Athens
"There it is!"
The hoops and hollers were rampant in the packed tight Forerunner as we passed by a very respectable looking Holiday Inn in downtown Athens, Georgia. They were quickly silenced and replaced with laughter when Russ announced that it wasn't the right one, that we were in fact in the Holiday Inn Express another two blocks down the road. For my part, the hotel was perfectly fine; not having previously kicked in door frames like our last hotel pick was a bonus.
Our dinner selection, of coarse, was at an Italian place walking distance from our Express. I was impressed with the size of the downtown area. Multiple blocks of proprietary food and shop places of a satisfyingly large variety made Auburn's downtown scene pale in comparison.
After a series of hour long naps during a restless night, it wasn't too difficult to rise from the warmth of my shared covers at 5:45, 4:45 central. I was awake anyway. We quickly gathered our things, headed to the transition area, and assorted our race essentials for the day's tri.
Before heading to the campus, though, I had to make a quick stop. In keeping with a longstanding race morning tradition of mine, I swung by the downtown Starbucks, one of the few places that was thankfully open at this early Sunday hour, and ordered my usual grande americano and cinnamon scone. For some reason, I've always had a good day of racing when my mornings start like this. Today turned out to be no different. Call me superstitious.
With plenty of time to spare before everyone lined up to jump into the pool for the staggered starts, the team assembled their bikes on their respective racks, bodies were marked, and timing chips were secured.
This being only my second tri, which seems weird considering how much training I've put into it, it was also my first time to swim in a pool during a race. The 400 meter swim was really what I was most concerned about; did I seed myself properly to not get passed? How should I pace myself? and on and on. Indeed, my dreams had run me through several scenarios the night before about how it would all go wrong. Awaiting my turn in the pool, I double checked to insure that I indeed was not in my underwear, or worse.
Ten seconds after the previous pair of swimmers kicked off the wall, I followed suit after a man shouted go, and I glided away. Before I knew it the 400 meters were quickly coming to a close. I felt smooth almost the whole time and felt like I had kept a good pace as I passed no fewer than 3 others along the way.
There was another 200 or so meters we had to run through the UGA student activities center before getting to our bikes. Fortunately they laid down some mats across the tile floor that would have otherwise surely thrown wayward, slippery-footed triathletes to the floor as they trampled their way to T1.
It was chilly outside. Something like 45 degrees. It didn't help that I was soaked, but what did help is that my adrenaline and some sort of feral part of my brain had taken over. Right out of the pool I didn't even have to think. I just moved forward as quickly as possible. My primal instincts to chase overrode any sensory input data of caution, warning of chilliness. I scarcely noticed the goosebumps.
Running into T1, my mind was in a different mode. Biking's after swimming, right? (the one actual cognitive thought I remember from that moment.) Helmet? There, clip, run, mount, fly.
Not long into the ride, the wind and my speed dried me and my synthetic tri suit off in a hurry. There were some 30 racers ahead of me at this point. I only knew because that's about how many people were ahead of me in the pool. Cyclists ahead of me came into view, passed, behind me now.
I took the corners faster than I usually dared, testing the limits of my tire's grip, slipping into the lanes of oncoming traffic at times.
I'm not sure if it was because the course was only 12 miles long, if I was just going that fast, or if my mind processed the passing of time that much differently, but it felt like no time at all before I found myself riding down the return leg of the route (the bike route was lollipop-shaped, the "stick" being about 2.5 miles). Some dude in Clemson shorts was my next target. I overtook him on the straightaway before the next long downhill. He quickly responded in kind, retaking his lead just a few hundred meters before the road graced us with a negative grade. I quickly took advantage of my... well I don't know if girth is the right word, but the average triathlete ain't pushin 6'3''... we'll call it stature, building up momentum, overtaking this guy again with ease this time.
After narrowly escaping what could have been a terribly timed dismount, T2 took a little longer than I would have liked. My numb hands didn't make putting on shoes any easier. I had to sit down, take a deep breath, before I finally got them.
The 5k course was mostly enjoyable. It was a little frustrating that I didn't have a clue what kind of pace I was running through on a route that took use around a small lake and across some trails (my favorite!). Once again, though, it seemed to pass quickly and it wasn't long before that finish line came into view 58 minutes after I started.
I was quite pleased with the results. Though not a perfect race (is there such a thing?) I was able to give what I had and it turned out to be more than I might have thought, even with this race being in the middle of a training cycle, not having peaked for it or anything. No matter. It was a great time on a fun course with some good friends.
With the race done and our bodies demanding some nourishment, we headed downtown to avail ourselves to what the wide range of local Athens eateries had to offer. Robert, Sam, Becca, Josh and I ended up at a hole in the wall (always the best) breakfast joint for some well priced omlettes and the fluffiest biscuits this side of the state line.This place didn't look like it'd changed since the day of its inception, decades ago, I gander.
Before heading back to Auburn, the drivers were in need of a little wake up juice. A local coffee place called Jittery Joes' fit the bill perfectly. Walking in the front door, the smell of fresh baked chocolate cookies with a powerful hint of espresso overcame my senses. Why, yes, I think I will try me a mocha.
"Would you like whipped cream with that?" the jovial barista asked.
Yes, absolutely.
The hoops and hollers were rampant in the packed tight Forerunner as we passed by a very respectable looking Holiday Inn in downtown Athens, Georgia. They were quickly silenced and replaced with laughter when Russ announced that it wasn't the right one, that we were in fact in the Holiday Inn Express another two blocks down the road. For my part, the hotel was perfectly fine; not having previously kicked in door frames like our last hotel pick was a bonus.
Our dinner selection, of coarse, was at an Italian place walking distance from our Express. I was impressed with the size of the downtown area. Multiple blocks of proprietary food and shop places of a satisfyingly large variety made Auburn's downtown scene pale in comparison.
After a series of hour long naps during a restless night, it wasn't too difficult to rise from the warmth of my shared covers at 5:45, 4:45 central. I was awake anyway. We quickly gathered our things, headed to the transition area, and assorted our race essentials for the day's tri.
Before heading to the campus, though, I had to make a quick stop. In keeping with a longstanding race morning tradition of mine, I swung by the downtown Starbucks, one of the few places that was thankfully open at this early Sunday hour, and ordered my usual grande americano and cinnamon scone. For some reason, I've always had a good day of racing when my mornings start like this. Today turned out to be no different. Call me superstitious.
With plenty of time to spare before everyone lined up to jump into the pool for the staggered starts, the team assembled their bikes on their respective racks, bodies were marked, and timing chips were secured.
This being only my second tri, which seems weird considering how much training I've put into it, it was also my first time to swim in a pool during a race. The 400 meter swim was really what I was most concerned about; did I seed myself properly to not get passed? How should I pace myself? and on and on. Indeed, my dreams had run me through several scenarios the night before about how it would all go wrong. Awaiting my turn in the pool, I double checked to insure that I indeed was not in my underwear, or worse.
Ten seconds after the previous pair of swimmers kicked off the wall, I followed suit after a man shouted go, and I glided away. Before I knew it the 400 meters were quickly coming to a close. I felt smooth almost the whole time and felt like I had kept a good pace as I passed no fewer than 3 others along the way.
There was another 200 or so meters we had to run through the UGA student activities center before getting to our bikes. Fortunately they laid down some mats across the tile floor that would have otherwise surely thrown wayward, slippery-footed triathletes to the floor as they trampled their way to T1.
It was chilly outside. Something like 45 degrees. It didn't help that I was soaked, but what did help is that my adrenaline and some sort of feral part of my brain had taken over. Right out of the pool I didn't even have to think. I just moved forward as quickly as possible. My primal instincts to chase overrode any sensory input data of caution, warning of chilliness. I scarcely noticed the goosebumps.
Running into T1, my mind was in a different mode. Biking's after swimming, right? (the one actual cognitive thought I remember from that moment.) Helmet? There, clip, run, mount, fly.
Not long into the ride, the wind and my speed dried me and my synthetic tri suit off in a hurry. There were some 30 racers ahead of me at this point. I only knew because that's about how many people were ahead of me in the pool. Cyclists ahead of me came into view, passed, behind me now.
I took the corners faster than I usually dared, testing the limits of my tire's grip, slipping into the lanes of oncoming traffic at times.
I'm not sure if it was because the course was only 12 miles long, if I was just going that fast, or if my mind processed the passing of time that much differently, but it felt like no time at all before I found myself riding down the return leg of the route (the bike route was lollipop-shaped, the "stick" being about 2.5 miles). Some dude in Clemson shorts was my next target. I overtook him on the straightaway before the next long downhill. He quickly responded in kind, retaking his lead just a few hundred meters before the road graced us with a negative grade. I quickly took advantage of my... well I don't know if girth is the right word, but the average triathlete ain't pushin 6'3''... we'll call it stature, building up momentum, overtaking this guy again with ease this time.
After narrowly escaping what could have been a terribly timed dismount, T2 took a little longer than I would have liked. My numb hands didn't make putting on shoes any easier. I had to sit down, take a deep breath, before I finally got them.
The 5k course was mostly enjoyable. It was a little frustrating that I didn't have a clue what kind of pace I was running through on a route that took use around a small lake and across some trails (my favorite!). Once again, though, it seemed to pass quickly and it wasn't long before that finish line came into view 58 minutes after I started.
I was quite pleased with the results. Though not a perfect race (is there such a thing?) I was able to give what I had and it turned out to be more than I might have thought, even with this race being in the middle of a training cycle, not having peaked for it or anything. No matter. It was a great time on a fun course with some good friends.
With the race done and our bodies demanding some nourishment, we headed downtown to avail ourselves to what the wide range of local Athens eateries had to offer. Robert, Sam, Becca, Josh and I ended up at a hole in the wall (always the best) breakfast joint for some well priced omlettes and the fluffiest biscuits this side of the state line.This place didn't look like it'd changed since the day of its inception, decades ago, I gander.
Before heading back to Auburn, the drivers were in need of a little wake up juice. A local coffee place called Jittery Joes' fit the bill perfectly. Walking in the front door, the smell of fresh baked chocolate cookies with a powerful hint of espresso overcame my senses. Why, yes, I think I will try me a mocha.
"Would you like whipped cream with that?" the jovial barista asked.
Yes, absolutely.
Fantastic!!
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