Greetings once again Tri Race fans! As the title indicates, this report is on the inaugural Brierman Half-Lite and Sprint races which were held on Sunday, 10/12/08, in our own back yard out of Greenbrier State Park, MD, with parts of the bike course in Washington and Frederick counties. The races were put on by Piranha Sports who host several events around the PA, MD, NJ, and DE areas. The course distances were a bit different that usual. The Half Lite is a total of approximately 50 miles for the entire course (.85 mile swim, 40 mile bike, 9.3 mile run) under a Half Ironman but more than an Olympic. The Sprint distance was more like a super sprint and close to Olympic (.45 swim, 21 miles bike, 4.9 mile run). The Half Lite folks had to do the swim and bike courses twice and just ran more for the 9.3 run. And if you had been following my previous reviews of the bike and run courses, you know that this was a pretty tough couple of courses. This was really especially true for Sprint competitors who were making this their first time event doing a triathlon.
Now I had considered not doing this event as the weather in October can be quite challenging and downright nasty. I occasionally do the Seagull Century ride this time of the year and I have seen where folks are in tights, gloves, rain gear, hoods, etc.  Plus, winds can be a problem as well. And after previewing the bike course a couple of months ago, I was having serious second thoughts. But, the event was 15 min away and the field was fairly small. What the hey! I could also practice on the course beforehand, something I don’t normally get to do.
During packet pickup the day prior to the event, I went to the First Timers meeting to gleam any intel. I had thought there would be more people like myself but nearly all raised their hands when asked if this was their first time. Oh boy! Were they all in for a treat! Anyway, I found that there would be no swimming to warm up which I was dismayed about and that there would be a “No Pedal” zone after coming back into the park. With good reason as the winding curve back into the park was around a 12% grade and one could really overshoot or crash if not careful here. I also found out that they called the climb on 17 going to Wolfsville “The Big Bad Wolf” which I thought was aptly named. I heard all about that from the folks who had to do it twice in the Half-Lite. After the meeting, I scoped out the transition area. Then picked up Mike Matney and drove the course to see what holes in the road there were that had been discussed at the meeting. I did see them and glad they marked those.Â
Back at home – number on bike, helmet, race belt, pack, fill bottles, etc. Usual routine. Pretty used to it now. But, the weather was going to be chilly – 50 to start. So I packed some arm warmers and a wind vest. I used the vest at Kinetic in the spring and it kept my core dry. Have to see about the warmers.Â
Now, if you remember, I had a DNF at North East due to a problem with one of my back wheels. Turns out there were two problems and both looked like they had been fixed. So, I again broke the cardinal rule of “no different equipment on race day” and put this wheel on armed with my 12-27 cassette and triple chainring for “The Big Bad Wolf”.  As it turns out, this may not have been that bad a decision, but I don’t want to spoil anything just yet.
Race day morning. It is very dark, no moon, and chilly – 48 degrees. BRRRRR! Had my usual whole wheat bagel, almond butter, and raspberry sandwich, protein shake and the ever important coffee to get me going. Put on sweats and wake Mike up so we get going over the mountain to the race.Â
Arrive to find that there are a lot of anxious folks here as the parking area is actually getting a bit crowded. As with Columbia, there are only flashlights seen this time of morning with headlights for the body markers down by transition. Get and put on my timing chip, then body marked. Back to the car to grab all the stuff.
Okay, I’m pumping up my tires back at the car and the back wheel doesn’t spin. I’m thinking “oh no”. But, I just had to open the brake up a bit and I was fine. Have to get that adjusted. Everything else seems to be okay here. Little do I suspect.
Dawn is approaching as I’m putting my stuff together in transition. The racks are metal and numbered so you don’t have a choice where you go. I’m near the swim in/run out side and think this is okay as it’ll allow my legs to get warmed up a bit for both the bike and the run. There was adequate space for bikes but it was a bit cramped. I decided after a while when the sun was coming up that I would forgo the arm warmers but take the time to put on the vest. It would still be in the 50s during the bike with no real sun as we were on the west side of the mountain for the first part of the bike. This turned out to be a good decision as I was more than warmed up coming out of T1 though wet from the swim.
3 swim waves here and the Half Lite folks started off a half hour before the first Sprint so they could get their 2 laps around an inverted triangular course. This worked well, but a half hour standing around the wetsuit is a fairly long time with no warmup allowed. The second wave was all Sprint men and the last wave was all Sprint women. As we come down to the beach to get goggles prepared, we’re standing in the sand and it is COLD! Believe it or not, it was warmer walking into the water! This was supposed to be a beach start but they changed it to a wade instead, which was okay by me. The water is very calm all things considered and there is very little wind. Very peaceful setting and nice for opern water swimming. Now we’re waiting until the last minute is counted down….Waiting….and the word “GO!” is shouted and we’re off on this inaugural event!
SWIM: Thank goodness, no fog here. So sighting at first isn’t a problem. I actually feel like I’m doing okay, but the water is 66 and a bit chilly even in the wetsuit. Plus it’s always feels cold on your face at first until you get warmed up. Well, as I’m sighting around, I see that I’m about mid pack and my sighting goes pretty well this race. I only really remember pausing just once this time. I rounded the first buoy without a problem but then I remember going a bit left to the next one. Not by too much though and I round the second buoy without problems. The water is pleasantly pretty clear for once and I can see feet here and there which I try to stay behind when I can. Problem is that there are a lot of folks without sighting experience and they stop in front of me quite often. On the last leg back, the sun has come out and sighting is a bit of a problem. But, thanks to Piranha, they put a big inflatable arch for the swim exit and this helped sighting to the finish tremendously. And I’m still mid pack for once which was a confidence builder. I did have problems staying relaxed and found myself only breathing to one side more often than not. Something to continue to work on. So I see the bottom appear and after I touch, stand up jogging out of the water.  Then shades of Kinetic – can’t pull my wetsuit zipper down. I ask for help from a guy behind and he graciously gets me unstuck, for which I thank him for very much. I gotta have that checked. Second time that’s happened, different suit.
Though I thought I did a bit better here, swim time is pretty normal for me – 15:31 for the .45 mile or 1:58/100 yards. 48th out of 171 competitors.
T1 goes okay without too much incident. I take a little more time getting into my vest and probably too a bit too much getting out of the suit and into shoes. Plus I put on a brace for my left knee for support. But, rather that then forget something. Jogging through transition was a bit cramped and had to avoid folks. Clip in at the mount area and I’m off on this challenging bike course.
T1 time 2:14
BIKE The first challenge is the short but steep 12% hill out of the park. But before that, I’m having some sort of problem getting out of my low chainring. Won’t shift up. But that finally works itself out and I’m able to shift okay again, just in time to go back down to it for this hill. There’s a short descent and then a slight hill coming up to the turn on Route 40. Aaaah – what a rush! A flying downhill to Crystal Falls road. I pass a few people ahead on this which gives me a bit of confidence. This is somewhat short-lived as they pass me as we turn onto Crystal Falls. But, I’m keeping folks in sight somewhat. Come up behind one guy and he’s on the left. I yell “On your left” but he doesn’t move. Now I really yell and he finally moves over but sounded like he might’ve yelled something angrily back. But I didn’t really catch it and just ignored him as I went by. Well, he probably doesn’t know the no blocking rule or the fact that you’re not supposed to pass on the right. Warned one person about drafting too, but I didn’t seem much of that due to other reasons. Didn’t see any refs the whole time, BTW.
As with my practice rides, I’m doing okay and moving a little bit better with my aero helmet and the lighter wheel in the back. There aren’t really any surprises here, even with the chill in the air. The vest was a good decision and it’s keeping me comfortable, even though I am near or above lactate threshold sometimes.
Unfortunately, disaster strikes the second time this season 8 miles into the course. I’m coming up to a second short steep climb and down shift to the small chainring. The shift doesn’t go smoothly and it appears to bunch up. Well, I’m on a hill and I don’t need to fall, so I do get myself unclipped and think backpedaling may work this out. It seems to but then the chain tension releases and I think that it’s fallen off.  If only that had been the case. I move to the side and see the chain dragging – it’s broken! I’m really looking at it in disbelief as I walk my bike over to a level drive. Well, I’ve seen Mike use the chain tool a couple of times and think that maybe I can do this. At first, I seem to be getting it. But, after many, many minutes of trying, I’m really not getting anywhere. A few folks stop to ask if I’m okay and I wave them by thinking that I can do this. Many cyclists go by and it’s funny to hear the grunting and voices of dismay climbing that hill. Then a siren from the fire station I passed by earlier goes off and an ambulence goes by. I think “Oh no, someone’s had an accident”. As it turns out, this kinda worked in my favor. Not too long afterwards, a pickup pulls up offering to take me to the fire station where the bike mechanic is. They were carrying the bike of the guy that crashed. Two broken spokes. I now consider myself very lucky. I first think no, but then the possibility of DNF hits me and I’m like “yes, please!” Shame this didn’t happen a bit earlier, well not for the crashed cyclist I mean. We drive a mile or so down the road and the mechanic fixes me up in no time flat. But, the damage is done. My watch says 1:47. If everything had gone okay, I would’ve been on the run now. No way I can hope to place today. But, now I’m out to finish and not come in last. So I set off once again, unfortunately covering some ground I had already.Â
The Big Bad Wolf climb appears and I use my 30-27 for all its worth. I actually passed a few folks here but these were probably the Half Lite folks on their second lap. The one guy I bet was wishing for a triple at that point. The hill is proving again to be difficult as expected but I’m making my way up it steadily only having to get out of the saddle a few times. After I top the crest, the rest is all gravy as far as I’m concerned. The one downhill on Pleasant Walk is a welcome rush of 46 mph!  On these last rollers, I pass folks who I think are Sprint folks which helps my disposition but I know I’m still way behind. Last hill to the park, clear behind, and I zoom through the entrance! Go down the steep hill, onto the flat, get out of my shoes, and smoothly dismount on my one pedal. Well, not so smoothly as one of my shoes comes loose. I yell back to the nice volunteers to just save it and give them my number. No real time to stop as I run into T2.
Official time - 2:10:22 (bike computer time, 1:31:34 but takes into account extra mileage) 169th out of 171. Ugh.
T2 Mike Matney has finished (no shock here) and worriedly asks if I’m okay. I yell back that I’m okay, ask to him to get my shoe, and yell that my chain broke. T2 goes pretty quick and I’m out onto the run in 1:08, even with putting socks on and the long run in.
RUN Well too many bikes in transition told the story. But, I press on anyway determined to finish and also not be last. My running legs are there but they’re complaining a little bit as I tackle this first major climb. I pass a few folks walking and I’m breathing heavily here to almost panting. As I’m coming closer to the top, I see many people running on the other side, some who I recognized from the First Timers meeting. My heart sinks a bit, but I press on.  Make it to the top, recompose, and start bounding down the hill. Now, I had been having problems with my left knee but that didn’t reappear today and I really was moving quickly down the hill, passing a few people here and there. Make the turn on Mountain Laurel, heading to the turn around and pass one more person. Turned around, back out to the climb and it’s worse this time. I’m moving very slowly but I’m not walking and I’m really breathing heavily here and panting. Just a bit more to the top… Finally, I reach the aid station at the top and it’s pretty much all downhill from here. Again, bounding down it but passed by a Half Lite guy who was really moving! Still, the parking lot at the bottom is in sight and now I’m on the final stretch where I see the finish. Not too much left but I make the effort and unconsciously throw up my arms that I actually did finish despite the bike problem. Yea!
Run time 40:55Â 28th out of 171
Overall place 151/171 with a time of 3:10:08. Of course, last in my AG (9th). After knowing my course times during my practice rides along with my swim and run times, I figure I would’ve come in 5th, possibly 4th in my AG if the bike had gone okay. It would’ve been close to 3rd too as there wasn’t much time between 3rd and 4th.
Well, at least it wasn’t raining 
 BTW, preliminary examination from the bike shop indicates it was just coincidence that the chain decided to break when I had the fixed wheel on. The wheel is turning smoothly.
Will I do this again next year? Possibly just because it’s close and because I’d like to complete it smartly in competition without problems. So we’ll see.Â
Well, upon finishing the tough Brierman course, my 2008 Tri season comes to an end. It’s had it’s share of “the thrill of victory” and “the agony of defeat”. Taking a few days off before going into maintenance mode. Ah, but fear not. Back next year as Eagleman 09 is already planned. We’ll see what else the 2009 season has in store.
Until then Tri Race fans!
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