Unauthorized Assistance?

I recently read an article that highlighted the USAT’s “Unauthorized Assistance” rule. It’s a common sense rule, but one that I’ve unknowingly broken several times.

Here is the rule:

Article 3.4d. Unauthorized Assistance
No participant shall accept from any person (other than a race official) physical assistance in any form, including food, drink, equipment, support, pacing, a replacement bicycle or bicycle parts, unless an express exception has been granted and approved, in writing, by USA Triathlon. The receipt of information regarding the progress, split times, or location of other competitors on the race course shall not be considered the acceptance of unauthorized assistance. Any violation of this section shall result in a variable time penalty.

So, if I pass someone who is clearly hurting, and maybe needs fuel or water, technically, I shouldn’t give that person some of my water? Even if they aren’t hurting, who cares? Seems like good sportsmanship to me. What about flats? I can’t give someone a spare tube?

And that isn’t even the part of the rule I’ve broken. I suppose, by the letter of the law, I’ve ‘paced’ before. Pacing is defined as making forward progress while being accompanied by someone who is not currently competing in the race.  “Unauthorized” assistance, as opposed to what the race organization provides, is illegal and time penalties are assessed to anyone receiving aid from an outside source.

From time to time, my wife and I will do a race together. She is not competitive and likes to enjoy the race at her own pace. I typically finish before her, then double back to find her on the run course so that we can run together. Technically, this is pacing. Even though we aren’t trying to beat anyone or set a course record. Just a nice cruise to the finish – typically in the bottom portion of her age group. Should she get a time penalty for that?

Likewise, my son will start racing with me next year. He is 12. I want to race with him, especially on his first race and on longer events. I’m not trying to ‘pace’ him, I just want to enjoy the experience together.

I understand that triathlon is an individual sport, and the rules are black and white. But to me, there seems to be a lot of gray with this rule.

How long is a triathlon?

As a triathlete, there are a few common questions I routinely get from people who aren't familiar with the sport. Here is a sampling:

What's the order of a triathlon? Is the order always the same? Can you do it with a team? Do you swim in the ocean? Are you afraid of sharks? Have you done Hawaii? What's your favorite leg of the race?

But the most common questions are around the distances. People want to know how long the race is, and they don't understand that there are different triathlon distances. Below is a simple way to break it down.

Sprint Distance
The sprint distance triathlon is the most common triathlon you will find, and the shortest. A typical sprint distance triathlon consists of a 400 to 500 yard swim, 12 to 15 mile bike, and usually a 5k run.

Olympic Distance
The Olympic distance triathlon is a 1.5k swim (.9 mile), 40k bike (24.8 miles), 10k run (6.2 miles). This is the same distance used in the Olympics. You will also hear this distance referred to as the "International" distance, because that was what it was called prior to triathlon becoming an Olympic sport in 2000. Either name works just fine.

Half Ironman Distance
The half Ironman triathlon is a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and a 13.1 mile run.

Ironman Distance
The Ironman triathlon is a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and a 26.2 mile run.

Last thing to note, Sprint and Olympic distance events are often referred to as short course races, and the Half and Full Ironman distance races are referred to as long course races.

The Problem with USA Cycling

I just completed a survey for USA Cycling. The survey was sent to me because I haven't renewed my membership in two years. I was more than happy to give them my reasoning because I'd love to see changes in the sport of cycling - specifically racing, not recreational weekend cycling.

For starters, let's have more local events. If you live in Charleston, you can race locally one weekend per year. I repeat. One weekend per year! That's ridiculous. What if there was only one 5k road race per year? It makes no sense. Why aren't local bike shops sponsoring races every few months? Wouldn't that grow the sport? Wouldn't that generate a few bike sales and local shop loyalty? I can race eight local triathlons per year, but only one cycling event? Why is that?

If there were more races, more people would be introduced to the sport. More people would get involved. More beginner and novice riders would participate. Most first-timers are going to try a local race first, before making any significant financial commitment for travel or hotel. So give them some local options!

All inclusive
And when you add more races, do everything you can to make them inclusive to beginners. On the USA Cycling race circuit, there is not a category for a first time racer with no clue. Or for someone who just wants to race his old Schwinn. Or for someone who just wants to bring his kid out to race with him. And guess what? Because USA Cycling does not care about those people, they will never become members and grow with the sport.

To continue with my 5k road race analogy, would you want to do the 5k race if there were only 10 participants, and they all ran a sub-20 time? Would you feel like that's something you want to try? Would you want your kids to get involved in that?

Simply put, USA Cycling caters to hard core cyclists only. I wonder what the organization would look like if it tried to somehow roll in the larger group of cyclists?

Lastly, if I had a bike race for kids in my neighborhood, and targeted any kid who owns a bike that wants to ride and have fun, there would be a big turnout. If USA Cycling were to have a kids event, it would be for license carrying Junior USA Cycling members with aspirations of making the Olympic team. That's great for the 6 kids in the entire state with that goal in mind and a $4k bike, but what about the kids who just want to pull the bike out of the garage and race with his friends around the park? That race does not exist.

Cycling has basically gotten as niche and accessible as Polo, and that's a shame because every kid has access to a bike. They just don't have anywhere to race it.

Parris Island Recap

The 2012 Parris Island Triathlon was great, as always. Setup always produces great races, and actually, they've been able to keep registration costs down while other, smaller, race production companies have not. I appreciate all that I get for a very affordable $50 registration fee. In fact, I would go as far as saying I have brand loyalty. If you are going to provide me with 15 plus, first class, races around the state, and do so at a low cost, you have the bulk of my race budget.

Now for some complaining. The swim portion of this race is in a pool. We are seeded by 100 yard swim times, and go off in 15 second intervals. It's critical that people submit the correct swim time so that slow swimmers don't create log jams, causing others to have to swim around the log jam. It's hard to pass in a lane with swimmers going in both directions. It can be every bit as chaotic as a open water swim start, and it shouldn't be.

Setup has done a wonderful job of ensuring people submit the correct swim time. When you register there is a lot of instruction for how to enter your swim time. You also get an email prior to the race stating your swim time and asking if you sure about it. They make it hard to be wrong.

I was thrilled to see all the efforts made to ensure correct swim seeding this year. I was flabbergasted when I got in line for the swim start and was told not to worry about the seeding. What? A fellow race participant said that things had gotten screwed up and they were letting people go whenever. What?

When I got to the start I asked two staffers why the order got messed up, and the dude said, "Don't worry about it." Great thanks. I've seen tons of people go off who are seeded in the bottom half of the race. Now I'm the one who has to deal with 6-person pile ups on lap turns and head on collisions as I try to pass. That affects my time. Plus I don't like revving up to pass. It takes me off my rhythm.

I'll stop there. Just a little ranting. Overall I had a great day, so I'll just move on and, 'not worry about it.'

Race Predictions
Well I wasn't too far off my race predictions, which I posted in my last blog post. Check it out:

                                Prediction           Actual
500 mtr swim         9:20                       9:19
T1                          50 secs                  42 secs
Bike                       30:00                     31:40
T2                          50 secs                  46 secs
5k                          20:50                     21:03
Total                      1.01:47                  1.03:28

So I was a total of 1.41 seconds off my predicted time. My biggest miss was on the bike, but I have to say, my bike CPU had the course at slightly over 10 miles. So basically, I nailed it with my predictions, because I averaged 20 MPH.

I will also state for the record that racing 10 lbs over my normal weight makes a difference. That slower 5k split, and sluggish bike, has a direct correlation to that weight. It's time to back off the chips and carbs and get serious about my unhealthy eating habits. This weight, apparently, isn't going to magically disappear just because I exercise a lot.

Parris Island Predictions

My first race of the season is this Saturday at Parris Island. Love the race. Do it almost every year.

I’m feeling good. My training has been strong. In fact, in the first 10 weeks of 2012, I’ve trained slightly more, and harder, in all three disciplines than I did in the previous two years (according to my training logs). Theoretically, I should be able to duplicate last’s year’s times, if not exceed. But I’m not so sure. Why is that, you ask? Because I’m getting fat.

That’s right, I’m racing 10 lbs heavier than I’ve ever raced. At 6’2” I82 lbs, I don’t wear moo moos or use a dialing wand (a la Homer Simpson), but this is the heaviest I’ve been in 10 years. I recently had the humbling experience of taking a pair of pants to the dry cleaners to have them ‘let out’ an inch. I’ve moved up a hole in my belt. In fact, when I sit down, I can feel my gut on my belt. Good God I have a muffin top!!!

But the most alarming part of it is that I cannot cut this extra weight – no matter how much I train!

Age, and gravity, are constants in the universe
I always enter the new year a few lbs heavier than my average race weight of 172 lbs. But by March, I’m right back at my fighting weight and have no trouble maintaining it through the summer. I’ve noticed over the years it’s taken a little longer each year to get that excess weight off. But this year is different. It’s been an epic battle. I can’t get below 180 lbs. And I’m afraid that extra weight is going to slow me down a good bit. There is a scientific equation that backs up that theory, but I’m too fat and lazy to look it up.

Here is my race prediction, based on my training:

• 500 mtr swim 9:20
• T1 50 secs
• 10 mile bike 30:00
• T2 50 secs
• 5k run 20:50
• Total: 1.01:47

We’ll see how it goes…

What are electrolytes?

Electrolytes are electrically charged particles that help the body function normally. Some of the more familiar electrolytes include sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Calcium and magnesium help muscles contract and relax. Sodium and potassium help water stay in the right balance inside and outside of cells. Sodium is the electrolyte lost in the highest concentration in sweat.

Anyway, I’m sharing this with you so that if someone ever asks you what an electrolyte is, you don’t sound like these guys…

2011 USA Triathlon's Age Group National Championship

Here is a good triathlon video from the 2011 USA Triathlon's Age Group National Championship held last month in Vermont. It's produced by Endurance Films. Good quality and good narration.

Even for avid triathletes, race footage isn't always compelling stuff. But this 8 minute video does a good job setting the scene for what this race is about - the best age groupers in the country going for a national title.

The Race Day Checklist

In general, triathletes tend to be very organized. Prior to a race, we go over our checklist of the gear we need to take. We have a plan for how our gear will be laid out in the transition area. And, over time, we perfect the process of moving in and out that transition area in the least amount of time.

But even with all this attention to detail and process, we sometimes forget things. Even with our handy-dandy checklist, a helmet can get left in the garage, goggles won't be in that tri-bag pocket you thought they were, or your race belt disappears.

I always feel bad for the poor guy standing with the race director, as he gets on the loud speaker and says, "Does anyone have an extra helmet this gentleman can borrow?"

Over the years, I've become less diligent about preparing my gear for a race. Basically, the night before a race I grab the necessary items and then hop back on the couch in less than 5 minutes. And in all those years, I've forgotten only an aero water bottle. Not bad. But in the last race I did, I forgot my shoes.

Now, as bad as that sounds, I got lucky. This was a biathlon on the beach. So I did the run barefoot without much problem. Had this race been on pavement, I wouldn't have even tried. Running barefoot is quite nice actually, but I did manage to stub my toe on something buried in the sand. I don't know if it was a shell or a rock, or rebar, but it didn't budge, and took a nice little chunk out of my big toe.

Anyway, you've seen the standard Triathlon Checklists before. They usually have everything you would possibly need, and then some -- things like bug spray, sunblock, hat, body glide, kitchen sink. These are good lists to help you get started with making your own, which is exactly what you should do. Tweak it and make it your own. If you want to bring bug spray, leave it on the list. If not, remove it. No need to sift through that giant list every race.

So I won't offer the perfect checklist here, but I will offer up the Top 10 most common items left behind on race day morning. I'm basing this list off my experiences in the transition area prior to a race. As the race start nears, these are the things I most often hear people asking to borrow, or trying to purchase from a vendor:

1. Race Belt
2. Helmet
3. Goggles
4. Race Sunglasses
5. Hydration/bottles
6. Gels/Fuel
7. Body Glide
8. Bike Pump
9. Spare tube
10. Race Belt

Good luck creating your own list. And remember to double-check the items I listed above. They are sneaky.especially that race belt.

Folly Beach Splash N Dash 2011

The 1st Annual Folly Beach Splash N Dash was held last Saturday, July 16, 2011, at the Folly Beach Fishing Pier. This was a biathlon, consisting of a 750 meter ocean swim and a 5k beach run.

I'm happy to report that I came in 1st place overall. I'm not happy to report that there were only 10 participants.

Where was everybody?
I was blown away at the lack of participants. This event was put on by Setup Events, which always does a great job producing races. The race was advertised on the Charleston Triathlon Club's homepage, not to mention the Setup Events website. It's a short, very doable race, even for beginner and novice athletes. Why only 10 participants?

Instead of trying to figure that out, I'm going to focus on getting the word out for next year's event, that is of course, if they do it again. There used to be a Folly Beach Biathlon years ago, but that event was cancelled after participation dropped below 20 racers. I don't want that to happen again. We need variety. I like having a biathlon option here in Charleston. I love it when new races come to the area. I know we have enough local athletes to support this event, so pencil this race in for next year's race calendar.

And on that note, Setup Events is putting on a new sprint triathlon on Daniel Island August 27. The official name is the LOCO Sprint Triathlon 2011. It's a 750 meter swim (Wando river), 14 mile bike, and 5k run. I believe they have a team division. As of today, there were only 15 or so registered. That's crazy. I know it's a first-year event, but if they don't get the numbers, it will be a one-time race. Let's support these new events and at least give them a chance to gain some traction.

You can register for these events on the Setup Events website.

Recommended Cycling Books

There was a time in my life (during college and just after) that I read veraciously. I was an English major and read everything ever assigned to me, and then some.

Someone would compile a list of the "100 Greatest Classics" or "Books you must read before you die" and I would attack. Post college, I would pick an author and read every title I could for one year (Wolfe, Hemingway, Poe, Dickens to name a few). I even collected books for a few years and built up a nice little collection. I have first editions Conroy, Steinbeck, Clancy, Faulkner, Salinger's 'The Catcher in the Rye,' and even a signed copy of Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird.'

Now, all I read are triathlon/running magazines and cycling books. I don't know what that says about me, but it is what it is.

If you like cycling, or if you're looking for an easy, inexpensive gift for someone who happens to be a cyclist, or Tour de France fan, here are a few recommended titles:

• From Lance to Landis, by David Walsh
• Teach your kid to ride a bike, by Mark Riedy
• Inside the Postal Bus, by Michael Barry
• Chasing Lance, by Martin Dugard
• Tour Fever, by J.P. Partland
• The Death of Marco Pantani, by Matt Rendell
• Bike Racing 101
• The Tour de France Quiz Book

Notice I didn't include Lance Armstrong's 'Every Second Counts' and 'It's Not about the Bike.' Both are great, even if you're not a Lance Davidian. Lots of great insight about racing, the Tour, and other cyclists. But, if you're buying for a cyclist, I'm sure he's read these. It would be like buying Bob Marley's Legend album for a relative because you heard he likes reggae music. Just assume he's read these and select from the above titles.

2011 East Cooper Coastal Triathlon Cancelled

The East Cooper Coastal Triathlon has been laid to rest, officially cancelled for 2011 and beyond. If you're completely bummed by reading that last line, I'm with you, I feel your pain. That was one of my favorite races, and one that I competed in each year since its inception in 2005.

In early January, when I went to the Charleston Triathlon Club website to look at race dates and start planning my season, I noticed this race wasn't listed. I was hoping that race director Paul King had just not found a suitable date, and would put the race back on the calendar once he did, but that is not the case. I live on the same street as Paul, so I see him all the time. I saw him over the weekend and asked if the race was going to happen, and he confirmed that it will not.

We really didn't discuss why, because I could tell he was bummed out as well. My best guess, and this is purely a guess, is that because this race spanned three municipalities, in very busy areas, there were likely complaints from residents. If you've done this race, you've seen how traffic is affected on IOP, and then again on the connector as you near the finish. I'm guessing people complained about the inconvenience it caused them. Again, that is purely speculation.

How did I come to that conclusion? This race was supported by sponsors and had a great athlete turnout. Most races die because one of those two criteria aren't met. In this case, I'm guessing that Bitsy was late to her hair appointment, or old man Cranky was late to his foursome at Patriot's Point, and they called town council, or the mayor, or whomever, and raised hell.

Most triathlons are done out in the country, in a more rural setting, on back roads, with a few police scattered about for traffic control. And there is a reason for that. An urban triathlon is a logistical headache, and everyone, including those who are not racing but live and work in the communities affected, have to be on the same page. Otherwise, it's like fitting a square peg into a round hole. It just won't work.

But whatever the reason, we should focus on the positive and just move on. Last year Paul added a 5th race to the James Island series, which will be held this year on May 22. So really, that void in your race calendar can be filled with another local race.

R.I.P. ECCT, you will be missed.

Training for an Ironman

Ironman versus Adventure Race

Just read an article on Active.com that compared the difficulty of an Ironman to that of a 12-hour adventure race. The author has been a triathlete and coach for 8 years, and participated in adventure racing for over 5 years. Having competed in both events, and having a strong opinion on the matter, I was very interested in what the author had to say.

I definitely like how he broke down the various aspects of each event and really tried to analyze the differences. But in the end, I felt his conclusion was all wrong. Here is the author's closing statement:

The Ironman is certainly more physically demanding, but ultimately the 12-hour adventure race is the tougher sport owing to the higher degrees of risk, skills and mental demands it places upon its athletes.

Wrong answer
He's got the first part right - the Ironman is more physically demanding, so much so, that you could really stop the comparison right there. But he thinks the risks, skills and mental demands are much greater in a 12-hour adventure race, therefore giving it the edge in toughness.

Adventure races are fun. They can be grueling for sure, but by and large, they lack a competitive atmosphere. Yes, there are always a few teams who are in it to win it, but most racers are in it for the 'adventure,' not time driven goals. I could gather a group of my friends, and with little training, make a weekend out of an adventure race. We would be tested and tired, but in the end, win or lose, finish or not, we would have a blast. I cannot say the same thing about an Ironman event. Not even close. If you aren't prepared, you are not going have a good time.

In terms of skills, adventure racing isn't much different than triathlon. Run, bike swim, versus trek, kayak, bike in some order. Sure, you might have a repelling section on the course, and there is always a compass/navigation component, but these are easily learned skills. It might take a while to hone these skills, but you could get through a 12 hour race with a few weekends of preparation. And really, these aspects of adventure racing are what slows down the pace and levels the playing field in my opinion. Heart rate comes down. Everybody can recover at times. These skills aren't stressful, and if anything, are the very reason racing 12 hours is doable by people who are not super fit athletes.

And the mental demands? The mental demands are more difficult in an Ironman. Like I said, an adventure race is a party, a social event. An ironman is an individual event. You have to be focused and in tune with your body the entire race. Going too hard for an hour on the bike can have serious ramifications on the run. The thought of not finishing an Ironman, after months of preparation and training, is a nightmare. In an adventure race, who cares? The course, terrain, path, special events are different for every race, and sometimes within the race. An Ironman is a set distance. It's the same race for everyone. It's truth, and there is nowhere to hide.

Ask yourself this. Why do so many people get the Ironman tattoo after completing the race? Better yet, why doesn't anyone have a 12-hour adventure race tattoo?

Swim Training Videos

A little late in the season, but here are two good swim videos, both created by Olympian Natalie Coughlin. The first one gives tips on perfecting your freestyle stroke.

The second one demonstrates a correct flip turn.

Freestyle Stroke Technique

How To Do a Flip Turn

Indecent Exposure

When I hear the phrase ‘indecent exposure,’ I think of creepy-old-guy-in-a-trench-coat. Or maybe had-too-much-to-drink-frat-guy who thought it would be a good idea to streak across campus naked. What doesn’t come to mind is triathlete-guy. I recently learned in a USAT newsletter that there is actually a rule for indecent exposure.

3.4n. Indecent Exposure.
Public nudity at any time during the event is prohibited. Any violation of this Section shall result in a variable time penalty.

I’ve never heard of this being enforced, and really, I don’t see they could. Only the biggest races have officials in the transition area during the race. Most officials are out on the course, where they should be.

But the real question is, who is getting naked? There is a lot of skin in the transition area for sure, so if you get popped for ‘indecent exposure,’ that’s saying something. That means you are letting it all hang out.

According to the article, the rule is most commonly enforced in the transition area where an athlete may decide to remove his swimsuit to change into bike shorts. Now, I understand the need to change into your bike shorts for long course events, but use the changing tent. And if there isn’t a tent, find a portable restroom, or use a towel and be discreet – and fast.

Another place this rule is broken is out on the course when people decide to pull over to relieve themselves. This one is tricky because sometimes you are out in the middle of nowhere, with another 20-30 miles back to transition. I see it all the time, but I think if you make an effort to move several yards off the road and hide yourself somewhat (behind a tree for example), you should be fine. Be discreet and considerate of others is the real rule.

Sick and tired of being sick and tired

I cannot stand getting sick. It screws up my schedule and it's inconvenient.

With three kids under age 10, it's hard to avoid the funky bugs and germs they bring home, regardless of how much you wash your hands and disinfect the house. It happens, but usually in the winter months.

I caught something two weeks before a race in mid May that put me out of commission for a week and a half or so, and with a race looming that weekend, I decided to rest my body instead of squeezing in a few workouts. I was feeling better by race day, but not good enough to "race" the event. My body just wasn't recovered, and it showed. I struggled through the swim and bike, then finished off with a 30 minute 5k, about 10 minutes off my normal pace.

Over the next two weeks, I began to feel better, and improved with each workout. At the end of that two weeks was another race. I was feeling pretty good and actually posted a decent time (my 5k time back around 21 minutes). I thought I was back in action.

Monsters Inside Me
However, that same night I began to have body aches and other flu-like symptoms. I took the next day off work and slept for 8 hours. I was exhausted and weak. It took another two weeks for me to exercise again, and when I did, I could only maintain a very slow jog. I went to the pool to swim a few laps, but my warm-up became my workout and I headed home. This was very discouraging because, of course, I had another race on the weekend. That one, however, I decided to withdraw from.

In all my years of racing I have never had an illness hang around for so long. Actually, I'm not sure if it's the same one flaring up, or multiple viruses. I'm crossing my fingers I didn't catch something nasty from the pond I swam in during the second race. I don't even want to consider that as an option. I'm not prepared to be on an episode of "Monsters Inside Me."


More Bad Results
Still not 100%, I did a race in Columbia in late June. I knew I couldn't "race" the event, so I went out easy and just tried to maintain a good effort the entire race. My times were slow, but I was happy to at least be able to race at 80% effort and not burn out. I was getting better!

After that race, I had two weeks to return to form before race #3 of the CSTS. Although my training times weren't where they were earlier in the year, they were improving. The closer I got to race day, the better I felt. I even decided to go a little harder than planned. I had a solid swim, but didn't push it. My bike split was slow, about 2 minutes off my normal time, and I ran a 23 minute 5k.

That night, I started feeling sick again. And indeed, woke up with a cold. Unlike the Ebola virus, or SARS, or whatever I had earlier in the summer, this seems to be more of a common cold, an upper respiratory thing. And I can usually bounce back quickly from a cold, but my season is over. I have two more races in the next month, and I know won't be up to task.

Bottom line, this has been a disastrous summer of racing. At the time when I'm supposed to be peaking, I'm rebuilding. It's very frustrating, but it happens I suppose.

I think the lesson learned is not to sign up early for so many races. And as much as I hate to admit it, when you get sick, it's probably best to see a doctor and get it treated, instead of letting it wreck your body for several weeks. Oh well, there's always next year.

Great video, great song

A friend sent me this video of Danny MacAskill doing his thing on his bike. It's worth a watch for sure. The song is awesome also. It's called The Funeral, by Band of Horses. Good stuff.

2010 East Cooper Coastal Triathlon

This was my 3rd race of the year, and finally, I was able to put together a good race from start to finish with no mechanical issues.

Training-wise, I had a productive winter and did a decent job of both maintaining my 2009 fitness, and integrating speed work back into my workouts. I was ready for my first race in March, but had some brake issues that cost me several minutes on the bike. During my second race, my chain snapped and I was unable to complete the bike portion of the race. Very disappointing considering how good I was feeling.

All I wanted to do last Sunday was have a good race with no problems. The swim went well, and although I got a little tired in the final push, my split was OK. I had a fast transition, and, finally, a good bike leg. I averaged around 20.75 MPH for the 16 mile course. My run split was 27 minutes for the 4-mile course. Grabbed 19th overall and 2nd in my division. That works for me.

Click here for 2010 race results and photos.

2010 Downtown Columbia Triathlon Recap

I might have found new favorite race. I thought the course sounded sort of cool when I signed up, but I honestly didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did.

The race is set, obviously, in downtown Columbia, an area typically not equated with beauty. I often hear Columbia described this way: railroads, trains, brown fields, asphalt, and stifling heat with no wind. But that’s not really a fair assessment. While some of that might be true in areas of Columbia, it certainly isn’t the case in the heart of the city on the USC campus.

I think to really appreciate the campus and downtown area, you have experience it on foot. My wife went to USC, but it’s been years since we’ve spent any time in Columbia. I’d actually forgotten how nice it is to walk around down there. Super clean, lots of green spaces and shaded parks scattered between academic buildings and dorms, beautiful facilities, and a good college vibe. And that college/urban setting offers a unique backdrop for a triathlon.

The course

The 500 meter swim is in the Platt Center – the USC swim/dive team pool. It’s a beautiful 50 meter pool with a large deck, bleachers for spectators on the second floor, a diving well, SEC banners on the walls, and giant open-air windows around the entire pool. Just a cool place to swim. Plus, because it’s a 50 meter pool, swimmers do not come down and back in the same lane like the 25 meter pool swims. You go off two at a time every 10 seconds and switch lanes after each length. That’s much easier for passing.

The 10-mile bike leg is the shortest I’ve ever done in a sprint. It’s a 3.3 mile loop through downtown which you do three times. I don’t remember all the streets, but you do blast through 5 Points on the third mile. The first 1.5 miles is all up hill, so be prepared. I like the 3-loop style racing. It feels more like a crit than a TT. The road conditions weren’t too bad. There are, however, lots of intersections, and even though there were police officers directing traffic at each one, I would recommend you be extra alert. There was a lot of traffic during the race, and with police letting vehicles through when there were openings between bikers, you just have to be paying attention. After all, you are on downtown streets at 9:30 in the morning – not out on some country road.

The 5k run is through the campus down sidewalks, breezeways, and overpasses. Really different, but really cool I thought. You finish on the intramural field next to the Platt Center.

This is a Setup Events production and part of the South Carolina Triathlon Series. There were 400 participants this year and early registration will cost you $55, late registration $65. Decent long-sleeve t-shirt, but not wicking material. The post race spread was pretty good – grits, scrambled eggs and sausage. My kind of meal for sure.

I’m going to give this event two thumbs up and definitely add it to my race calendar each season.

2010 Parris Island Race Recap

Fun race. Decent splits. Great weather. Can’t complain….we’ll maybe just a little.

I had a pretty decent swim time, despite having to deal with the log jams caused by slower swimmers not submitting the proper 100 yard swim times. With swimmers going off every 10 seconds and swimming down-and-back in each lane (based on submitted time), it can get very crowded quickly, especially if you are way off in your projection. Oh well, while it did slow me down some, it was nice to get a breather. I knew I wasn’t vying for a podium spot, so it wasn’t as frustrating as it could have been.

The other issue I ran into was a mechanical problem with my brakes. After a couple miles my rear brake began rubbing my rim. I wasn’t sure if it was because of my brakes becoming offset after hitting a pot hole, or the cable sticking. I tried to fix it on the fly and couldn’t. I opened the brakes to decrease the rub, but it was still there. Why I just didn’t stop and fix the problem is beyond me. I did manage to average 19.5, but undoubtedly lost a couple minutes.

At least my run was solid. I’ve been doing very little speed work, and I’m racing about 5lbs heavier than last year. Running a 20:53 5k is fine for an early season race. I’ll take it.

One other random note. There was a dude who raced in a long sleeve shirt and jeans. He was an older guy, probably in his 50s, and he looked like a spectator upon first glance. I’m not sure what he swam in, but I’m assuming it wasn’t jeans, so he must of changed in the locker room after the swim. He obviously wasn’t too concerned with his T1 split. I saw him again on the run and I had to do a double take when I saw his race number. I’ve never seen someone do a triathlon in jeans. I admire his ability to ‘keep it real,’ but maybe go ahead and go with some shorts next time. Less chaffing.

Downtown Columbia Tri
This weekend I’ll be racing the downtown Columbia tri. This is a second year event, and one that I’ve never done. I’m looking forward to a new course. It’s been a while since I’ve raced a sprint on unfamiliar territory.

The swim is in a 50 mtr pool, so we won’t have to deal with the down and back scenario – should be plenty of room to pass if necessary. The bike is short and sweet, and I’ll have my brakes race ready. I just hope the weather is as nice as last weekend.