One Spectator's View

As I lay awake at 4:30 this morning I was thinking about many things. This sometimes happens. I wake at seemingly random hours of the night or early morning and my mind is going ninety miles per hour. I try putting on the brakes, but all that happens is that I seem to change lanes and follow different lines of thought. One such path was my view of the race in Richmond, and the other races I have attended, as a spectator. I think part of this was a response to a comment from Steph about the "here he comes, there he goes videos."

First, prior to each race start there is a briefing for the competitors. They are told about things like which color arrows to follow for the run versus the bike, location and number of aid stations, etc. Why not one for the spectators? We could be told about viewing areas, the meaning of cap colors and bib colors, numbers on the calves of the amateurs, and important stuff like "stay off the trail while the race is in progress." Some of us have tried to educate ourselves regarding these things, but I have overheard many a conversation where one spectator (seasoned pro, second race) is trying to explain these things to another spectator (neophyte, first race). At Richmond, as I am sure it is at most venues, most spectators gather near the transition areas. This offers the opportunity to see the competitors several times during the race. However, at Richmond, it is sometimes necessary to cross the trail to get to the portable restrooms or leave the event area. This year I saw spectators walking down the middle of the bike path during the race. They apparently had no idea of where they were, that is, until a competitor came whizzing by at about 30 mph. Of course, a pre-race briefing wouldn't necessarily prevent all such trespasses.

Next, the "WAVE" action. Most of us have seen the sports wave progress around a stadium, but think about a tri-race. Spectators line the course looking for their competitor. This is so boring......So, we learn the names and IDs of some of the pros, some of our competitors friends or foes, or just generally cheer for each competitor as they go by. This has the effect of generating a wave of cheering or verbal support ("Git R Done" seemed popular in Richmond) as each athlete travels along the course. Thus a traveling wave is generated along the course. I know, I have too much time on my hands at these races. I look for subtle nuances in the most normal activities.

Still, triathlons are not the most spectator friendly events. The Pros and top amateurs completed the Richmond course in just over two hours. Of that two hours, they were visible to the spectators at the transition area for about two minutes. The remaining one hour and fifty eight minutes spectators are left to their own devices. No wonder the mind tends to wander.....

One more thing. Most spectators are there to support amateur competitors, and yet, the announcers report only on the Pros. And, at that, only the first male and female, and sometimes the #2 in each of those groups. It might be nice to at least give some report on how the amateurs are doing.