This was the first year of this triathlon, directed by RaceMaker Productions, which offered an intermediate distance and half (70.3) distance race. This race offered great late-season weather and fall scenery. Unlike most triathlons, this race had two completely separate transition areas, approximately 6 miles apart. This offered a challenge for the race director as well as athletes in regards to logistics, but overall, worked quite well. Because of the two separate transition areas, bikes were a mandatory drop off the day prior. The start and transition 1 were difficult for spectators to view because if they watched these events, they would be unable to make it to the transition 2 area and finish line as it closed to traffic at 9am.
Packet pick up and mandatory bike drop off were on Saturday. I arrived around 3pm and the process was very quick. I was able to get my packet, including a sweet 70s-style track jacket for the half distance race, set up my bike, and be done within 15 minutes.
For race morning, athletes were to arrive at T2/finish in order to set up their run gear and then ride a bus to T1/start. Bus routes were arranged by age group/race distance. My bus was to pick up at 6:10 am. This meant that my alarm went off at 4:30 am, I left my house around 5:00 am, and arrived at 5:45 am. I ate 1/2 a banana and drank some water.
One logistical issue to having two separate transition areas is shoes–you can’t wear your run shoes in the morning. I learned that lesson. I had put my run shoes in my transition area and then was barefoot. Luckily, a good friend had a pair of $1 flip flops to save the day. I was able to wear these over to T1/start and avoid walking in gravel barefoot.
The race director had set up for a Cavallo touring bus to shuttle athletes between the two transition locations. My bus arrived just about on time. We loaded up and headed out. The roads were lined with reflective cones for the run route. It was like an obstacle course heading out, but the bus driver did a fantastic job and we arrived to T1/Start in less than 10 minutes.
Once at T1/Start, I set up the rest of my bike gear, including filling my water bottles and stocking my gels and PayDay bar. By this time, it was about 6:45 am. It was quite chilly, 46° F, and a little windy as well. Even though I had worn a jacket and tights over my tri kit, I was still pretty chilled. I went ahead and put my wetsuit on (full sleeve Xterra Vector) in order to stay warm.
I milled around, talked with random people, filled up my tires, and just enjoyed the pre-race energy. Once 7:45 am hit, I took a mocha Huma Gel and headed down toward the water. With the 46° air temp, the 68° water felt great. I got in and waded out a bit to get my face and body acclimated to the water.
The official race start time was 8:03 am and we were off. The swim course was one big square, and the half distance athletes were to complete two loops to make the 1.2 mile swim. By the time I made it to the first swim buoy, my throat was getting scratchy. Something in Eagle Creek gets me every time! Coughing and sneezing underwater while swimming is certainly not pleasant!
I made it around the first turn buoy and for the first time in a long time, I really –I hate to even say this– enjoyed swimming. If every swim was like that portion, I could swim for days. I was relaxed; in a rhythm. It wasn’t fast, but I felt great. I made it to the second buoy and things changed a bit. This turn led everyone right into facing the sun. It was impossible to sight. The buoys were nowhere to be seen due to being blinded by the rising run. I ended up just sighting off the sun’s reflection into the water and made it until I could see the buoys.
I made it around the next turn buoy and back to start only to head back out again. By loop 2, I was in a better rhythm and the field was split up a little better so I wasn’t getting beat up as much by this time. The rest of the swim was quite uneventful and I made it through the blinding sun and to the finish. I exited the water and there were very helpful volunteers available for wetsuit stripping. As soon as the wetsuit was off, the cold wind hit me. Brr!!!
Transition took a while due to distance as well as logistics. Due to having two transition locations, anything that was left in T1 had to be placed in a zipped bag and tagged in order for it to be brought to T2/finish for retrieval after the race. I made it over to my bike and went about putting my wetsuit in the plastic bag I had brought and then into my backpack. I put on my arm warmers and chose to forgo the gloves. I threw a couple gels into my shorts pockets, put my helmet and glasses on, then headed out on my way.
The bike course was a little interesting. For half distance athletes, it involved 4 loops with the first loop having an additional out and back section to make the 56 mile distance. The course was mostly flat with a few small rollers. On the back end of the loop, there was a pretty decent headwind, but nothing treacherous.
My strategy for nutrition and hydration on the bike is a gel every 10 miles and a bar at 30 miles with water throughout. Luckily, the morning had started in the high 40s and by the end of the bike was only in the low 60s, so I didn’t have to worry as much about salt. I had packed several Honey Stingers with me as well as a PayDay bar for my 1/2 way snack. I was HUNGRY the whole time. I really could have gone for some coffee, waffles, and bacon at any time.
The course was nice and mostly flat:
The tail end of the loop had a section that, if included in future races, should include a pretty strong warning and a volunteer to tell people to slow down. There had been chip ‘n seal applied to the road and there was loose gravel spread across most the width of the road just as there was a downhill. When I first made that corner, I was hitting around 27 mph as I hit the gravel. I’m just going to call myself quite lucky because I felt my back wheel start to slide out and instead of instinctively hitting the brakes hard (which would have certainly led to a crash), I rode it out and maintained control. At least knowing that I’d have to hit this same section three more times, I was able to be more careful on the subsequent loops.
On my third loop about midway through, I noticed a man down next to his bike. As the field had been quite separated, no one else was around, so I was in fear that he had crashed and would need medical care and I would be helpless with no phone or gear. However, as I came closer I yelled out asking if he was okay and it turned out his legs were just cramping. I stopped and gave him some of my gels and he assured me he would be fine. I made it down about a 1/2 mile to where some volunteers were and let them know about him.
I finally made it through the last loop and headed in to T2. I went in and got my bike on the rack, removed my helmet and arm warmers, put on my shoes, race belt, and hydration pack and headed out on my way. Luckily, there was a port-o-potty on the way out so I made a pit stop before heading on the final 13.1 miles of my day.
The run course was an out and back style route which half distance athletes traveled twice. I am not sure if it was the weather or what, but I really felt great heading out. My first mile was over a minute faster than I had anticipated for it to be. By the time I was heading out on the second loop, around 7 miles, I realized that I could have been going faster the whole time because I felt quite well. I started to kick it in gear a little bit more.
By mile 9, I had seen my mom pass by in her car on the way to the finish area. Then at mile 10, I saw my husband and kids pass by on their way to the finish area. They ended up parking and finding me to offer some encouragement. Because the event was not too spectator-friendly during the race (closed to traffic between 9 am and 1:30 pm), I had told my family to just plan on coming around 2 pm as I had anticipated my finish time to land around 2:30 pm.
I took some time when I saw the kids to hug, kiss, and high-five as well as drink some more water and stretch before heading in for my last 5k. Wearing the hydration pack (Orange Mud Endurance) was the best decision for me for this distance of race. I am notorious for not hydrating enough during events and this pack takes my excuses away. It also has great storage for gels/nutrition. I took a Honey Stinger around every 3 miles and sipped water pretty consistently. I was really feeling great so I kicked it in gear even more, shaving a minute or so off my last 3 miles’ pace.
The run had more hills than I had anticipated, but it ended up being a great course. The last mile was seemingly ALL uphill. It was a little brutal there for a couple minutes. Uphill is certainly a hard way to end a 70.3 mile day, but we don’t do this crazy stuff because it’s easy!
I made it down to where I could hear music and I knew I was getting close. The race director was announcing names as people were crossing the finish line and my kids had come to run along with me over in the grass. This was a nice benefit to a small, local race that I have not been able to enjoy with larger, corporate events.
Once I finished, my first line of business was to search for some real food. To be honest, I was little disappointed that there were only bananas, chips, and cookies. However, this was an inaugural year for this event, so I am quite certain that next year will afford many more options for food and drink.
The medals for this event were not given at the finish line, but rather at the bag pick up. This way you showed your race number and they matched it with your bag and then issued a medal. The medal did not disappoint!
It took a little while for results, but it also gave me time to cool down, hydrate, and get some snacks.
While it was not a PR time for me for a 70.3, it was a new course with new logistics and was almost 30 minutes faster than my 70.3 just 3 months prior. I was also able to PR a 5 mile bike split by getting to under 15 minutes, which is new for me.
I was excited to learn that I had taken first in my age group by over 40 minutes!
The prize for a podium place was a pretty awesome little shot glass:
This was a great first-year race and I can’t wait to see what RaceMaker Productions dreams up for next year’s event! I’m in!
Tri Mom Reeb 