is always in the sun and flat. It's been pretty hot the last few years, I think upper 80's to mid 90's.

2013-04-30 5:30 AM
in reply to: #4715974

Member
391
100100100252525
Wenonah, NJ
Subject: RE: Philly Tri - Worth the Money??
I think the race gets a bad rap for the swim being cancelled. From memory, over the history of the race, the swim has been cancelled only once due to weather (the other time was due to a participant having died in the sprint swim and not having been recovered...hopefully everyone can sympathize with that decision). I think this is the 9th year for the Oly and the 8th for the sprint, so out of 15 races thus far, only once has it been cancelled because of the river conditions.

It is expensive though, but Philly is an expensive place to put on a race. For me it's a good race and since it's close to home there's no need for a hotel so it's "comparatively" cheap in relation to other races.

Good luck at Black Bear!
2013-05-01 9:41 AM
in reply to: #4720196

User image

Pro
5755
50005001001002525
Subject: RE: Philly Tri - Worth the Money??

lredrow - 2013-04-30 6:30 AM I think the race gets a bad rap for the swim being cancelled. From memory, over the history of the race, the swim has been cancelled only once due to weather (the other time was due to a participant having died in the sprint swim and not having been recovered...hopefully everyone can sympathize with that decision). I think this is the 9th year for the Oly and the 8th for the sprint, so out of 15 races thus far, only once has it been cancelled because of the river conditions. It is expensive though, but Philly is an expensive place to put on a race. For me it's a good race and since it's close to home there's no need for a hotel so it's "comparatively" cheap in relation to other races. Good luck at Black Bear!

I think it's been cancelled a couple more times, but you may be right. I only know about the last few years. It's rarely wetsuit legal. Last year the water temperature was 82 degrees (warmer than my pool) and it felt great not having the wetsuit.

I am always torn about Philly Tri. I live in Fairmount so it's literally in my backyard. So no travel costs and I can bike to transition in 10 minutes. I could do that course in my sleep I've spent so much time training on it. I actually enjoy getting to swim in the Schuylkill. Right now it's full of shad and bass.

Wenonah? That's where we used to do OWS before that woman got hurt. Lovely cedar water, go in one color and come out another. My son's girlfriend is from Wenonah

2013-05-02 9:02 AM
in reply to: #4722234

Member
391
100100100252525
Wenonah, NJ
Subject: RE: Philly Tri - Worth the Money??
BrianRunsPhilly - 2013-05-01 10:41 AM

I think it's been cancelled a couple more times, but you may be right. I only know about the last few years. It's rarely wetsuit legal. Last year the water temperature was 82 degrees (warmer than my pool) and it felt great not having the wetsuit.

I am always torn about Philly Tri. I live in Fairmount so it's literally in my backyard. So no travel costs and I can bike to transition in 10 minutes. I could do that course in my sleep I've spent so much time training on it. I actually enjoy getting to swim in the Schuylkill. Right now it's full of shad and bass.

Wenonah? That's where we used to do OWS before that woman got hurt. Lovely cedar water, go in one color and come out another. My son's girlfriend is from Wenonah



Wenonah Lake = instant tan!

I think Sherox had to cancel once as well but if I remember correctly the entire race got cancelled because of a really bad thunderstorm. The reason I know so much about the Philly Tri swim cancellations is that I would pray for the swim to get cancelled and it never did. If it turned to a duathlon I'm competitive, as a triathlon. I'm out of contention by the time I exit the water.


2013-05-02 10:43 AM
in reply to: #4722234

User image

Pro
6011
50001000
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania
Subject: RE: Philly Tri - Worth the Money??
BrianRunsPhilly - 2013-05-01 10:41 AM

lredrow - 2013-04-30 6:30 AM I think the race gets a bad rap for the swim being cancelled. From memory, over the history of the race, the swim has been cancelled only once due to weather (the other time was due to a participant having died in the sprint swim and not having been recovered...hopefully everyone can sympathize with that decision). I think this is the 9th year for the Oly and the 8th for the sprint, so out of 15 races thus far, only once has it been cancelled because of the river conditions. It is expensive though, but Philly is an expensive place to put on a race. For me it's a good race and since it's close to home there's no need for a hotel so it's "comparatively" cheap in relation to other races. Good luck at Black Bear!

I think it's been cancelled a couple more times, but you may be right. I only know about the last few years. It's rarely wetsuit legal. Last year the water temperature was 82 degrees (warmer than my pool) and it felt great not having the wetsuit.

I am always torn about Philly Tri. I live in Fairmount so it's literally in my backyard. So no travel costs and I can bike to transition in 10 minutes. I could do that course in my sleep I've spent so much time training on it. I actually enjoy getting to swim in the Schuylkill. Right now it's full of shad and bass.

Wenonah? That's where we used to do OWS before that woman got hurt. Lovely cedar water, go in one color and come out another. My son's girlfriend is from Wenonah

What are the stats on that?  Again, I've only done the race three times, but out of those three, it's been marginal, but still wetsuit legal every time (counting the year the swim was cancelled because of the death during the sprint the day before.

 

2013-05-02 11:12 AM
in reply to: #4723741

User image

Pro
5755
50005001001002525
Subject: RE: Philly Tri - Worth the Money??
lredrow - 2013-05-02 10:02 AM
BrianRunsPhilly - 2013-05-01 10:41 AM

I think it's been cancelled a couple more times, but you may be right. I only know about the last few years. It's rarely wetsuit legal. Last year the water temperature was 82 degrees (warmer than my pool) and it felt great not having the wetsuit.

I am always torn about Philly Tri. I live in Fairmount so it's literally in my backyard. So no travel costs and I can bike to transition in 10 minutes. I could do that course in my sleep I've spent so much time training on it. I actually enjoy getting to swim in the Schuylkill. Right now it's full of shad and bass.

Wenonah? That's where we used to do OWS before that woman got hurt. Lovely cedar water, go in one color and come out another. My son's girlfriend is from Wenonah

Wenonah Lake = instant tan! I think Sherox had to cancel once as well but if I remember correctly the entire race got cancelled because of a really bad thunderstorm. The reason I know so much about the Philly Tri swim cancellations is that I would pray for the swim to get cancelled and it never did. If it turned to a duathlon I'm competitive, as a triathlon. I'm out of contention by the time I exit the water.

I volunteer at SheRox. It was an incredible t-storm that year. About the worst conditions possible, torrential rain and lightning. I was out there until the last person got picked up.

I'm not a good swimmer, but if I want to do a duathlon, I'll sign up for a duathlon

2013-05-03 7:31 AM
in reply to: #4724109

Member
391
100100100252525
Wenonah, NJ
Subject: RE: Philly Tri - Worth the Money??
BrianRunsPhilly - 2013-05-02 12:12 PM

Wenonah Lake = instant tan! I think Sherox had to cancel once as well but if I remember correctly the entire race got cancelled because of a really bad thunderstorm. The reason I know so much about the Philly Tri swim cancellations is that I would pray for the swim to get cancelled and it never did. If it turned to a duathlon I'm competitive, as a triathlon. I'm out of contention by the time I exit the water.

I volunteer at SheRox. It was an incredible t-storm that year. About the worst conditions possible, torrential rain and lightning. I was out there until the last person got picked up.

I'm not a good swimmer, but if I want to do a duathlon, I'll sign up for a duathlon



I know, it's cheesy to root for cancelled swim, but nobody does duathlons! I don't mean there aren't enough duathlons to choose from, just that they don't draw flies. I find racing with a lot of people soooo much more fun.

(and it's not like I'd consider sabotaging the water...I'd just silently kind of wish for it
2013-05-03 10:19 AM
in reply to: #4725508

User image

Pro
5755
50005001001002525
Subject: RE: Philly Tri - Worth the Money??
lredrow - 2013-05-03 8:31 AM
BrianRunsPhilly - 2013-05-02 12:12 PM

Wenonah Lake = instant tan! I think Sherox had to cancel once as well but if I remember correctly the entire race got cancelled because of a really bad thunderstorm. The reason I know so much about the Philly Tri swim cancellations is that I would pray for the swim to get cancelled and it never did. If it turned to a duathlon I'm competitive, as a triathlon. I'm out of contention by the time I exit the water.

I volunteer at SheRox. It was an incredible t-storm that year. About the worst conditions possible, torrential rain and lightning. I was out there until the last person got picked up.

I'm not a good swimmer, but if I want to do a duathlon, I'll sign up for a duathlon

I know, it's cheesy to root for cancelled swim, but nobody does duathlons! I don't mean there aren't enough duathlons to choose from, just that they don't draw flies. I find racing with a lot of people soooo much more fun. (and it's not like I'd consider sabotaging the water...I'd just silently kind of wish for it

USAT considered making a push for more duathlons. They actually formed committees to create and promote new duathlons, and I was on the mid-Atlantic one. We never met. Very disappointing.

Triathlon is a challenge, and swimming is the biggest challenge for me personally, which is why I want to do the swim. Even if I'm bottom 10%

2013-05-03 1:27 PM
in reply to: #4713979

User image

Member
166
1002525
Delco, PA
Subject: RE: Philly Tri - Worth the Money??
Me personally, I'll be praying the swim doesn't get cancelled. It's short, of course, but the swim is definitely my strongest leg of the race. If it were a dustbin I'd be out of it after the first run portion. With the swim in a triathlon, I'm usually towards the top of the race coming out of it.


2013-05-06 8:20 AM
in reply to: #4713979

User image

Pro
5755
50005001001002525
Subject: RE: Philly Tri - Worth the Money??
Well I wonder if they are having trouble filling it this year? I just got a $15 off coupon. Usually these only show up months in advance.


Edited by BrianRunsPhilly 2013-05-06 8:21 AM
New Thread
General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Philly Tri - Worth the Money?? Rss Feed