Awards at race finish

I think that what you are seeing is part of the "homogenization" of our sport. In the old days we
didn't have the masses participating but we did a sort of personality that I'm not sure exists
today. Maybe that is just part of the natural progression, which does have some good sides. Awards
used to be bigger and even more origional. I have several awards that are pieces of hand throw
pottery. I just don't see that like in the good ole days. Heck, I would like a nostalgia race where
I lean the bike against a tree for transition. Good Luck! David Never give up, Be satisfied w/ your
best, Do unto others.....

[email hidden] (David) wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Heck, I would like a nostalgia race where I lean the bike against a tree for transition.

David

Come to our mid-winter triathlon on Sunday 22 June. You get to use a tree as a bike rack if you come
early enough. If you arrive late, then you get to lean it on the grass. Sorry, no awards though, the
only prizes are bananas and chocolate bars and everyone gets some of those. Nostalgia entry fees
too! $NZ10 (approx $US5) or just $NZ5 if you are a club member.

Location: Manly Park, Lawrence St., Whangaparaoa, New Zealand

Start Time 1 pm

Entries on the day from 12:30pm (NO LATE FEES)

Short swim: 200m (as it is cold at this time of year!) Bike 18km - unmarshalled course - obey road
rules Run 4.5km - one lap of the bike course shouldn't get lost!

Cheers

Jeff

Times sure have changed over the years haven't they. The advent of timing chips has taken the
guesswork out of splits and the number of competitors just keeps rising. Sure there are times I long
for the really old days (been at this awesome sport since 1985 too bad I still suck)but things do
change. I recently got to have a chat with my local race director about where our money goes. By the
look of his well used mid 90s pickup I can tell you it isn't going to buy the guy a Porsche. He
started doing some math for me and I couldn't believe how much stuff costs them these days. Even the
stupid zip ties that hold up the race banners adds up when you do ten races a year. The local
governing body tried to double the cost of one day insurance on him last year and rather than fall
inline he fought for the little guy. Couldn't have been easy for either party though. The governing
body lost more than half of its potential income and the director had to cough up for insurance (and
man that aint cheap). If you are an insurance provider and you are going to cover 500+ brand new
athletes doing a race for the first time with all the potential hazards that it entails..how much
are you going to charge? Sure I walked away still wondering where it all went (race entry fees have
doubled since I started way back when)but at least I had a better idea of where some of it went. Not
an easy job trying to make as many of the participants happy and still come away with something for
yourself. Thankfully we now have to race series competing for our time. Both are awesome I might
add. We still get awards (and in the one series your award has your finish line photo on it..how
cool is that) and chip timing. The volunteers we get out for these races are fantastic and the
venues are amazing...and the sponsor prizes are plentiful and incredible. They even have draw prizes
for the volunteers. The price of everything will continue to rise and you will almost always wind up
getting less than you pay for. Not saying I like it..just stating a fact. If any of you US athletes
are looking for some fast competition (not from me though), over scenic courses, with lots of good
prizes and awards, and (with the dollar exchange) still pretty low race entry fees I encourage you
to come on up to Ontario Canada and have a go. We're not really all dying of SARS up here...despite
what the W.H.O. and the media would have you believe. You will most certainly come away with an
award (if you are fast enough) and your moneys worth of racing. A race almost every weekend from now
until mid September. Now if we could only do something about you fast guys eating all the food
before we back of the packers cross the line.

cheers Kent

"Now if we could only do something about you fast guys eating all the food before we back of the
packers cross the line."

That is one universal compensation I can find comfort in. Last year I had an injury that kept me
from training and hence ended up finishing outside of the "food zone". This year it's fat city. Hope
the extra food doesn't affect my future finishing times ;-)

"Kent" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Times sure have changed over the years haven't they. The advent of timing chips has taken the
guesswork out of splits and the number of competitors just keeps rising. Sure there are times I
long for the really old days (been at this awesome sport since 1985 too bad I still suck)but
things do change. I recently got to have a chat with my local race director about where our money
goes. By the look of his well used mid 90s pickup I can tell you it isn't going to buy the guy a
Porsche. He started doing some math for me and I couldn't believe how much stuff costs them these
days. Even the stupid zip ties that hold up the race banners adds up when you do ten races a year.
The local governing body tried to double the cost of one day insurance on him last year and rather
than fall inline he fought for the little guy. Couldn't have been easy for either party though.
The governing body lost more than half of its potential income and the director had to cough up
for insurance (and man that aint cheap). If you are an insurance provider and you are going to
cover 500+ brand new athletes doing a race for the first time with all the potential hazards that
it entails..how much are you going to charge? Sure I walked away still wondering where it all went
(race entry fees have doubled since I started way back when)but at least I had a better idea of
where some of it went. Not an easy job trying to make as many of the participants happy and still
come away with something for yourself. Thankfully we now have to race series competing for our
time. Both are awesome I might add. We still get awards (and in the one series your award has your
finish line photo on it..how cool is that) and chip timing. The volunteers we get out for these
races are fantastic and the venues are amazing...and the sponsor prizes are plentiful and
incredible. They even have draw prizes for the volunteers. The price of everything will continue
to rise and you will almost always wind up getting less than you pay for. Not saying I like
it..just stating a fact. If any of you US athletes are looking for some fast competition (not from
me though), over scenic courses, with lots of good prizes and awards, and (with the dollar
exchange) still pretty low race entry fees I encourage you to come on up to Ontario Canada and
have a go. We're not really all dying of SARS up here...despite what the W.H.O. and the media
would have you believe. You will most certainly come away with an award (if you are fast enough)
and your moneys worth of racing. A race almost every weekend from now until mid September. Now if
we could only do something about you fast guys eating all the food before we back of the packers
cross the line.

cheers Kent

hee, hee....it's how we back of the packers hope to equilise things a bit....we race slowly and
don't get any food....you race fast and often, eat lots of food and get a bit slower!

(actually in the UK you get a banana and a drink if you're lucky!)

"BillX" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Now if we could only do something about you fast guys eating all the food before we back of the
packers cross the line."

That is one universal compensation I can find comfort in. Last year I had an injury that kept me
from training and hence ended up finishing outside

of

Quoted message said:

the "food zone". This year it's fat city. Hope the extra food doesn't affect my future finishing
times ;-)

"Kent" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Times sure have changed over the years haven't they. The advent of timing chips has taken the
guesswork out of splits and the number of competitors just keeps rising. Sure there are times I
long for the really old days (been at this awesome sport since 1985 too bad I still suck)but
things do change. I recently got to have a chat with my local race director about where our
money goes. By the look of his well used mid 90s pickup I can tell you it isn't going to buy the
guy a Porsche. He started doing some math for me and I couldn't believe how much stuff costs
them these days. Even the stupid zip ties that hold up the race banners adds up when you do ten
races a year. The local governing body tried to double the cost of one day insurance on him last
year and rather than fall inline he fought for the little guy. Couldn't have been easy for
either party though. The governing body lost more than half of its potential income and the
director had to cough up for insurance (and man that aint cheap). If you are an insurance
provider and you are going to cover 500+ brand new athletes doing a race for the first time with
all the potential hazards that it entails..how much are you going to charge? Sure I walked away
still wondering where it all went (race entry fees have doubled since I started way back
when)but at least I had a better idea of where some of it went. Not an easy job trying to make
as many of the participants happy and still come away with something for yourself. Thankfully we
now have to race series competing for our time. Both are awesome I might add. We still get
awards (and in the one series your award has your finish line photo on it..how cool is that) and
chip timing. The volunteers we get out for these races are fantastic and the venues are
amazing...and the sponsor prizes are plentiful and incredible. They even have draw prizes for
the volunteers. The price of everything will continue to rise and you will almost always wind up
getting less than you pay for. Not saying I like it..just stating a fact. If any of you US
athletes are looking for some fast competition (not from me though), over scenic courses, with
lots of good prizes and awards, and (with the dollar exchange) still pretty low race entry fees
I encourage you to come on up to Ontario Canada and have a go. We're not really all dying of
SARS up here...despite what the W.H.O. and the media would have you believe. You will most
certainly come away with an award (if you are fast enough) and your moneys worth of racing. A
race almost every weekend from now until mid September. Now if we could only do something about
you fast guys eating all the food before we back of the packers cross the line.

cheers Kent