Triathlon Across the USA: State #24 – Utah

Bountiful, Utah, September 7, 2015 – South Davis Labor Day Triathlon, South Davis Recreation Center

The Utah triathlon was the first of three sprint triathlons within seven days.

Deadlines Can Make a Difference

If you are like me, a deadline can be important for keeping training on track. We start with an admirable, and achievable, goal, like improving our fitness or losing a few pounds.

However, it is easy to lose momentum once we start making progress toward the goal and the ‘pain’ that motivated us initially is no longer as great.

“A goal without a deadline is just a dream.”

Robert Herjavec, Canadian businessman

That’s where committing to a specific race can help to maintain the momentum. An impending race is what many of us need to remain focused.

I know that registering – and paying for – a race works because this is my story.

This is also a reason many local fitness centers, community recreation centers, and even YMCAs sponsor triathlons, like the South Davis Labor Day Triathlon. These races provide its members the much-needed deadline and focus for training.

And, they usually come at a reasonable and affordable fee, especially when you consider the t-shirt and other giveaways (also known as ‘swag’) given to participants.

Before the Utah Triathlon

The Bountiful, Utah triathlon was one stop on a roughly two-week road trip to complete triathlons in Utah, Oregon, and Washington, all within a seven-day period.

Our route to Bountiful (Salt Lake City) from our Minnesota home included an overnight stay in Omaha, Nebraska with our son, daughter-in-law, and two granddaughters. From here, it was a comfortable, albeit long, day’s drive to the Salt Lake City area.

We arrived two days before the Labor Day Triathlon so we could take in some of the unique sights and activities of the area that included:

  • Touring the Latter-Day Saints Conference Center.
  • Listening to an organ recital at the Mormon Tabernacle.
  • Searching family records at the Family Search Center in the Joseph Smith Memorial. I learned about my paternal grandmother. Joy learned that she comes from French and English royalty; she always told me that she was a princess.
  • Walking in and around the Great Salt Lake.

On Sunday afternoon, Joy and I drove the bike course for the triathlon, a typical pre-race ritual. We were unable to drive the entire course since several miles of the course was on a combination bike and walking/running trail near the Legacy Nature Preserve.

7th South Davis Labor Day Triathlon

Bountiful is a northern suburb of Salt Lake City that sits at around 4,300 feet elevation. This is high enough for someone from the middle plains of the USA to feel the effects of the altitude, especially during biking and running.

The Labor Day Triathlon is part of a series of races organized and managed by the South Davis Recreation Center in Bountiful. The event included both sprint and novice individual triathlon distances. It also included a sprint relay option.

logo-on-t-shirt-of-2015-Labor-Day-Triathlon
Logo on the t-shirt provided to participants of the 2015 South Davis Labor Day Triathlon.

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

  • Swim: 0.2 miles (350 yards)
  • Bike: 12 miles (19.3 km)
  • Run: 3.1 miles (5 km)

The novice race included distances approximately half those of the sprint triathlon:

  • Swim: 150 yards
  • Bike: 5 miles (8 km)
  • Run: 1.5 miles (2.4 km)

The triathlon made use of the Center’s 14-lane pool. The transition area for the triathlon made use of the parking area for the Bountiful City Park located immediately behind the fitness center.

Swim

The 350-yard (320 m) swim followed a serpentine path across the 14 lanes of the 25-yard long pool.

Before the start of the triathlon, swimmers lined up in order of the time in which they anticipated completing the swim. Every few seconds, a swimmer would jump into the first lane and swim to the other end.

At the end of the first length, we ducked under the lane divider and swam back to the starting end in the second lane. It was then under the lane divider for a swim to the other end of lane 3. For the sprint distance race, this process was repeated for each lane of the pool.

After 14 lengths, we got out of the pool and walked or jogged out of the pool area onto the outdoor sidewalk leading to the transition area and our bikes.

South-Davis-Recreation-Center-pool-during-triathlon-swim
Just before the start of the triathlon, swimmers lined up according to their anticipated time for the swim leg. (Picture courtesy of South Davis Recreation Center.)

Bike

The initial and final portions of the relatively flat bike course were on the streets of Bountiful. An intermediate section of the course followed the bike trail next to the Legacy Nature Preserve.

While we had driven the road portion of the course the day before the race, we obviously could not drive on the bike trail portion. Neither had I taken time to ride the trail portion.

Did I Miss the Turn?

With swimmers starting one at a time, bikers were also spread out along the course. In fact, there were times, especially on the portion along the Preserve, when I did not see another biker.

At one point, I was sure that I had missed the turn-off and was on my own. I knew that the course eventually turned onto a path leading back to the streets. All of sudden, I realized that there were no other bikers around me and began to worry that I had already passed the turn.

I decided to trust the race directors to have clearly marked the course or to provide a volunteer to keep racers on course.

Sure enough, a few blocks ahead, I found the sought-after volunteer. A quick turn, followed by a ride of about one block on a section of the trail, and I was in a parking lot heading back onto the city streets and toward the transition area.

Triathlon Tip: Many athletes, including elite triathletes, have lost races by missing a turn on the race course. This has occurred despite the best attempts of race directors to mark all turns. Take advantage of race course maps and instructions provided before the race to become familiar with the course. Ironically, being familiar with the course is more important for races with fewer participants, for which the spacing between racers is often greater.

Run

The run course left the transition area, heading west about a block to the street that passes in front of the South Davis Recreation Center. With the first of five right turns complete, the run on this flat course continued along a rectangular path on the sidewalks of the streets north of the South Davis Recreation Center.

It was during this leg that I felt the effect of the altitude. Fortunately, there were many supporters shouting out their words of encouragement to a background of ringing cowbells. Music along the course arranged by the race organizers the much-needed distraction as I worked my way toward the finish line.

With the Utah Triathlon Complete . . .

With the race complete and a long drive ahead of us, Joy and I went back to the hotel for a quick shower. We packed the rest of the luggage into the back of our van and headed to our next destination. It turned out that this would be Bend, Oregon.

Race Firsts

  • First triathlon on a weekday.
  • This was my first triathlon held on a national holiday.
  • First race in which part of the bike course was a biking/running/walking trail.

Have You Made a Wrong Turn During a Triathlon?

Have you ever taken a wrong turn during a triathlon? How did you get this corrected?

Please tell us about it in the Comments below.

Triathlon Across the USA: State #41 – Kentucky

Winchester, Kentucky; October 6, 2018 – WinSprint 2018, Winchester-Clark County Recreation Center.

Our Kentucky triathlon was a small, yet challenging, competitive, and well-run race.

So, if competing in a triathlon with several hundred or even thousands of participants is intimidating, don’t let that stop you. Choose one that fits your goals and comfort zone.

A Road Trip to Celebrate our 45th Wedding Anniversary

I learned about the WinSprint Triathlon on a favorite website, Running in the USA, while searching for triathlons in the southeastern states. Joy and I used the site to put together a string of five triathlons on five consecutive weekends to get us closer to our goal of a triathlon in each of the 50 states.

The Kentucky triathlon also coincided with our 45th wedding anniversary.

Getting to the Kentucky Triathlon

After the North Carolina Triathlon on the previous Saturday, Joy and I took a leisurely path to Daniel Boone country in northeastern Kentucky. On the way, we toured portions of western North Carolina and communities around the Great Smoky National Park in eastern Tennessee.

Actually, this was our second time in Kentucky during the road trip. The first visit was between the Ohio and Tennessee triathlons in the second week of the trip.

During the earlier visit to Kentucky, we tried our hand at tent camping. Unlike our time in Ohio, this camping was without the rain, in Big Bone Lick State Park in northwestern Kentucky.

3rd WinSprint Triathlon

The WinSprint Triathlon is organized and managed by the staff of Winchester – Clark County Recreation Center (WCCRC). The center is housed in the former site of Southeastern Christian College.

The triathlon doubles as a fundraiser for the purchase of bikes for the WCCRC annual Bicycle Rodeo. According to the WCCRC website:

“Last year we purchased and gave away 26 bikes! We hope to give away even more during our 2018 event and appreciate your support in helping make this a reality!!”

The 2018 WinSprint Triathlon included six categories of race, all involving sprint triathlon distances:

  • Sprint triathlon with road biking
  • Sprint triathlon with stationary biking in the fitness center
  • Relay versions of the road and stationary bike events
  • Duathlon (bike and run; no swim) versions of the road and stationary bike events

Distances for the individual legs of this sprint triathlon were:

  • Swim: 0.23 mile (400 yds)
  • Bike: 6.2 miles (10 km)
  • Run: 3.1 miles (5 km)

Filled to Capacity

According to April S. of WCCRC, the number of participants in the WinSprint Triathlon has grown each year. Starting with 40 participants in 2016, the race’s first year, the number of racers jumped to 80 in 2017, its second year.

In this, the third year, registration exceeded the initial cap of 100 participants set by recreation center management. The cap was based on the capacity of the WCCRC facility and the number of participants that could complete the event within the half day allotted to it.

While Clark County was well represented among the participants, about 60% of the participants came from outside the immediate area.

The race had a family-friendly feel to it with lots of children visible on race morning. A special feature of this race was the availability of free daycare. Race organizers provided this for parents who needed their children watched while they raced.

pre-race-meeting-at-the-Kentucky-triathlon
A pre-race meeting for the Kentucky triathlon was held in the gymnasium of the Winchester – Clark County Recreation Center.

WinSprint Triathlon Transition Area

Another unique feature of this race, one that I like, was the lottery for the position (bike rack number) within the transition area. During packet pickup on race morning, triathletes selected a colored piece of paper with a number. Mine had the number 12 on it.

The number on the paper corresponded to the number on the rack on which we placed our bikes. The lottery had two benefits.

First, it controlled the number of bikes on each rack. This ensured that each racer had roughly the same space in which to set out their gear within the transition area.

The second benefit was that it prevented a rush on race morning to get the best locations in the transition area. Unlike most triathlons, the bike out/in and the run out locations were on the same end of the transition area. With this arrangement, there was an advantage, albeit small, to having one’s transition space near the bike out/in end of the transition area.

transition-area-of-WinSprint-triathlon
The transition area of the WinSprint Triathlon was on a section of Wheeler Avenue in front of the Winchester – Clark County Recreation Center.

Swim

The swim was organized in waves. Waves began at 15-minute intervals. Two swimmers were assigned to each of five lanes of the 25-yard long pool. A sixth lane remained open for swimmers who required more than the allotted 15 minutes to complete the swim.

Swimmers swam eight laps (sixteen lengths). Volunteers who counted each swimmer’s laps notified each person when they were beginning their last lap and when they had completed eight laps.

With their swim complete, athletes either left the building for the outdoor transition area (using the door in the picture below) or, if they were taking part in the stationary bike event, left the swim area for a nearby room containing the stationary bikes.

Winchester-Clark-County-Recreation-Center-pool
The swim for the WinSprint Triathlon was held in the 25-yard WCCRC pool.

Bike

There were two unique features of the WinSprint Triathlon:

  1. It had the shortest bike leg of any of the more than 40 triathlons I have completed to this point.
  2. It was the first to include a stationary bike option for the bike leg.

For the stationary bike option, the rider used a bicycle within the fitness center to ride the 6.2 mile (10 km). Of course, there were no hills and there was no wind working for or against the rider while on the stationary bike.

Not surprisingly, times on the stationary bikes were less than those on the road bikes. The fastest bike split (time on the bike) for an individual sprint triathlete competing in the stationary bike event was 13:16. This compared to the fastest bike split of 17:31 for the road bike event.

Out on the Road

The temperature on the bike course was comfortable, in the low 70s °F. The course left the transition area following city streets to Boonesboro Avenue, a county highway that led southwest out of town toward the turnaround at George Rogers Clark High School.

Upon reaching the entrance to the High School, I turned into the parking lot. There were no other bikers around me, though there were plenty of volunteers whose instructions I thought I followed correctly.

I continued straight ahead, riding counterclockwise around the school building. Passing another volunteer in a parking lot behind the school, I continued up the hill leading to the exit of the property and back toward the highway.

While riding the last few hundred yards to the exit of the school grounds, I met other bikers going in the opposite direction from me.

I am still not sure if I followed the right course or if I should have gone clockwise around the building. The bike course map on the race website did not show this detail. Either way, the distance was the same.

Triathlon tip: One strategy that helps to shave a few seconds off the overall race time is to leave my bike shoes connected to the pedals. Following a few pedal strokes after mounting the bike, I coast and slip my feet into the bike shoes. This requires practice, so don’t plan to try this for the first time on race day.

removing-feet-from-clipped-in-bike-shoes
Before dismounting at the end of the bike leg, I slip my feet out of the bike shoes which stay clipped into the pedals. The picture is courtesy of WinSprint Triathlon.

Run

The run course took us through the Holiday Hills neighborhood west of the Recreation Center. I learned from April that the course would be hilly. It didn’t disappoint. In fact, there were few flat sections on the course, even though none of the hills were especially long or steep.

There was plenty of moral support and encouragement to help us along the course. There was also water.

In fact, I still chuckle each time I recall the young girl who passed out water at the mid-point of the run course.  As I took the cup of water, she told me that I could throw my water cup on the ground.

I asked her who would pick up the cup if I threw it on the ground.  Without hesitating, she gave me the answer. “My mom.”

Smiling, I tucked the paper cup into the pocket on the back of my triathlon suit and headed toward the finish.

Time to Head Home

After crossing the finish line and turning in my timing chip, I downed some liquid refreshment and a banana.  After stowing the race gear back in the van, we headed to the hotel for a shower.

With the fifth of the five fall triathlons complete, we began our return home.

Firsts at the Kentucky Triathlon

  • First triathlon at which daycare was provided for participants.
  • Shortest bike course.
  • First triathlon with a stationary bike option.

Large or Small?

What size of triathlon do you most prefer? Number of participants? Distance? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.

Triathlon Across the USA: State #40-North Carolina

Wilson, North Carolina; September 29, 2018 – Battle at Buckhorn Triathlon, Buckhorn Reservoir.

The triathlon outside Wilson, North Carolina was the fourth of five sprint triathlons I completed on consecutive weekends during the fall of 2018.

Travel to the North Carolina Triathlon

After completing the Lake Lanier Islands Triathlon in suburban Atlanta, Joy and I traveled to the South Carolina coast and central North Carolina.

We left Georgia, not sure what to expect in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. In the previous two weeks, Florence had dumped over three feet (91 cm) of rain in parts of the Carolinas.

While some roads around Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, remained closed because of flooding, we traveled through the area with minor detours and delays. Sadly, however, we saw several houses still partially under water. The many downed trees and twisted road signs added to the picture of the hurricane’s force.

After two days exploring Myrtle Beach, we headed northwest for a couple of days in and around Raleigh. We spent part of the time at the Apple store to resolve an issue Joy was having with her phone. I also took this time to catch up on some writing related to the recent triathlons in Ohio, Tennessee, and Georgia.

Around midday on Thursday, we made the short drive from Raleigh to Wilson. The route we chose took us to Wilson through the countryside. Here, we would spend a few days sightseeing in this historic city before joining the Battle at Buckhorn Triathlon. One aspect of this triathlon adventure that we have especially enjoyed has been seeing the states from country roads, rather than only interstate highways.

On Friday morning, we met Drew Parker at the Wilson Welcome Center, hoping to learn about the city. Drew pointed us to several landmarks, including Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park.

Whirligig Park is a collection of ‘kinetic sculptures’ designed and produced by the colorful and creative Vollis Simpson. Given the number of sculptures involving cyclists, I am sure that Mr. Simpson must have loved biking.

After our tour of Whirligig Park, we explored Wilson’s southern style mansions and downtown business district.

Video showing a few of the many ‘kinetic sculptures’ in action at Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park, Wilson, North Carolina.

14th Battle at Buckhorn Sprint Triathlon

The Battle at Buckhorn Triathlon, managed by FS Series Events, (Raleigh, North Carolina), included both individual and relay sprint distances.

Longhorn-cattle-at-Buckhorn-Reservoir-near-Wilson-North-Carolina
The mascot for Buckhorn Lake and namesake for the Battle at Buckhorn Triathlon. Both the bike and run courses took us past a pasture with this and several other Texas Longhorns.

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

  • Swim: 0.47 mile (750 m)
  • Bike: 17 mile (27.4 km)
  • Run: 3.1 miles (5 km)

Thank You to the Volunteers

Volunteers are critical to a triathlon. They provide directions, drinks, and encouragement. We also need them to prevent collisions and other mishaps.

So, when I received an email requesting additional volunteers for the triathlon, I passed their request to Joy. Without batting an eye, she agreed to volunteer.

If you know Joy, you know she is a seasoned triathlon volunteer who adds spirit to a race. She would prefer to do almost anything but sit along the sideline waiting for me to complete the race. This is just another thing I love about her.

During packet pickup on Friday afternoon, Joy negotiated a position along the bike and run course. Her spot, a few hundred yards from the transition area, was at an intersection that doubled as the first turn for both the bike and the run.

After the race, she told me about the fun she had. “My job was busy and necessary, especially because I prevented runners and bikers from colliding.”

Triathlon tip: If you have not taken part in a triathlon and have some concerns about doing one, start by attending one as a spectator or, better yet, as a volunteer.

Swim

The water temperature today was a comfortable 78°F (26°C). This put it at the upper limit for a ‘wetsuit-legal’ triathlon, according to USAT rules.

Do I Use a Wetsuit?

Removing a wetsuit after a triathlon swim adds a few tens of seconds to the T1 (swim to bike) time. You can reduce the extra time by unzipping the suit and removing your arms from it while running into the transition area after exiting the water.

On the flipside, the extra buoyancy provided by a wetsuit leads to a faster swim. For the distance of the swim for this race, the faster pace and reduced swim time would more than offset the added time in transition to remove the wetsuit.

In the end, I used my wetsuit.

Buckhorn-Reservoir-with-buoys-for-the-Battle-at-Buckhorn-North-Carolina-triathlon
The Battle at Buckhorn Triathlon swim took place in the Buckhorn Reservoir. You may see the reservoir dam on the far shore on the left side of the picture. An orange turn buoy and yellow sighting buoy (visible at the right side of the picture) were on the third leg of the triangular swim course.

A Triangular Swim Course

Racers started in three waves: (1) all women, (2) men age 39 and under, and (3) men age 40 and over. Those who raced as part of a relay team started according to the gender and age of the team member covering the swim.

Swimmers within each of the three waves left on the triangular-shaped swim course from the ramp between two docks. In my particular wave, 57 males age 40 and over started together a few minutes after the previous two waves of females and younger males.

We swam toward the first orange buoy, initially using a yellow sighting buoy to guide us to the first turn.

After the first turn, we swam southeast into the sun, with the sun a few degrees off the horizon. Considering the sun and distance, the round yellow sighting buoy midway between the two turn buoys became the key to reaching the second turn buoy efficiently.

Once we reached the second orange buoy, we made a left turn and headed to the exit, guided by another yellow buoy and a red inflatable waving pillar.

From the map generated from my GPS watch, my actual path was reasonably straight.

map-from-GPS-watch-for-swim-at-Battle-at-Buckhorn-triathlon
The triangular swim course (purple line) in Buckhorn Lake from a recording made using my Garmin Forerunner GPS watch.

Bike

The 17-mile (27.4 km) bike course comprised a series of rolling hills described by one racer from Raleigh as “about as flat as it gets around here”.

According to my bike computer, the temperature was in the high 60s °F. With no wind, these conditions were ideal and certainly a lot more comfortable than on the previous two weekends.

The bike course was open to automobile traffic, with portions on a state highway. Since all the turns were to the right, we did not have to cross traffic. As the race director stated in the pre-race meeting, “If you take a left turn on this course, I don’t know where you will end up.”

The course took us on a gentle, roller-coaster of hills through rural residential areas and past small farms, country churches, and a few small businesses, including Triple J Produce near the end of the ride.

In the more rural areas away from the state highway, we passed corn and soybean fields. We also rode by pastures being cleared by grazing cattle who seemed unfazed by what had to be an unusual amount of bike traffic.

Given the series of right turns, good condition of the roads, and relatively light traffic on this Saturday morning, I felt safe throughout the ride.

Only One Problem With Traffic On This Open Course

Ironically, my only experience with traffic was in the parking lot just before transitioning to the run.

Riding into the parking lot near the transition area at the end of the course, I came up behind a white SUV crawling along, the driver apparently undecided about where he could or should park. (He shouldn’t have even been there, but that’s for another day.)

Since I could not tell if the driver would turn left or right into their parking spot, I waited before riding past him. He finally pulled off to the right.

Run

The run course involved two loops of the same path, most of which was on a portion of the bike course. The flat course left the transition area onto the road leading into and out of the Buckhorn Reservoir boat launch. Once again, I passed and was greeting by my favorite volunteer, Joy.

At the end of this road, we turned right and made a second right turn at the next intersection. Had we continued on this street past the run course turnaround, we would have reached the dam on the eastern edge of the reservoir.

I remember chuckling at the young boy running around his yard trying to herd the family’s chickens back into their cage. Apparently unsuccessful, he was still trying to gather them on my second lap.

After returning to the parking lot next to the transition area, we looped around a table containing cups of water and sports drinks. It was time to repeat the course and finish the race.

Paul-Bloom-and-Sharon-Roggenbuck-after-the-Battle-at-Buckhorn-Triathlon
Battle at Buckhorn Triathlon age group winners Paul Bloom (age 71) and Sharon Roggenbuck (age 80). Sharon’s approach to the podium to receive her age group award included a cartwheel.

After our North Carolina Triathlon

After a stop at our hotel, we started our journey to Kentucky for the WinSprint Triathlon the next weekend. The first stops were in western North Carolina. Here we visited Mt. Airy, Andy Griffith’s hometown, and Asheville, home of the Biltmore Estate.

We will always remember the large patches of orange and yellow wildflowers in the median of the divided highways.

After leaving North Carolina, we spent several fun-filled days in southwestern Tennessee. Here we visited the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge (home of Dolly Parton’s Dollywood). It was then onto Winchester (Lexington), Kentucky for the next triathlon.

Scenes from visits to other North Carolina towns, Mt Airy and Asheville. Mt Airy was the home of Andy Griffith. Asheville is home to the Biltmore Estate.
After the Battle at Buckhorn Triathlon, Joy and I visited Mt. Airy and Asheville, North Carolina. Mt. Airy was the home of Andy Griffith, while the Biltmore Estate is outside Asheville.

Race Firsts

  • First time racing past longhorn cattle, something expected in Texas but not in North Carolina.

Comments

Do you like to combine trips to compete in a triathlon with sightseeing? Please tell us about one of your most memorable trips in the Comments section below.

Triathlon Across the USA: State #39-Georgia

Buford, Georgia; September 23, 2018 – Lake Lanier Triathlon, Lake Lanier Islands Resort.

About an hour’s drive northeast of downtown Atlanta is the “something for everyone” Lake Lanier Islands Resort, home of the Georgia triathlon in our Triathlon Across the USA adventure.

Getting to the Georgia Triathlon

The Georgia triathlon was the third of five triathlons completed in as many states during consecutive weekends in the fall of 2018.

Following the Dixie Triathlon in Huntingdon, Tennessee, Joy and I drove to The Villages, Florida where we relaxed in the hospitality of our friends, Don and Sue.

Before we knew it, the week had passed and it was time to make the drive to Georgia.  We said our farewells on Friday morning and headed toward a suburb a little south of Atlanta, where our nephew Joe, his wife, Alaina, and daughter Ruby treated us to a wonderful evening.

After brunch on Saturday morning, we headed toward Lake Lanier Islands Resort for the triathlon.

14th Lake Lanier Islands Triathlon

While the race took place on Sunday, the race director required that we drop off our bikes on Saturday afternoon. In hindsight, this was probably necessary given the number of racers (around 550) and the parking restrictions we found on race morning.

A Lesson in Bike Maintenance

During the Dixie Triathlon, the chain of my bike had come off while down-shifting before a steep hill. I was concerned this had occurred so soon after a bike tune-up, so I had taken my bike to a Trek bike shop near The Villages, Florida, for a checkup.

The technician found nothing obvious that would have caused the chain to come off. However, he pointed out that there was a significant drag of the rear brake on the rear wheel. 

He explained that since the brake is ‘buried’ within the frame, adjusting it would require disassembling the rear portion of the bike. There was nothing he could do to fix this quickly given our short time in The Villages.

(After returning home after the last triathlon of this trip, I learned that a crack in the carbon fiber frame caused this problem.)

Walking my bike to the transition area for the Lake Lanier Triathlon on Saturday afternoon, I noticed even more drag than I had remembered. Joy suggested that we have the bike mechanic on-site at the packet pickup look at it.

The young mechanic was confident that he could make the adjustment, though found that he had not brought the correct socket with him. I went back to our van and grabbed my socket and torque wrench set. As it turned out, my toolkit had the correct socket for the adjustment.

Even with the correct tool, the technician could not fix the problem. However, he thought that adjusting the wheel could possibly reduce the drag.

After the initial adjustment made matters worse, I asked him to give it another try. The vision of climbing the hills along the course with the brake effectively on, especially in heat and humidity, was not at all appealing. Fortunately – and much to my surprise – the second attempt significantly reduced the drag.

Even Though the Bike Had Been Recently Tuned

The irony of this situation was that I had replaced the front gear set and the bike had been ‘tuned up’ before the trip. However, I had adjusted the position of the clamp on the wheel skewer (which no doubt affected the alignment) before the Ohio triathlon. I had not realized that such a change could affect the wheel-brake alignment.

In hindsight, I should have made the adjustment and ridden the bike before leaving home.

While I cannot swear to it, I am sure that the brake was dragging during the previous two races in Ohio and Tennessee, those during which I had found it necessary to walk the bike up the steepest of hills.

Triathlon tip: Make sure you give yourself time for a thorough test ride of your bike after a tune-up and before your next race with it. During the test ride, simulate the triathlon as much as possible.

A Mix of Athletes

The Lake Lanier event, managed by Georgia Multisports (Marietta, Georgia), included both sprint triathlon and aquabike (swim and bike; no run) competitions. There was also a relay option for the sprint triathlon.

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

  • Swim: 0.23 mile (400 yds or 366 m)
  • Bike: 13 mile (21 km)
  • Run: 3.1 miles (5 km)

The triathlon was unique in my experience in that there were male and female triathletes from several universities – Auburn University, Clemson University, Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Oakwood University, University of Alabama, University of South Carolina, and University of Tennessee – competing alongside us in the triathlon.

Race Day

The morning started with a walk to the transition area in near pitch darkness. However, once the sun rose, we looked into clear and calm skies with an air temperature in the mid-60’s °F.

The race director held a pre-race meeting near the location of the swim start. He concluded the meeting with the playing of the national anthem, during which one of the collegiate males held the USA flag.

Swim

The swim took place in the Margaritaville water park within the Lake Lanier Islands Resort. Starting from the sugar sand beach, swimmers within a wave walked into the water to just beyond the roped-off area and awaited the start signal, a blast from a compressed air horn.

The official water temperature was 81.7°F. According to USAT rules, anyone competing for prizes or awards could not use a wetsuit.

There were fifteen waves, or groups of swimmers, beginning with collegiate males. Waves continued with groups of males by age from youngest to oldest. My wave, the last group of males, comprised the 69 males aged 50 and over.

It was then time for the female collegiate swimmers to start their race. As with the males, they followed with age group females, from youngest to oldest.

The swim course involved two turns (see the inset in the picture below). After swimming away from the starting area in a direction opposite the exit, we reached the first turn buoy. From here, it was a nearly straight shot toward the exit. The last turn was just before heading to the beach.

area-of-the-Georgia-triathlon-swim
Location of the swim start and exit. This picture was taken from the elevation of the transition area. The inset picture on the lower right is my actual path from the GPS watch worn during the race.

Once out of the water, it was a few steps to the dock that led us across the water onto a long and steep concrete path toward the parking lot and into the transition area.

Bike

We mounted the bike on a flat area just outside the transition area. From here, it was down a short but steep hill out of the parking lot, followed by a right turn onto the parkway. A block-long flat stretch gave me time to slip my feet into the bike shoes. It was then up the first hill.

The picturesque ride followed a series of gently rolling hills on an open course, one we shared with normal automobile and truck traffic. However, we were protected from the traffic by the many volunteers and police stationed along the course.

The course eventually left the resort property and continued onto a loop on local roads before returning to the resort. While a small stretch of the course was under repair, most of the roads were of good quality.

There were a few areas of congestion caused by the mixed car and bike traffic. Thanks to one area of congestion within the resort, I actually passed a black sports car which had slowed while following another biker.

Scenes-from-the-bike-course-of-the-Lake-Lanier-Islands-Sprint-Triathlon.
Scenes from the bike course of the Lake Lanier Islands Sprint Triathlon.

Run

The run course was within the resort and separate from the bike course. The first half to three-quarters of a mile was relatively flat. However, it became progressively hillier as we went through this leg.

Late in the run, I was reminded of the encouragement that characterizes triathlons, especially among us ‘age groupers’ and weekend athletes.

A young lady, who I recognized to be 35 years old by the magic marker labeled left calf, slapped me on the back as she passed by, turned, and said with a big smile ‘Way to go! You’ve got this!’.

The embarrassing part of this for me was that as she slapped my back, I noticed a sloppy, splashing sound. Appreciating the encouragement but feeling embarrassed, I yelled out to her, “Sorry for the sweat.”

Her comeback was precious. Still smiling, she replied, “That’s lake water. Right?”

“Right”, I replied, now also smiling. The memory of that exchange still brings a smile.

near-the-finish-line-at-the-Georgia-triathlon
My sprint to the finish line at the Lake Lanier Islands Triathlon 2018. The picture was taken by Tim Nettleton for TrueSpeedPhoto.com and provided compliments of Georgia Multisports.

Joy met me at the finish line with a bottle of cold water. We headed over to the food table for a couple of banana halves, a slice of pizza, and some more liquid refreshment.

After the Race

After collecting the gear from the transition area, it was on to the Atlantic Coast in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. As we left, we wondered what we would find in the wake of Hurricane Florence.

Race First’s

  • First time competing with collegiate triathletes.
  • First time with a swim at a water park beach.
  • Longest distance from the exit of the water to the transition area.

Comments

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