Triathlon Across the USA: State #32 – Mississippi

Terry L. VanderWert on April 28, 2017

sign at Elvis Presley birthplace visitor center

Tupelo, Mississippi; April 22, 2017 – Tupelo Sprint Triathlon, Tupelo Aquatic Center, Veterans Park.

We often hear, and maybe even use, the phrase “It’s a small world!”. The Mississippi triathlon, held near Elvis Presley’s birthplace, was testimony to this reality.

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

Planning for the Mississippi Triathlon

For 2017, Joy and I decided I would complete two triathlons in the spring and two in the fall. With these, we would stay on track for completing a triathlon in each state by age 70. It made the most sense to do these in adjacent states on either back-to-back days (such as Saturday and Sunday) or back-to-back weekends.

In early January, we started choosing the first two triathlons for the year. Here is a picture of the process that we followed:

  1. Identify candidate states in which to complete races. We focused on states in which I had not completed a triathlon.
  2. Look on the Running In The USA website for triathlons that fit our schedule on back-to-back days or weekends in April or May.
  3. Document all potential races. At this point, we were still considering races in several states.
  4. Confirm the race dates listed on the website and the date for registration to open with their race directors.
  5. Double check our schedules for availability to travel during these dates and make the final selections.
  6. Complete the registrations.

For more information on this process, check out another SeniorTriathletes.com post titled How to Choose Your Next Triathlon.

In the end, I registered for the Tupelo Sprint Triathlon and the Baptist Health Capital Of Dreams Tri in Montgomery, Alabama. One week separated the Mississippi and Alabama triathlons.

Travel to Tupelo for the Mississippi Triathlon

We left our home in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area on Thursday morning in the thick of rush hour amidst a light rain and arrived in St. Louis later that day on the opposite end of the rush hour cycle.

After checking into the Holiday Inn Express in Festus, Missouri, we ate dinner at the Main & Mill Brewing Company where we enjoyed burgers (try the Maple Bacon burger if you have opportunity), fries, and green beans that tasted just like those made by Joy’s mom, Velma.

On Friday, we completed the trip to Tupelo, arriving mid-afternoon in plenty of time to find our way to the Tupelo Aquatic Center, check-out the Elvis Presley Birthplace Visitor Center, and pickup the race packet.

As typical before a triathlon, it was ‘early to bed’.

Statue of young Elvis Presley at the Elvis Presley Birthplace Visitor Center. Elvis began singing specials at the First Assembly of God church at age 9. Mississippi triathlon run passed this house.
Statue of young Elvis Presley at the Elvis Presley Birthplace Visitor Center. Elvis began singing specials at the First Assembly of God church at age 9.

3rd Tupelo Sprint Triathlon

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

  • Swim: 0.19 mile (300 m)
  • Bike: 11 mile (17.7 km)
  • Run: 2 mile (3.2 km)

How Would Weather Affect The Mississippi Triathlon?

The pre-race e-mail sent by race director Aaron Ford set an ominous tone for this triathlon. Two days before the race, he wrote:

“The race is still planned to go as scheduled due to the weather, however, there is a possibility of changing the start time or modifying the course.“

Race morning brought rain, sometimes coming in downpours. As the morning proceeded and race time approached, we noticed the clouds thinning and small patches of blue sky peaking through.

It was still drizzling when we went into the aquatic center fifteen minutes before the start of the triathlon. Would it still be raining 35 minutes later when I finished the swim?

Aaron kicked off the race with a prayer that included a request for the rain to let up and for safety of the participants.

Swim

Swimmers lined up by race number along the deck of the pool. The race crew had assigned race numbers according to the swim time each person estimated during registration. Faster swimmers started first to avoid congestion in the pool during the triathlon.

Once the triathlon started, swimmers jumped into the pool at 10-second intervals to complete the 300 meter swim.

The course involved swimming to the opposite end, moving under the lane divider into the next lane, and swimming back to the other end. Except for the beginning and the end, swimmers went under the lane divider at each end. At the end of the six laps, we exited the pool using metal handles and steps cast into the pool wall.

We then headed out the door of the aquatic center to the transition area and onto the bike.

The swim leg of the Mississippi triathlon was held in the 50 meter long pool in the Tupelo Aquatic Center
The swim leg was held in the 50 meter long pool in the Tupelo Aquatic Center

Bike

By the time I had finished the swim, the rain had stopped. Hallelujah!

While I clipped my bike shoes into the pedals as normal, both were hanging downward to avoid the rain from collecting inside the shoes.

Normally, the right shoe is supported horizontally using a rubber band looped through a safety pin run in the strap on the back of the shoe. I then connect the rubber band to the locking clamp on the wheel skewer. This makes putting the shoes on easier while on the bike.

With the change today, it took me longer once on the bike to get my feet into the shoes. Having a focus on keeping the shoes dry, I had not taken time to open them as I would normally do.

By this time, the roads were only damp with a few puddles. In fact, the only time I noticed water remaining on the road was as I passed another bike and felt the spray from her wheel on my face. The view through the lenses of my glasses was clear except for a few raindrops that clung to them.

The relatively flat course had only a few small hills. There were two turnarounds, one at the end of a side road off to the right of the main road and a second on the main road that ran north of the transition area. The last part of the bike course returned to the transition area from this second turnaround.

Run

The run for the Mississippi triathlon followed a trail along the edge of Veteran’s Park next to the Aquatic Center. The trail eventually led to Elvis Presley Parkway and past Elvis’s birthplace.

The run for the Mississippi triathlon took us past Elvis Presley’s birthplace.
The run took us past Elvis Presley’s birthplace.

It Really Is a Small World

At the beginning of this post, I mentioned how we often find that we live in a “small world”. Following are two examples from the Tupelo, Mississippi Sprint Triathlon.

The first piece of “small world” evidence came from the man who won my age group, who was also of Dutch ancestry.

His daughter had lived north of the Minneapolis area where we were living before she and her husband retired. Now, they spend summers in northern Minnesota.

The race director provided another example. In calling my name and home city and state (Maple Grove, Minnesota) for the second place age group finish, the race director announced, “Believe it or not, I know where that is having run around a lake in Maple Grove”. His wife has family in Maple Grove, Minnesota.

Later, Aaron shared the maps from his Garmin watch that showed that he had run around Cedar Island Lake and, in a separate run, Eagle Lake, both in Maple Grove, within a couple of miles of our home.

Race Firsts

  • First triathlon involving biking around a dead possum lying in the road. (Does it seem like I am becoming desperate for true ‘Race Firsts’?)
  • Running past a famous musician’s house was another first.
  • First triathlon in which the age group award was a bag of locally roasted and ground coffee.
Awards for the Tupelo Mississippi Sprint Triathlon were a package of ground coffee from High Point Roasters, New Albany, Mississippi
Awards for the Tupelo Sprint Tri were a package of ground coffee from High Point Roasters, New Albany, Mississippi
Triathlon Adventures Across America book cover

A Story That Resonates

“A must-read for every athlete and retiring business executive committed to living healthy.”

Discover the complete story

What Are Your Small World Stories from Triathlon?

Do you have a ‘small world story’ from triathlon?

What has been the most unique venue for a triathlon? Have any passed a celebrity landmark?

Tell us about your experience in the Comments below.

Comments: Join the conversation below — Click on “Subscribe” (located above the Comment box) if you’d like to be alerted to replies to your Comment. Even if you do not submit a comment, you may subscribe to be notified when a new comment is published. Please note that I review all comments before they are posted.

Triathlon Across the USA: State #6 – Vermont

Terry L. VanderWert on April 14, 2017

Martins Hill Covered Bridge in Hartland, Vermont

Stowe, Vermont; May 20, 2012 – Stowe Triathlon, The Swimming Hole.

As I am updating this post for the next issue of the Senior Triathletes Highlights newsletter, Joy and I are watching “Always and Forever Christmas”. This movie on the Lifetime channel is set in Stowe, Vermont. Seeing the area, brought back fond memories of this beautiful part of the country and its warm people.

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

Planning the Vermont Triathlon

I registered for The Stowe Triathlon in Stowe, Vermont primarily because of its timing early in the season. To complete triathlons in the remaining New England states within 2012, I needed to find two or three races in the spring. My ‘go-to’ source for finding races, Running In the USA, showed that the Stowe event was scheduled for two weeks after the Polar Bear Triathlon in Brunswick, Maine.

Getting to the Stowe Triathlon

Joy and I left our house in Chicopee, Massachusetts, on Saturday morning. The trip between Chicopee and Stowe, Vermont, took a lot longer than the maps show. Why? There were so many places along the way to explore: Harpoon Brewery, Martins Hill Covered Bridge, King Arthur Flour, and Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, to name a few.

Map showing route and various stops along the way to Stowe, Vermont
Map showing route and various stops along the way to Stowe, Vermont. Source: Google Maps.

We eventually arrived in Stowe in the late afternoon. After a quick tour of Stowe, we checked into the Town & Country Resort. I had chosen The Town & Country primarily because it was both economical and within walking distance (1/2 mile) of The Swimming Hole.

After checking in, we drove the bike course and ate an early dinner at O’Grady’s Pub. The rest of the evening involved inflating bike tires, preparing pre-race and race drinks, and setting out the gear to be used in the morning.

12th Stowe Triathlon

The Swimming Hole, a non-profit fitness center and pool, was headquarters for the 12th Annual Stowe Triathlon.

Founded in 2001, the Swimming Hole serves the community in and around Stowe. According to the website, “Small town life has its advantages, but a facility like this isn’t usually one of them.”

The Swimming Hole
The Swimming Hole with Octagon in the foreground. The barn-like appearance is testimony to Vermonter’s awareness that “you can fit a lot into a barn”. Photo courtesy of The Swimming Hole.

Having stayed within a half-mile of The Swimming Hole, I rode my bike to the race venue, arriving at the same time as the race event staff. Needless to say, I had my pick of the transition spots even though this would not be important for this small, pursuit-style triathlon.

Joy was also happy that she could sleep in and take her time getting ready for the day.

Distances for the individual legs of this sprint triathlon were:

  • Swim: 500 m (0.3 miles)
  • Bike: 14 mile (22.5 km)
  • Run: 5 km (3.1 km)

I approached the race with two physical problems in the days before the race – lower back spasms and a sore left knee.

Swim

Each person swam the required ten laps in the 8-lane, 25-meter long pool inside The Swimming Hole.  Swimmers started with others who shared the same estimated time for completing the 500 meters.

Just before the last length (after the eighteenth length), a volunteer put a bright orange “Last Lap” sign into the water to let us know that we had one more lap to go.  At the end of the swim, the volunteer marked our swim time on our left hand.

Racers then prepared for the bike leg and waited in the transition area until all swimmers had finished.

Indoor lap pool at The Swimming Hole (Photo courtesy of The Swimming Hole)
Indoor lap pool at The Swimming Hole. Photo courtesy of The Swimming Hole.

Bike

Once all racers were ready, the race director started a large digital clock at the exit of the transition area. Each racer left the transition area on the bike course as the clock displayed their swim time written on their hand.

The bike course followed public roads, initially toward the downtown area. The course headed through the southern end of the downtown area and southward out of town. Cars and bikes raced side-by-side through the town. I know this because this is the only triathlon in which a car driver has honked his horn at me because I cut him off after I passed him along the side of the road. (Disclosure: I may have been guilty of not following all the rules of the road.)

The course turned onto the much less congested Moscow Road that took us past small farms. We proceeded along this road until the pavement ended. 

At this point, we turned around and returned on the same road. Part of the way back, we turned left onto Barrows Road, which eventually led us into the west end of Stowe and back to the transition area.

Except for a relatively steep hill on a section of Barrows Road, the course was flat and fast.  I knew that the swim had been longer than expected because of my back pain.  I also expected my sore knee to slow my run.  As a result, I gave my all on the bike leg. 

My bike split turned out to be the fastest in my masters triathlon age group (50-54) and ninth-fastest time among the 53 racers.

Run

The ‘out-and-back’ (run to a point, then turnaround and return along the original path to the finish line) run followed the Stowe recreation path.  

As anticipated, the run was hard because of a sore knee. Fortunately, the injury healed before the next race two weeks later. 

Getting Back Home

After a quick shower and some stretching at the Town & Country, we headed back to our Chicopee, Massachusetts, home.

We made the trip back directly, with no sightseeing stops. We dropped off the triathlon gear in Chicopee and headed to Bradley Airport, Windsor Locks, Connecticut, for a flight to Minneapolis. We would be back for the Connecticut triathlon in two weeks.

State #6 was, as they say, ‘in the books’.

Race Firsts

  • First triathlon without a timing chip for recording times of the three legs and two transitions. For this race, there was only one transition.
  • First triathlon in which I raced while injured (lower back, right knee).
  • This was my first triathlon with a ‘pursuit style’ start. With this type of race, there is no T1 (transition from swim to bike) time.
Triathlon Adventures Across America book cover

What Could Your Journey Be?

“It made me think, ‘Wow, wouldn’t it be fun to try to do this too?’”

Explore the journey across all 50 states

Questions and Comments About the Vermont Triathlon

Tell us about a triathlon you have done in Vermont in the Comments section below.

Comments: Join the conversation below — Click on “Subscribe” (located above the Comment box) if you’d like to be alerted to replies to your Comment. Even if you do not submit a comment, you may subscribe to be notified when a new comment is published. Please note that I review all comments before they are posted.

Triathlon Across the USA: State #5 – Maine

Terry L. VanderWert on April 9, 2017

Dock at one of the stops of the Mail Run boat in Casco Bay outside Portland, Maine

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

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

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.

Email exchange with the Polar Bear Triathlon race director
Email exchange between the Polar Bear Triathlon race director and me before registration. Note his commitment to helping to achieve the 50 state 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. 

10th 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.

Logo for the 10th Polar Bear Triathlon.
Logo for the 10th Polar Bear Triathlon (courtesy of Tri Maine).

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.

LeRoy Greason pool at Bowdoin College, location for the Polar Bear Triathlon swim.
LeRoy Greason pool at Bowdoin College, location for the Polar Bear Triathlon swim.

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.
Triathlon Adventures Across America book cover

A Story That Resonates

“A must-read for every athlete and retiring business executive committed to living healthy.”

Discover the complete story

Have You Done a Triathlon in Maine?

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

Comments: Join the conversation below — Click on “Subscribe” (located above the Comment box) if you’d like to be alerted to replies to your Comment. Even if you do not submit a comment, you may subscribe to be notified when a new comment is published. Please note that I review all comments before they are posted.

Triathlon Across the USA: State #3 – Massachusetts

Terry L. VanderWert on February 12, 2017

Pre-race meeting for the Massachusetts triathlon, including a tribute to the Vescio triplets.

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.

triathlon fundraiser
Logo for the TDD Triathlon held in rural Massachusetts. The race is held in memory of the Vescio triplets.

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

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.

Memorial balloons at the Massachusetts triathlon
Balloons launched in honor of Tyrus, Dante, and Daniel Vescio rise above the trees in Douglas State Forest just before the swim start at the TDD Triathlon in 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.

Race number belt with safety pin
Pinning the race number belt has prevented it from coming loose in future triathlons.

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
Triathlon Adventures Across America book cover

What Could Your Journey Be?

“It made me think, ‘Wow, wouldn’t it be fun to try to do this too?’”

Explore the journey across all 50 states

Have You Done a Triathlon in Massachusetts?

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

Comments: Join the conversation below — Click on “Subscribe” (located above the Comment box) if you’d like to be alerted to replies to your Comment. Even if you do not submit a comment, you may subscribe to be notified when a new comment is published. Please note that I review all comments before they are posted.