Follow the Yellow Brick Road

A Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon Race Report

Busy, busy weekend. Friday night, I ended up solo. Taking advantage of the situation, I started texting Dee Dee at work about going out and causing trouble. One thing led to another and we ended up having a date night. We tried out the little Cajun restaurant in Acworth called Henry's. Maybe Cajun food two nights before the race isn't a good idea, and in retrospect, I probably suffered a bit because of it, but the food sure tasted yummy. Afterwards, we went to our new favorite dive and drank "Sex on the Beach" out of a gold fish bowl until early in the morning.

This whole drinking thing is a definite weakness, but you see how long my resolve lasts :-) Truth is, much like smoking, you either totally lay off, or you don't, and I'm ready to give it a best effort. I'm sure you guys are probably tired of hearing about it.

Due to the late night, Dee Dee and I didn't make it out to Columns Drive for our Saturday workout until around 11 AM. It was getting hot, but bearable. I had a twenty minute bike to do, followed by a ten minute run. After I finished, I put a chair in the shade and read a book while Dee Dee went around in circles on Columns Drive. She finished up her eighty minute ride with a ten minute run, then it was back to the house. Dee Dee had to go to work, and I had a bunch of stuff to get done before the race.

My tri-pal Brian came over around five-ish PM. He was spending the night at my place, then catching a ride up to the race with us in the morning. We went to the store and bought some stuff for dinner. I made this wonderful pasta recipe for the first time since the inaugural ING Marathon in 2007. It was just as good as I remembered, and I'm getting pretty good at this cooking thang too :-)

After dinner, I ran some food up to my son, who was working at the restaurant, then it was back home yet again to clean out the car, print out all my information, and finally pack my transition bag for the race. I think I finally got done around 10 PM. Brian and I watched an MSL soccer match on TV until around 10:30 PM, then it was off to bed for us.

I didn't really sleep very well. I broke a somewhat cardinal rule by not getting a good night's sleep two days before the race. The last time I looked at the clock was 1:30 AM, and the alarm went off at 4 AM. I'm getting used to this kind of stuff now. I knew I could make it through the race with little to no sleep.

While Dee Dee got herself ready to go, Brian and I went downstairs and had coffee. I had three Krispy Kreme donuts and a glass a milk a healthy breakfast. By 4:30 AM we were packing the car and loading the bikes. I think we pulled out of the drive way around twenty till. The ride up to Chattanooga was uneventful. The sun was coming up as we neared the Tennessee border.

We pulled into downtown Chattanooga shortly after six, just as it was starting to get light. I had wanted to get there before six, but it is what it was, and I didn't want to get all flustered trying to hurry. As we were unloading the car, Brian told us of his decision to not race that morning. He just wasn't feeling it. Dee Dee and I were totally cool with that. The last thing I want is somebody out on the race course involved in something like triathlon without having their heart in it.

It didn't take very long to get through registration and pick up my stuff. I walked through the grassy transition area and found my spot on the rack. I just couldn't believe what I saw there. Some jackhole, obviously a seasoned triathlete (he had the coolest felt bike), had laid all of his gear out underneath the rack. I put my bike on the rack opposite of his and put my gear in the front like you are supposed to.

Setting up transition next to my friend from Peachtree City

Dee Dee was waiting for me on the side of transition. I realized that I had better get my bearings. Transition was pretty big. My lane was right after the finish line. I had no trouble finding my space during transitions. We walked over to where the buses were leaving to wait for my number to be called. Kevin, who had gotten there early, was accompanying us. We had some good chit chat. I wasn't nearly as nervous or excited as I usually am on race day. While we were making small talk, I noticed Sarah standing across the street. We yelled at her and she came on over to join us. Sarah introduced us to one of her tri-club pals, and we had a lively time keeping busy before the race start. It was good to be amongst friends.

Eventually, I got tired of them waiting to call my number. I got on the bus over to the swim start. This swim was point to point. We were leaving from the University of Chattanooga Rowing Center and ending right beneath transition. The race peeps did a good job of getting us all over to the swim start, but it really was hurry up and wait. I went down to check out the swim start. On the way back, I ran into Steph and her husband Doug. Getting to see and chat with Steph and Doug at races is just a thrill. They are fun people and really enjoy triathlon and racing. After standing around for yet more time, I went up to the front of the line to hit up the Powerade. I heard someone call my name and I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Ryan. Ryan, you are nothing like I pictured you to be bro, and it was yet another thrill for me to get to meet you!! Sorry I missed you after the race, but I know our paths will cross again soon.

The race peeps got the line moving. They actually organized everybody in numerical order. It probably took twenty to thirty minutes for me to make my way down to the water. They gave us our instructions before the race. We were to slip in the water feet first, then glide down to the end of the peer. When they called our number, we could take off swimming.

While waiting to get into the water, I had rubbed my goggles with saliva. I did NOT need foggy goggles on this open water swim. When I put them on to get into the water, everything felt OK, but the minute I was in the water, I realized that my nose space had somehow shortened, and the goggles felt funny and tight. I yelled at the lady giving me instructions to wait a second, my goggles were messed up. I let go of the pier and took off my goggles. To my surprise, I could stand there along the pier. I fixed my goggles, then scuttled down the pier to resume my place in line. Almost immediately upon reaching the end of the pier, they called my number and I was off.

It's a little different, swimming that is, when you don't have a crutch to rely on. My Swimsafe belt was safely tucked in my swim bag back in Woodstock, Georgia. For a few minutes, I could see the bottom of the river, and that made me smile. Just like Beggars Canyon back home, eh Luke? I focused entirely on creating a box around myself, and I swam in that box. Eventually, I lost sight of the bottom and realized that I was in deep water. At first, I tried so hard not to get out of breath. Once I was comfortable, I began to push the pace.

Most of the other peeps were swimming out in the river along the buoys. I decided to take the inside track. I really wasn't trying to stay close to shore. The water was relatively clear there, and I had to pass very few people. A couple of times, I started to go off and course and made adjustments. One time, I felt out of breath and flipped over onto my back to breath deeply. After about the first four hundred meters, I had to pause to readjust my goggles. The right one had been leaking, and I really didn't realize that it was half full of water until I opened it up to drain. LOL!! After that, it all became about clean swimming.

How about that form? Long and smooth! See the reach?

Oops! Something to work on :-) Head is WAY too high breathing!

At some point during the first 1000 meters or so, I heard Brian yell at me. I raised my head long enough to wave, then took off swimming again. I had planned to judge my distance by the end of the island and the bridges, but evidently, I am a bad judge of distance. I guess not having a turn around and not being able to see the end affects your sense of time. As I rounded a big docked ship, I saw the stairs to the exit, and I picked up the pace. I didn't have to fight anybody to get out of the water, and the waiting volunteer was very helpful. I was up and on the stairs in no time. I didn't realize until much later that I had actually PRed the swim. I came in around 26:37 but had forgotten to start my own watch during the confusion at the swim entrance.

Being helped from the water by a wonderful race volunteer!

Brian and Dee Dee were yelling at me as I made my way into transition. I wasn't smiling on the outside, but inside, I was simply elated. I was glad to have such a good friend, glad to have Dee Dee and Brian there to cheer to me on.

Definitely tired after that swim!

Most of my T1 time was spent zig zagging from the swim exit into transition. I ran most of the way then walked down the aisle to my bike. It had started to rain a little on the swim, so my bike gear was damp, but that was no big deal. I slipped on my helmet, race belt, sun glasses, and shoes (no socks again) and proceeded to woggle to the bike start. I took my time getting mounted, had a clean start, and off I spinned on the bike course.

The short jaunt through the city of Chattanooga was uneventful. Eventually, the path went up an exit ramp and onto Highway 27. Someone had posted a video of the bike route, but me being the adventurous person I am, I totally ignored it. Sarah had felt good about the bike course, so I expected it to be mildly challenging. It was much worse. They gave us the entire left lane of the highway, but the right lane was open to traffic. We hadn't gone but for three to four miles when we hit our first hill, and it was a doozie. I mean, the hills in Georgia are sharp and sweet, but this one was long and gradual. At the top of the hill, you were rewarded by a nice downhill, but then came the steepest and longest hill of the day at mile 5. I laughed and thought Sarah was in for a bit of a surprise.

As we pedaled down the wet highway, I began to get passed by the usual plethora of people. I had managed to keep my heart rate relatively low during the first five miles, but the hills made that difficult. After the big hill, I just resolved to keep it as low in Zone 4 as I could and hammer. I laughed at one point. I was passing somebody when a big eighteen wheeler went by, and the poor chica in front of me got seriously sprayed with road water. By this time, I had taken off my sun glasses cause I couldn't see. I tried to put them back on, but it was just to dangerous. It seemed like there were hills, and hills, and more hills. We had a nice long downhill stretch to the turn around point, but I wasn't excited. I knew I was gonna have to climb that sum bitch on the way back.

The race peeps called out my race number as I made the turnaround. 13.1 mile to the run! The first thing I noticed upon turning around was the ominous black sky back in the direction of Chattanooga. I was under the impression that the worst of the rain had already passed. Oh well, nothing I could do about it now!! About two to three miles after the turn around, a really young chica came flying by me on the bike. It was Katie! The fifteen year old gal who won The Summer Sizzler I raced at in 2007. I latched onto her wheel and tried to keep up. I love being chicked on the bike! As a matter of fact, towards the end of the bike, I was getting chicked quite a bit by the twenty to thirty year old crowd. By this time, all the old guys who were faster than me had already passed me :-)

With about 8 miles to go, the skies opened up. The lightning crackled and the thunder boomed. The rain was coming down so hard it hurt. I actual braked on the first downhill in the thunderstorm so I wouldn't run up on the back of Katie's wheel. After that, I took all the uphills and flats in aero and all the downhills up right. I was really afraid of, you know, running off the road and crashing into a barbed wire fence or something. For the first time ever, I can really say I enjoyed climbing the hills. It was at that point that the rain stopped stinging! LOL!! Lucky for us, the rain began to let up within a couple of miles of transition. We rode back through downtown Chattanooga. When transition came into sight, I slipped out of my shoes and pedaled the rest of the distance barefoot.

Soaked to the skin, but smiling!

I heard Dee Dee and Brian yell at me as I passed under the bridge where they had taken shelter from the rain. I had the best dismount. Not having worry about my bike shoes just rocked. I was careful this time to put the pedals in the proper position so they did not drag. That was a mistake I had made at Cohutta Springs.

I ran through transition and quickly found my spot. I took off my bike gear, slipped on my hat and Zoots, and I was off. Even though I wasn't really trying, I had a really fast transition, coming in under two minutes. The run course started out up hill. We followed the street around the corner, then it was up the stairs to the path that ran along the river. I, personally, thought this was torture. I had to take the stairs at a slow walk, holding up the people behind me. The race peeps told us not to pass, but folks passed me anyways, and I didn't blame them!! They were racing, I was processing :-)

Once we got onto the path proper, there was a downhill, then it was all flat. Right after the downhill, there was a company that was handing out ice cold towels. Other than the torrential down pour, the weather had been perfect. It was slightly raining and drizzling during the run. The sun was hidden behind the clouds. Well, the ice cold towel was just wonderful. I wiped off my arms and face, then squeezed the towel on my chest. I thought about carrying it with me on the run, but I couldn't get it into a good place without holding on to it. I reluctantly tossed it and left it behind.

At the rowing center, I ran across Steph, who was on her way back, and she thought I would pass her on the bike! LOL! I was glad to get to see her and cheer her on. I kept looking for Kevin, but I never saw him. The run along the river was wonderful. I was very careful to keep my HR in the 156-160 range. This was unusual for me. I usually end up blowing up in the 168 range. I slowed down to walk through the aide stations, but other than that, it was just a consistent effort for me. I opted to pass the aide station before mile three. I wanted to keep running and knew I could stop back by on the way in. I reached the turn around, and the race peeps called out my number. 3.1 miles to go!!

On the way back, I allowed my HR to drift up above 160. I was just a running along, just barely getting out of breath. I tried to take in the scenery and enjoy being amongst my fellow athletes. When I passed the rowing center for the final time, the race officials were playing a mixed version of U2's Beautiful Day. That got me pumped up. The sign said I had just passed the five mile marker, but the dude on the microphone said that I had 1.5 miles to go. I seriously wanted to flip him the bird. "I have 1.2 miles, damn it! and not an inch more!!!" LOL!! I slowed down before the big hill and took another ice cold towel. They were SO good :-) When I reached the hill, I saw Sarah coming down. I was excited to see her!! I yelled, "Go Sarah! Rock the shiz!" We high fived each other. She asked me how my swim went, and I told her good! I told her I would see her at the finish and proceeded to walk up the hill.

All of a sudden, I decided it was time to start lifting up my fellow athletes. A few of them looked like they were struggling. I imparted a few words of wisdom from my coach. "Push! then rest. Push!! then rest! You got this!!" I said. Down the stairs we went back on to the street. Less than half a mile to go, now. I ran up to a younger guy in the 35-39 year old age group. He wasn't quite running my pace, but when I started talking to him, he picked up his pace. This was his first Olympic. I told him how great he was doing. We didn't have much time left. He said that he was trying to finish strong, but he didn't have anything left in the tank. He asked my about my races and seemed impressed that I had done a half IM (I was wearing my Florida 70.3 hat). "Let's take advantage of this downhill and pick up the pace!", I said, and we did. We ran side by side for the rest of the race. Up ahead, I could see the finish line. "There it is!", I said. "Are you ready? Let's go!" We picked up the pace to a sprint. There was still quite a few people along the finisher's chute cheering us on. When we got to within a hundred yards of the finish line, I dropped back behind him about ten yards. I wanted him to have his own finisher's photo.

My new friend, crossing his first Olympic distance finish line!

I raised my arms in the air, smiled, and crossed under the finish line.

I don't think I enjoyed myself more at any other race EVA!

The race volunteers practically ripped the timing chip from my ankle. What a relief! I high-fived my Oly first timer then walked down to the end and picked up my finisher's hat and water bottle. Dee Dee and Brian quickly joined me as I exited the race route.

After the race, I spent some time resting, hydrating, and eating. I didn't really want to partake of the free beer, so I did without. I managed to find Kevin at the food tent, which was awesome. We got to spend some time after the race together. I also did not want to leave until Sarah crossed the finish line. I'm just funny like that. I decided to go ahead and gather my stuff out of transition and watch for Sarah. As soon as I was making my way back to Dee Dee with my bike and gear, Sarah comes running down the race course. Her peeps from PTC Tri Club gave her a resounding chorus of cow bell, and Dee Dee, Brian, and I added our voices to the cheers. I found her in the food tent to say my good byes, then it was time to pack up and head off Georgia, but not before Sarah shoved a beer in my hand, muttering something about not drinking beer ;-)

Brian, Dee Dee, and I kept up a lively conversation on the way home. It made for a quick and pleasant trip, despite our being so tired. Once we got back to my house, Brian packed up his things and went home. I'm sure he was ready for a nap, I know I was. I eventually found my way to the couch and slept for three hours, totally blowing my plan to cook dinner for my kids! I settled for a dinner of chips and salsa, with enchiladas, rice, and beans for dessert :-)

After this race, I am basically aglow. I have a very smug sense of personal satisfaction. I did not PR, but I am in total agreement with my coach. It is hard enough to compare performance on the same course under the same conditions, much less a different course, under different conditions. Not only did I see The Wizard on the swim, but I had the most perfectly executed race plan ever. Everything just went like buttah!

With that kind of feeling in my heart, what's not to love?