Triathlon Across the USA: State #40-North Carolina

Terry L. VanderWert on November 3, 2018

Bicycle-whirligig-at-Vollis-Simpson-Whirligig-Park

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.

This race is one chapter in a 50-state journey—now told in full in Triathlon Adventures Across America .

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.
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Triathlon Across the USA: State #39-Georgia

Terry L. VanderWert on October 14, 2018

sign entering Lake Lanier Islands resort

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.

This race is one chapter in a 50-state journey—now told in full in Triathlon Adventures Across America .

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 Firsts

  • 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.
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Triathlon Across the USA: State #38-Tennessee

Terry L. VanderWert on September 26, 2018

Carroll-County-1000-Acre-Recreation-Center-sign-for-Tennessee-Triathlon

Huntingdon, Tennessee; September 15, 2018 – Dixie Triathlon, Carroll County 1000 Acre Recreation Area.

This race is one chapter in a 50-state journey—now told in full in Triathlon Adventures Across America .

Travel to the Tennessee Triathlon

Joy and I used the week between the Hocking Hills Sprint Triathlon (Logan, Ohio) and the Tennessee triathlon to visit the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter and to camp at Big Bone Lick State Park, all in northern Kentucky.

Meanwhile, my searches for a hotel near the location of the Dixie Triathlon the next weekend had turned up nothing. The few hotels in the communities around Huntingdon were full on Friday night.

As we entered Tennessee on Thursday afternoon, we stopped at one of the first visitor’s centers. My goal was to find a camping site near the race venue. One of the closest options near Huntingdon was Natchez Trace State Park, around 45 minutes drive from the Carroll County Recreation Area.

While checking out camp sites within Natchez Trace State Park, we stumbled upon Pin Oak Lodge. The lodge provided a clean and comfortable air-conditioned room (much preferred since it was hot and humid outside), a restaurant, and a swimming pool, all among pine trees and with the view of a lake in the background.

First Dixie Triathlon

This was the inaugural running of the Dixie Triathlon. This race had been the dream of a local triathlete, Dr. Volker Winkler. Sadly, Dr. Winkler did not see his dream come true as he died unexpectedly earlier in the year.

However, in his honor, Carroll County officials and residents poured their hearts into making this event a success. McKenzie Medical Center, the clinic that Dr. Winkler helped found, served as the title sponsor of the race. The Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center in Huntingdon was the presenting sponsor.

Filled to Capacity

Every one of the 300 spots for the race was filled, despite this being the Dixie Triathlon’s first year.

Besides, the number and enthusiasm of volunteers supporting the athletes spoke volumes about the commitment of the community to the triathlon. Personal notes from Huntingdon Middle School students in the race packets and the handmade signs along the race course added to the welcoming feeling.

To top it off, all participants received handcrafted ceramic finisher medals produced in the Dixie Performing Art Center’s Mudslingers Pottery Studio.

pictures-showing-community-support-for-the-Dixie-Triathlon
Carroll County, Tennessee residents put their hearts into welcoming triathletes to the inaugural Dixie Triathlon. Clockwise from the upper left: Note from Bella S. in my race packet (upper left); Pre-race meeting of volunteers (upper right); One of many signs around the transition area and along the race course (lower right); Handcrafted age group award and finisher medal (lower left).

Two Races in One

The Dixie Triathlon, managed by Above The Fold Events & Sport Promotions, Franklin, Tennessee, included both sprint and Olympic distances. There was also an option to compete in the sprint distance as a relay team.

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

  • Swim: 0.31 mile (500 m)
  • Bike: 16 mile (25.7 km)
  • Run: 3.1 miles (5 km)

Transition Area Setup

The transition area was setup in a grassy area in front of the lake next to the boat ramp and dock. We chose our area on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, with all sprint racers on the side of the main aisle closest to the lake.

I was one of the first people to arrive at the race. Even though we arrived before the official opening of the transition area at 5:45 am, we were not the first. Nevertheless, I had a good location, just one bike position off the main aisle.

In setting up my transition area, I did what I have always done for a quick transition – set my helmet upside down, centered on the aerobars. I set my clear safety glasses inside the helmet, lenses downward and bows standing upward.

Checking back a little later, I found the helmet lying on the ground. Now, however, my glasses were in two pieces – the lenses and the frame.

I didn’t see anything to suggest that the glasses were broken. However, without my reading glasses, I couldn’t see any possibility of putting the two pieces back together. Fortunately, Joy found the solution and reassembled the two pieces.

I returned the glasses to the helmet, still in the transition area. However, this time, I left the helmet and glasses sitting on the ground next to the front bike tire. Just before the beginning of the race, when the transition area was ready to be closed, I put the helmet with glasses back onto the aero-bars.

Triathlon tip: During the setup of transition, plan for items in your personal space to be moved. Just before the close of transition, reinspect the area and reposition any of the items that have been moved.

Pre-Race Ceremony

After race director Joe Fleenor reviewed key points of the race course, we all joined Carroll County mayor, Joseph Butler, in a prayer thanking God for the beauty of His creation and asking for the safety of the participants. Katie Hodges of the Miss Dixie Performing Arts Center concluded the pre-race ceremony with the singing of the national anthem.

Swim

The water temperature was over 81°F so, according to USAT rules, wetsuits were not allowed.

Dixie-Triathlon-sprint-distance-swim-course
Beach and three buoys on the rectangular swim course of the sprint distance of the Tennessee Triathlon.  The dock from which the swim began and which is next to the exit is located to the left of the picture.

I have learned the hard way to always check the bottom of the lake before the race. Lake bottoms vary considerably, some are rocky, some are muddy, and some are slippery. Today, we were swimming in a lake with an uneven, clay bottom that made walking into and out of the water tricky.

Wave Starts

Participants started in waves by distance, age groups, and gender. All the Olympic distance groups started first. As the first of the Olympic triathletes completed their swim, the male sprint distance racers started according to their age groups. I started in the group of twenty-six males age 50 and over. 

About a minute and a half before the start of our wave, we walked onto the dock and jumped into the water, facing the first yellow buoy. The water was deep enough that I never touched bottom upon jumping in.

The rectangular shape of the sprint distance swim course required three left turns. The first two turns were around yellow buoys shown in the picture above. About 75 yards after making the last left turn, the one around the lone orange buoy, we reached the exit.

The steep drop-off of the bottom meant we could swim within a few feet of shore before touching bottom, one already determined to be uneven and slippery. Thankfully, volunteers stationed at the exit helped racers with their footing as they left the water.

Triathlon tip: In open water swims, it is helpful to swim as close to the exit as possible, especially when the bottom is difficult to walk on.

Bike

The mount location for the bike was also unique in that it sloped downward in two directions at the same time – away from the transition area and downward toward the lake. After riding out of the mount area, there was a short flat section of road during which I slipped my feet into the bike shoes.

The bike course continued out of the Carroll County 1000 Acre Recreation Area through a small hill onto the road leading into the area. The continuous series of hills took us along country roads past wooded areas and fields of soybeans and cotton (pictured below). 

We continued into and through the center of Huntingdon, past the Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center and the Carroll County Courthouse. From there, we were back on another series of paved country roads.

The ‘Surprise’

The ‘surprise’ for the sprint competitors mentioned by race director Joe Fleenor during the opening announcements was as feared – a hill of the grade and length that required walking the bike up the last portion of the hill. (I would later learn that my bike frame was cracked. This, in turn, led to the rear wheel brake dragging on the rim.)

During the walk, I commiserated with a man of similar age who walked along with me.  He informed me that he had known what was coming because he had ridden the course during training.

We reminded each other that triathlon is, at least for us, a hobby.

Time Wasters

Two events made my time on the bike course longer than necessary. The first was my chain coming off the gears as I downshifted before a steep hill.

Reinstalling the chain required first flipping the bike upside down. In this position, I could free the chain that had become wedged between the frame and gear. With the chain loose, it was a simple matter of flipping the bike right side up and resetting the chain on both sets of gears.

It seemed too risky re-clipping my shoes into the pedals while going uphill. Therefore, I turned the bike around and coasted downhill while clipping my shoes into the pedals. Once my shoes were clipped to the pedals, I made a U-turn to rejoin the race during a break in the flow of bikers.

The second cause of wasted time was misreading a sign containing an arrow marking the bike course.  Thinking that I had continued onto the course for the Olympic distance, I turned around. Immediately, a volunteer yelled out for me to turn back around and make a right turn at the next intersection.

bike-course-of-Dixie-Triathlon-past-cotton-field
A rare flat section of the bike course passed fields of soybeans and cotton.

Run

The temperature at the start of the race was 72°F with a relative humidity of 89%. By the time I hit the run course, the temperature was in the high 80s°F.

The combination of temperature, humidity, and hills made this also one of the toughest runs. Senior triathlete and personal trainer, Jeanne Minder, later explained. She told me I had not trained enough in these conditions of heat, humidity, hills, etc. Another lesson to take from this race.

After the Tennessee Triathlon

Eavesdropping on conversations while re-hydrating after the race, I was comforted to hear from other seasoned triathletes from the southeast part of the USA say that this was ‘the’ or ‘one of the’ hilliest bike courses of a triathlon.  Of course, I also overheard one guy say that people from ‘eastern Tennessee would not even consider this course to be hilly’.

The race committee provided a generous and diverse table of foods – pizza, donuts, bananas, oranges, and chips – and soft drinks and water for us to rehydrate and recover.

Elvis-with-stuffed-giraffe-at-the-Dixie-Triathlon
Elvis, one of the triathlon participants, with the Giraffe.

Our Next Destination

Before the Georgia triathlon the next weekend, we headed toward The Villages, Florida for a week with friends, Don & Sue. The stop in Florida would also be the end of the trip for the stuffed giraffe which had hitchhiked a ride in the back of our van. The giraffe would take up residence in central Florida with her owner, Debby P.

Race Firsts

  • First time taking part in an inaugural triathlon.
  • Riding past cotton fields was another first.
  • This was the first triathlon in which I lost time on the bike course because I misread a course marker.
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How Do You Prepare For Different Race Conditions?

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Triathlon Across the USA: State #37 – Ohio

Terry L. VanderWert on September 18, 2018

hilly-road-in-Hocking-Hills-Region-Logan-Ohio-triathlon

Logan, Ohio; September 8, 2018 – Hocking Hills Sprint Triathlon, Lake Logan State Park/Lake Logan Beach.

The location for our Ohio triathlon in the 50-state quest was Logan, Ohio. Situated in the Hocking Hills region about one hour’s drive southeast of Columbus, Logan is a popular destination for camping, hiking, and spelunking.

For Joy and me, Logan was also the venue for the first of five sprint triathlons I would complete in the same number of states on successive weekends of September and the first weekend in October.

It was in Logan that we once again tried tent-camping.

This race is one chapter in a 50-state journey—now told in full in Triathlon Adventures Across America .

Planning the Ohio Triathlon

Joy and I had already decided that we wanted to travel to the southeast part of the USA to celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary. Why not complete triathlons in a couple more states along the way?

While checking out the schedule for fall triathlons in states in which I had not completed a triathlon, a pattern emerged. We found that in one trip to the southeast part of the USA, we could complete five triathlons in five different states on five successive weekends.   

Clearly, this was a lot more than we had planned. Yet, it meant we could ‘kill’ not only two but five of the proverbial birds during one extended trip.

The plan just kept coming together. At the end of August, I registered for triathlons in Ohio, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and Kentucky.

Making Our Way to the Ohio Triathlon

We left our home in Minnesota at around 9 am on the Wednesday before the Saturday, September 8th triathlon in Logan, Ohio. Our destination for the first day was West Chicago, Illinois, where we would stay with friends, Jim and Kris. Arriving at their home around 4 pm, we settled in for a leisurely evening.

An Unexpected Treat

While relaxing on the patio after dinner, Jim & Kris surprised us with a visit from classical guitarist, Jim Perona. Jim treated us to a variety of songs, a wonderful gift from our friends in recognition of our upcoming wedding anniversary.

Rain fell throughout the next day. We took advantage of the rain to relax around light conversation, even catching an afternoon nap. 

The next morning, we left Jim & Kris’s at little before 6 am for the drive to our destination for Friday and Saturday nights, the Hocking Hills KOA campground. It was at this clean, modern campground that we were going to retry tent camping. Secretly, I was hoping one of their cabins would have become available. However, this didn’t happen.

Dare I say that camping was not my idea? We had given up tent camping years earlier since it rained nearly every time we setup a tent.

Passing the Rain

For more than half the trip between Chicago and Columbus, Ohio, we drove through rain compliments of tropical storm Gordon. A little past Indianapolis, Indiana, we finally passed the rain. However, we were pretty sure the rain would stay on our trail.

The skies were dry when we reached the campground. The weather app on my phone showed there to be only a slight chance of rain in the forecast. And for a while, this held true. We had plenty of time to set up the tent before the rain caught up to us later in the afternoon.

Race packet pickup was on the morning of the race. Despite this, we visited Lake Logan Beach, hoping to preview the bike course. However, the road to the park was closed because of downed power lines. 

With this part of the plan shot and hoping for the road to be cleared overnight, we drove into Logan. Here, we enjoyed dinner, sampling the local barbeque at Millstone BBQ.

With an early morning ahead, we headed to bed for a night of being serenaded by a symphony of raindrops on our tent roof. Thankfully, the raindrops stayed off our heads – and bottoms.

15th Annual Hocking Hills Sprint Triathlon

The Hocking Hills Sprint Triathlon was managed by teamCOLUMBUSevents. The Hocking County Tourism Association was the main sponsor for the triathlon.

Besides men’s Age Group categories, this triathlon was part of the USAT designed WIN (Women’s Initiative) Series. At the time, WIN was a series of USA Triathlon sponsored events across the USA aimed at increasing participation of women in triathlon and other multisport activities.

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

  • Swim: 0.25 mile (400 m)
  • Bike: 12.4 miles (20 km)
  • Run: 3.1 miles (5 km)

Making New Friends Before the Triathlon

By morning, the rain had stopped. However, the skies remained overcast with a ‘not-if-but-when’ threat of rain. Despite this forecast, the 67°F air temperature was a relief from temperatures in the 90s °F in the days leading up to this race.

We reached Lake Logan a little before 7 am, in time for the opening of the transition area. After setting up my transition area, we chatted with some of the other participants, many who we learned were competing in their first triathlon.

Two future triathletes, daughters of one competitor, posed with the stuffed giraffe that was hitching a ride with us to Florida, one destination of this road trip.

two-young-girls-with-stuffed-giraffe-at-the-Ohio-triathlon
Ava (right) and Ella (left) with Giraffe at Lake Logan Beach.

Racing in the Rain

About 15 minutes before the start of the race, the skies opened. With no wind, the rain fell straight down.

I jogged over to the transition area and covered my running shoes and safety glasses with the green and white striped towel lying beside the front wheel of my bike. With my bike shoes clipped into the pedals and hanging downward, their insides remained dry.

There was no lightning, so the race started on schedule. However, with the heavy rain and wet roads, the race became more about everyone’s safety than about setting speed records.

Swim

With recent air temperatures in Logan over 90°F, the water was warm, probably more than 80°F. In fact, walking into the water felt like crawling into a lukewarm bath.

The swim course left Lake Logan Beach, heading straight out from the beach. We swam around two super-sized beach ball-like blow-ups that were anchored to the bottom of Lake Logan.

All seventy-two racers started together. After the initial chaos associated with this number of swimmers heading for the first buoy, the group spread out, leaving plenty of space between us.

The water was shallow near the beach. I used several dolphin-dives to get into deeper water before beginning a regular swim stroke. The water remained relatively shallow throughout the swim, as I would occasionally feel the scraping of a plant, probably milfoil, on my hands or arms.

Bike

The out-and-back bike course was among the hilliest that I have experienced in a triathlon. We seemed to either be going up a hill or going down one. A few were gradual, but most involved a gear shift. In fact, I used the full range of gears for this relatively short course.

The last hill before the turnaround was one I had never experienced in a sprint triathlon – long and steep enough for me to have to get off the bike and walk it about halfway up the hill. While I may have been the first racer to do so, by the time I went back down this hill, most athletes were walking their bikes.

After this race, I learned that my back brake was dragging on the rear wheel. After completing the five triathlons during this trip, I took the bike to my local bike shop for service of the brake. It was then I learned there was a crack in the carbon fiber bike frame. This crack was causing the back brake to drag.

I would get a brand new bike frame thanks to the Trek warranty.

scenes-from-Hocking-Hills-Ohio-triathlon
Scenes from the Hocking Hills Sprint Triathlon bike course. Clockwise from the upper right, water lilies at the north end of Lake Logan (upper right), nearing the top of the last hill before the turnaround (lower right), return past St. Johns Church (lower left), and farm buildings at the intersection of OH-180 and Pleasant Valley Road (upper left).

Run

The run was also on Lake Logan Road, the one used for the beginning and ending portions of the bike course. The course was flat, with only a couple of small rolling hills.

We ran out to the halfway point of the 5k and turned around. Dodging some of the returning bikes, we headed back to the finish line.

Finish-line-for-Hocking-Hills-sprint-triathlon-ohio
Finish line and transition area (right) for the Hocking Hills Sprint Triathlon. Lake Logan is in the background.

After the Ohio Triathlon

The rain was letting up by the end of the race. However, by now, everything was soaked. Joy kindly wiped the excess water off the bike before I put it into the back of our van.

While wrestling with the bike to get it into the back end of the van – remember, we were tent camping so had a lot of supplies – we met senior triathlete Mike Nall and his wife from Cleveland. Mike, a survivor of a rare heart disease, was now doing triathlons.

Next Stop–Tennessee

While the rain stopped for a while after the triathlon, it was far from over.

During heavy rain the next morning, we disassembled and packed our tent along with the other camping gear. After a shower, mostly to dry off, we headed about 45 minutes toward Columbus. Here we joined in Sunday worship with the congregation at Peace Free Lutheran Church in Canal Winchester, Ohio.

After church, we started our trek toward Tennessee and the next race, the Dixie Triathlon in Huntingdon, Tennessee. With almost everything we had brought now wet from the rain, our first night’s stop was at a Staybridge Suites. Here we dried our clothes and aired out the tent and other camping supplies.

Race Firsts

  • First race in which I found it necessary to walk the bike up a portion of a hill.
  • This was my first triathlon during which rain fell throughout the entire race.
  • First triathlon at which Joy and I camped in a tent near the venue the night before the race.
Triathlon Adventures Across America book cover

A Journey Beyond This Race

“Uplifting, real, and full of heart—I couldn’t put it down.”

Read the full journey in Triathlon Adventures Across America

Have You Done a Triathlon in Heavy Rain?

What have you learned about racing in the rain? Have you camped at or near the race venue?

Share your comments and advice below.

Comments: We’d love to hear about your experience. Join the conversation below. All comments are reviewed before they appear.

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