Rev 3 Williamsburg

check out some BT reviews:

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/Races/Reports/link-details.aspx?id=48903

I did the Olympic last year.  I will tell you, the logistics were a bit of a mess, but I attribute this mostly to it being the first year.  Here were the 2 big problems I saw:

1.  There are two different transition areas, so in the morning, everyone had to drop off gear at T2 and ride a shuttle bus to the swim start/T1 area.  It is about 8 miles down to the swim start, I think.  There weren't enough buses, so there was a looooooong line waiting to ride to the swim start, resulting in many people just barely making it in time for their swim.  Very stressful.

2.  After the swim, racers were to leave their wetsuits and swim stuff in a bag at T1, and Rev3 was going to transport these bags back to the finish line so that you could re-claim your wetsuit after the race.  What they didn't account for was that there were many road closures due to the race, and therefore the traffic trying to get back to the race finish was impossible.  So, they couldn't get the bags back to the finish area, and everyone had to wait around for several hours after the race to get their stuff.

I am told that these issues are being addressed for next year and will not happen again.  I am willing to give it another shot--I like the course, and it is a nice time of year to be in Williamsburg.  I can't speak to timeshares, but I will tell you that there is a Great Wolf Lodge there that is a huge waterpark resort.  That would be great for a family.  It isn't cheap, though, so be warned.  Busch Gardens and Water Country USA are also good family activities.

in a word, ugh.  It was a horribly run race, but it was a first year race.  I was there and ready to board the shuttle at 5:30, with my wave at 6:50.  The line was about 3 blocks long b/c they were letting EVERYONE on, spectators and Olympic folks, that were going 15 minutes after all the half people went.  I finally boarded at 6:30 (yes an hour later) and then threw on my wetsuit and sprinted to the beach, getting there right at 6:40.  Well, lo and behold they delayed the race 30 minutes but didn't communicate that to anyone.  That was about the most stressed out I've ever been prerace.

Then, they had us swim in a triangular pattern.  Halfs were to go out to the farthest buoy, which was a little past what the Oly people did.  The oly people were starting 15 minutes after and swimming a shorter triangle.  Needless to say, it was a perfect storm of everyone hitting the second to last buoy on the way back b/c the half people met up with the Oly people. Worse was that people in the half were also just swimming the Oly course and no one stopped them b/c who could tell??

The run was not my favorite.  Two loops, with each loop doing an out and back and passing by the finish line 3 times. 

I have also done Patriots half in Williamsburg and that was immensely better. I'm sure the race will be better this year, but it was abysmal last year.

i've never done a HIM but as a local, I would pick patriot's over rev3 any day.  patriots has the same swim course, a bike course out in the country, and a run course that isn't mind-numbingly boring (where i did many of my long runs while marathon training).  it's run by setup which is smaller but this event is one of their most popular and well run.  and the sprint is on a different day!  september also has much better weather.  generally hot by run time, but not nearly as hot as june, and water is USUALLY wetsuit legal by race day.  in terms of tourism - busch is still open and less crowded, same with colonial williamsburg, beach is still wonderful (about 1 hour to va beach in september, in june, don't even attempt the drive).  as far as lodging - everything is expensive.  for food - everything is boring.  any chain restaurant you want, you will find it, but that's about it.  for scenery - it's a pretty beautiful place to be.

Update:

I just saw that they posted the course maps for the "improved" race this year.  They moved T2 to a park with athletic fields that is a bit away from Colonial Williamsburg.  However, the courses are now a major downgrade, in my opinion.  The bike has a long portion on Route 60, which is a pretty major road.  Not sure if they are closing a traffic lane or what, but that will be an interesting ride.

Also, the run for the half distance is now 4 loops.  Yes, you read that correctly.

the bike course is a big improvement, i think.  more of the roads local cyclists actually use, and out of the way of tourism and traffic.  that stretch of 60 is 4 lanes and very low traffic.

the run course.....wow.  talk about torture.