Category: Triathlon Across The USA

Brunswick, Maine; May 5, 2012–Polar Bear Triathlon/Duathlon, Bowdoin College.

Planning the Maine Triathlon

The goal for 2012, the second year in the ‘Triathlon Across the USA‘ journey, was to complete triathlons in the remaining states of New England. Only one, the Massachusetts triathlon, had been completed in 2011.

Thanks to a lesson learned early on about registering early for popular races and to the support for the journey by more than one race director, I met this goal. Besides this race, I completed triathlons in Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire during 2012.

The Polar Bear Triathlon is one of many wildly popular races across the country. The slots for these races are snatched up soon after the opening of registration. The e-mail exchange between Race Director Will Thomas and me pictured below not only shows how quickly this race fills (‘in about an hour’), but also his eagerness to support my triathlon goal.

Travel to the Maine Triathlon

Joy and I traveled from our home in Chicopee, Massachusetts to the Maine Running Company in Brunswick for packet pickup on Friday afternoon. After this quick stop, we drove over to Bowdoin College to look over the parking options for the next morning and to drive the bike course, a regular pre-race ritual.

With these boxes checked, we headed north, settled into our hotel room at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites north of Brunswick, and made our way to Bath.

We ate dinner at J. R. Maxwell & Co. on the world-famous Front Street in historic downtown Bath. After some encouragement, Joy selected the full lobster, complete with bib. With some help from the waitress, Joy and I enjoyed the entire lobster. 

10^th Polar Bear Triathlon/Duathlon

Bowdoin College is a liberal arts college with a beautiful campus, including a huge pool and field house (inside track). Both the pool and field house were available for use during the triathlon. The Bowdoin mascot is the polar bear, hence the name for the race, the Polar Bear Triathlon/Duathlon.

This event, managed by Tri Maine, included both a sprint triathlon (240 participants) and a duathlon (run-bike-run) for the non-swimmers (or stronger runners). My age group of masters triathletes (55-59) included ten participants.

On Friday evening, amidst drizzling rain and a 50°F air temperature, the forecast for the beginning of the race was rain. Fortunately, the forecast was wrong. We woke to clear skies. By race time, the clouds had passed, the sun had appeared, and the roads were dry. It was a beautiful day for racing although still chilly.

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

• Swim: 525 yards (0.3 miles or 0.5 km)
• Bike: 11.5 miles (18.5 km)
• Run: 3 miles (4.8 km)

Swim

The swim took place in the sixteen (16) lane, 25-yard long LeRoy Greason Pool at Bowdoin College. Each lane included two triathletes who swam 21 lengths of the pool, after which they exited at the opposite end of the pool and ran or walked to the transition area.

Swimmers started in waves according to their estimate of the time that it would take them to complete the 525 yards. This type of start assumes that all swimmers (32 in the 16 lanes) will complete the swim in more or less the same time.

The swim involved an ‘in-water start’. We held onto the wall until the start signal was sounded. After that, we stayed on our side of the lane for the entire swim leg.

Each lane had a volunteer counter at the start end to track the swimmer’s progress. Just before the last length (near the end of the twentieth length), the volunteer put a red panel into the water. This told us to exit the pool at the other end.

Bike

While the rain had stopped, it still felt cold, especially since I was wet from the swim. This triathlon was one of a few during which I have worn a biking jacket. It was too cold to ride without it. This experience is the main reason I include the jacket in the suitcase of triathlon gear I take to every race, just in case it’s needed.

The mostly-flat course left the campus for the country roads and a few rolling hills south of Brunswick. While most of the roads were in good condition, one roughly half-mile section desperately needed repair.

Fortunately, the race organizers had prepared us for this portion of the course during their pre-race communications. An e-mail sent a few days before the race reported that “part of the course will be designated a ‘Non-Aero Zone’ which means that you cannot be in aero position on your bike. We make this designation for your safety.”

Having driven the course during the previous afternoon, I was ready to ride safely through this area.

Run

By that end of the bike leg, the air temperature and I had both warmed up. Consequently, I removed the jacket after dropping my bike in transition and before beginning the run.

The 3 mile (4.8 km) run course included both on- and off-road sections. The initial portion followed sidewalks along city streets leading away from the campus. After a few blocks, the course turned onto a dirt, a slightly muddy, trail complete with potholes and tree roots. The final stretch was across a grassy field leading to the finish line outside the south end of the field house.

Another New Experience—Volunteering At The Finish Line

Joy also volunteered at this triathlon. Her job was to remove the timing chip connected to a strap around one ankle, typically the left, of each triathlete.

Unfortunately, one racer came to the finish line with ‘stuff’ running down his leg. Clearly, he had suffered from gastrointestinal problems during the race. While this situation would be difficult for most volunteers, Joy has too sensitive a nose for this to be anything but a disaster.

While Joy would volunteer at many other races, this would be her last time at the finish line.

It’s A Small World

We took advantage of passing through Portland, Maine, on Saturday afternoon to eat a seafood lunch. Afterward, we toured downtown Portland and the Allagash Brewing Company.

The experience at Allagash came in handy some years later while waiting for our friends, Jim and Kris, to join us for dinner at Manhattens Restaurant in the Chicago area. Recognizing the Allagash name on one of the taps at the bar, I told the server about our visit to the brewery in Portland. Interestingly, we learned that this restaurant owner’s wife had grown up in Maine.

It really is a small world.

Race Firsts

• First triathlon held at a college.
• Our first time in Brunswick and Bath, Maine.
• First triathlon with most of the run on a trail through woods.
• Joy’s first experience eating a whole lobster.

Have You Done a Triathlon in Maine?

Leave your questions about my Maine triathlon story or share your experience in the Comments section below.

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Douglas, Massachusetts, September 17, 2011 – TDD Triathlon, Douglas State Forest.

It had been nearly one year to the day since my friend, Jim Philipsek, had talked me into doing my first triathlon. Now, I found myself in the fourth one.

Two had been in Minnesota. My first triathlon had been in Buffalo and the second in Maple Grove. My third triathlon had been in Yankton, South Dakota.

In my experience, this triathlon was unique in that it was the first that doubled as a fundraiser. However, it turns out that this would be quite common – see Reason #2 of 15 Reasons for Those 50 and Older to Do Triathlons.

 

Getting to the Massachusetts Triathlon

During this period, I was working half-time in Chicopee (Springfield), Massachusetts. This meant that Joy and I were living around one hour from Douglas State Forest. We made the short trip east from Chicopee on Friday afternoon for packet pickup and a pre-race training session on open water swimming.

Bright and early – well, it was not so bright when we started out – the next morning we made the same trip for the race.

TDD Triathlon

The TDD Triathlon, managed by FIRM (Fiske Independent Race Management), is a memorial for Tyrus, Dante, and Daniel Vescio. The triplet sons of local racers, Don and Elaine Vescio, died shortly after birth. This annual race serves as a fundraiser for the University of Massachusetts Memorial Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Worcester, Massachusetts.

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

• Swim: 0.25 mile (400 m)
• Bike: 11 mile (17.7 km)
• Run: 3.2 mile (5.1 km)

The temperature on arriving at the race site was a brisk and sunny 42ºF. Even though the water was considerably warmer than the air temperature, I was grateful for the wetsuit I had recently purchased.

 

Swim

The triathlon began with a hail of cheers for the first swimmer, a man who towed a green and yellow rubber raft carrying his disabled son.  I remember later, in the final stretch of the rectangular swim course, passing the raft and thinking about the kindness of this man.

 

Bike

Since this was the last triathlon of the season, I used the hybrid bike that I kept at our house in Chicopee rather than ship my Trek SpeedConcept tri-bike for a single race. 

The hybrid bike I used was a three-year-old Giant Cypress DX, similar to the one used in my first triathlon. While it was comfortable and fit me very well, it is not a tri-bike and clearly not as fast as my Trek.

The bike course followed rolling roads within the State Forest and on public roads with a few hairpin turns to make sure we were paying attention.

While the bike leg took me longer than I had wished because of the bike used, I finished the bike portion with legs that were ‘ready to run’, unlike the experience of my first triathlon.

 

Run

I had learned earlier that one way to reduce the transition time is to take care of certain tasks while on the way out of the transition area.  One of these is putting on the race number belt.

This time, the fourth time I used this race number belt, one end of the belt came out of the loop of one of its clasps.   As a result, I could not secure the belt, a race requirement.   This also meant that I could not proceed out of the transition area.

So, before starting the run, I wasted time re-threading the belt through the clasp and securing it.  Since this experience, I have used a small safety pin to secure the belt to prevent it from coming loose.

The ‘out-and-back’ run course took us on a combination of a dirt trail, complete with tree roots and rocks, and a road within the forest.

 

Another New Experience – Volunteering

What would a triathlon without volunteers be? Chaos. Impossible. A ‘free-for-all’. All of the above!

It was during this race that Joy decided she would become a triathlon volunteer. Well, it was actually more like they drafted her into being a triathlon volunteer because of a shortage of volunteers. 

Joy’s job? The very important role of directing runners to make an important right-angle turn a short distance from the finish line.

She did very well, taking charge and shouting out instructions. It was the perfect job for her, playing to her strengths.

 

Race Firsts

• First triathlon that doubled as a fundraiser
• Joy’s first experience as a race volunteer
• First triathlon attended from our house in Chicopee, Massachusetts
• First triathlon held in a state forest

Have You Done a Triathlon in Massachusetts?

Have you done a triathlon that doubles as a fundraiser? in Massachusetts?

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.

Quakertown, Pennsylvania; June 2, 2013-Independence Triathlon, Lake Nockamixon State Park.

The summer of 2013 was the last one during which Joy and I would be living half time in Chicopee, Massachusetts. Anticipating this change, we competed in triathlons in the middle Atlantic states of New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.

Traveling to the Pennsylvania Triathlon

With the Maryland and Pennsylvania triathlons held on consecutive days, we turned a three-day weekend road trip into an adventure across southern Pennsylvania.

Getting to the Rocky Gap triathlon in northwestern Maryland took us through eastern and southern Pennsylvania, including the chocolate-themed town of Hershey.

Following the Pennsylvania triathlon in the southeastern part of the state, we traveled through the spectacular Pocono Mountains as we made our way north and east toward western New York and western Massachusetts.

Independence Triathlon

The Independence Triathlon, one race organized by Piranha Sports, was held at Lake Nockamixon State Park about 10 miles east of Quakertown, Pennsylvania. Quakertown is about 50 miles north of the heart of Philadelphia.

The race likely gets its name from the history of Quakertown. During the War for Independence, the Liberty Bell was hidden in Quakertown (at the time known as Richland Centre) en route to its permanent hiding place in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Our travel to Lake Nockamixon from the hotel took us past Liberty Hall, the temporary hiding place of the bell, one of the main symbols of freedom.

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

• Swim: 0.25 mile (400 m)
• Bike: 10 mile (16 km)
• Run: 2 mile (3.2 km)

Swim

The open water swim began with each of four waves – groups of triathletes within a certain age group and gender (e.g. females age 40 and over) – in the water.

In-water starts, an alternative to shore starts, are often used when the entrance to the water includes large or sharp rocks or abrupt drop-offs that are likely to cause difficulty for a group of triathletes to enter the water at more or less the same time.

The transition area was located in a grassy area up hill from the lake. At the exit of the swim, we found that race organizers had placed non-slip, rubber mats in the water to protect our feet from the rocks. The mats continued up the grassy hill to help us avoid slipping while running up the hill.

Bike

The bike route took us out of the park onto a state highway for about 3 miles (5 km) to the first of two U-turns. Along the way, we enjoyed a flat course with a few gradual hills.

The course returned on the opposite side of the highway, up and down the same small hills. Instead of turning into the park, we passed the entrance continuing about one mile to a second U-turn. From here, we returned to the park entrance and back to the transition area.

Run

The ‘out and back’ run course followed an asphalt trail from the transition area. We turned around at a flagpole on the peninsula next to the lake’s marina. The aerial picture below shows the run turnaround in the upper right corner.

Results

This was the first triathlon in which I placed second in my age group. Previous best age group finishes were third place. Needless to say, I was pleased with the result.

The relatively short race and sprint-only event allowed us to complete the race, take part in the awards ceremony, and get back to the hotel for a quick breakfast and shower before hitting the road for the drive back to Chicopee, Massachusetts.

Race Firsts

• First sprint triathlon with a run of 2 miles. Sprint distance triathlons typically involve a run distance of 3 to 3.5 miles.
• First sprint triathlon completed in less than one hour (59 minutes, 59 seconds)

Not a First

This was actually the second time that I competed in triathlons in adjacent states on consecutive days. The first time was in 2012 when I did triathlons in Newport, Rhode Island and Rye, New Hampshire on September 22^nd and 23^rd, respectively.

This would not be the last time for races on consecutive days. Balancing work, family, and other commitments, and triathlon schedules sometimes required this.

Do You Have a Favorite Pennsylvania Triathlon?

Tell us a bit about your favorite Pennsylvania triathlon in the Comments below.

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Mesa, Arizona; February 9, 2013–2^nd Annual Tri Catching Cupid Reverse Sprint Triathlon, Skyline High School.

There is no shortage of reasons to do a triathlon. Among them are ones in “15 Reasons for Those 50 and Older to Do Triathlons“. In some cases, the race is secondary to other, more important goals. While being a fun race, the Arizona triathlon fit the latter.

Why This Arizona Triathlon?

In the case of the Arizona triathlon, escaping the cold and ice of Minnesota during February could have been enough incentive for this race. However, there were other benefits to this triathlon.

Arizona has been home to many family members. In 2013, these included Joy’s aunt Evelyn who lived in Mesa and attended the triathlon with us. We also visited Joy’s aunt Delores and uncle Bob in Vail, Arizona, south of Tucson.

The trip also provided an opportunity to get in some outdoor activity in February not involving snow or ice.

Getting to the Arizona Triathlon

With plans to meet family members, enjoy the warmer outdoors, and compete in the triathlon, we left Minneapolis on Thursday evening with my triathlon bike as part of our luggage. The partially disassembled bike was securely packed in the Thule bike case and checked as luggage on Delta flight 999.

Upon arriving in Phoenix and picking up our luggage (including the oversized black bike case – traveling with a bike is another story for a later time), we drove to Aunt Evelyn’s house in Mesa and proceeded directly to bed.

After breakfast the next morning, Aunt Evelyn and Joy got in a few hands of the card game, Golf. Meanwhile, I reassembled and test rode my bike. I was now ready for the triathlon.

2^nd Annual Tri Catching Cupid Reverse Sprint Triathlon

What is a reverse triathlon? As the name implies, it is a triathlon in which the order of the events is reversed. Instead of the swim-bike-run order of a traditional triathlon, the order of events in a reverse triathlon is run-bike-swim.

The triathlon was held on and around Skyline High School, making use of the school’s track and aquatic facility.

Distances for the individual legs of the Tri Catching Cupid reverse sprint triathlon were:

• Run: 3 mile (4.8 km)
• Bike: 12 mile (19.3 km)
• Swim: 400 yards (366 m)

Run

This was the first race of the season and a test of the training that I followed since the last race in Clearwater, Florida the previous November. Since that race, the run training plan I followed involved three runs per week:

1. A ‘long, slow’ run of 6 miles during which the goal was to keep my heart rate within the aerobic zone,
2. One session of interval training involving 5-7 repeats of short (0.25 to 1 mile) bursts of high intensity followed by a recovery period aimed at reducing my heart rate to within the aerobic zone, and
3. A ‘brick’ (bike followed by run) session involving a 3 mile run after a cycling class.

For the Arizona triathlon, the run course started on a quarter mile track inside an outdoor track and field center. True to the name of the event, a young man dressed in a Cupid costume led the runners on the run course.

After one lap of the track, the course continued outside the facility on sidewalks and running paths north of the transition area. The loop eventually led back to the transition area next to the pool and track.

The good news was that I met the time goal I had set at the beginning of the previous three months’ training.

Bike

The 12-mile bike leg consisted of three loops of a one mile square section (four miles per loop) of public road. This leg was uneventful, except for the time I ran off the road and through tall grass that lined the road.

Let me explain. Since the course was relatively flat and boring, I started fidgeting with the cover on the water bottle clamped between the aerobars. Apparently, I was paying too close attention to the water bottle and rode off the side of the course into knee-high tall grass.

During the few seconds of riding in the tall grass, I fully expected to ride into a large rock and fall, or worse yet, damage my wheel.

None of these doomsday scenarios played out, however. I edged the bike back onto the road. The only evidence of this near-disaster was a few pieces of long grass caught in crevices of my bike frame. Eventually, even these was fell out. No one would know of my irresponsible, distracted riding.

When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened.

Winston Churchill

At the end of the third lap, I entered the parking lot a short distance from the transition area. While coasting toward the transition, I slipped my feet out of the bike shoes, leaving the shoes clipped to the pedals.

Swim

A quick transition from the bike to swim helped me pass one guy in my age group. While he had finished the bike leg ahead of me, I beat him into the pool.

However, the glory was short lived. During the first of the 16 lengths of the 25 yard pool, he passed me. At the end of each of the lanes, we ducked under the rope to swim to the opposite end of the pool in the next lane.

I finished the swim and exited the pool to cross the finish line, clean and refreshed from the run and bike legs.

Lessons from the Arizona Triathlon

The triathlon results were also, in some ways, reversed.

With less than 100 participants, this race was small relative to most triathlons. Within my age group – males 60 years and older – there were four participants.

Ironically, the oldest competitor in our age group, a man of over 70 years, took first place within our age group. On the other hand, the youngest competitor, me, placed fourth.

A bright spot is that all of us finished well within the top half of all participants.

Once again, I learned humility and respect for the mental and physical ability of our community of Senior Triathletes.

Race Firsts

• First reverse triathlon.
• The Arizona triathlon was the first with part of the run course on a track.
• This was my first triathlon with the swim in an outdoor pool.
• First race that served as a fundraiser for a Synchronized Swim Team.

Arizona Triathlon as a Fundraiser

Tri Catching Cupid doubled as a fundraiser for the Arizona Desert Dolphins Synchronized Swim Team (Reason #2 of ‘15 Reasons for Those 50 and Older to Do Triathlons‘).

Following the race, all participants and spectators were treated – and it truly was a treat – to a demonstration by the Arizona Desert Dolphins Synchronized Swim Team. The athletes made synchronized swimming look easy even though it is far from easy. Synchronized swimming demands advanced water skills, significant strength, endurance, and flexibility. It also requires exceptional grace and precision timing.

Triathlon as a Family Reunion

Joy and I have been rewarded by prioritizing triathlons based on the location of family and friends. While we did eventually see these aunts and uncle again, this long weekend was among the last times we were with them before they passed away. We now look back with fondness at the time we had with them around this triathlon.

Leave Your Questions and Comments Below

What are your thoughts about reverse triathlon? Do you like them or not? Why? 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.

This post was first published on January 1, 2017. At the latest update on May 11, 2020, it appears that this triathlon was last competed in February 2016.