Shawnee Appalachian Triathlon - Two Races TWICE THE FUN

and TWICE THE HURT!!!

Let me start by saying that in either of these two olympic distance races I was going to reach a new PR. I have to say that the courses that HFPRacing put together were exceptional both in its difficulty and the fun. Although, I talk a lot about the pain and how much it hurt while doing the race I need to say that the course was fun pretty fun as well. Up and down, sometimes more up that down but all together it kept me very much entertained from start to finish. It was a challenge to compete on the first race during the AM and then wait about 4 hours before the next race would come about. The cool thing is that we did not have the same bike course for both races. That made a world of a difference for me. I got a GREAT tour of southern Ohio and and I have to thank the organization for putting up a great event.

The AM race was a normal swim-bike-run with a bike course that took us from the bottom of the valley all the way to the top of the ridge and back down. The down hill portions of the race were fast and at some locations you had to very careful because of the hair-pin turns we had to go through. The run course was pretty brutal as it took us out and back in this access roads that were not flat by any means. I raced very consistently on the AM race. In the back of my head I wanted to leave a little something for the second race that afternoon. So, all things considered I got the following splits:

SWIM (1 Mile) = 27:02

BIKE (24.8 Miles) = 1:25:31 (17.4 MPH)

RUN (6.55 Miles) = 55:48 (8:35 Mile Pace)

TOTAL = 2:51:57 - SECOND PLACE in the 30-34 Age Group

So after all that swim-bike-run and the mandatory stretching Mrs. Clot Buster and I decided to go into town get some food and sit on my butt to rest the body for the afternoon's festivities.

At around 2:40 or so I started to get my things together and prepare for the second serving of triathlon racing but this time it was going to be BIKE-SWIM-RUN. In this case the bike course a "nice" out and back loop that featured a very mean 1.2 Mile climb that broke everyone down. I was the second to last to leave in a time trial fashion. Keep in mind that at this point the first people who started ahead of me had left the start about 35 minutes before I did. So, as I was approaching Mile 8 of the course I noticed that I did have not see anyone coming back yet and I was starting to get concerned about where the people who started ahead me were. So finally at around Mile 9 I see the firt few guys as I was cresting the last rolling hill before heading down this monster of a climb... and there they were everyone making their way up this mountain. This climb was without a question the hardest I've ever done. Hands down I have nothing to compare it with, steep long it had it all and it put my weak legs to the test. Somehow I got up this thing and finally to the transition area just wishing I was in bed waking up from this dream... I wish I had a video to show you the struggle it was to get into the wetsuit for the 1 Mile swim we had to complete next. Let me tell you that it was a show... there is a reason why you are asked to wear your wetsuit and I find out why the hard way. Very warm body enters cool, cool water the feeling is very refreshing at first but then the slightest move out of sync made both of my hammstrings cramp up. You can't really swim while cramping up but you can float away the cramp in your wetsuit... So after struggling through a 35 minute swim I finally got out and began my shuffle through the run course. To my surprise I kept a nice even pace and I got it done faster than I first anticipated. Of course I was way slower than the first time around but I knew that in order to win my age group I had to finish... so put me down for a FRIST PLACE FINISH in the 30-34 AGE GROUP for the PM Race.

You will notice in the next set of photos that I look a lot more worned out. I am sure you can guess why...

Although, I had to fight to get through these races I am very glad that I could do them both. It was neat to exlpore that region of southern Ohio and I look forward to come back some day and try some of these climbs once more. State Route 125 I will never forget you...

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster