[email protected] wrote:
> I am part of a team whose responsibility is to put together a great
> triathlon event for both athletes and spectators. Here are my
> questions:
>
> 1) What are some good resources for getting the word out on our
> Triathlon?
There are several websites that have calendars of triathlons, typically
broken down by region and date. They are always happy to post your
information. Just do a Goggle search for triathlon calendar.
>
> 2) What are tri-athletes and spectators looking for on a triathlon
> related website?
>
If you have a website, KEEP IT CURRENT! If there is a link to contact
someone regarding the race, check it every day! You'll want to have a
good description of your event. Include distances for each leg of the
event and a description of the course (hilly, flat, urban, etc). it's
best if you can have maps with elevation profiles. If it were me, I'd
post the water temperature at the race site daily as the event
approaches. Pictures of the courses and local area are great to find on
a race website.
Include links to area attractions, lodging, dining, etc.
> 3) What are some activities we can host that spectators can enjoy on
> race day?
It's been my experience that most spectators are there to watch their
athlete. Try to keep them informed about what is going on, like where
the leaders are on the course.
>
> 4) Have you ever seen something at a Triathlon that made you remember
> it in a positive or negative way?
Lots of people think that in order to have fun, you have to keep the
event low key. I don't like to see a relaxed Race Director; it means
that he or she isn't focused enough on the event. I want an event where
the people are friendly, but I want an accurately measured event. I
want transition zone security. folksy is great, but it has to be backed
up by a professionally run event.
>
> 5) If you could create your own triathlon, what would you do to make it
> a great experience?
Make it safe first. Have lots of boats in the water. Alert locals so
that they know a race will be taking place on their local roads. Have
police at key intersections directing traffic. Have lots of volunteers
on the coarse in brightly-colored vests for traffic control and to
direct the athletes.
Design a cool T-shirt. Have something good to eat after the event for
the athletes and volunteers. Good, well-trained volunteers will make
your event special. Make sure that they know where they are on the
course. You don't want a volunteer telling athletes that they are
almost there if they still have a mile to go on the run.
Have plenty of water and aid at the aid stations, and have enough
volunteers to hand out the aid if a group of runners comes through at
the same time.
>
> 6) What are some things that sponsors can do to show tri-athletes that
> they really care and make the event a better one?
>
> Thanks in advance!
You're welcome. Thank you for putting on a race! It isn't an easy
thing to do. It will consume your time and energy and possibly make you
lose sleep. but in the end, you'll make a ton of new friends and make a
lot of people happy.
Get lots of help; it'll make it easier. My wife Jan and I put on an
event for several years before handing it off. It was gratifying to
race in it this year in its fifteenth year and to see that something
that we started fifteen years ago has become a part of the fabric of our
community. I hope you have the same success!
Bob
