Southern California - Tinsel Triathlon - December 9, 2007 (5k run, 12 mile bike, 150m swim)

www.tinseltriathlon.com

Who's going? :)

Routeslip for the bike portion:
http://www.routeslip.com/routes/66437

About 85 feet of climbing spread out over 12 miles (60 feet of it is within 4 miles which is ~ 0.3% grade if you're worried).

I'm planning on racing along with 1 other friend at least (still trying to convice my other friends to do it). Anyone else? Happytime?

Just gotta hit the pool and treadmill afew times and i'll be set. :D

I'm out. It's fun to dress up and do silly things (like the run backwards), but they raised the prices this year and it's not really worth what they're asking. Although jumping into the pool in full costume has to be done at least once!
Plus, I'd rather stay up late the night before for the BF holiday party. :p

Ah, yeah the entry fee did go up... I think it was only $40 last year.

I'm trying to figure out what to wear though. Maybe i'll do my best bicycle messenger impersonation and wear my Endura shants/knickers along with my TT helmet and see who i can embarass out there. :lol:

I think it was even lower than that (I seem to remember it as $30 or $35). Either way, a jump to $55 seems a bit excessive, esp. since the "race" is in the middle of nowhere. :rolleyes:
Anyhoo, it's still a fun event. Take lots of pics!!!

I'm out. It's fun to dress up and do silly things (like the run backwards), but they raised the prices this year and it's not really worth what they're asking.

Just out of curiosity, what makes an event "worth the price."

Being in the event organizing business, it's interesting to hear the perspective of participants. However, most folks (and I mean absolutely NO disrespect here), have no idea what it takes to put on an event.

Speaking of pricing, in spite of significantly raising costs, Planet Ultra is NOT going to raise our entry fees for 2008; but we see that many other events have. For example, the Solvang Century will be $65 for 2008 (up from $60 in 2007 and from $50 in 2006).

And on a similar matter -
ALL bikes have a frame, two wheels, some gears a chain, and other miscellaneous components. You can buy one for under $1000 that weighs 25-30lbs; or you can spend $5,000-$10,000 (or MORE) on a bike that weighs ten pounds less. That's a LOT OF MONEY per pound! Do riders consider the PER HOUR cost of an event? How about the PER HOUR time it takes to plan it and then host it???

:-)
Just curious...

It depends on alot of things. One thing is convenience. Hemet is quite a drive for someone like Happytime though i am about 30-45 minutes closer. Unless it's something special, driving distance to an event does make a difference (which can be offset by a relatively low entry fee).

Then there's personal budget constraints to consider. Not everybody can or wants to drop ~$100+ per month on events. However i generally have no problem spending ~$100 for races close to home (Bonelli Triathlon series is one example).

I think $55 is really close to pushing the entry fee limit of the Tinsel Triathlon which may deter some participants from making the drive.

Just out of curiosity, what makes an event "worth the price."


No problem, Deb. I think of organized tris and cycling events as two different types of events. When I say this particular race is not "worth it" to me, it's because of various factors.

This particular race is a "fun" event, not a super competitive triathlon, and therefore I don't think it should be priced as such. There is no bearing on USAT rankings, no open water swim, no pre- or post-race food, no after-party. It's a reverse tri with a pool swim that most can dog-paddle (and do!). In short, it's a FUN, neighborhood tri that's not taken very seriously by most triathletes.

Secondly, I would understand the costs of triathlon when it comes to street closures, permits, insurance, lifeguards, medical, etc. The only street closures in Hemet are for a very short time, in the middle of (pardon the expression) BFE, and has none of the apparent expenses of other tri events. I compare the cost of this race ($55) to last month's Subaru Women's triathlon ($36 supersprint/$66 sprint), an event in a major metropolitan city that included an ocean swim and a post-race party; or Oxnard's Strawberry Fields Tri ($65), with is a huge event and offers tons of support/food.

At $35 (I think was the cost last year) I thought this tri was a fun diversion. But when they start pricing themselves among the ranks of the major area tris, I want a little more bang for my buck. And yeah, like Henry said, it's a little far to drive for that.

I wanted to do it as my first-ever tri as swimming in the pool sure beats swimming in the ocean, and I've actually began doing some laps at my gym - but just mapquested it and it's 74 miles away. So I think I'll pass, and postpone my tri-goal of tri-ing (pun intended) at least one until next year.

Since I can't even pool swim without my Speedtube on, I don't think a reverse tri is in my cards. Especially all the way up in Hemet, when I can do the monthly Tri Club San Diego Club race at Fiesta Island on the 17th as my first tri. Labeled as a Super-Sprint - 500m swim bay swim, 12 mile bike, 2 mile run. And I can't beat the price - free to club memebers!

I pull my speedtube on over my tri-shorts while on the way to the pool. :D

Bump!

Dammit, looks like rain on sunday... :(

Is it just me, or does a 150m swim seem really (I mean really) short? That's only 3 laps in a 25m pool, right? Or am I missing something.

I'm not criticizing at all, I just don't know how it works. Is it starting on the beach and heading out 75m, turning at a bouy and coming back? Still seems short.

The swim is really short. 3 lengths of a huge 50m (heated) pool. :D

The other events i've done usually have a 300m or 500m swim in open water.