Black Hills Triathlon
Millersylvania State Park, WA
9-12-09 (yeah, I'm a little late, so sue me)
Distances: .75 mile swim, 30 mile bike, 4.3 mile run
Fashion: Same ol’ race outfit. Probably time for a new one.
Nutrition: -shrug- I don’t worry too much anymore. Just avoid “colo-cleansing” foods before the race.
Pre-amble
I tossed this race onto the calendar as a way to round out my season with 2 sprints, 2 olys, and 2 halfs. My only goal, other than to have a good race, was to set a new oly PR, but the odd distances made that somewhat irrelevant.
The race is held at a nice little state park about 15 minutes from my sister’s house. We drove up the night before and walked into their house to discover a minor party goin’ on. Our arrival was a good enough reason for half the family and several friends to get together. Fun!
The Race
The swim is held in Deep Lake, which as far as I can tell it isn’t. We crowded around in the small start area, up to our knees in mud and sticks and weeds and crud. Very gross. The buoys were essentially near each shoreline in a rectangular pattern, so as you neared each one the water got shallow. Which meant weeds. Long, creepy weeds climbing up out of the dark pea-green depths toward the watery sun. I couldn’t help thinking of the Swamp of the Dead in Lord of the Rings. –shudder-
Looks pretty from this angle, doesn't it?
I climbed out of the water and put on some sandals for the (I kid you not) quarter mile run to transition. Maybe further. It was long.
Dear daughter previewing part of the run to T1
The bike course was nice. Enough turns and ups and downs to be interesting without being overwhelmingly challenging. Better yet, it went right by my sister’s house. As I came through I discovered a small cheering section in the yard – my mom, an aunt, my other sister, several nieces, and Homeless Brooke (shacking up at my sister’s place during a rough patch)! Woo hoo!
A 30 mile bike course turns out to be a real nice distance – at about 29 miles I started thinking I was ready to be done. I rolled into transition, switched gear, and headed off into the woods. The run course followed the park’s trail system through the woods. We wandered around the various trails, sometimes merging with the incoming runners, then peeling off again, this way and that until there was no way to know where you were or where your competition was. Very interesting. At least they had mile markers out there. Toward the end of the run you climb a decent hill and think you’re nearly home. Sorry, no. Turn right, run back down the hill, follow the trail and come back up, then you can go home. Oof. I crossed the finish line in 2:22:05 for 30th place overall and 8th or so in my age group. Grabbed some food and bolted before the mosh pit started in the parking lot (single, narrow exit).
Coming in to the finish line - Ready to be done!
Analysis
So, was it a PR? Beats me. 2:22 is the fastest oly I’ve done, but 4.3 miles is the shortest oly run I’ve done, too. If I take my paces from each leg and adjust the distances to standard oly distance, it works out to 2:27 or so, which would also be a PR, though far from my goal of 2:20 for this year. Oh well, I’ll take what I can get! Overall, it was a fun day on an interesting course.
Millersylvania State Park, WA
9-12-09 (yeah, I'm a little late, so sue me)
Distances: .75 mile swim, 30 mile bike, 4.3 mile run
Fashion: Same ol’ race outfit. Probably time for a new one.
Nutrition: -shrug- I don’t worry too much anymore. Just avoid “colo-cleansing” foods before the race.
Pre-amble
I tossed this race onto the calendar as a way to round out my season with 2 sprints, 2 olys, and 2 halfs. My only goal, other than to have a good race, was to set a new oly PR, but the odd distances made that somewhat irrelevant.
The race is held at a nice little state park about 15 minutes from my sister’s house. We drove up the night before and walked into their house to discover a minor party goin’ on. Our arrival was a good enough reason for half the family and several friends to get together. Fun!
The Race
The swim is held in Deep Lake, which as far as I can tell it isn’t. We crowded around in the small start area, up to our knees in mud and sticks and weeds and crud. Very gross. The buoys were essentially near each shoreline in a rectangular pattern, so as you neared each one the water got shallow. Which meant weeds. Long, creepy weeds climbing up out of the dark pea-green depths toward the watery sun. I couldn’t help thinking of the Swamp of the Dead in Lord of the Rings. –shudder-
Looks pretty from this angle, doesn't it?
I climbed out of the water and put on some sandals for the (I kid you not) quarter mile run to transition. Maybe further. It was long.
Dear daughter previewing part of the run to T1
The bike course was nice. Enough turns and ups and downs to be interesting without being overwhelmingly challenging. Better yet, it went right by my sister’s house. As I came through I discovered a small cheering section in the yard – my mom, an aunt, my other sister, several nieces, and Homeless Brooke (shacking up at my sister’s place during a rough patch)! Woo hoo!
A 30 mile bike course turns out to be a real nice distance – at about 29 miles I started thinking I was ready to be done. I rolled into transition, switched gear, and headed off into the woods. The run course followed the park’s trail system through the woods. We wandered around the various trails, sometimes merging with the incoming runners, then peeling off again, this way and that until there was no way to know where you were or where your competition was. Very interesting. At least they had mile markers out there. Toward the end of the run you climb a decent hill and think you’re nearly home. Sorry, no. Turn right, run back down the hill, follow the trail and come back up, then you can go home. Oof. I crossed the finish line in 2:22:05 for 30th place overall and 8th or so in my age group. Grabbed some food and bolted before the mosh pit started in the parking lot (single, narrow exit).
Coming in to the finish line - Ready to be done!
Analysis
So, was it a PR? Beats me. 2:22 is the fastest oly I’ve done, but 4.3 miles is the shortest oly run I’ve done, too. If I take my paces from each leg and adjust the distances to standard oly distance, it works out to 2:27 or so, which would also be a PR, though far from my goal of 2:20 for this year. Oh well, I’ll take what I can get! Overall, it was a fun day on an interesting course.
