Doc Rob
07-20-2009, 12:03 PM
First get a late start getting the family in the car and on the road. On the road by 7am, I think not lets have some fun and hit the freeway at 8am.
Lets see, 8am + 1 1/2 hour drive (@ 82mph) for a 10am start. Great Idea.
Roll up to the transition @ 9:45am tough to find a transition spot. (Thanks Patty) Run over and get packet picked up. See a large group fo people running up from the beach yelling "transition is closing". Great haven't even unpacked the wet suit. I join in the race back to the transition, nothing like a race within a race within a race. Im the last one out of the transition with a little help from the yelling timer dude.
10am and can finally take a breath, I made it. Im doing the srint race that starts at 10:30 so now I get to stand around.
Finally in the water and off we go. Went out strong and found a couple of feet that felt pretty good the second 1/2 of the swim so I just sat on those to the end of the swim. Out of the water 4th, but all 3 ahead are teams. Out of transition in 3rd.
Tough climb out of the canyon. Reach the first major intersection, see a couple of kids waving orange flags at a motor home. What does that mean I wonder to myself. As I come to the intersection @ 22mph I find out the motor home thinks it means keep comming. He turns in front of me and I lock it up and almost become a bug spot on the side of his rig. The guy in front of me is 50 yards up as we come to the next major intersection. This looks better, the state police have this one handled. He holds up his hand and stops the biker in front of me to wait for traffic. As traffic clears he is allowed to proceed and I am now right behind him. I said never had that happen before, he replyed "ya that sucks". I told him to go ahead, and I slowed to give him his 50 yards back. He pulled further away and we both passed the guy who was out front.
Came into the T2 in 2nd behind one team. Off on the run. Its getting very hot now!! No nutrition and very little water on the bike, not smart. First part of the run is a dirt path through the sage brush. No wind and did I mention it was hot. .8 mile you climb down some lava rock, over a few more and then up several groups of steps. I think there were about 60-70 total. I should have counted since I was walking by 1/2 way up. Up to the top of a canyon to more hills. Still HOT and still no wind. It felt like Texas again, except dry. I walked all of the aid stations on the 5.2 mile course and few spots in between. Rob does not do well in Heat!!! Just kept looking over my shoulder to see if anyone was closing in on me. Lets just say I milked the run/walk for every minute of advantaged I had. Got passed by one other team at mile 4.
Finish as 1st individual on the sprint course.
Wait around for 2hrs post race for awards. The timing is messed up. The guy has me in 3rd. I told him the others were teams. He looked puzzled and asked are you sure. A women said we not awarding overall anyway, just age groups. And we're giving these little medals. We just have to wait until he gets the timing straight. No thanks, time to go.
Overall, was fun to win and the volunteers were great. Everything else about the race not so good. I would not do that one again. Looking forward to the heat in emmett and a race that is done well.
Lets see, 8am + 1 1/2 hour drive (@ 82mph) for a 10am start. Great Idea.
Roll up to the transition @ 9:45am tough to find a transition spot. (Thanks Patty) Run over and get packet picked up. See a large group fo people running up from the beach yelling "transition is closing". Great haven't even unpacked the wet suit. I join in the race back to the transition, nothing like a race within a race within a race. Im the last one out of the transition with a little help from the yelling timer dude.
10am and can finally take a breath, I made it. Im doing the srint race that starts at 10:30 so now I get to stand around.
Finally in the water and off we go. Went out strong and found a couple of feet that felt pretty good the second 1/2 of the swim so I just sat on those to the end of the swim. Out of the water 4th, but all 3 ahead are teams. Out of transition in 3rd.
Tough climb out of the canyon. Reach the first major intersection, see a couple of kids waving orange flags at a motor home. What does that mean I wonder to myself. As I come to the intersection @ 22mph I find out the motor home thinks it means keep comming. He turns in front of me and I lock it up and almost become a bug spot on the side of his rig. The guy in front of me is 50 yards up as we come to the next major intersection. This looks better, the state police have this one handled. He holds up his hand and stops the biker in front of me to wait for traffic. As traffic clears he is allowed to proceed and I am now right behind him. I said never had that happen before, he replyed "ya that sucks". I told him to go ahead, and I slowed to give him his 50 yards back. He pulled further away and we both passed the guy who was out front.
Came into the T2 in 2nd behind one team. Off on the run. Its getting very hot now!! No nutrition and very little water on the bike, not smart. First part of the run is a dirt path through the sage brush. No wind and did I mention it was hot. .8 mile you climb down some lava rock, over a few more and then up several groups of steps. I think there were about 60-70 total. I should have counted since I was walking by 1/2 way up. Up to the top of a canyon to more hills. Still HOT and still no wind. It felt like Texas again, except dry. I walked all of the aid stations on the 5.2 mile course and few spots in between. Rob does not do well in Heat!!! Just kept looking over my shoulder to see if anyone was closing in on me. Lets just say I milked the run/walk for every minute of advantaged I had. Got passed by one other team at mile 4.
Finish as 1st individual on the sprint course.
Wait around for 2hrs post race for awards. The timing is messed up. The guy has me in 3rd. I told him the others were teams. He looked puzzled and asked are you sure. A women said we not awarding overall anyway, just age groups. And we're giving these little medals. We just have to wait until he gets the timing straight. No thanks, time to go.
Overall, was fun to win and the volunteers were great. Everything else about the race not so good. I would not do that one again. Looking forward to the heat in emmett and a race that is done well.