Race Reports - The Good, Bad and the Ugly - What Are Your Thoughts?

John Stark

So, I have been perusing the Race Reports in the Race/Training Reports forum and there are some consistent themes, and not so consistent themes.

As a TeamEN member, what do you like to see in a RR?  What don't you like?  And is there a specific format you like that would be great as a template for your teammates to follow for future RR's?

If you need a refresh, head on over to the Race/Training Reports forum.  There are a ton of examples.  Feel free to post your fav's links in your response.

Based on your feedback, we will craft a RR template for TeamEN to use.

 

Thanks,

John

EN RD Dude

 

Paul Hough

I'm mostly interested in the actual race day, not so much what they did the few days before...i.e., give me the race report, not the event report. I'm very interested in the race conditions. What was the weather like - morning, afternoon and night...air temperature, wind, water temperature, humidity, etc.? How did the swim go and why? How crowded was the swim start, where did they line up, would they have shifted their line up position knowing what they knew afterwards? What tips did they learn that were important to this particular race. How did T1 go? What was the distance from the water to T1? Adequate strippers/tent space/etc? How was the bike course? Did they execute the bike per EN? How did they feel getting off the bike? Did they have trouble making their stupid slow pace the 1st six miles? Where did they hit the wall? How many did they get after mile 18? What were the lessons learned? How did this one compare to other IMs if it wasn't the first?

jetskr

I agree with Paul and have always liked the format used over at beginnertriathlete.com Here's an example of the format from the Nations' Triathlon:

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=249928&posts=1&start=1

There's room to go into detail about each section while keeping the overall report pretty concise.

Nate Parady

Agree with the other two comments...However, I would add that there could also be a specific section for more Non Race Day type info or as paul said it best the "event report". there is some valuable stuff in there also. What was the housing situation like? Thoughts on how your training went prior to Race day, Injuries overcome. Best places to eat...I do enjoy some of the longer reports that give a sense of what the entire event was like.

Michael Byerts

I do like the beginner triathlete template. Echoing Paul and Jeff, although I am usually interested in reading the specifiics of how the particular person did in comparison to their race plan, I am also interested in a "course report," especially if I am doing that race the next year. I usually notice things that I wish I had known coming in (like the bumps in the road on the first 5 miles at Vineman that cause water bottle ejection). Sometimes race reports include that information, sometimes not, and there isn't a convenient place in the beginner triathlete model for that information. Maybe the answer is a separate database for course info?

Al Truscott

I suspect a one size fits all format for written reports will frustrate many folks.We will have the detailed spreadsheet to enter data from the race, which Matt S has been working on. That will standardize the details and numbers which we get on our team members' performance on race day.

But we have lots of different personalities on this team - which, of course, is great -  some are engineers, scientists, data and detail oriented people, some are more into talking about what's going on internally during workouts and races, and still others are outwardly focussed on other people and events.

I'm most interested in reading personalized race reports, from whatever perspective the reporter finds most useful or comfortable. That way (assuming more than one person reports on a given IM!), I get a broad picture of the day, and learn a little more about the people who are racing and reporting. I don't want to stifle or structure the direction a person wants to go in a report - I want to find out about the "unknown unknowns."

mancona

I'm with Al on this. I don't care if it was 78 or 82 degrees and sunny or cloudy in a race report. I do like some basic power/pace data just for reference but I am really interested in the story and what the person feels is important to share. I like to hear about the moments that people had to make decisions and the thought process they went through, or to know what they were thinking about during different parts of the race. I feel I learn more both about them and racing in general this way.

The single most important part of any race report to me is the lessons learned, what would someone have done differently.

chris malone

I wouldn't try to make it too structured. I think you have to let people play it like they feel it. There's a lot to be gleaned from their personal experience and feelings about the race, along with the data. We can always skim.

Gordon Cherwoniak

I guess I'm a take it all in.  Pre-race/post race stuff is good to hear about as my wife comes along and this gives me ideas.  As for the race venue, details about the course, transition etc are great as well. 

Perhaps we could just have some suggested area and leave it up to individuals to write in when and what they want.  I know not structured at all but I'm fine with that.

Gordon

Paul Scholz

As a NOOB to the whole EN concept, I have found the vaiety of styles, approaches, and levels of detail in the race reports to be great. I agree with others here who have said they favor a less structured approach that lets the persons style and approach come out.

I do agree with one of the comments below that the lessons learned and things the individual would do differently are very valuable to me as I read the reports and plan for my races.

paul

jburbatt

I agree with those that prefer a loose format vs. a structured template. To be honest, if it looked like the beginnertriathlete form Jeff posted I probably wouldn't read them unless I was specifically looking for information about the race, and even then with the race groups you get most of that information there anyway. I really like reading how people thought back on their day, and I find that in narrative form you tend to learn a lot more than would be expected. People filling out a form tend to think back on the one or two major things from that part of the race, and might leave out that third thing that might actually be helpful to someone. That happens much less as people are just recounting their day.

 

Also, I think the narrative format allows people to flesh out their race, but to also have others comment in on it to check it out from a different perspective. I think of Mancona's Kona race report from last year as a good example of this. Obviously he wasn't happy with some aspects of the race, but I think that people being able to comment was a good thing - for the person themselves and for our group as a team. I guess that's what I thought the Race Reports section was for. It is in the Community Section after all.  If I need recon stuff on a race that's not the first place I'd head. I'd probably go to Race Reviews or Race Execution in the Training Section. 

 

I think that there's value in an organized place for race recon tips, etc. but I don't think it's there. Maybe a spreadsheet with different tabs for different racesin the wiki or in one of the above mentioned Training tabs as a sticky post ?

Steven Ford

Keep it loose and let it be free form, to much structure equals boring. I like reading the fluff sometimes as I find myself saying Oh ya that would be me .

TerryO

Power, pace, CLIMBING, course report, race conditions.

And whatever else you want to put in.

John Stark

 Great stuff, everyone!  But no one wants pictures (or did I miss that in a post)?

 

 

Coach Patrick

x2 what john said....PICS baby PICS!!!!

zildgen

@ John I don't care so much how the RR are written as most of the time the info is there and lot's of folks are really good writers. I would however, suggest that the reports be organized by event then year so that the info is easier to find for those looking to do a race or researching a race.

Chris G

As long as they are not put in the race execution forum (I hate that) I really dont care. Longer the better, data, pics, whatever. If it gets boring I just stop reading. Also, put the report here, not just a link to your blog. I also like the ST tradition of an executive summary then the long boring version. Oh and it must have all the splits.

Chris G

 If anyone needs an example of awesome race reports, anything written by my friend Dave Roxhe is a good place to start if you like his sense of humor.  Here is his latest;

http://beautyandchange.blogspot.com...athon.html

Oh and he is a stupid fast runner.  Bikes and swims ok also,,,

Scott Alexander

I think we need to have more form and structure on the race rehearsal reports (to make sure we all plan for every situation and eventuality) and more free form on the race reports.
Yes, keep including the "event report" as well-that's the extra stuff that people want as well (details about housing, transportation, logistics, etc).

Scott Alexander

I think we need to have more form and structure on the race rehearsal reports (to make sure we all plan for every situation and eventuality) and more free form on the race reports.
Yes, keep including the "event report" as well-that's the extra stuff that people want as well (details about housing, transportation, logistics, etc).