Question:
As an athlete, I’m a toad. Or at least I’ve always thought that I was a toad. But I did a triathlon yesterday that proves it. Picture This: It’s Sunday, Dec 4, in San Jacinto California. Its a toasty 45 degrees at the Tinsel Triathlon…advertised to be a 3mi run, 10mi bike, and a 75 meter swim. (if they don’t get you wet, they can’t call it a triathlon) At 8am the gun goes off…the official start of the Tinsel Tri and 5k Fun Run through the scenic Soboba Springs (say it 3 times fast) Country Club Golf Course. Very pretty with the leaves changing colors and all, but I digress. Now 35 minutes into the run I’m thinking: Either I’m REALLY slow (I am), or this is a lot longer than 3 miles (it was). They’d forgotten to mark the course. And it’s on to the bike. Even though I was wearing a sweatshirt, and had taped up the vent holes underneath my bike shoes, i was still COLD. I welcomed the distraction of being chased by a dog. Half way through the bike my legs finally said, "Oh…biking…we’re biking now". Back at the transition area, I strip down (Brrr) to my speedos, and run off barefoot on the freezing concrete to the Pool. Half way there I run into my tri-buddies who inform me that the pool is 60 degrees. I came to a screeching halt and said "I don’t think I wanna do this". So I didn’t. So I’m a toad. Ya see, if I had gotten in the water, I’d be a frog. I didn’t. So I’m a toad. They had forgotten to turn the pool heater on in time to warm it for the race. Did I have a good time? You betcha! Would I do it the same again? Mmmm…yep. Will I do it again next year? ONLY if they turn the heat on! jo Happy Holidays Redondo Beach, CA
Response:
…Now 35 minutes into the run I’m thinking: Either I’m REALLY slow (I am), or this is a lot longer than 3 miles (it was). They’d forgotten to mark the course. … Halfway there I run into my tri-buddies who inform me that the pool is 60 degrees. …They had forgotten to turn the pool heater on in time to warm it for the race. jo Happy Holidays Redondo Beach, CA
It’s always nice to hear about such a crack team of organizers! lj (cyclist, runner, rock climber and Cheetohs addict.) Integrated Systems, Inc. 408.980.1500 ext. 246
Response:
Did I have a good time? You betcha! Would I do it the same again? Mmmm…yep. Will I do it again next year? ONLY if they turn the heat on!
This brings to mind one of my favorite articles out of Triathlete a few years back about the absolute race from hell. It was like your experience only 10 times worse. I wonder if it was coincidence but it was also in California. The article was written by David Ogle and decribes a race that both he and his wife competed in. In it he descibes scenes of swim buoy’s floating ashore, runs with no turn around, a bike course with forks in the road but no markings as to which way to go, and lastly a road with a closed and locked gate to get around. It supposedly took him over three hours to finish a sprint race with all the mix ups, and he still finished somehow in the middle of the pack! This got me to thinking, can anybody come close to this? Or better yet top it! I’ve had a few things go wrong in races, but nothing close to the RACE FROM HELL. Mike "Some events try your body, some try your soul, some try your patience." D. Ogle