Category: Triathlon Across The USA

Kailua (Honolulu), Hawaii; April 21, 2013 – BOCA Hawaii Lanikai Sprint Triathlon

The Hawaii triathlon was the perfect opportunity to introduce my aunt, a resident of the island of Oahu, to triathlon.  It also led to several firsts in the “Triathlon Across the USA” adventure.

Planning the Hawaii Triathlon

Joy and I are fortunate to have a close relationship with my aunt Nelda, who lives 10 minutes by walking from Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii. For the past several years, we have visited her during the heart of the Minnesota winter.  In turn, we welcome her to our home during the summer.

Planning an April trip to Hawaii for the BOCA Hawaii triathlon seemed almost a waste. After all, why make the long flight to visit Hawaii at a time when the weather in Minnesota is typically spring-like. April in Minnesota generally means spring flowers in bloom and trees beginning to bud and sprout green after the winter.

As it turned out, the 2013 winter in Minnesota was longer than usual.  It snowed on and off at home throughout our time in Hawaii.

Before the Race

Joy and I, along with my Trek SpeedConcept triathlon bike, arrived in Hawaii a little more than a week before the triathlon. After re-assembling the bike, I took a short ride to make sure that I had put it together properly.  I had planned to get in some serious biking before race day.  However, this didn’t happen.

Why? Biking in Honolulu was challenging and even dangerous. Traffic is congested and there are many distracted tourists driving on streets with which they are not familiar. In addition, there are few designated bike lanes on the city streets and roads.

By January 2018, this condition had improved due to the more than 1,000 rental bicycles that are part of the Biki ride sharing program. Bicycles are available at more than 100 rental locations throughout the main tourist areas of Honolulu.

12^th Annual BOCA Hawaii Lanikai Triathlon

The BOCA Hawaii Lanikai Triathlon, managed by the multi-sport training and racing company BOCA Hawaii, started and ended in Kailua Beach Park on the eastern side of the island of Oahu.

Distances for the individual legs of the USAT-sanctioned race were:

• Swim: 0.3 mile (550 yd or 500 m)
• Bike: 10.7 mile (17.1 km)
• Run: 3.6 mile (5.7 km)

This race had the distinction of including part of the bike course on Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH).  For reference, MCBH was formerly known as Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay and originally called Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Corps_Base_Hawaii.)

Swim

The over 350 competitors ran or walked into Kailua Bay together with the sounding of the air horn that signaled the start of the triathlon. The 500 meter (550 yard) swim in the calm, clear, and comfortably warm waters of Kailua Bay took me a little over 11 minutes. Given the water temperature, swimmers could not use a wetsuit according to USA Triathlon rules.

Note: According to USA Triathlon rules competitors are not allowed to wear wetsuits if the water temperature is 84 degrees Fahrenheit or above.

Bike

The bike leg took us from the transition area in Kailua Beach Park onto city streets parallel to the Bay. We eventually entered MCBH.

The course was flat except for one nasty hill that ended with a turnaround in a neighborhood of base housing. To put things in perspective, the hill leading to the turnaround was the kind that causes you to wonder if you are going to fall over from going so slowly even though you are in the lowest possible gear and giving it your all.

We all know that whatever goes up must come down. This day, coming down meant extreme attention (and braking) to avoid ending up in Kailua Bay while navigating the near right angle turn near the base of the hill.

This was the first race applying a strategy on the bike of using a gear that allowed me to maintain a cadence (pedal revolution) of 90 rpm. The one exception was on the aforementioned hill. This approach seemed to work as hoped. While I was not always biking as fast as I could have, the higher cadence saved my legs for run.

Transition

Transition occurs between the individual legs of a triathlon and typically involves a change of gear and shoes. The time to complete the two transitions (from swim to bike, called T1, and from bike to run, called T2) is included in the overall time for completing the triathlon. Time spent in transition is just as important as time spent in each of the legs. For more about this, see How to Minimize Transition Time.

The video clip shows how to use multitasking to minimize time spent in transition.

VIDEO: Connecting the race number belt while running out of the transition area is one way to minimize transition time.

Triathlon Tip: Reduce your transition time by completing certain tasks together.  I connect my race number belt while running out of transition.  If the triathlon involves a wetsuit, I wear the race number under the wetsuit from the beginning of the race.

Run

Most of the 3.6 mile run was on the hilly streets of the Lanikai neighborhood.

The last six-tenths of a mile was on the beach, on sand packed by water from the waves which had washed ashore. Finishing the run required running a few yards through soft, deep sand. While I try to sprint to the finish line, the sand made this difficult.

Results

There was no award for me this time. I finished fourth of seven in my age group. I was not even close to the guy who finished third. While I was ‘in the hunt’ after the swim and bike legs, the three guys in my age group who finished ahead of me were much stronger runners.

Race Firsts

• Part of the race course was on a USA military base (Marine Corps Base Hawaii), a first.
• This was my first triathlon with the swim in the Pacific Ocean.
• First triathlon outside the continental USA

Let Us Know About Your Races in Hawaii?

I know some of you have raced in Kona-Kailua on the Big Island. Others may have done different races like the one I did on Oahu.

What did you think about your Hawaiian races? Tell us in the Comments below.

Comments: Please note that I review all comments before they are posted. You will be notified by email when your comment is approved. Even if you do not submit a comment, you may subscribe to be notified when a comment is published.

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; October 12, 2013—On On Tri Hilton Head Triathlon

Joy and I used the occasion of the Hilton Head Island Sprint Triathlon to celebrate our 40^th wedding anniversary in and around Savannah, Georgia and Hilton Head, South Carolina. In addition, I checked off the state of South Carolina in the Triathlon Across the USA quest.

Planning the South Carolina Triathlon

Unbeknownst to me, Joy had been dreaming about visiting Hilton Head Island for quite some time. Friends had told her of the many wonderful sights in the area. She shared her desire one evening, while we were discussing plans for the 2013 triathlon season.

About the same time, the race management company for the On On Tri Hilton Head Sprint Triathlon, Setup Events, opened registration for the 2013 race.

When we learned that the 2013 running of the Hilton Head Triathlon would take place in the week of our 40^th wedding anniversary, we looked at each other and said, “Why not?”. Here was an opportunity to explore a part of the USA we had not previously visited and check off another state visited for a triathlon.

Hilton Head via Savannah

Eleven months after registering for the race, Joy and I left Minneapolis for our combined mini vacation and triathlon weekend. The Thursday, October 10^th flight to Savannah, Georgia, with a connection in Atlanta, got us into Savannah at around noon.

After picking up our rental car, we drove to the Savannah Visitors Center. Here we purchased tickets and boarded the Old Town Trolley Tour for a narrated trip through historic Savannah.

About three-fourths of the way through the tour, we hopped off the trolley for lunch at Paula Deen’s restaurant, Lady & Sons. The buffet-style lunch included southern staples of grits, fried okra, and peach cobbler. There were plenty of other items, like green beans, more commonly found on our Minnesota table.

After finishing the tour, we headed north out of Savannah toward Hilton Head Island, crossing from Georgia into South Carolina just outside Savannah. It took about an hour to make the roughly 40 mile trek to our hotel, The Beach House Holiday Inn, at Coligny Beach on Hilton Head Island.

Following a brief rest and walk on the beach, we headed over to Steamers for a swordfish dinner. Before turning in for the night, we took a dip in the hotel’s outdoor hot tub.

Renting a Bike for the South Carolina Triathlon

Months earlier, I decided to rent a bicycle for the race from a bike shop on Hilton Head Island. Renting meant I did not travel with my bike to this race.

There were several reasons in favor of this option.

First, at $50 for a 24-hour rental, it was a lot less expensive than the $300 ($150 each way) to bring my bike as airline luggage.

By the way, I had previously offered Delta Airlines the option of sponsoring me in triathlon by giving me free bike shipment. Unfortunately, they hadn’t taken me up on what I thought was a reasonable offer.

Second, by renting a bike, there was a lot less hassle. Renting avoided the need for unpacking and re-assembling my bike once at the race venue, then disassembling and re-packing it after the race and before heading back home.

Finally, traveling with the bike case would have required renting a larger vehicle, also at greater cost, than the mid-size sedan I reserved.

Concerns about a rental bike

Clearly, there were good reasons, mostly financial, for renting a bike locally. However, I worried a bit about getting a bike of the right size and fit that would not cost me too much time during the triathlon.

I am accustomed to riding a triathlon-specific bike (‘tri-bike’) which includes aero bars. However, there were no bike shops on Hilton Head Island with rentals of this type. The closest rental option was a road bike, without aero bars.

If you want to learn about renting a bike on Hilton Head Island, check out this article on Hilton Head bike rentals. There are a few bike rental companies. Don’t be afraid to shop around to find the best bike or deal for your needs.

Picking Up the Rental Bike

After lunch on Friday, Joy dropped me off at Road Fish Bike Shop to pickup the rental bike, a Trek Madone 3.1. The bike shop staff exchanged the pedals with mine and adjusted the seat to fit me. After a quick test ride and another minor adjustment, I headed back to the hotel.

The ride back to the hotel reminded me why I am paranoid about riding on city streets. While crossing an exit from a parking area, I was nearly struck by, of all things, a school bus as it barreled out of the lot. Had I not hit the brakes hard enough to lift the back wheel off the ground, I would have been hit by the bus.

Packet Pickup for the South Carolina Triathlon

Later that afternoon, it was time to pickup the race packet and T-shirt. Remembering the close call with the school bus earlier in the afternoon, I walked rather than rode the few blocks to Go Tri Sports.

While crossing a bridge along the walking trail, I glanced down into the water to see something that you don’t find on walks around any of the 10,000+ lakes and ponds in Minnesota—an alligator.

Fortunately, I already knew that the swim was in the gator-free ocean and not in a local lake or pond where these guys spend their time.

On On Tri Hilton Head Triathlon

Distances for the individual legs of the USAT-sanctioned On On Tri Hilton Head Sprint triathlon were:

• Swim: 0.3 mile (550 yd or 500 m)
• Bike: 12.4 mile (20 km)
• Run: 3.1 mile (5 km)

Swim

Just before the start of the race, all triathletes made their way from the transition area to Coligny Beach. It was here that the race director gave us final instructions for the swim.

We then walked up the beach 550 yards, the distance of the swim, to the starting line. Once here, we waded into the water up to between chest and neck level (depending upon a person’s height). Here we waited for the signal for the race to begin.

Once the gun went off, the entire group of triathletes swam parallel to the beach until reaching the end point for the swim. The waves were small today, making it easy to swim in a straight line and stay on course.

Exiting the water, we ran the roughly 100 yards across the beach (on the right side of the volleyball court pictured below), through the Holiday Inn parking lot passing directly below the room where Joy and I were staying, across South Forest Beach Drive, and into the transition area.

Bike

After removing my wetsuit, I grabbed the rented bike and jogged it to the line designated for mounting. Hopping onto the bike, I slipped my feet into the shoes already clipped into the pedals.

The bike course was three loops of a very, very flat, tree-lined four mile section of local streets. The course left the transition area, which was near the Coligny Circle roundabout, and went right onto South Forest Beach Drive.

At about one mile from the start, South Forest Beach Drive split into North Sea Pines Drive and Cordilla Parkway. The course followed Cordilla Parkway back to Pope Road, where we made a right turn. Once at the Coligny Circle roundabout, we took the first exit of the roundabout. This put us back onto South Forest Beach Drive for the second and, eventually, third loops.

The rental bike turned out to be a success. I normally ride a triathlon specific Trek SpeedConcept 7.5. However, the Trek Madone road bike worked well. My pace during the triathlon was the same as I would have expected with my bike.

Triathlon Tip: Renting a bike from a local bike shop, especially for shorter distance races, can be a cost-effective alternative to shipping your bike to a race. Tell the person at the bike shop the size bike you normally ride. Ask the shop if you can bring your pedals in order to use your clip-in shoes. And don’t forget to have the shop fit you to the bike, at least as much as they can.

Run

There is not much to report about the run. The run course was quite familiar since it was a somewhat shortened, single loop of the bike course. As they say in triathlon-speak: “flat and fast”.

Results

This will probably be recorded as the flattest course ever, at least of the triathlons in which I have competed. This should not be surprising considering the course was on a small coastal island cut up by many waterways. Waterways and ponds occupy 40% of the island. Nearly every square inch of the island is at sea-level.

The flat course no doubt helped me to achieve a competitive time and to place first in my age group. We were grateful for a positive end to a marvelous trip.

Race Firsts

• First race with a rented bike.
• First race in which our hotel room looked out onto the path between the swim exit and transition area. The trip to transition on race morning was about one block.

Is There a South Carolina Triathlon You Recommend?

Have you done a triathlon in South Carolina? What was your experience? Please share your comments below.

Tuckerton, New Jersey; May 5, 2013–Bassman Sprint Triathlon

Swimming, biking and running in the Garden State (New Jersey) tested my recent triathlon training plan. This triathlon was also the motivation for visiting a part of the Atlantic coast we had not seen before.

Planning the New Jersey Triathlon

One goal for the 2013 season was to complete triathlons in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. With these under our belt, we would check off the northern portion of the Mid-Atlantic states in my quest to complete a triathlon in all fifty of the USA states.

This weekend, it was New Jersey. Joy and I would travel to Maryland and Pennsylvania about one month later for triathlons in these two states. This left Delaware, North Carolina, and Virginia, the remaining Mid-Atlantic states, for later.

Travel to New Jersey for a Triathlon

We left our house in Chicopee, Massachusetts early Saturday morning to make the roughly 250-mile trek to Bass River State Forest just west of Tuckerton, New Jersey.

Bass River State Forest, the location of the Bassman Triathlon, is about 100 miles south of New York City and about 30 miles north of Atlantic City, New Jersey, which sits directly on the Atlantic Coast.

On Saturday afternoon, we picked up the race packet at the Bass River State Forest.  While at the park, we took a brief walk to check out Lake Absegami where we would swim the next morning.  We then headed out on the 45-minute drive south to Atlantic City.

A Quick Visit to Atlantic City

While neither of us is a fan of casinos nor gambling, we were curious to see the draw that this city had on Pat and T, two of Joy’s friends from our Chicopee neighborhood.  Twice each year, these two ladies would drive to Atlantic City for gambling and an overnight stay in Pat’s timeshare.

We drove along the strip, which was lined with a mix of casinos – small and large, simple and opulent.  With the gusty winds and air temperature in the mid-50s °F, not to mention expensive parking, Joy and I took turns walking from a nearby hotel loading dock for a quick look at the famous Atlantic City Boardwalk.

We then headed a couple of miles further up the strip to Brigantine Beach where we stopped for lunch at the Pirates Den.

About six months earlier, Hurricane Sandy had passed through the area. While there was still some debris from Sandy, the beach was in good shape. I can certainly understand the attraction of these sandy beaches, especially in warmer weather.

After a short tour of Brigantine, we headed to our hotel, the Holiday Inn Manahawkin/Long Beach Island, for last-minute preparations for the triathlon and for an early dinner.  Remember my motto: “The early triathlete gets the best spots in transition.”

6^th Annual Bassman Sprint Triathlon

It was a busy day for the people of City Tri who managed the race.

The Bassman event included three triathlon distances (half Ironman, Olympic, and sprint) as well as half Ironman and Olympic distances of a duathlon (run-bike-run) and aquabike (swim-bike).

Distances for the individual legs of this USAT-sanctioned sprint triathlon were:

• Swim: 0.35 mile (620 yds or 560 m)
• Bike: 12.5 miles (20.1 km)
• Run: 3.1 miles (5 km)

Swim

The air temperature on race morning was still in the 50s °F. With the temperature of the Lake Absegami water reported to be around 65ºF, the race was ‘wetsuit-legal’.  In fact, the race director encouraged triathletes to wear a wetsuit during the swim.

I started out too fast in the swim, which led to a moment of panic as I became light-headed. The congestion I had been battling during the previous week probably didn’t help.

After slowing my stroke rate, which allowed my heart rate to drop a bit, I was able to resume the swim without any further difficulty.

Triathlon Tip: One reason I now take a short swim just before the start of a race is to get my heart rate up.  When the gun goes off, I can start swimming already partially warmed up.

A Slightly Different Approach to Timing

If you are not familiar with the transition part of a triathlon, you can feel free to skip this section.  Or, you can learn about triathlon transition in How to Achieve Faster Transition Times.

Anyway, back to the race.

It was a short run from the exit of Lake Absegami to the transition area.

For this race, there was only one timing mat for the transition area.  Normally, there are two timing mats, one at each end of the transition area.

The swim time officially ended upon crossing the timing mat and entering the transition area.  Bikes exited the opposite end of the transition area where there was no timing mat.  Upon completing the bike leg, athletes entered the transition area where they had previously entered after the swim.    Crossing the timing mat officially ended the bike leg and started the run leg.

As a result, the T1 (transition from swim to bike) and T2 (transition from bike to run) times were included in the bike and run times, respectively.

Bike

The bike portion of the race included a loop out of the park onto local roads.  The loop rejoined the original portion with about two miles back to the transition area.

As suggested by the map, the view from the bike was mostly forest, with the occasional body of water. Picturesque. The course was relatively flat, with the maximum difference in elevation of just over 30 ft (9 m).

The most unique ‘scenery’ was near the end of the course. We passed two large turkey vultures cleaning up a deer carcass. The animal had probably been hit by a car and was now lying on the shoulder of the road. The vultures seemed unfazed by the many bikers who passed within a few feet of them.

Run

The 3.1 mile (5 km) run in the Bass River Forest was on a combination of dirt, hiking trails, and park road.

In no way bragging, I sweat during typical races as much as anyone. With that wonderful word picture in mind, the fact that I did not break a sweat until the very end of the run tells you a lot about the temperature during the race.

In fact, my feet were almost numb during the run.  The good news is that the cool temperatures helped me to achieve the run pace that I had set for races this season.

After the New Jersey Triathlon

Much to my surprise, I was the first finisher age 60 and over (my age group was 60-64).

As a result of the finish, this was the first time that I qualified for the USA Triathlon National Championships.  Finishers in the top 10% of their age group automatically qualify for Nationals.

About New Jersey, the ‘Garden State’

When those of us from the Midwestern USA think of New Jersey, we most often picture the sprawling metropolitan areas like Newark from which you can see New York City across the Hudson River.

While driving back to Massachusetts from Bass River Forest, we were struck by the contrast between the massive green areas found throughout most of New Jersey and the asphalt and concrete covered areas of the more well known metropolitan areas.

New Jersey is called the ‘Garden State’ for good reason.  Get away from the major cities and you see the importance of fruit and vegetable farming.

Race Firsts

• First race in which I finished first in my 60-64 age group and qualified for USAT Nationals
• Vultures picking at a dead deer lying alongside the bike course was a first.
• First race in which I did not break a sweat until the very end of the run.

Have You Done a Triathlon in New Jersey?

Tell us about your favorite or most memorable triathlon in the Garden State. Leave your Comments below.

Comments: Please note that I review all comments before they are posted. You will be notified by email when your comment is approved. Even if you do not submit a comment, you may subscribe to be notified when a comment is published.

Gillette, Wyoming, May 3, 2014 – Razor City Splash & Dash Triathlon

The Razor City Splash & Dash Triathlon in Gillette, Wyoming was the opportunity to visit family, explore eastern Wyoming, and enjoy our 15 minutes of fame.

Why a Triathlon in Gillette, Wyoming?

Joy’s and my plans to compete in the Razor City Splash & Dash Triathlon, my first of the 2014 season, were cemented with mailing a check to the Campbell County Parks & Recreation on January 10, 2014.

Why this triathlon?

If you have read “How to Choose Your Next Triathlon”, you may have already guessed that there was a connection to family or friends weaved somewhere into the story.

If you have not read the earlier post, please do so later.  For now, I’ll give you the short version of the answer to the above question.

First, Wyoming was one of the states in which I had not completed a triathlon.

More importantly, Gillette was a short drive past Rapid City, South Dakota. Rapid City was the summer home of Joy’s dear Aunt Evelyn.  Evelyn learned that she enjoyed being a triathlon spectator during the Catching Cupid Triathlon in Mesa, Arizona (State #12).  She was more than ready to watch another race.

Travel to the Wyoming Triathlon

Joy and I left our Minnesota home on Thursday evening, spending the night in Mitchell, South Dakota, home of the world famous Corn Palace.   We rose early the next morning, reaching Rapid City in time for lunch with Aunt Evelyn.

While we had planned to pick up Evelyn on the way to Gillette – and she was looking forward to the trip – health problems prevented her from joining us.  Nevertheless, we were able to visit with her both on the way to and from Gillette.

After lunch and some ‘catching up’, we made the roughly two hour trip to Gillette.  Arriving mid-afternoon allowed us to prepare for the race, pick up the race packet, and explore the area a bit before having an early dinner at the Prime Rib restaurant.

Learning About Gillette

Gillette is named after Edward Gillette, an engineer and surveyor for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad who in 1891 recommended the eventual route of the railroad.

But, what about the ‘Razor City’ nickname that is the basis for the triathlon’s name?

Legend has it that the ‘Razor City’ nickname came from association of the Gillette family name with that of the company that manufactures razor blades.

The more popular nickname for Gillette today is ‘Energy Capital of the Nation’.  This name recognizes the city’s central location within an area from which large quantities of coal, oil, and coal bed methane gas have been obtained.

One fact about Gillette relevant to the triathlon is its altitude.  Like many western USA cities, Gillette is located at an elevation significantly higher than that of my home state of Minnesota.  For this race, the average altitude was 4,550 to just over 4,600 feet.

11^th Annual Razor City Splash & Dash Sprint Triathlon

The race is one of several run by Campbell County Parks & Recreation (CCPR).  You can find information about the next triathlon and other races sponsored by CCPR here. I challenge you to find a lower cost triathlon.

Distances for the individual legs of this sprint triathlon were:

• Swim: 0.51 mile (900 yds or 823 m)
• Bike: 11.3 miles (18.2 km) as measured from my bike computer (officially listed as ‘approximately 12 miles’)
• Run: 3.1 miles (5 km)

Race Day

We rose early to reach the Recreation Center for the opening of the transition area.  In fact, we arrived before the race staff.

After setting up my transition area, I chatted with the race director.  During the conversation, I shared with him that this race was the Wyoming triathlon in our 50-states quest.

As more racers began to arrive, the conversation turned to other topics.   Before I knew it, we were in the aquatic center for the pre-race meeting.

Swim

Gillette is blessed with an incredible pool, the location for the triathlon’s swim leg.  For the triathlon, the Olympic size pool (50-yard length) was configured as a 25-yard pool with 20 lanes.

The swim for this race involved five triathletes in each lane, all who had estimated similar times for their swim.  The entire 900 yards of the swim occurred within the same lane with the same five swimmers, in this case, four young ladies and me. 

Each swimmer was responsible for providing a person to count their laps.  Filling this need for me, Joy ticked off one more volunteer performance.

My swim time was actually almost three minutes faster than I had estimated at registration.  I am not sure how this happened but it was a pleasant surprise.   On several occasions, I had to slow down because of congestion in the lane.

Bike

For the bike leg, we left the transition area outside the aquatic center and headed onto a city street.  From the course map, the route looked more or less like a capital letter ‘T’ with the starting point near the bottom of the vertical section.

The course involved an out and back route with two turnarounds, one corresponding to each of the two ends of the top, horizontal section of the ‘T’.

What is missing from the simple description of the course as a flat letter ‘T’ are the four steep climbs (and descents) and rolling hills. These made this short course a bit more challenging though still quite fast.

One of the unique memories of this race was the pronghorn deer in the field alongside the course.  With the deer separated from the road by a fence, there was little danger of them running onto the course.  It’s just that you don’t see deer, nonetheless pronghorn deer, during every triathlon.

Run

The 3.1 mile (5k) flat run course took us through a quiet neighborhood of Gillette.  The course left from the eastern side of the Recreation Center parking lot, looped around streets south and eventually southwest of the Center, returning to the Center parking lot and finish line.

15 Minutes of Fame

Since I was the only participant over 60 years of age, I was able to claim a first place age group prize.  When announcing my ‘win’, the race director also announced Joy’s and my mission to cover the USA through triathlon.

Following the awards ceremony, Grant Egger, a reporter for the Gillette News Record, informed us that he was writing a story about the Splash & Dash.  Of course, we agreed to his request for an interview.

A few days later, I received a copy of the newspaper article in my e-mail. 

A Final Stop in Rapid City

We left Gillette at 12:15 pm Mountain Time for our first stop, Rapid City.  Our mission was to pay Aunt Evelyn another visit, this time with an update on the triathlon.

Being an experienced triathlon spectator, she asked all the right questions.  After getting her caught up and enjoying some snacks, we said our farewells and headed toward Minnesota.

Three months later, Evelyn had passed away.   We were blessed to have been allowed time with her during this trip.

Race Firsts

• First timing biking past Pronghorn Deer.
• I was the oldest participant for this race, another first.
• First race in which Joy and I were interviewed by a local newspaper reporter after the race.

Have You Done a Triathlon in Wyoming?

Wyoming is such a beautiful state. I have loved it since visiting Jackson Hole, the Grand Tetons, and Yellowstone Park as a child.

Have you done any triathlons in Wyoming? If so tell us which one and what you learned from it in the Comments section below.