TRIple T
4 races, 3 days Breakdown and times to follow below.
The title of this might seem original, but let me tell you, there is nothing ordinary about the Triple T!
Who, What, When, Where and Why? Are questions that need to be answered in this blog because the American Triple T is an Adventure Race that only those who do it, fully understand the last question of Why.
It all started back in December with a facebook post from Daryl mentioning the American Triple T and thinking it would be a great training race for the Ironman. So, I believe I was drinking wine one night, getting ready to go to a Christmas Party when signed up. Daryl mentioned that Portsmouth, Ohio is known for its hills, but I never read the website to fully understand the brutality of this race. Even if I did, I might not have taken them as seriously as they were, because a lot of times races exaggerate on the description.
Prior to doing the Triple T, I knew Veronica, Daryl and JP were also going to be out there. Along the way, I met a bunch of other great people, including Jeff (Columbus OH), Jami (Dallas TX), Dave (Michigan), Sarah (Cincinnati, OH), Jen (Indiana), Ken (Wisconsin) and the 51 year old lady from Geneva, I don't remember her name though, and many from Chicago- Veronica and Daryl's Friends, who train with Vision Quest. Everyone out there were wonderful people. They all were there for the fun of it and ready for anything.
So what is the Triple T? It's a 3 day Adventure Race Series with 4 races: Super Sprint, 2 Olympic and a Half Ironman. Now, this could have been 4 write ups, but I'm doing it all together and will break it down in detail for each race. So warning, this is long! I will also provide course descriptions, and statistics and my Triple T rendition of Rihanna’s S&M song.
The final two summary questions I will answer before jumping into the details. Where: Portsmouth, OH- Shawnee State Park and vicinity (Starting at Turkey Creek Lake) and When? May 20, 21 AND 22nd, 2011.
My original plan was to take a half day on Thursday and drive out there in the late afternoon. It's a 6+ hour drive, BUT with being on vacation a week before, and just other office politics- I had way too much work to get done so I worked a full day on Thursday, and left at 3am on Friday morning. I could have waited till 6am to leave and still make it in time for the first race, but I wanted some wiggle room for getting lost. It was kind of good for that, because my GPS at first wasn't finding Shawnee Park. I put in the hotel and as I got close I tried to use the website directions, but as I was also on a conference call for work and was not fully prepared for the questions on the call, I was concentrating on that rather than my direction, and ended up adding an hour to my trip. BUT- I made it.
I also forgot my helmet, but since JP waited until 6am to leave, he and his wife, Jen, picked up my helmet on their way out (Thanks to Laura for getting out of bed to retrieve it from my place).
I didn't really get a lunch, and I realized that, but I was drinking protein shakes and water and eating trail mix- and I was hoping that would suffice- after all, Friday was just a super sprint.
So here is the mass broken down:
RACE 1: SUPER SPRINT
Friday at 5:00pm
250 meter swim, 5 mile bike, 1 mile run (easy right?)
Description: The American Triple T- Ohio starts everything off with the SUPER SPRINT, a smack-in-the-face for those not quite ready for the brutal hills of Shawnee Forest - literally a wake-up call for all participants in the American Triple T Ohio. This short race will be the first opportunity for participants to see what they are truly in for. The swim starts off in time-trial format with participants going off every 1-3 seconds on a spectator friendly 250 meter triangle swim course off the main beach at Turkey Creek Lake. Participants will then mount their bike for a 5 mile bike course that will feature a half mile plus clump up to the Mohican Resort and back. After completing this challgenging 5 mile course, participants will take on a relatively flat 1 mile run that turns around at the base of Lamp Black run.
There was nothing easy on this race. With the swim being so short, I (and others) decided not to waste my time with a wetsuit. In and out in 5ish minutes! The water temp was something like 56 degrees. I knew what the hyperventilating would be like and to use my yoga breathing. It took me about half of the swim to get my face in the water.
Then the bike… it was so great to mount Alejandro. Really, with our ‘wonderful’ weather, Alejandro and I have only had 1 ride together; everything else has been at the gym. The climb the description mentions was a total slap in the face; I was huffing and puffing and on my easy gears. We kept climbing and climbing and then turned around. JP told me I could get up to 40mph on the down, but I was a little scared for the curves so I braked the down. I was going fast but not that fast.
Then the run: When they say relatively flat- that does not mean it was flat. It just means it was flat compared to what we would face for the rest of the weekend. I was also huffing and puffing on that and was thankful for the turn around and down to coast into the finish. Though I wasn't pushing it at an all our sprint pace anywhere on this sprint (because this was just a warm up for the rest of the weekend), I never seemed to be able to catch my breath. JP had done this last year and he said, it's okay, don't worry about the rest of the weekend, he felt like crap after the super sprint last year too.
Now, the scary part, but maybe it helped me be conscious about my nutrition: The migraine. As we were walking back to the car to head to the hotel my vision started to go- the way it does right before a post race migraine (depletion of
electrolyte). Words on signs and people’s shirts became difficult to read and I went into a daze. Sometime after the vision goes, you get the headache part. Maybe I shouldn't have driven to the hotel but I was following Veronica and Daryl’s tail so I had something to concentrate on. I made it to the hotel, and though we had food after the race, provided by the race, I decided to order some pasta and breadsticks from Pizza Hut (you really didn't have a choice of where you ate out there). While I waited for that, I snacked on the stuff I brought with me: Hummus and Carrots, Trail Mix and Celery and Peanut butter and drank a ton of Gatorade, water and Pedialyte. Pizza Hut's delivery service was horrible, it took almost 2 hours to get to me (and they were a half a mile down the road- I didn’t want to drive to pick up because of how I was feeling) I was ready to be sleeping at that moment, so I pretty much inhaled part of what I ordered and put the rest away for later.
I woke up the next morning with part of the migraine still there, which made me fearful for everything ahead.
RACE #2: Olympic AM
Saturday at 7:30am
1500 meter swim, 40k bike, 6.55 mile run
Description: The 1500 meter swim starts off in time-trial format with participants going off every 1-3 seconds on a two lap counter clockwise rectangle swim course along the shoreline of Turkey Creek Lake. Participants will then mount their bike for a challenging 40 k bike course that will challenge all ability levels. Participants will take the Thompson Hill- an 18% grade climb that you soon won't forget. After completing this challenging bike course participants will take on Lamp Black Run- a trial that you will get to know very well by the end of the weekend. Featuring a dirt and packed gravel surface, this trail humbles all.
We get to Shawnee Park, and I'm downing Gatorade and Pediatlyte. My nerves are high because all I can think about is completing the rest of the weekend with the migraine. I made Race #2s priority goal to finish feeling better than I started (migraine wise). I wasn't really telling anyone
about the Migraine (Alison and Heather both got mention of it in a text. Heather probably got my actual freak-out of worrying about that. I told Veronica before we started...just in case something happened to me on the race but otherwise, I was trying to make it a non-issue).
As we start on the swim I was a little more confident with having my wetsuit (which btw- the time trial thing- is really cool, I had my starting partner all weekend long, I never got her name, but she was experienced in the Triple T). The temps increased 1 whole degree from the day before, and it still took me until the first buoy to catch my breath. The second lap was stronger, and I was even relaxed enough to pee in my wetsuit (which I laugh that I share this because it might be TMI for some, but in the triathlon world- it's just normal). I actually do gauge how relaxed I am on the swim with my ability to pee while swimming - next time you are swimming in open water- try it ;)
As I eased onto my bike ride, I realized that even when you think you are going flat, you really aren't. I was confused sometimes at my speed, but with more time out on these races, I realized, anytime I was going less than 15mph, it was because I was on some sort of incline. Prior to starting the race, we were warned of a 180 turn down a hill and just in general were warned of the downs (because after slow climbs, you just want to go down fast). Around mile 7 we hit Thompson Hill. I was on my lowest gear and barely moving up. I saw one person have to get off their bike because of chain issues, but the rest of us slowly made it up that horrid climb. After that climb came fun down. Then, the down they warned us about, was so steep before the 180 turn that my hands were hurting from breaking so hard (this would be a recurring theme). There was also some loose gravel just at that 180 turn, but a cop or someone was at the bottom kind of telling you exactly where to steer. I think this is where I lost my guardian angel (a gift from Alison before my first half ironman). I heard something clink to the ground but my bike seemed to be fine, I later noticed i no longer had my guardian angel. Which, unfortunately, was a pin so I’m wondering if I was a horrible person and someone got a flat from my guardian angel? The next few miles were kind of myself reflection time. I enjoyed the rolls and some flat (even though it was bumpy). I kept thinking I’m here because I love this, and I do really love this. I’m a people pleaser, but racing especially this kind of racing, is my selfish time, I do it for me. Not many get the opportunity to experience what I'm experiencing- how lucky am I?
We then made a turn onto the smooth new blacktop, which I recognized as the road to the finish (and would become quite familiar with it). One more climb- which I would get to know very well (I forget the name of it- we will call it the Niles Climb as you enter into Niles partway up). Following that final climb was a good 2+ miles down back to the part entrance. So, no matter how horrible that climb was, you always had 2 miles of some relief (which usually was all but 4 minutes and 15 seconds for the 2 miles).
Now time for the run. Mind you, you need to remember that we have another Olympic in just a few hours and then a half ironman the next day. So, I tried to remember to take the run easy. The first 2 miles felt so long, it was another trick where if you were feeling it, and breathing heavy- it was because you were going up. I walked a few of the climbs, and then around 2.5 we got some relief with a down. I'm kind of experienced on the down and able to take them gracefully, so I passed people along the way. At the turn around, I knew I had some up to tackle, some of it pretty steep, so I ran until I hit the steep, and then walked. As I made it to the top for a good 2 miles down to the finish, is when I made my first friend: Jeff. Jeff is from Columbus Ohio, he knew people out there but traveled alone so I just told him where we were located and hanging out and he could stop by if he wanted. After the 2nd race, he said he had to go back to Columbus (2 hour drive) to get some work done. I thought that sounded miserable as he had to be back by 6am the next day. Throughout the race I would see him again and it was just great to have another friend to communicate with on the course.
After the run it was time for an ice bath- in the creek, where everyone hung out after races. I hung out with the Chicago Vision Quest crew and we all kind of laughed at the obvious points of struggle on the race course- because it's not that a single person out there is weak- it's just the course was just insanely difficult it kicked everyone's butts. 20 minutes of icing, a quick wipe down and change into a sundress for the next 4 hours to lay outside in the shade (I attempted the sun but that didn't work too well). My migraine was gone! I had followed a great nutrition
plan as I raced, and it was gone! Mind you, I then had to pee about every 15 minutes between the two races! Luckily we were right by the porta potties and between races, a gross septic tank thing game and cleaned out the porta potties (it's the little things).
We just tried to move as little as possible and take in as much fluids as possible before race #3.
RACE 3: Olympic PM
Saturday 4:00pm
40k bike, 1500 meter swim, 6.55 mi run
Description: This uniquely formatted triathlon starts with the bike first, starting in a time-trial format, this challenging 40k course will take participants on the longest climb of the weekend- Blue Creek Pass. This course is an out and back which provides an opportunity for everyone to see the mutual suffering from your fellow competitors. The return trip on the bike does not offer any relief from the hills as you will take on as many climbs as on the way out. After completing this challenging bike course, participants will take on a 1500 meter swim on a 2-lap counter clockwise rectangle swim course along the shoreline of Turkey Creek Lake. After completing the swim (which will cause many to wonder if they can do the run), participants will return to Lamp Black Run for another 6.55 mile run.
Waiting for the Bike start was a bit long and horrible - getting the adrenaline going once again. They are pretty lax, so we didn't go off in exact order, but my partner and I stuck together. As we took off, we went in the direction that's usually our return (which was still our return, we had to first do it in the opposite direction...and then some). There was a headwind to add to the challenge (which i don't think ever turned into a tail wind). The out and back was a little annoying when the road was still open to cars and the cars just didn't know what to do/how to pass so they kind of added in the mix - slowly moving with bikes. When we went down the longest climb part, I knew it was going to be rough. The climb was nearly 2 miles long, which I was able to look at my watch when it clicked on 1 mile- it took 9 minutes and 30 seconds for 1 mile (on the bike!). I thought we were going to have to do this again on the half ironman course, so I actually almost started to tear up at one point because I didn't think my quads could take it again. My arms also killed because I was doing a lot of pulling for extra power on the rotation of my legs. I ran into a guy who I didn't like up until now. He had a light red beard so was easy to recognize every time he climbed over me in the swim. I just find it rude that he would climb over me every swim- like really dude? You can't go around me and you did on both first two races? He was nice on the bike, so I decided not to hold a grudge anymore (he did climb over me again in the swim).
The swim was interesting, I lubed my legs to get the wet suit on and I got it on very fast...Until I realized it was on backwards, and of course from there I struggled. This is where i got my wonderful neck kiss- as the volunteer who closed me in did not do a good job and I chaffed at the neck the entire swim. In the first lap, I pulled more than kicked but actually started to feel great as we were nearing the 2nd lap. It was like an ice bath after the bike, and a quick cool down before we ran (though the temps in the water got up to 60...I sometimes thought I should have gone without a wetsuit this time). As I got out of the water to run around and start my 2nd lap, I went fast and a cramp hit- then I realized many were falling down as they approached the 2nd lap- screaming in pain of cramps. The race director was standing there instructing everyone to move very slowly- no quick movements as they get back in the water. I looked at him and laughed and said "this is cruel!" ...and I kept laughing as I took on my 2nd loop without my legs. People started to have to get pulled out of the water- or at least stop with lifeguard assistance to let the cramps pass. I just powered through without my legs- only moving them as a way to stretch them.
Then came the run. Somehow my legs semi regained capacity to run (though I walked from the water to transition- I saw too many people falling over!). This time on the run, I met Sarah. We ran together for a bit, but she powered on through - I let her be my carrot and I kept her in site all the way to the finish. She then became another person I would see on the course and communicate with. Once I finished the run, I grabbed a Gatorade and muscle milk and went straight for the ice bath for 20 more minutes. After Veronica finished, her, Daryl and I ended up getting a quick massage. My massage therapist scolded me for not getting enough massages and emphasized how important it is to add it to my ironman training- at least once a month! Alrighty then!
We didn't get back to the hotel until 8:30ish? Where I then unpacked and repacked and tried to get situated to check out, I showered and I scarfed down my leftover pizza hut AND 2 hot pockets AND more pedialyte, water and Gatorade. I think I got a whole 5 hours of sleep that night….maybe.
By now, I could feel and see the lactic acid bubbling through my legs.
RACE #4: Half Ironman
Sunday 7am
1.2 mile swim, 55.5 mile bike, 13.1 mile run
Sunday morning arrives and participants must now summon enough strength to take on what is easily the toughest half ironman course known to man. You will experience what participants refer to as the "Triple T Shuffle", similar to the Ironman shuffle but worse! This will be a day you won't soon forget. It starts off with a 2-lap 1.2 mile swim on a counter clockwise rectangle swim course along the shoreline of Turkey Creek. Next up is a scenic but challenging 2-lap 55.5 mile bike course. The squiggly lines on the map are not from an over caffeinated graphic designer, moreover these are actual 'Alps like’ switch backs, although significantly shorter than the real thing. These switchbacks provide breathtaking views of the 60,000 acre Shawnee Forest like no other. After finishing the bike course, participants will again head out on to Lamp Black Run- this time for two laps.
The Half Ironman. We made our way once again to Shawnee Forest/Park. This morning, we were all a little more nervous. We had little sleep, many miles logged, and not feeling great. Everything including my lungs hurt, but I was ready. It’s just one mile at a time. …or in the water, one buoy at a time, whatever it took to get to that finish. I tried to remind myself about how we all laughed at ourselves at different points of the races, how we were all here to have a good time, that’s what this is about. Some don’t get it, but I was in my world- we get each other.
Prior to starting, the announcer mentioned there are 4 category 1 hills on the bike course. Now I still don’t know exactly what that means but I think it’s specific to the region and climbs are ranked. Googling it either always talks about the tour de France or something about how hard a car had to work – what gear to shift into to get up a mountain. It has something to do with the % grade incline and the length of the climb. Just know, Cat 1 is bad, and we had 2 loops so it was 8 Cat 1s! I know exactly where those suckers were too and I wished I had issues with short term memory so I could forget about them as we made our second loop.
They also gave us a cut off time of 10:30 for the first loop. That means if you swam in an hour from the start you would have to average 10mph on the bike to make that – which almost seems easy if it didn’t consist of 4 cat 1s per loop and you didn’t have to slow so much on the downs for risk of killing yourself (which okay really…let’s face it most didn’t get in until about 15-20 minutes after 7am..Or 7:05 since we started late, according to my Garmin).
So, off we started with the swim. At this point, because it’s the same water, just a different distance, I was pretty relaxed in the swim. I made my first loop, then the 2nd. On the 2nd, I made it my goal to pee. For two reasons: 1) To get to that relax mode I mentioned 2) Because it was going to be a long time before I get to go again. On my 2nd loop, at first I felt a little dizzy, I also had to stop twice as I got water in my goggles, but all in all I was enjoying the swim and my goal was a success.
Once I got out of the water I made my way to the Transition. Not really running, just kind of walking. I made my way out to the Bike and started that long journey. Now, there is one part of the race I haven’t mentioned yet and that was- they let outsiders into the half ironman! About 80 additional racers joined us. I call them the “Freshies” ….these people had fresh legs. And I’m not saying it was an easy thing to just do the half ironman, but after working your butt off two days prior, you have this sense of superiority. Two Freshies actually tried to start drafting off a Vision Quest guy). I got so angry, I almost yelled at them, but luckily the VQ was too fast for the freshies to handle so they latched onto someone slower.
*Side note- the Freshies were told they should encourage us- because we were tired and amazing- I think only one Freshie cheered me on as they passed.
We made our way over a climb, it wasn’t that long but it was kind of steep, and my legs felt it. I was hoping it was a cat 1, but I soon learned it wasn’t. I ran into Sarah as we were on a gradual climb. I asked her if we were climbing because I was hurting and couldn’t go faster, and we decided we must have been (which yes, we were). Then came a Cat 1- The worst of them all. I wish I counted the number of times we switched back or watched how long it took to climb and I could probably check on my watch, but just know this- it was brutal. I wondered how this wasn’t longer than the one we did on the PM Olympic Triple T. I actually passed a few people though which made me feel great, and when it came time for the down, those people had no fear and passed me again. The down was just like the up- switchbacks, so you just had to take those curves easily. My hands once again were hurting from breaking.
We continued on the path and I’m pretty sure we were doing a lot of the First Olympic distance backwards. I can’t be certain though. We then made our way past Thompson Hill. At this time, I waved to the hill and I said “so good to see and not have to do you” That’s about the same time I met Dave. I don’t think he appreciated all my complaints about the category 1s. BUT, he kept me company on the next 2 category 1 climbs which made them a little bearable. He told me he was doing Lake Placid in July and hoped he would be recovered in time.
We then made a turn that brought us back to the smooth blacktop which meant we just had to climb the Niles Climb (the 4th Cat1) and then it was downhill until the turn around. We had done this same downhill 2 other times, and I was comfortable with it. My fastest mile was on the down on the first loop of the half ironman. I clicked in 1 mile at 1minute and 57 seconds. You can do the math there.
I made the turn around somewhere just before 10am, which meant I was cutting it close. I started my 2nd loop, and felt like I regained some energy. I was moving what I thought to be fast but, the problem here was, I knew kind of when and where to expect hell, and the anticipation kind of killed me. The first climb on the loop seemed worse than the first time, and this time I got passed instead of passing others (freshie!), but I was a little braver on the downside.
It started to get sparse and I had no more people to chat with. I would get passed every now and then, but it was usually a freshie (they didn’t have our cool jerseys so you knew who they were). One girl told me I was awesome, the others would just pass without saying a thing. And then, I was taking the down before the turn to go by Thompson Hill. As I took this down, I finally hit the 40mph JP told me I should be able to hit on that first down of the first day. Since it was my 2nd loop, I had less fear. BUT at the same time a bee flew into my jersey- and I got stung. Not once, not twice, but according to the welts, 3 times. At the bottom of the hill there was a cop navigating to tell us to turn. I was kind of screaming and I stopped and was like- “a bee is in my shirt get it out- and I lifted my arms and then my shirt and begged him to inspect to make sure it was gone. He said he saw no bee- but I am not making this up. It happened. It hurt, I slowed down and decided maybe this was good- it would refocus some of the pain to the stings. …at first it did, then we hit another Cat 1 climb, and I was all alone. FYI- best way to take away the pain of a bee sting (or 3) is to inflict other pain on yourself.
…and then I hit another Cat 1. I counted the bike in 5ths…so every 11 miles I could feel accomplished. I had 1/5th left. And I tried to remember Saturday and how I realized I was exactly where I needed to be and this is my thing. BUT I was also looking forward to dismounting my bike. We made the final turn, and one more climb. Another Freshie passed me, and then I hit my knee really hard on my elbow pads on my bike. You see, Alejandro is not made for the climbing he did this weekend- he needs a cousin to help me climb. So- it’s not his fault when I have 2 big bruises on my knee, of which one has left a bump.
I was ready to dismount and was so happy for that. It was time for the run, which I took more nutrition and I walked on out of the transition to start running. I saw Veronica which I’m pretty sure I told her I was so ready to be done, then I saw JP’s wife, Jen. She was cheering me on and I was just not in a pleasant mood- then I noticed how nice her tan was getting (which was what she was doing while JP was racing) – and I turned back around (already passed her) – just to comment on it. It was my attempt to get back to my happy place.
The run was more like a shuffle and there was lots of walking. I was just so over all the climbing. Every person I passed did not have a smile on their face. The mood seemed to shift. People were hot (the temps climbed to the 90s), people were tired, people were ready to break. I kept leap frogging on the path with Geneva. I hoped she wasn’t annoyed, because she was a slow and steady jog, and I was walk the up and run the downs, so I made a little conversation with her. She didn’t talk much when I attempted to talk to her, so I just figured I’d leave her be. Then, around 2.5 miles I met a guy from Madison, Ken. He’s like Tony, happy friendly and talkative. He talked to me to keep me going- which he doesn’t know this, but he played an integral part to getting me to the finish. My talking, smiling and joking all came back. When he left me, I then met Jami. She and I took on the rest of the race together. We took it easy until just before there 4 mile marker then we ran it to the turn around. At this point Daryl was done and cheering with Veronica and JP was still on course and Jen made her way to the shade to continue to cheer- as it got too hot to even spectate.
Ironman- The Journey- Part 6 - Phase III Complete: What makes you happy?
brings all sorts of people. Rarely do you have people like V and I, who use it for training, because it's not a place to be serious. You have your families and mountain bikes and just other normal people- but people who do 20 miles of it, and that's a great feat for them. The day was foggy to the point it was almost like a mist. Rain was on its way, and Veronica and I didn't start until about 7am. We had to get in 60 miles that day. With the wetness of the fog, and it being in the 50s, I pretty much froze. This probably wasn't the most enjoyable ride, and we only managed to get in about 50 miles. I decided I was done with the cold, and I went to finish off at the gym (which the 60 miles was followed by a 3 mile run). I thawed out and warmed up on the last 10 miles, and the run was great! I felt so accomplished as I also had a 15 mile run the day before (which wasn't so great). That feeling- of accomplishment- makes me content.
riends. This had a 75 mile option (or really 78?). That fit my training for that week, so that's what we did. The Udder Century is in McHenry County. People can either ride 26, 50, 62?, 75 or 100 miles and it's just one loop. It was a relatively flat course and we averaged somewhere around 20 mph. I met another girl - Torrey- who did the Triple T. And got to see Melody and Steve at the rest stops. Triple T made me happy, and at this point I realized that even the training rides can make me really happy- these are my people- this is my thing! It got to be real hot by the time we were done with the ride so the run was a bit daunting. It, like many runs since the Triple T- was weak.
It was such a great feeling to be done and to have accomplished the American Triple T.
