Frederick Triathlon Club in Frederick, Maryland

Well folks, after the DNF at North East, I got to thinking about maybe doing the Brierman Sprint distance in early October.  I don’t really want to do the 50 but the Sprint is actually nearly an Olympic in bike and the run, so I thought this would offer enough of a challenge for me.  Also the event will be really close to home as I live 10 miles from Greenbrier SP, so no real travel expenses to think about.  Therefore, I decided to preview the course today 8/24.  Now the website says the following about the bike course when you click on the Event Summary link: bike course is hilly with some rolling segments”.  Then when you click on courses 21 miles (34K) – gently rolling hills with a few technical turns.  Open course (not closed to vehicular traffic). 

Well, I had not clicked on the Event Summary page last night and just clicked the other so I knew where this was at. I came to find that the first statement is more correct than the other and is even a bit of an understatement. Now, I didn’t ride out of the park as I know that’s a bit of a hill to start and then come out onto Route 40 to a nice downhill. That’s where I picked it up at. Zooming downhill coming up to Crystal Falls Road and that’s a sharp right turn. Then mostly rolling with a few steeper climbs on Crystal Falls. This road is a bit rough at spots, winding here and there, offering short to not so short climbs along it. Coming down the last hill on this road to the next turn on Federal Lookout, one has to be careful to cut speed and not miss this turn. Hopefully, there will be people directing but it may be a problem to go through to the stop sign if you’re not careful. Turn onto Federal Lookout you’ve cut your speed for the turn and have to go uphill! It’s a bit gradual but it’s still a hill. Then you come down a short hill and merge onto 17/Wolfsville Road. Hopefully, there’s folks stopping traffic here as there’s no shoulder and you also can’t see the traffic coming from the left.

Now the REAL FUN starts! I looked at the road ahead of me going up South Mountain! And did it ever go up! Over the next mile and a half, I climbed approximately 550 ft!! Now, I’m not a good climber and as I’m hitting the higher numbers on my heart rate monitor I’m thinking “No way I can do this on my tri bike!” I mean I have a triple chainring on my road bike and I’m in the lowest gear (the granny). Finally, I’m over the top and I’m concerned that the same steepness is on the other side. Fortunately, going down is a lot more gradual with a nice downhill section coming into Wolfsville. The ride on Pleasant Walk is okay with more rollers and short climbs, but the road is better than Crystal Falls. At the end, turn right to again climb the mountain a bit on Route 40. But once you finish this last climb, you’re rewarded with a downhill all the way into the park.

The climb over South Mountain has got me thinking twice now about doing this race.  I have a few more weeks to decide, but I wanted to give everyone here a preview of what they might be getting themselves into if they are considering this race.  Personally, I thought the climb for Diamond in the Rough was easier.  I did that one on my tri bike.  This I wouldn’t consider.  If I do end up doing this, I’ll put some short aerobars on my road bike for the parts I can zoom on just to get a bit more aero.  But, then I’ll definitely use the triple (and then maybe even my 27 cog for my cassette) for that climb.

BTW, the folks doing the 50 have to do this loop TWICE!  I’m sorry.  Can’t imagine doing that climb twice.  More power to ya. 

I’ll see about previewing the run course and do another post.

“Race Report” Dave

Race Report – Iron Girl, Columbia, MD

August 24, 2008

Format: .62mile/17.5mile/3.3mile

This year was my first Iron Girl. It started on Saturday, as the day prior we were required to pick up our packets and rack our bikes. Quite a streamlined process, but pretty uneventful so there’s nothing to report, no funny stories. Coach didn’t want to find parking, so with him waiting curbside, I didn’t even bother to look inside the expo area. I would’ve just spent money which I don’t need to spend. We headed over to Centennial Lake to rack up. That too was uneventful, but a little discomforting leaving my bike behind. ***I just have to mention that all of our eventful moments were earlier in the day as coach raced – and got 1^st 30+ at the Race Ave Crit in downtown Lancaster, PA!***

The alarm went off Sunday at 4:15am. (We are so mean to our kids – dragging them out of bed at crazy hours, making them wander around race courses, using port-a-potties…I can hear my 4 y/o whining “But Mom, I don’t wanna use the porky potties…!”.) Anyway, we arrived at the site at 5:45am. Once learning that if you park inside park you can’t leave until after 12 or 1, coach pulled an unannounced U-Turn at the entrance – well, after kicking me & all my race associated crap out of the car. Not sure how well all that went over. We didn’t know how long we’d stay afterwards, but we at least wanted the opportunity to head home if the mood struck us.

Getting into transition, I was relieved to see my bike. I actually had a good location from all entrances & exits. Plus, I wasn’t too far down the row, so I could zip in & out nicely. I guess the larger races really jam pack the bikes in, leaving little more than a legal document size space to place your gear. Got set up and had a few practice runs from the swim & bike ins to find my spot. Now all I had to do was wait for my wave to start.

Soon enough it was my turn. The water temp was recorded at 83, but felt cooler than that. We had to tread water for about 4-5 minutes, packed like sardines. I didn’t hear the actual race start, the Aflac Quack, but I just started swimming when everyone else did. Boy, was it tight in there. You couldn’t help kicking, hitting, bumping others – it was so murky you couldn’t see the hand in front of you, let alone a whole other person. After the first 2 turns, it thinned out and you could find your own water. I felt pretty good, settling into a nice pace. I caught some women from the previous wave, and wasn’t caught by the wave after me – so all was good.

Out of the water and onto the bike. I had a bit of a time getting it off the rack. With my seat so much higher than the transition racks and neighboring bikes and items packed right along side of me, I had to move a few things so I could adequately tip my bike to the side to get it out. During this time, I also noticed a strange feeling in my belly – it was nausea, but almost the sea sick kind. I had heard about this, but was the first time I had it happen to me. No time to dwell, off and running to the mount line.

The bike started out benign, but after the first turn, the fun started and not in a good way. The course was not closed and I was really surprised at the amount of traffic coming through. I had a minivan on my butt for about a 1 mile. Even with forward progress, everytime I looked back it was right there and too close for comfort. With a lot of riders not necessarily riding on their right, I wasn’t able to really get over enough to let him pass. I tried announcing there was a car back, hoping individuals would move right so I could move over too, but no such luck. The van eventually passed, but then I got stuck behind it. Bunched up riders on the right and the van braking all the time, made for a very frustrating time. Finally, at the traffic circle, it had to stop and I got out of the mayhem. I was free and clear for a good chunk of time so I clipped away, swung through the turnaround, and headed back in. It was at this time that I hit some good rollers and was really cruising. I crested a small roller off a turn, looking ahead and what in front of my wondering eyes did appear, but a car stopped on course, straddling the yellow line. Trying to go around the cyclists on the right, but pushing ever closer to the riders on the other side of the road, the car was stuck. And there was I, swinging wide ready to fly – suddenly jamming on the brakes and all but had to put a foot down. I had to wait for a break in the packs of riders to slide along the driver’s side of the car. Ok, that made me mad, but I came through unscathed so you just carry on. I did hear from some in later waves that the amount of traffic worsened as the morning wore on. Rolled into transition, dismounted, ran the bike down the hill – which must have been comical. I don’t run so well down hill, let alone while guiding my bike. Racked and swapped out shoes and on to the run.

The run was nice and I felt unusually good right off the bat. The course was a little hilly, but shady and no traffic. I was moving along okay, but shortly before mile 2 I was starting to really fatigue. Once at the 2 mile mark, I was talking myself through it, but I was hurting. It’s amazing how many people from this point on cheer “you are almost there!” However, after the 15^th person said that, I said, “you know, people keep telling me that, but it’s never there.” So coach was about the 20^th person to yell “you are almost there”, but since I could hear the music, he must be right. I saw my kids sitting along the side cheering for me so I tried to reward their squeals with a little kick to the finish. I’ll pay for that tomorrow. I ran across the chip pad, slowed up a bit and the guy said “you’re not done, you have 40 more yards.” AGH – I had to cross another set of pads – what a cruel joke. Foaming at the mouth, some nice lady is trying to put a medal around my neck while another is taking off my timer. I stumble away looking for water and an even nicer lady says “stop here for your photo.” The look in my eye must have said, “you have got to be kidding me”, because she then added, “if you don’t mind.” I’m a good sport and obliged, but I really thought I could hurl right then and there. In case you were wondering, I didn’t.

Overall it was a good day. The weather could not have been better. And, though I was a little disappointed in my run time, I did well. You can view the results here. I finished 12^th overall and 3^rd in my age group at 1:37:59, missing 2^nd by just 0:16. Coach got a few pics. Unconfirmed data, but I heard that 2250 registered for the race, ~1900 showed up and ~1600 finished.

Even with a good result, I kinda feel like packing it in for the season. I do think that I will still do

Gino’s Race in Hanover next month, and maybe Brierman Sprint in October, then it’s the Trail Run over in Linganore Vineyards in November… Okay, it looks like I’m really not packing my season in until November. But I will start considering any/all offers for Oktoberfest!