General Discussion Triathlon Talk » 3D events Rss Feed  
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2013-05-30 5:47 PM

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Subject: 3D events
How are the 3D events? Are put on well? what kinda reputation do they have?


2013-05-30 7:54 PM
in reply to: coreycs

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, Michigan
Subject: RE: 3D events
My experiences have been good. Well organized, friendly staff, great post race food, etc.... essentially, they have the basics covered. However, a timing issue I had in a race last year, despite repeated emails,, calls, etc... was not handled, and that left a bit of a sour taste. Also, if big packs of drafting cyclists flying past you at 25 mph bothers you, prepare to be bothered. I've seen little to no enforcement of drafting accountability from the race officials. I'm sure they do the best they can, but it does get old when you're following the rules. Overall I rate them as B+
2013-05-30 9:28 PM
in reply to: coreycs

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Jenison, MI
Subject: RE: 3D events
The only 3D event I've done has been Ludington for the past 3 years. I have thought it was very well organized. Beyond that, I love the course, which is flat and fast and makes for some potential PRs at the end of the summer. I'll be there this year for the sprint again. Missed the podium in my AG last year by a few seconds when my buddy and I sprinted down the chute together but he had more in his legs than I did. Looking for redemption this year!
2013-05-31 5:00 AM
in reply to: coreycs

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Livonia, MI
Subject: RE: 3D events
I've raced with them many times in the past 5 or 6 years and they do put on a ton of events. I always get a sense that they want newer athletes to feel really comfortable with everything. They're probably the biggest race company in MI and they have the experience having put on dozens of races each year. I generally have only good things to say about their races.
2013-05-31 6:09 AM
in reply to: noelle1230

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Subject: RE: 3D events

I've done a couple races with them and would give them a "C".   The first race with them the course wasn't clearly marked and so folks went short and finish times were all over the place.   The other race they ran out of any good post race food so us BOPers got nothing but a bag of Cheetos.    Frown   I did get a response when I emailed them, though.    There's a lot of choices of races in my area so I've generally looked for events put on others.  

 

2013-05-31 8:17 AM
in reply to: bswcpa

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Subject: RE: 3D events
I am East Tawas' liaison for the 3D Festival (I coordinate communication between the community, businesses, and 3D). I work closely with the company to put on the event. I can tell you that their primary objective to make sure the event is a safe and positive experience for everyone. I can't tell you how many times I have heard Kenny talk about athlete safety and how something would affect their experience. They are the biggest company in the state and deal with thousands of athletes, so not everyone will be happy. In comparison to the events I have raced put on by some of the other companies, I think they put on a good race and have had a better overall experience. They don't have the resources that Rev 3 or WTC have, but they also don't charge as much as those companies either. I am not good enough to worry about coming in first, so even though I don't like cheaters, the drafting has never affected my experience. I can also say I've seen that problem at non 3d races too, and nothing was done about it.


2013-05-31 8:48 AM
in reply to: 0


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Subject: RE: 3D events
I've generally liked the races I've done with them, my only issue is their attitude toward the "small things." I was at a race a couple years ago billed as a beginner tri. All morning they were making announcements about the raffle they were gonna have after the race. Well after the race, when all these beginners, many at their first race, are waiting for the raffle they announce, "sorry no raffle, this event had a lower entry fee so we're not doing it." Talk about a lot of pissed off people. All they had to do is give away something cheap, one thing and people would have been happy! That's just one example, their constant bad mouthing of the other event companys is another turn off for me too. So, if you just care about the race, they're ok in my book, however if I have a choice I usually prefer to race other events.

In full disclosure, I have to say I'm racing for tri to finish this year...

Edited by rontroversy 2013-05-31 8:54 AM
2013-06-01 6:22 PM
in reply to: coreycs

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Subject: RE: 3D events

There seems to be quite a few folks that usually respond to this type of post with a lot of negatives.

As mentioned there is absolutely no drafting enforcement and it's a well known fact.  I watched one of there trucks follow 3 guys in a pace line at Tawas in the past and there was no infraction.  At least I passed all three on the run.  I don't think they even have a spot to put penalties up if there were any.  One year I had one of the top women draft off my tail for several miles on the way back in to town.  Last year the excuse was the motorcycle volunteers didn't show up.

In Tawas 2010 I found it frustrating to come out of the water in a good spot because of rough water which I enjoy only to get chewed up by blatant pace lines.  Am I going to win?  Absolutely not but I may have placed.  Cheaters suck and 3D doesn't do anything about it.

The only real issue I have otherwise is they changed from Active this year which I had a Advantage Membership so my fees were nil or real reduced to another company so there half iron now cost over $193 and I can't figure out why there charging over $100 more for the half vs the Oly since there are plenty of Oly runners still out on the course when I'm running not to mention there is no police on the course to pay overtime to.  The only extra is a hoodie for Half finisher's which are normally a bit feminine in color choices so I give it to my wife.  For $200 I can sign up early for some IM brand 70.3's or even Beach to Battleship Half and you should see the logistics involved with that event, I've been there for the full and was impressed.

We enjoy the town thus the reason we do it every year except for the first.  If my schedule works out I'll be there again this year and begrudgingly pay the ridiculous fees for the four of us in our family that race it. 

Overall I wouldn't hesitate to do there events, they have some hiccups but over the years I've seen other company's mess things up to.  My whining has to do with overall cost and fees. 

2013-06-02 11:24 AM
in reply to: rottieguy

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Subject: RE: 3D events
I am hoping that they read this and take some of this as advice. I hate that they won't start any awards or really any post-race activities until the very last person is done. I really appreciate that they are inclusive and that they don't short-change the late finishers. I am not looking down on anyone, regardless of their finish time. But to have to wait 2-3 hours for the awards to start is just silly. I usually have things planned with the family on race days and spending all of that extra time at the venue just doesn't fly.

I suspect that if you were to ask people finishing at the back of the pack if they wanted everyone to wait for them, they would likely say, "no".

Plus, if you hold the awards near the finish line, it ensures a captive audience of cheerleaders as people finish their races.
2013-06-09 9:53 PM
in reply to: wannabefaster


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Subject: RE: 3D events
If you look around at 3d events they look the most professional for any sprint and oly distance races in the state. I have done many events and when I sign up for their events I know what I am getting. 3d races are clearly marked and safe. There are many tri's where small fixes would make things much safer, in most cases there is never a problem so things are never changed. Aside from a few people running on the wrong side of the road I have never worried about my safety at a 3d event. I agree there is drafting but there is drafting at almost every event from Steelhead to back yard tri's. If you have never done Ludington or South Haven they are great courses and would be good places to see what their races are like.
2013-06-09 11:20 PM
in reply to: Swimmer98

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Subject: RE: 3D events
I disagree.
While I still will come back and do a 3D event on the rare occasion, I do not believe at all they are the most professional or the safest... AT ALL.
In fact, those are the things that keep me away from 3D events. The last event I did; the Motor City Triathlon, didn't feel safe at all. The race before that wasn't marked well at all. While the races do run, Element Events and Epic Races, specifically, are *much more* professional.
Since 3D was one of the first in the market, they still have a corner on some really great locations and dates for races. That will keep me coming back when I have few options in my calendar.
But when EE and Epic races have more races in their repertoire, I will always go with them. They are both safer and more professional. They don't always match 3D or other companies in other aspects, but they surpass 3D and several others in the important categories: safety and professionalism.


2013-06-10 9:55 AM
in reply to: xrodolfox

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Subject: RE: 3D events

Originally posted by xrodolfox I disagree. While I still will come back and do a 3D event on the rare occasion, I do not believe at all they are the most professional or the safest... AT ALL. In fact, those are the things that keep me away from 3D events. The last event I did; the Motor City Triathlon, didn't feel safe at all. The race before that wasn't marked well at all. While the races do run, Element Events and Epic Races, specifically, are *much more* professional. Since 3D was one of the first in the market, they still have a corner on some really great locations and dates for races. That will keep me coming back when I have few options in my calendar. But when EE and Epic races have more races in their repertoire, I will always go with them. They are both safer and more professional. They don't always match 3D or other companies in other aspects, but they surpass 3D and several others in the important categories: safety and professionalism.

Over the years I've experienced about every problem you can have with them:

Poor customer service

Inaccurate distances

Poorly marked courses

Unsafe conditions

Blatant disregard of non-drafting rules

And yet I come back to a few (Interlochen, Ludington) because they are the only outfit running an event in the city I want to race. 

To be fair, the Ludington event has been quite smooth the past few years outside of drafting and non-response to emails (customer service).

2013-06-10 11:38 AM
in reply to: #4761950


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Subject: RE: 3D events
What about motor city made you feel it was not safe? What year did you do it? I know several people racing it this weekend will be interested to hear what they think of it.
2013-06-10 12:43 PM
in reply to: Swimmer98

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Subject: RE: 3D events
Originally posted by Swimmer98

What about motor city made you feel it was not safe? What year did you do it? I know several people racing it this weekend will be interested to hear what they think of it.


Yes, me included, since I'll be participating as well.
2013-06-11 2:51 PM
in reply to: Swimmer98

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Plymouth, MI
Subject: RE: 3D events
Originally posted by Swimmer98

What about motor city made you feel it was not safe? What year did you do it? I know several people racing it this weekend will be interested to hear what they think of it.


I did the Motor City Sprint last summer. I bike and run a lot on Belle Isle and love it. During that race I felt VERY unsafe on the bike. There was a lot of drafting and no enforcement of the rules. I don't appreciate getting passed by a peloton during a Tri...especially when it's an open course. So I had cars passing me on my right and large groups of drafting bikers passing on my left. Not fun! In addition, the bike start was very chaotic as you were joining racers already doing their loop. On my second loop I came very close to crashing with bikers who were just starting. The volunteers were not helping direct bike traffic nor was there clear marking to help us. The same thing for the turn into T2. The turn was poorly marked and you had to cross over a lane of bike traffic without any clear direction from 3D staff.

I've raced a few 3D events and have been unimpressed. The courses are poorly marked and the staff only seems to care about the racers at the front of the pack. I would love to do a tri on Belle Isle again...but not with 3D.
2013-06-11 2:51 PM
in reply to: Swimmer98

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Plymouth, MI
Subject: RE: 3D events
Originally posted by Swimmer98

What about motor city made you feel it was not safe? What year did you do it? I know several people racing it this weekend will be interested to hear what they think of it.


I did the Motor City Sprint last summer. I bike and run a lot on Belle Isle and love it. During that race I felt VERY unsafe on the bike. There was a lot of drafting and no enforcement of the rules. I don't appreciate getting passed by a peloton during a Tri...especially when it's an open course. So I had cars passing me on my right and large groups of drafting bikers passing on my left. Not fun! In addition, the bike start was very chaotic as you were joining racers already doing their loop. On my second loop I came very close to crashing with bikers who were just starting. The volunteers were not helping direct bike traffic nor was there clear marking to help us. The same thing for the turn into T2. The turn was poorly marked and you had to cross over a lane of bike traffic without any clear direction from 3D staff.

I've raced a few 3D events and have been unimpressed. The courses are poorly marked and the staff only seems to care about the racers at the front of the pack. I would love to do a tri on Belle Isle again...but not with 3D.


2013-06-11 10:47 PM
in reply to: kathmich

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Subject: RE: 3D events
Originally posted by kathmich

Originally posted by Swimmer98

What about motor city made you feel it was not safe? What year did you do it? I know several people racing it this weekend will be interested to hear what they think of it.


I did the Motor City Sprint last summer. I bike and run a lot on Belle Isle and love it. During that race I felt VERY unsafe on the bike. There was a lot of drafting and no enforcement of the rules. I don't appreciate getting passed by a peloton during a Tri...especially when it's an open course. So I had cars passing me on my right and large groups of drafting bikers passing on my left. Not fun! In addition, the bike start was very chaotic as you were joining racers already doing their loop. On my second loop I came very close to crashing with bikers who were just starting. The volunteers were not helping direct bike traffic nor was there clear marking to help us. The same thing for the turn into T2. The turn was poorly marked and you had to cross over a lane of bike traffic without any clear direction from 3D staff.

I've raced a few 3D events and have been unimpressed. The courses are poorly marked and the staff only seems to care about the racers at the front of the pack. I would love to do a tri on Belle Isle again...but not with 3D.


I also raced the Motor City Spring Last Summer.

I also normally do Belle Isle on weekdays.

I also felt totally unsafe on the bike course. I am a fast swimmer and fast cyclist, and they put our group very last to start. That meant that right form the swim, I was running right over two or three groups. Right over them. Not fun for me or anyone else.

Then I hopped on the bike, and I was in the middle of traffic. I stayed to left to pass people, but since it was two loops with a bunch of people going different speeds, it was a mess. People would go right in front of me going very slow. People drafting would go super fast weaving in and out of traffic. I was forced to weave all over the place on my second loop to keep pace, and I hated every minute of it. My TT bike isn't made for pelotons, and neither am I.

That was the last race. The course was nice. The organization, IMHO, wasn't. I personally find the 3D people to be nice, but not exceptional in customer service like a few other places. They say they have a great spread, but as a vegan, I find nothing to eat there at all unlike more modest post-race meals elsewhere... and that's 3D's advertising. They should focus on running the actual race well instead.

If it is a small race, with a single loop, I may do a 3D event again. But if there's a race by Element Events or Epic Races that I can do instead, I'm doing one of those instead.
2013-06-18 9:21 AM
in reply to: coreycs

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Subject: RE: 3D events
I have only participated in one 3D race and I will never one again. Several years ago I signed up for the Lansing Legislator sprint. On the website they mentioned they had cleaned up the lake and there was little to no seaweed in the lake compared to the year prior. During the swim I was completely consumed by seaweed to the point that it was wrapped around both arms and could not move. I panicked and yelled for help but no one came to my rescue. Next, I stared taking chocking in water and going under. There was about a 30 second period where I honestly thought I was going to drown. Some how, I managed to free myself and swim out to deeper water and the rest of the race was OK. The thing that upset me was they specifically mentioned there was no seaweed and it was completely false. I was new to triathlons at the time, didn't have a wetsuit, and it was a short swim so I thought it was the perfect race.

In addition, I found the people running the race were very authoritative to the point of being obnoxious about the times you needed to leave the transition areas, ect. For example, after I finished the race I have to wait for the last runner of the OLY run to cross the finish line (of the run) before we were allowed to collect our bikes. I had to wait around for 2 hrs before i could leave. Finally, the food was horrible (what was left of it). All of the fruit was gone. There were sandwiches which consisted of two pieces of white bread with one piece of deli meat in the middle most of which were gone.
2013-06-18 10:38 AM
in reply to: jameski20

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Subject: RE: 3D events

Originally posted by jameski20 I have only participated in one 3D race and I will never one again. Several years ago I signed up for the Lansing Legislator sprint. On the website they mentioned they had cleaned up the lake and there was little to no seaweed in the lake compared to the year prior. During the swim I was completely consumed by seaweed to the point that it was wrapped around both arms and could not move. I panicked and yelled for help but no one came to my rescue. Next, I stared taking chocking in water and going under. There was about a 30 second period where I honestly thought I was going to drown. Some how, I managed to free myself and swim out to deeper water and the rest of the race was OK. The thing that upset me was they specifically mentioned there was no seaweed and it was completely false. I was new to triathlons at the time, didn't have a wetsuit, and it was a short swim so I thought it was the perfect race. In addition, I found the people running the race were very authoritative to the point of being obnoxious about the times you needed to leave the transition areas, ect. For example, after I finished the race I have to wait for the last runner of the OLY run to cross the finish line (of the run) before we were allowed to collect our bikes. I had to wait around for 2 hrs before i could leave. Finally, the food was horrible (what was left of it). All of the fruit was gone. There were sandwiches which consisted of two pieces of white bread with one piece of deli meat in the middle most of which were gone.

Yikes, that's terrible regarding you not feeling like you had support in the water when you needed it.  I hate hearing about things like that.

However, I can't sympathize with some of the other complaints I've been seeing in these two 3D threads.  For one thing, small lakes will have seaweed.  RD's can try to clean *some* of it out but there's really no way to guarantee that you won't run into some at any of the small lakes while racing.  You really have to practice and be comfortable out there, seaweed or not.  At many races you'll see people coming out of the water looking like the swamp thing.  That's just what lake swimming is.

As for not being let into transition, you have to be considerate of other racers.  How would you like it if you were trying to bike or run in or out of transition only to be held up by people casually corralling their stuff out and blocking the way?

Same can be said about awards.  I know most RD's don't wait until every single person is done racing, but I would just hate to be trying my hardest to finish a race and feeling like the event is already essentially "over".

And the food?  I really don't feel like I'm paying for a race for the food.  I bring my own post race food because I know what I want to eat when I'm done and I'm not relying on anyone else but me to make sure I have what I want when I want it.  If there's something at the race that I do want to eat, great.  If not, oh well.  It's not a picnic, it's a race.  It's great to have quick and easy carbs/hydration which most races do with water, electrolyte drinks, bananas, etc.  Do we really need to have gourmet pizza or fancy sandwiches?  I've never understood how people can race that hard and want to eat a bunch of heavy food right away anyway--my tummy usually feels a little off for a good few hours.

Things like not feeling safe in the water or on the course, the course being not well marked or off, not being informed of important info, those are legitimate gripes.  The rest of the stuff just seems a little petty.

2013-06-19 8:43 PM
in reply to: #4772073


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Subject: RE: 3D events
Noelle, I agree with you 100%. It seems people expect a sprint or oly try to be on par with ironman events. We pay between 60 and 90 dollars depending on when you sign up. I don't expect the world just a race with a nice course. If people want all these extras sign up for an ironman or rev 3 and pay 295 to 695. With those kind of prices they give you a whole meal the next day.
2013-06-23 7:35 AM
in reply to: Swimmer98

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Subject: RE: 3D events
Originally posted by Swimmer98

Noelle, I agree with you 100%. It seems people expect a sprint or oly try to be on par with ironman events. We pay between 60 and 90 dollars depending on when you sign up. I don't expect the world just a race with a nice course. If people want all these extras sign up for an ironman or rev 3 and pay 295 to 695. With those kind of prices they give you a whole meal the next day.


It'd be one thing if no one provided good races for $90 for a sprint... but there's several other companies that do. They just didn't get to start first and have worse dates/locations.

If 3D was as good as it got, then your argument might make sense.


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