Manatees Roar into the 20s! CLOSED (Page 101)

It's quiet around here - is everyone doing okay?? 

This is probably the most quiet the group has ever been!

I got the "priority registration" email for IM Tulsa on May 31, 2021.  I about spit my drink out. 

Since I am a member of the Triathlon Club of Oklahoma City I got the Priority Registration email for the IM Tulsa Race too.  Tulsa is my home town and I communicate with the Tulas Area Triathletes Club (TAT) regularly too and they also all got their Priority Registrations invitations for the IM Tulsa.   The only thing that an RD could do to get me to register for any race more than about 3 weeks out right now is to offer race insurance and a huge Early Bird Discount.  

There was a survey put out by the Tri Club of OKC a few weeks ago asking if people would pay $10 for race insurance if it was offered (for the races that the Tri Club puts on).  If the early bird registration for signing up 12 months out is $275 and the registration for signing up 3 weeks out is $400 and there are four races I want to sign up for I might pay $10 for the possibility of saving $500.  Since 3 out of four of the races are likely to get canceled, without the insurance I will just wait until 3 weeks before the race to register so I can see which race is actually going to take place and which three get canceled.  That way I pay $400 for the race instead of $315 ($275 + $40 for the race insurance), or $1100 without the insurance. 

Note: When the chances of the race taking place were 95%, like they were prior to Covid-19, there was no way I would have paid for race insurance.  I would be out the $275 but I would save that much by not having to pay for transportation to the race, not having to pay for lodging at the race, not having to pay for meals at the race, etc.  So if the event were to be canceled I save money and am financially better off.  My money guy said to never pay insurance for things unless failure to have the insurance will put your or your family in financial ruin.  So...if RD's want to get me to sign up for races early that can give me a huge early bird discount and money-back guaranty, but with no big discounts and no guarantee that the race will happen, they aren't going to have any success trying to get me to sign up early for races right now.  

I feel like with Ironman, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.  They have money for my 2020 race that didn't happen. I'm not giving them more money at this point.  That's without even adding in the face that we have no idea what races will look like. I am not going to qualify for 70.3 worlds or anything, I'm going to the race to as a Manatee Meetup and to socialize with other athletes, to go out to dinner, to have a mini vacation, etc.  Last year I liked seeing Ann-Marie at the finish line and having dinner together.  I liked seeing my tri club teammates at the post race food, and so on and so forth.

Anyway, not to be a Debbie Downer or anything. I just want to know what I am paying for before forking over more money.  I actually am hopeful that we can have another Manatee Meetup.  We just may end up doing it at a venue other than WTC event.

Did you see that Victoria 70.3 is canceled for 2021?

After further discussion and internal evaluation regarding the future of IRONMAN 70.3 Victoria triathlon, we have come to conclusion that we cannot viably operate the event in 2021. IRONMAN officials are working to determine options for possible future events in the region.

You are not the only one confused about what exactly they are signed up for in 2021. I have several EN teammates who were signed up for multiple IM events, some deferred multiple times. They are all confused!  I hope that IM sends out some kind of end of year confirmation.  Unlikely though.

And there goes Memphis 70.3 2020....

we regret to advise that the inaugural St. Jude IRONMAN 70.3 Memphis triathlon cannot take place in 2020 and will now debut on October 2, 2021.

Same. I still plan to re-evaluate in February and select a direction for my 2021 season. Right now, I am happy with being on bike-focus with a bit of running. My not so secret meetup plan is some kind of bike (gravel?) meetup.  Surely we can get 6-10 people together a year from now!

Victoria 70.3 was schedule for May 30, 2021.

I work for NC State University. Like all of the schools in the UNC System, they are opening for face-to-face classes this fall. Students are moving in this week. Already, touch football (no masks or distancing) with spectators (no masks or distancing), entering buildings without masks/distancing. Classes start on Monday.

NC State is I think 80% online with dorms 65% full. Not wearing a mask is a student code of conduct violation. So far, I have heard of no enforcement. I would think the students would be motivated to not have to move back home again but apparently not.

This behavior is not surprising but it is disappointing.

Thankfully, I am still working remotely.

Wow! I think it is the right decision, but am surprised they made it so soon. Even assuming a viable vaccine by January 2021 it will take quite some time to make it, make enough of it, and get it distributed. Too many people know the horror stories of vaccines that weren't tested fully, so, despite the fact that this vaccine (assuming there is one) will have gone through all the tests and steps considered necessary for safety, people will be hesitant to get it until others go first! Then there are the anti-vaxers who are too dumb to take anything regardless , and then on top of that you have people like my secretary who won't get it b/c she doesn't like needles   So, I think we are in for another long year. I hope i'm really wrong though! 

Thanks, i liked that too!  Right now i'm not even thinking about the make-up Choo 70.3 in May. My focus, such as it is, is getting back in shape. On the one hand, it is hard to be motivated to workout so much without a race on the calendar, but on the other hand it is nice not feeling like I have to do anything! Of course, that may be why i've had no luck losing all the weight i gained when on the DL!  

UGH! Seeing the pictures from the GA schools that opened this week with kids huddled together for pictures (no mask) or crammed in hallways (no masks) etc was so disappointing. I can't believe the irresponsible behavior from those supposedly charged with keeping everyone safe. 

Lucky you, I wish i was working remotely!  

Did you see this in The Triathlon Collective FB group? I'm guessing that British Columbia said, "Nope, not gonna do it."  As a BC resident, Kirsten may have some insight.

As we suspected:

The city or governing state agency has to pull the plug to enable Ironman to re - coop insurance on lost expenditures. If Ironman makes the call, they cannot re - coop monies spent.

Permitting is not complete for 2021 (usually starts after the race date passes for the next year), so a date cannot be published yet. By choosing a 2020 race still scheduled that will likely get canceled, you are essentially choosing it for 2021 unless by some stroke of a miracle the race gets pulled off.

In other news, someone may need to explain the NHL round robin and qualifier stuff to me. It's just one round of qualifying?  It's quarter finals after this round?

Also, I'm glad to see that the NHL bubble is holding together.  Fingers crossed that it stays that way.

We need to do a lot better on both the compliance and enforcement fronts.

They did that to Lake Placid 70.3 as well, no race in 2021.  Not sure if it will ever return. 

Yeah, the area visitor's bureau uninvited them or at least said, "That money we paid you before, not gonna happen next year."

My understanding is the top teams of each division already know they are going to be in the playoffs.  For the Eastern Conference, this means Boston, Washington, Tampa Bay, and Philadelphia.  Western Conference is St. Louis, Colorado, Vegas (Kevin can wear his shirt!), and Dallas. The Round Robin part sorts out who will get home team advantage.  The other group of teams are playing to make the playoffs.  Your Canes already beat NYR to make the show.

So the Canes are waiting for the round robin to finish. That's what I thought but the best of five, best of seven, round robin format confused me.

Yes, we are going for Vegas in the west because we each have a shirt.