opinions on the L.A. Triathlon?

[Susan In La]

[apologies if this has already been covered on RST--I googled but didn't find anything recent]

Any opinions on the Los Angeles Triathlon? I can't decide whether to register. I hate to skip a race
named for my town but it seems expensive, it sounds complicated, and I've heard rumors that it
wasn't run so well in the past.

Thanks in advance for any advice,

Susan in LA

 

[Pernst6000]

I did the LA triathlon the first two years they put it on, in 2000 and 2001.

Because the two transition areas are over 20 miles apart, the race organizers take it upon
themselves to transfer your T1 gear from Venice Beach to downtown
(T2). The first year, I didn't get my gear until 2 1/2 hours after I finished my race. I thought in
2001 they would have their act together, but that year, I didn't get my T1 gear until 2:30 pm,
over 4 1/2 hours after I finished. Also, they had bike catchers in T2 laying bikes down in the
middle of the street because they were overwhelmed by the numbers of people coming into
transition. I stayed away last year, but heard that they mismarked the age-group swim course,
and it was 400 yards short!

For an Olympic-distance event, where there's a good chance the swim course length will be wrong, the
bike course covers rough, pothole riddled roads in desperate need of repair, and you get to hang out
in downtown LA in your race gear for several hours after you're done, I think $ 125.00 is a little
expensive. I'll save my money and do Malibu the following week.

Jeff

 

[Bob Mercier]

[email protected] (PErnst6000) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I did the LA triathlon the first two years they put it on, in 2000 and 2001.
>
> Because the two transition areas are over 20 miles apart, the race organizers take it upon
> themselves to transfer your T1 gear from Venice Beach to downtown
> (T2). The first year, I didn't get my gear until 2 1/2 hours after I finished my race. I thought
> in 2001 they would have their act together, but that year, I didn't get my T1 gear until 2:30
> pm, over 4 1/2 hours after I finished. Also, they had bike catchers in T2 laying bikes down in
> the middle of the street because they were overwhelmed by the numbers of people coming into
> transition. I stayed away last year, but heard that they mismarked the age-group swim course,
> and it was 400 yards short!
>
> For an Olympic-distance event, where there's a good chance the swim course length will be wrong,
> the bike course covers rough, pothole riddled roads in desperate need of repair, and you get to
> hang out in downtown LA in your race gear for several hours after you're done, I think $ 125.00 is
> a little expensive. I'll save my money and do Malibu the following week.
>
> Jeff

I didn't race in 2000 or 2001 but they seemed to have their act a bit more together last year.
While it's true the swim was short everything else seemed perfect. My T1 gear was at the finish
before I was and some of the streets in Hollywood had been paved since the the previous triathlon.
Some, but not all.

For me, a 15 year LA resident, the coolest thing in the world is sailing down the avenues from
Venice to downtown on your bike, in the middle of the road, ignoring all the street lights, with the
police blocking all the intersections. For a bit more than an hour it's better service than the
presidential motorcade receives!

It's 2 days until the race so we'll have to see how things work out this year. Hopefully the swim
will be correct and the T1 gear will be ontime again. It's a great race, especially if you normally
fight the LA traffic all year...

 

[Susan In La]

thanks to everyone who responded...i decided to skip this year's and do malibu and hermosa instead.
if i hear good things after tomorrow i may sign up next year....

"Bob Mercier" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> [email protected] (PErnst6000) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > I did the LA triathlon the first two years they put it on, in 2000 and
2001.
> >
> > Because the two transition areas are over 20 miles apart, the race
organizers
> > take it upon themselves to transfer your T1 gear from Venice Beach to
downtown
> > (T2). The first year, I didn't get my gear until 2 1/2 hours after I
finished
> > my race. I thought in 2001 they would have their act together, but that
year, I
> > didn't get my T1 gear until 2:30 pm, over 4 1/2 hours after I finished.
Also,
> > they had bike catchers in T2 laying bikes down in the middle of the
street
> > because they were overwhelmed by the numbers of people coming into
transition.
> > I stayed away last year, but heard that they mismarked the age-group
swim
> > course, and it was 400 yards short!
> >
> > For an Olympic-distance event, where there's a good chance the swim
course
> > length will be wrong, the bike course covers rough, pothole riddled
roads in
> > desperate need of repair, and you get to hang out in downtown LA in your
race
> > gear for several hours after you're done, I think $ 125.00 is a little expensive. I'll save my
> > money and do Malibu the following week.
> >
> > Jeff
>
>
> I didn't race in 2000 or 2001 but they seemed to have their act a bit more together last year.
> While it's true the swim was short everything else seemed perfect. My T1 gear was at the finish
> before I was and some of the streets in Hollywood had been paved since the the previous triathlon.
> Some, but not all.
>
> For me, a 15 year LA resident, the coolest thing in the world is sailing down the avenues from
> Venice to downtown on your bike, in the middle of the road, ignoring all the street lights, with
> the police blocking all the intersections. For a bit more than an hour it's better service than
> the presidential motorcade receives!
>
> It's 2 days until the race so we'll have to see how things work out this year. Hopefully the swim
> will be correct and the T1 gear will be ontime again. It's a great race, especially if you
> normally fight the LA traffic all year...