Marin County Triathlon

What a terrific event! After 45 olympic triathlons, this is my new favorite race. The event is incredibly well-​organized, Hope (the race director) was super-​responsive, the volunteers are enthusiastic and the course itself is absolutely gorgeous.
By holding the sprint distance on Saturday and the olympic distance on Sunday, they have literally eliminated any congestion. Parking was easy, the transition area was spacious, and with only 5 waves each day there was no waiting around (including for the bathrooms).
This is also a very «chill» race. 4 drummers/​percussionists played continuously in the transition area, we were led out to the swim start by a bagpipe player, and everything about the race felt totally laid-​back (which is not to say that it wasn’t competitive – as others have noted, mid-​November triathletes are a pretty dedicated bunch – but the vibe was very relaxed and people were all smiles).
There were also some really unexpected treats given that this race is not part of one of the «chain» triathlon series but rather a one-​off race organized by a local businessman with all proceeds going to charity. The swim/​transition area and part of the run course was beautifully adorned with flags from different cities, states and nations, there was plenty of food and beverages both before and after the race, and everything was truly first-​rate.
Congrats to the organizers for such a terrific event!

I was a little put off leading up to this Tri; there are hidden hotel-​like fees for things that should be included– and in fact were included in every other tri (7) I’ve done. Want to park at the event? Fee. What to pickup your packet the day of the race? fee. I had just about decided this was the one and only time I would do this tri until we showed up to do it. This is perhaps the best organized race I’ve done. The announcers and staff were super friendly, relaxed and kind. It is a bit more expensive than average, but its ½ hour drive from Contra Costa County and that saves you time and money if you live around here. It was scenic. November Olympic triathletes are of a higher average ability than summertime Tri’s, so I didn’t pass as many people as I’d like to.

My six-​year-​old daughter asked if she could do her second triathlon and I found the Marin County Triathlon online. I thought there had been a misprint about the price when it listed the entry fee for children as $ 140.00. I called the contact number and was told that it would sell out and the person I spoke to didn’t seem to think there was anything exclusive about the price.
Now I have to tell my daughter she can’t do it as we don’t have $ 140 for the 20-​minute or less event.
I guess the moral of the story is that kids learn young that certain sports are for the elite and wealthy and they are not welcome!

We went to compete, volunteer, and cheer in 2011. Last year was just competing and cheering. I’d say we have a pretty good idea of how this triathlon holds up to others and it’s terrific.
Things of note to racers:
— The race talk is important.
— Pay attention when they tell you about the currents. They’re not kidding!
— There’s a bagpiper at the start of the race (LOVE!).
— They sang the national anthem.
— There’s carpeting leading in and out of the water so that racers don’t hurt their feet on stones.
— Some parts of the course are confusing. The bike and run involve a few loops and are sometimes biking/​running along side one another. It’s not always clear which way bikes should go and which way runners should go.
— Both the bike and run start and end near a challenging hill.
Things to note for volunteers:
— Although there’s a sign-​up online, it’s not necessary to do so. You can volunteer where needed the day of the race.
— The volunteers are SUPPOSED to have specific time slots, but I witnessed several volunteers who were never given relief and felt compelled to stay MUCH longer than they agreed.
Things to note for people cheering:
— Be careful not to walk on the course. There are many places where it seems okay to stand or walk where it’s not.
— Since everything starts and ends close to the transition area, it’s convenient to set up camp in a single location and cheer on your racers.
— You should bring snacks and drinks as there isn’t a whole lot available at the race. Not to say that there’s nothing. Just not much.
— Cell phone reception is spotty. We had three different carriers between us and none of us had a consistent signal. There were times when we didn’t have signal at all.

This race was voted 100 Best Races by Triathlete magazine. The two reasons I vote this race 5 stars…
1. All proceeds go to charity. This year it was the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and The Prostate Cancer Foundation.
2. It’s Green. I’m not sure what goes into making a Triathlon environmentally friendly but it’s possibly the first green certified triathlon I’ve heard of.