Mile-High Duathlon Series
from
Darrin Eisman
Website:
http://www.racingunderground.com
on
January 23, 2001
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2001 Mile-High Duathlon Series
May 12 - Barkin' Dog Duathlon. Keenesburg, CO. 5k/30k/5k
June 16 - Big Sky Duathlon. Bennett, CO. 2.5m/15m/2.5m
June 30 - Cabbage Head Duathlon. Wiggins, CO. 5k/30k/5k
Series Highlights:
$2000 Series Prize Money
Club Competition
Series Raffle
Low cost 3 race series
Beginners Training Program
Age-group & Team Series
www.racingunderground.com
Registration is now open for the 2001 Mile-High Duathlon Series.
The cost for the three-race series is just $80 for individuals and $119 for
relay teams if you register by April 27th. Each event can also be entered
individually. All events take place in the rural farming communities
outside of Denver. The format of each event is run, bike, run, and the
distances are suited to competitors of all ability levels. To preserve the
quality of the events, each race is limited to 300 competitors.
This year, the series will offer $2,000 in prize money to be split
among the top 4 male and female finishers. The prize breakdown is as
follows: 1st-$400, 2nd-$300, 3rd-$200, 4th-$100.
There will also be a series for age-group athletes, with awards
given to the top finishers in each 5-year age category, and in the
Clydesdale (men 200+ pounds) and Athena (women 150+ pounds) divisions.
Series awards will also be presented in the team category to the top teams
in the Male, Female, and Coed divisions.
In response to the growing number of triathlon clubs in Colorado,
the series is encouraging each of Colorado's tri-clubs to field a team.
Each race will be scored cross country style, with a club's top-4 finishers
(including at least 1 woman) earning points, while the club's remaining
members can displace another clubs top-4. Points will accumulate
throughout the series with a trophy going to the winning club following the
final race.
Athletes who compete in all three series races will be entered in a
drawing to win a Yakima Roof Rack or a pair of pedals from Coombe
Engineering valued at $250!
For athletes new to duathlon or those who need to add more
structure to their training, Racing Underground is offering a 6 month
training program for beginners in conjunction with the series. The cost of
the program is $50 and includes a training guide with worksheets to design
a training program that fits into your "real life," a 6 month training log,
and 5 coached group workouts.
The series opens with the 3rd annual Barkin' Dog Duathlon on May
12th in Keenesburg, Colorado. This 5K run, 30K bike, 5K run event was won
by pro triathletes Cameron Widoff and Cindy Hazen in 2000. The gently
rolling run courses follow a mix of paved and dirt roadways, while the bike
is a flat, fast, paved route over rural country roads.
The second event in the series is the Big Sky Duathlon on June 16th
in Bennett, Colorado. The event distances are 2.5 mile run, 15 mile bike,
2.5 mile run. The 2000 event was won by series champions Andy Ames and
Cindy Hazen. The run route is on neighborhood streets and a short section
of dirt trail. The bike is a fun rolling out and back route over paved
country roads.
The final event of the series is the Cabbage Head Duathlon on June
30th in Wiggins, Colorado. Wiggins was formerly the site of the Wiggins
Duathlon, and gained quite a bit of notoriety when 7-time national champion
Kenny Sousa struck a cat during the bike race and crashed, breaking his
collar bone. The cat, luckily, emerged unscathed! Last year, the race was
won by Inge Schuurmans and Andy Ames. A great series breakfast follows the
race, including "Make your own Breakfast Burritos!!!"
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Mile-High Duathlon Series
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by DIANE on January 23, 2001
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FYI this series is no longer USAT sanctioned. Athletes will not receive any points toward USAT National rankings.
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Mile-High Duathlon Series
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by Darrin on January 24, 2001
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Diane-
I find it very interesting that someone who lives more than 2,000 miles from Denver finds the need to go out of her way to try to undermine my duathlon series - a series she knows absolutely nothing about except that I am taking a stand against USA Triathlon's abuse of the age-group athlete.
As someone who is supposedly trying to "further the sport of duathlon," you seem to be doing just the opposite.
Let me tell you a little about myself, our series, and my decision not to sanction with USAT.
First, I have been working with USA Triathlon within the Rocky Mountain Region for many years - even serving as president for a year. I have produced a regional newsletter at my own expense, I have created a regional ranking system and calculated point-standings for every triathlete and duathlete in the region by myself. I also built and maintained a regional website at no cost to the region.
When I realized that we no longer had a duathlon regional championship, I created a race to fill the void - and from that, the Mile-High Duathlon Series was born.
The goal of the series was to increase the number of duathlons in Colorado and to provide high quality races at a reasonable price. Before our series, you could count the number of duathlons within a 6 hour drive of Denver on one hand!
Our duathlons are for the people! With just an $80 entry fee for an entire 3-race series we are the best value in multisport in Colorado. We offer a $2,000 cash purse to the top athletes but our focus is on providing a great time for the average duathlete. Our home-cooked series breakfast is just one example of what we do for the average racer.
We are also working our butts off to bring new blood into the sport. Our 6 month training plan is drawing in recreational runners who were previously intimidated by the thought of multi-sport racing. With just a $50 program fee, we are making this program affordable so the first timer on his mountain bike will be eager to make the leap into duathlon.
After years of sanctioning with USAT, my races - and many others in the country (Tim Yount's estimate is 100+ will not sanction in 2001) are being forced to make a break. The reason is because USAT is instituting a $7 fee for a one-day license. I fought hard to keep this fee from going into effect because it is essentially a penalty for first-time duathletes and will hurt the growth of the sport.
I do not believe I heard you opposing this fee, however I did hear that your co-chair on the USAT Duathlon Committee had nominated me for 2000 race director of the year!
Your attempt to scare athletes away from our series is counterproductive to what I am trying to do, and really hurts the sport. That $7 USAT surcharge amounts to a 28 percent increase in my entry fees - and 70 percent of the athletes in my events are NOT annual members of USAT.
Tim Yount and I discussed a half-dozen ways in which USAT could increase their revenue without placing the burden upon non-members. We also discussed things that USAT could do to place value in becoming a member as an age-group athlete. Obviously the board is not interested in giving the age-grouper anything for their money, when it is so much easier for them to force the age-grouper into becoming a member by imposing a $7 per race tax on them if they don't.
Perhaps as co-chair of the USAT Duathlon Committee, you should concern yourself less with supporting the organization at the expense of the age-group athlete -- and instead, use your position to support the athlete's who foot the bill for USAT's multi-million dollar budget.
Darrin Eisman
Race Director
Mile High Duathlon Series
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by Whipster on January 24, 2001
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Darrin, cool it on the defensive front. Diane was only stating a fact about the USAT sanctioning. She is not trying to undermine your series nor scare athletes away at all. In fact many athletes from the region supported your series last year due in part to the USAT sanctioning for rankings. USAT duathlons are far and few within the Rocky Mtn region. These same athletes will now be forced to travel out of the region to get the minimum number of races. The just announced Duathlete of the Year raced outstanding at your series but without some of those performances, he may well not have been up for the award. The same goes for your nomination as part of the USAT Race Director of the Year program. Your races are being recognized by USAT and all of this has been positive PR for your efforts. On the other hand, those of us that have supported your efforts also somewhat feel like we've been let down especially since many of us only found out that you dropped the USAT sanctioning through word of mouth.
Not everyone is in it for the rankings and that is totally ok. But let's be completely above board when it comes to those assuming that your series is USAT sanctioned, they come and do the races and then find out they will not count. The local USAT website has even published your race schedule which gives you the best of both worlds as far as getting the word out.
I know many of the Mile-high participants will continue to race your series USAT sanctioned or not. Furthermore, I know that the USAT duathlon committee is making great strides with Dannon and other races to offer "first-timers" divisions, training programs (similar to yours), etc. So we can only agree to disagree and wish each other luck in our efforts to do what we love to do and that is support and race the sport of duathlon.
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RE: Mile-High Duathlon Series
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by DIANE on January 25, 2001
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Darrin,
I am sorry you felt that I was undermining your race series. I was just stating an important fact for the athletes to know because many of them were counting on your race series for their duathlon ranking this year.As you know they need 3 sanctioned races and your gave them that and they didn't have to travel. Something unfornuately those of us that live in Florida still have to do. I am sure they will still do your races because they are of high quality and I heard only good things about them, especially from our co-chair Carol Whipple, but being in this position it is up to TDC to keep the athletes informed. Being on the Athlete of the year committee we spoke to lots of people who committed to doing more sanctioned du's to qualify for the award. We more than once mentioned your race series. Now I gave them misinformation and I have to correct myself.
I wish you nothing but good luck on your race series and am happy that the duathletes have races to do in your area.
Diane
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RE: Mile-High Duathlon Series
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Anonymous post on January 25, 2001
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I have never heard an athlete say they were going to do a USAT sanctioned race so they could earn ranking points, and avoid a non-sanctioned race because they wouldn't earn ranking points (or qualify for athlete of the year). People race because they like to race.
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RE: Mile-High Duathlon Series
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by IRONJACK on January 25, 2001
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I am not here to address Darrin's long standing complaints about USAT, that has been visited in adnausium. I am here to explain the Duathlon Commission was created to represent the duathlete within USAT and is a voice for those of us who are full members. The goal is to make duathlon a more recognized sport and to increase participation and race promotions. However like any good commission or committee is is duty bound to review and investigate all events. In this case the Commission Chair simply noted to all who read Duathlon.com that the Mile High Series is not USAT sanctioned. That is a true and accurate statement of which Darrin has no cause to complain. He made that decision himself. What I do find interesting is he feels that the Commission's comments may have hurt his events. To me that means Darrin does believe USAT sanctioning does have value and he simply chooses to be stubborn and not sanction. His choice. We'd like to have him sanction with us but he and only he can determine what is in his best interest. His remarks, directed at Diane Travis were unfair and inappropriate. The last time I checked the 1st amendment to the Constitution had not been suspended and again telling all who reads this that Darrin's events are not sanctioned was correct and true. I trust all of you in choosing your events will choose wisely and do so with your pesrsonal goals and that of our sport in the forefront of decision.
Thanks,
Jack Weiss Treasurer, USAT
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RE: Mile-High Duathlon Series
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Anonymous post on January 31, 2001
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Darrin,
I have known you for almost ten years and I am a little concerned with the post above. On the one hand your press release is a glowing example of what is lacking in American sports. What you offer is almost to good to be believed. On the other hand your defensiveness seems out of control. Nobody is out to get you for being a selfless promoter of the sport.In fact, if you would take a realistic look at the image you are attempting to portray you might find that your races will attract a lot more people if you avoid alienating those who really don't care or want to hear your gripes about USAT. After all, it is my belief that you are in the minority with your "poverty thinking" on the issue of the $2.00 increase.When you look at the most popular events (sold out months in advance) out there, the average entry fee is well over $100. Ironmans $355, Wildflower $90, St Anthonys $70, Escape from Alcatraz $165, Kona 1/2 $110. Do you think these RD's even KNOW the fee is $2.00 more? The accountant knows and I would guess that a far greater number of athletes are USAT members so they don't pay the one day fee. Now take a DEEP breath, relax.
That brings me to another issue. You have a three race series. If you sanctioned your events the athletes could get a one year membership for free. Bush's new math project(3x7=21), Club members can join USAT for $22 so you have all the non-members who signup for your series become Darrin's Club members for ONLY one extra dollar! And they get a one year membership to USAT. Being a member is really not such a bad idea- I know your blood pressure just blew off the meter- but think of all the benefits they could receive through membership in OUR National Federation for Duathlon.It surely can't be that bad when over 90% of the membership rated their satisfaction with the services they receive as excellent- ask your buddy Tim Yount for a copy of the membership survey results, pretty eye opening!!
Darrin, please keep up the great work you are doing. And if I were to give you some friendly advice it would be to either say something good about USAT or say nothing at all as most people find winers and complainers in some dark corner mumbling to themselves! You'll get a much larger audience with a positive message.
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RE: Mile-High Duathlon Series
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by EISMAN on January 31, 2001
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You're right - I am definitly guilty of over reacting.
I guess it set me off when I received a phone call from a USAT committee chair-person who was upset about my decision not to sanction -- and then the next day another USAT committee chair-person made her post to this forum.
What started out as an attempt to explain why I chose not to sanction this year, turned into a nasty letter bashing USAT - sorry guys!
In the future, I will keep my big mouth shut!!!
-Darrin "Lesson Learned" Eisman
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RE: Mile-High Duathlon Series
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by heathmo on February 14, 2001
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It's been interesting reading the banter back and forth regarding the sanctioning/non-sanctioning of the Mile High Du Series. As an athlete who enjoys racing for the fun of it, but who is also trying to work my way up in the sport - it's a bummer that it isn't sanctioned, but I'll still look forward to the Series.
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