While waiting in line to gather belongings out of transition after the race, I took a few minutes to chat with some of my 9,000 fellow participants in both the sprint and the olympic distance races and pulled together a few highlights of what they had to say...
Dear Lifetime Chicago Triathlon,
Congratulations on another successful year of putting on a large-scale, world class triathlon! For a triathlon with an army of people participating, the overall logistics were executed exceptionally well. Porta-potties--while inevitably foul--were plentiful. The large field added a unique flavor. There was a seemingly flawless execution and everything started on time! And the post race celebration was so fun! For all that and more, we thank you.
As with any major event, we hope you continue to strive for excellence each and every year. And to help make future Chicago Triathlons as awesome, if not moreso than today's event, we wanted to share a little bit of feedback with you. It's most certainly not a complaint at all (no joke, everyone we talked to gushed over how well run the day was!), but rather some "fresh off the farm" thoughts for consideration for the upcoming years.
(Keep reading after the jump!)
- If there is any way to get a few additional bike techs for before and during the race, that would help ease the mind of athletes experiencing last minute technical difficulties. With a long line and only two bike techs assisting the athletes, there is a huge opportunity to reach out and gain the support of local multisport shops like Mox, Element, Running Away and Runners High 'n Tri. Local experts can help get their name out. Anxious athletes will be a bit more relaxed knowing they're being helped quickly. It's a win-win situation for everyone!
- While the swim itself is wonderful, not too crowded and with ideal temperatures (at least this year it was), several mentioned it would have been nice to have water made available from the mad dash from the swim exit into T1. And speaking of the mad dash...that nice little rocky spot where you go from the running path up into transition, any chance we could get some additional carpet laid down here? I have a nice little slice on my toe as a result...and I'm pretty sure I've got an old roll of carpet to donate to the cause if necessary.
- The bike was great and never felt crowded in spite of the several thousand athletes who made their way through the course. Additional bike mechanics/SAG were suggested on the course...as well as finding a way to dial back the wind (never fear, I told that Texan he was on his own with dealing with requests for Mother Nature).
- The run course is wonderful and provides great views of the city all while being flooded with truly awesome crowd support. With this, however, the athletes I spoke with all agreed there could have been additional mile signage on the run. But while I was spectating, I noticed that a good chunk of spectators who were waiting around the swim start were completely oblivious that they were standing on the actual run course. Adding flags every 50 yards or so would really help bring awareness to the run course, so spectators can keep out of the line of fire and help keep athletes focused on the race rather than playing a personal game of "frogger" throughout the run.
- Checking out of transition was a bit of a mess. The line of several hundred people did move relatively fast and athletes were still in really good spirits, however please consider a separate point of entry for the Olympic distance athletes to expedite the process. The sprint bike racks are completely separate from the international distance, so bringing athletes in 20 in at a time seemed a bit silly. We're all for organization and decorum (and with a race this size, it's absolutely necessary), but please make sure it's done in a thoughtful manner so everyone can get their belongings in a timely and orderly fashion.
- A special section for tri newbies either on the website or in the expo bags could be helpful. The Chicago Triathlon is the first rodeo for many athletes and spectators alike. Detailing the do's, don'ts, and first timer tips would be truly valuable. Also, providing course maps with the expo bags with suggestions on the best places to see your athlete would no doubt be invaluable for the spectators (I counted at least ten people who asked me personally where the finish line was).
- And finally. Can we discuss directional signage? For the athletes, it was spot on. But a handful of people commented that it'd be really nice for spectators to see arrows toward the finish line (or transition, run course, etc.) in the Grant Park area. Or perhaps using well-informed "Info Volunteers" on every street corner similar to how the Chicago Marathon has resources the morning of the race? Granted, most people were generally smart enough to figure it out (eventually), but it certainly would be helpful and a welcomed resource if you can get the manpower behind this.
As a whole, we truly LOVED our race experience and look forward to returning to the Chicago Triathlon in the future to set new personal bests and cheer on our friends. No doubt, the event is a ten out of ten and we can't wait to see it continue to improve in the future to become even more epically awesome.
All our love,
The 2010 Chicago Triathlon Athletes
Did you race this weekend and have a suggestion on how to make the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon even MORE awesome? Leave a comment and let us know! Participant feedback is always valued by race organizers and it is your thoughts that ultimately help improve the race for future triathletes.
Plus, check back over the next day or two for pictures and a full recap on how TEAM AWESOME (or should I say Team Threesome?!) threw down in the relay!
Filed under: Chicago Happenings, Sports
Tags: Chicago Triathlon, Element Multisport, Events, Lifetime, Mox Multisport, Runners High 'n Tri, Running Away Multisport, Spectators, Triathlon
I don't think this "open letter" should represent all of the triathletes who competed yesterday. I've heard much harsher complaints (including my own) than what was listed. One major complaint: How about volunteers stick around the transition area until all participants retrieve their equipment AND only let in the athletes? I picked up my stuff around 1:30pm and no one was checking bracelets at transition as well as checking that gear matched the athlete. I could have easily walked out with a pro's bike. Easily. Second complaint, maybe you wouldn't have run out of towels if the volunteers at the finish line didn't keep a bunch for themselves. I asked for a towel when I finished and the volunteer simply told me "we ran out" as he draped himself with 1 and whipped his friends with another. Thirdly, I understand running low on supplies but I don't understand and appreciate volunteers stirring gatorade with their hands. Thanks.
Dolphingirl - This letter certainly is not intended to be representative of *all* the athletes from yesterday. Like I said in the opening, I spoke with a handful of athletes and spectators and simply asked "If you could change one thing to make the race even more awesome, what would you like to see done differently." What you see above is a collection of their responses and ideas on how to make the event better for the future--not a complaint letter.
I am sorry if your experience with the race was not as positive as the athletes I spoke with. And your experience with transition check out was quite unfortunate and nothing close to mine (where we waited in a methodical line and saw 5 people checking out athletes to make sure their numbers matched the bikes). I do, however, completely understand your concerns and frustration as I've raced in countless triathlons and road races over the past six years and have seen my fair share of hiccups. I know that race directors and organizers truly value constructive feedback on how they can continue to make their event better in the future, and I would suggest writing a letter calling out your concerns, and even offer up a few thoughts on how they can smooth them over in the future.
With more than 9,000 athletes out there on a truly hot day, I commend their efforts to accommodate everyone and keep the athletes safe on the course. And I personally look forward to being back out there again next year! :)