On Friday May 22 we got to Shawnee state park camp ground and setup our tent. Seemed like a nice place with not too many people around at that point and our camp ground was in a nice shaded secluded area. As we found out later, it wasn't as secluded as we thought.
We decided to camp out because we though that we would be close enough to the race start location but it wasn't the case and next time we do it we are getting a hotel room, or a lodge.
Creed was playing the whole weekend, so after i got home i found my old Creed CD.
We got in the car and headed down to the start of the first race - prologue 250 meter swim, 5 mile bike, 1 mile run.
Got the jerseys, but they turned out to be way too tight and almost every i knew was trying to change for the larger size. It's a sleeveless jersey with a very patriotic design with American flag, it's not too bad. But i don't think i would wear that jersey again any time soon, maybe on 4th of July parade.
Setting up in transition, have to say there is enough room for everyone and you are in the same spot the whole weekend, so you know no one is going to move your bike or your stuff, or take your spot in transition, everyone is very nice and helpfull.
It started out in time trial way, 2 people would run into the water every 2-3 seconds. It was very short, very few people wore wetsuits on the swim. The water was very nice and warm. It was a short loop and last 50-75 meters of the swim were going through some very muddy and murky water. And by the time about 350 gone before me all the water weed was up. Actually that was at every swim since my number was in late 300s and there were total of about 400+ people. And on top of that i'm a slow swimmer.
Bike was just a warm up before the whole weekend, out and back up the hill and down the hill. Turned out a little less then 5 miles.
Run, out and back, again just a taste of whats ahead, only starting on the trail that we will get to know love and hate during the next 2 days.
1500 meter swim, 24.8 mile bike, 6.55 mile run
Saturday wake up at 5:00am, race starts at 7:30.
We get to the transition area, everyone is excited and ready to start racing. Very few people decided still not to wear the wetsuits. But i really like mine De Soto First Wave and i wanted to use it. Makes me swim a little better too.
Time trial start with 2 people running into the water at a time every 2-3seconds. I'm among the last 300s numbers. So i come out of the water among the last swimmers. It takes me less then a minute to take the suit off, it was very easy to take it off by the way. And i'm off to the bike.
The roads are nice and i'm enjoying it for now, then out of nowhere, sharp left turn and up the hill right away at about 17% grade. Some people had to stop to change the gears and some had to roll back down to start from the bottom. Working the hill all the way to the top, and then a nice descent but that also had a sharp left turn so you really had to slow down to a crawling speed not to fly out into the tree coming from 35mph.
Back into T2 and out to the run for the first time running the whole 6.55 mile trail. It's hot, hilly, with some loose gravel. Good support on the run from volunteers.
Done with race number 1.
Packed the bikes back into the car and back to our tent for some food and rest. We only have about 2 hours. Potatoes, peanut butter and vitamin water, an hour of just laying around trying to fall asleep, and again putting on wet jersey and shorts.
24.8 mile bike, 1500 meter swim, 6.55 mile run
We get to the second Olympic about 1 hr before start, people are not at excited as before the first one.
Bike is first and it's a time trial start again, with 2 people leaving every 2-3 seconds. This time the bike route is different and it has one long hill that we first go down and then climb back up. The descent was great right up until the bottom of the hill when we had to slam on the breaks to slow down because of an ambulance going to help some guy that had an accident on the bike.
Another few miles out and back up that hill, don't remember how long the climb is but it took about 15 minutes or so going up at about 5mph, you do the math ;)
Back in T1, all sweaty and hot after the ride, putting on the wetsuit for 1500 meter swim. Because i just got the De Soto First Wave suit, i decided that the water is pretty warm and i only wore the Bibjohn from the suit. It worked out great. Didn't cramp, took it easy on the swim again, but did try to go faster and cut the swim down by 1 minute this time. Not much but still.
Finally in T2, my T2 are always pretty fast, and even this time when i had to take off the wetsuit, it was pretty fast. Out to the run. Same trail, out and back but this time it feels a bit easier, maybe because it's not as sunny.
Finish... we are half way done.
Back to the tent, shower, going to get some normal food, because i didn't eat anything the whole day besides gel, energy bars, gatorade, bananas and potatoes.
By the end of saturday i'm tired, just want to lay down and fall asleep. So after dinner we go back to camp ground and lie down trying to fall asleep.... Not happening. Either i'm too tired or too excited or too nervous before Sundays HIM or maybe it's that kid in a tent probably 100 feet away, but felt like he was siting in our tent and screaming the whole night just to make our weekend harder. He would quiet down for a little and i seem to start falling asleep again, then he starts screaming again, and all i can hear is MOMMY MOMMY MOMMY... i was ready to go and kick those parents asses. the whole night before the Half Iron Man race we didn't get to sleep.
Wake up at 4:45am
1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run
We get to the start about 40-30 minutes before the race. People are really not in a hurry to start racing on sunday, and everyone is taking their time to get there. We put on the wetsuits and head down to the lake, it's a 2 loop swim and few people go into the water to test it out. I figure, what's the point, i have 1.2 miles ahead of me to test it out and no matter if it cold or warm i'm going in, and it couldn't have gotten cold in 2 days anyway.
The final count down before the start of the last race of the weekend and again time trial start with 2 people going, i should say waking into the water every 2-3 seconds.
Fast people are all out of the water by the time i'm out. I get to my bike, quickly get out of my First Wave suit, eat an energy bar, drink gatorade and of to the 2nd leg.
It's a 2 loop bike course, great roads, nice scenery, saw a snake in the middle of the road, and had to go around it. The loop has a few climbs, one of them is a switchback climb, seemed like it kept going on forever and ever. Going downhill was somewhat scary, but on the second loop going down on some hills i barely touched the breaks, because i was ready to be done with it by that time. By the end of second loop on the climbs, i felt my legs giving out and thought of stopping and taking a break and asking myself why i'm doing this, but then thought to myself, YES I CAN, YES I CAN... and that pushed out every other thought, and kept climbing.
For me the last hill was the hardest, by then it was the 3rd time i was on that hill and it felt like it just went straight up. Kept trying to switch the gears on my bike to the easier one, and kept forgetting i was riding the easier one already...
Even though i have a good saddle by ISM Adamo that i really like and it's fitted to me. But by the end of the 56 mile ride i felt every little bump and crack in the road with my butt, and couldn't wait to get off the bike.
Got to T2, have a gel, drink some water, take 1 salt pill, just in case, and of to the run. Same old trail 2 times. 3rd time around the hills on the run didn't seem so steep, but on the 2nd loop it seemed like they just grew from a little rain. And they kept growing higher and higher, but YES I CAN! YES I CAN! my lest shoe full of water, luckily no cramping, nice "easy" run and nice easy walk up the hills... of course there was nothing easy about it.
And..... oh yes i can hear the music, finally!!!
I get to the finish and get my finishers medal and a shirt.
This was the hardest race i have done so far but loved every minute of it. Weekend flew by really fast unfortunately but it was great.
Hopefully i will get to do this again next year and this time i will know what to expect.
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1 comment:
I have been training like a Horse for the Triple-T event. It was the hardest race I have ever done and I feel like I can do anything, my next goal is to do Iron Man. :) It was tough but I liked it and appreciated the fact that I stayed in a nice hotel room. I wouldn't be able to rest camping as you did. Good job though! The thing I didn't like is the jerseys that all of us had on. I realized that it is very important to wear comfortable tri gear. That's why I like Tribug store. Thank you!
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