Austin TX CapTex Tri (Olympic)
Hi everyone,
I'll be traveling to Austin, TX for business this May (05/29) and I have signed up for the CapTex Tri, as I've seen it's just the day after I arrive, and just before work starts (on June the 1st). I'll take my running shoes and I'm working out the logistics to rent a bike (road bike) with Bicycle Sports Shop. Has anyone done this race before? Any tips on it? I plan to do it as a leisurely tri, as I'll have my main goal behind me (a Half IM in Spain on May the 16th) and a bit of jetlag in my legs and brain.
Thanks to everyone in advance,
Jaime from Spain
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I did Cap Tex the first year it was actually called Cap Tex 2005 maybe sorta the same deal as you I was in West Texas on military stuff. Anyhow great race, it is a huge urban triathlon in the middle of the city, bike course was 3 or 4 loops around the city. Had some hills on the bike. The swim is in some river no current that I remember and I think they cut the swim short.
When I did it there was a large contingent of Team in Training people. IIRC I was in one of the last waves and pretty much had to ride on the left which wasn't a big deal.
Austin is a pretty rocking tri town. Cool shops like Jack and Adams and Austin Tri cyclist and the Lance Armstrong shop. Due to the huge size I'm pretty sure check in for your bike will be the day before the race (something to think about since you are traveling from overseas).
I'm guessing some other folks have done this race you should be able to get some more timely (not five years old) input
Swim: somewhat-dirty water that they only let you swim in once per year - this race.
Bike: 4 loops around a fast course, with some sharp short climbs and some screaming downhills and flats. There are also some hairpin turns. I think my PR for this bike course is ~1:05. Yes, large Team in Training contingent, so lots of 'novice' cyclists that don't know what "on your left" means, but mostly wide streets to pass them on.
Run: 2 loop 5k, slightly uphill on the way up, and therefore slightly downhill on the way down.
Usually VERY humid and hot, with lots of direct sunlight on the run.
Yes, bike check-in is the day before.
Local shops: Jack and Adams, Austin Tri-Cyclist and Mellow Johnny's (that's Lance's shop).
Only complaint I have about this race is that it's usually on Monday (a few years it was on Sunday), so there's real no opportunity to have fun in Austin the night after the race, and recover on Memorial Day Monday.
Thanks a lot for your replies,
I'll be arriving in ATX on the 29th, so I guess I'll be able to check the bike the day before (the 30th). I've made a reservation for a rental with Bicycle Sports Shop, so I'll be doing the race (different from racing) on a Trek Madone. It's nice that they'll be able to put speedplay pedals on it, so I will bring my bike shoes with me. I intend to have fun on the course, to see the town and test a bike I've never ridden before (I'll spin it the day before, just to make sure I know how it handles). Is it a non-drafting or a drafting race? In Spain Olympics are usually draft-legal, but I know in the states things are different.
Thanks a lot again for the info... I'll let you know how it all ends up.
Best regards from sunny and warm Barcelona (first time this year!),
Jaime
Just to reinforce - this is a Monday race, not Sunday. It's Memorial Day Monday (we in the USA have this as a holiday), 5/31. So, bike check-in will be Sunday 5/30.
I haven't decided if I'm doing it yet. If I do, I'll show you around the day before (Sunday) when I get down there.
Thanks again Scott,
non drafting is good... will avoid packs of unexperienced peloton riders (I've barely escaped horrendous crashes because of this, in triathlons in Spain, which are almost all draft-legal) and I like it better (I'm an old style guy). I'll be in Austin the 29th at night (recovering from my flight from Madrid) so if you decide to do the race, yes, you can show me around on the 30th.
Best regards from Barcelona,
Jaime
There are about 3-4 EN members who will be running the race... I'm personally still on the fence. Send me a message when the race gets closer, I'd be more than happy to help you out with logistics, map a bike route, places to run / swim, etc.
By the way, are you renting a bike from the Bicycle Sport Shop location on Lamar? I ask because that location is the closest to the transition area near downtown Austin. Will be easy to drop off the bike after the race. Also, as others have mentioned there are plenty of bike / triathlon shops throughout the city... so don't worry if you forgot to pack something for the race, can always find what you're looking for in one of the many local shops.
While it is a non-drafting event, it is hard to do so. There will be many people on the bike course at the same time... olympic, sprint and relays all start relatvely close to each other since there are a lot of people who run the race and there are many sharp turns which slows everyone down. I've done the race the past couple of years and prefer a road bike over a tri-bike since it's easier to make those sharp turns. It is a fun race... lots of people cheering all throughout the course. You will have a great time... and then margaritas for recovery drinks!
and thanks for the info. I don't know the exact address of the shop, I did it all on the internet, and then by phone, but I'll check with them again.
I'll also be checking in with you before I travel to the US to let you know when I'm there.
Thanks a lot again.
Best regards from sunny Spain,
Jaime
I'll be flying from Spain (after 14 hours of travel) that's after a fortnight of a half-IM race (on May the 16th) and an Olympic (drafting, euro style, on may the 23rd)... and with very little training on my legs / arms / heart / lungs as my newborn (and his mom) are taking almost all my available time ... I'll be racing in a rented bike and jet-lagged and not acclimated to the heat... and yet I'm not worried is ONLY an olympic... what's wrong with us long distance people?
... recovering from the sun burns and the heat stroke, but happy. The race is very cool, lots and lots of people, but small waves, which made for a nice swim. Did not bring a wetsuit and was among the few in my wave without it. So if you can, bring yours (or rent one). The bike course is a lot of fun, with rolling terrain, a couple of get-out-of the saddle short climbs and long fast descents. I was riding a rented Trek Madone... and I would take my alu Cervélo solist any day! There were tons of people on the course (I was on one of the last waves for the olympic) and there was a funny mix of guys on 10,000 $ bikes ready to tackle an ironman, and guys in comuter-city bikes. I saw some agressive aero riding and no crashes, which was good. It got hot on the bike, and the run was carnage... when I started my first lap I already saw people walking... and I was doing so myself by the second lamp. The heat hit me pretty bad, in spite of the excellent aid stations (lots of volunteers, lots of water and gatorade) and I finished doing a walk run (running until I got dizzy, then walking).
This is one of the better organized races that I've ever been in, and the course is a lot of fun. Ideal for a first try at the oly distance (and there were lots of newbies, from my chatting with the guys in my wave). But you need to be ready for the heat... we don't get that in Spain, even in the worst of the summer.
What I will definitely remember is how nice everybody was during these days, from the guys in the bike store (Byciclesports shop) to the organizers, the spectators, the volunteers, the other athletes... there is a very cool and good vibe around this race!... if only it was held in January.
Jaime
At this time, I don't even know my official time. I just know it didn't go well for me.
When I get the official results, I'll post a RR in the forum, but here's my thoughts...
I heard multiple people say the swim was longer than then 1500m it was supposed to be. The organizers changed it a little from years past, so my perspective was skewed, but I'll take others word that it was long.
The bike is net-uphill for the first half of each lap, then you get the downhill for the second half - 4 laps total. I got about 1:06 for the bike, so over 21mph avg. Just cranked uphill and flew on the downhills.
For the life of me I couldn't keep aero position without my rump acting up - screaming at me in pain, felt like I was stretched beyond my capabilities. That's even AFTER adding a spacer under my aero bars the day before knowing that I wasn't that flexible.
The run...UGH...the run. HOT and HUMID. My lungs were on fire. Guess that's what I get for not running too much lately, especially outside in the TX heat.
I've also confirmed what I suspected about myself, my feet have problems running after I bike w/o socks. Just get massive hot spots on the bottom of my feet. I guess I'm going to have to start biking with socks for all my tris.
I started in the second-to-last wave, so it was already HOT. Plus, they kicked us out of transition 65mins before my wave started, so all my liquid infinit nutrition got very warm. Doesn't taste too good when it sits out in the sun.
Just one thing on top of another it seemed yesterday, miserable.
were you in the dark blue swimcaps wave? Looks like we were on the course at about the same time. I swam 31' (my watch time) and biked 1:10' (again)... and did 3:10, and I had not gone above 2:45 in the last five years!
You're right... it was rather miserable. Just one of those days.
Jaime
I am the guy you met....I posted a comment on your other post.
Jamie, Sorry I didn't get a chance to meet you.
Coach P, we were all baked, sauteed, boiled, poached, braised, fried, broiled and roasted by the end of the day....