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Looks like the 2008 Solo Nationals are 9/16 - 9/19.
Should I expect to be there all four days, or does it depend on the run/work schedule?
Would I use 9/15 for the trip there and 9/20 for the trip back?
What is a good hotel (sleeping, not the partying crowd)?
Jarrett, this was my first year to go and I found it very helpful to be there for the full week.
I didn't do the practice on Sunday and now wish that I had. The HPT surface is tricky and I do wish I'd had time on it before my run days.
The course was open all day on Monday so there was plenty of time to walk both courses.
It was great to be able to watch the competition on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The course is open for walking after each days competition as well. You get to know the times when EVERYONE is on the course and you can't see a darn thing and when there's less "traffic" so you can see what's coming up.
I worked registration on Wednesday so I did not have to work on my run days of Thursday & Friday.......many of the Texas Region folks seemed to get some "special" assignments so they did not have to work a corner. If you don't get a "special" assignment......you work the same days you run.
Long and short......if you can take the time off.........go for the whole week.
If you are running Tuesday/Wednesday....try to get there for the practice on Sunday and to walk, walk, walk on Monday. If you run Thursday/Friday, try to get there by Tuesday (Wednesday morning by the latest) so you can get registered and watch the competition on Wednesday (FYI.....registration closes Wednesday afternoon......no registration on Thursday morning unless you make special arrangements).
Thanks, Lisa. I really appreciate the input. I guess I will have to wait for the run order to make my final plans. Not sure if I can swing being there the whole week, but I might.
Here's my $0.025 worth...
If you run on Tue/Wed, get there on Sunday. If you run on Thu/Fri get there on Tuesday. You'll want a day to check things out, socialize, etc without the pressure of knowing you'll run the next day. Of course the whole week is good too if you can swing it. Jimmie and I quit doing the whole week - especially if we drive Thu/Fri because I would be so psyched out by the time driving day came around that I'd drive like crap.
There's something about being there that ups the intensity level. It's very easy to get wrapped up in that, especially your first trip. If you can keep it in your head that it's just another autocross and do what you always do you'll be in much better shape.
Do you know the old bull/young bull story? A good lesson for me...
Let's hear the story! :clap:
I'll second what Matt said - try not to get there the day before you run. You'll want to take a day to socialize, register, get teched, walk the courses, socialize some more, etc. If you've got the time, showing up the weekend before and running the practice is a great idea, but I've never done it. I've always driven up two days before I run and driven back the day after I ran.
You should be able to find a thread on sccaforums.com form this past year talking about the various hotels. We typically stay at a low rent motel - it's clean, it's cheap, it's close to Heartland Park, and we're only in it to sleep anyway. :mrgreen:
Forgot about tech......tech is only open at certain times......if you run Thursday/Friday, I believe you can only tech on Tuesday afternoon or certain times on Wednesday.
If you run Tuesday/Wednesday, I THINK you could tech at certain times on Sunday and Monday and early Tuesday morning.