Rev 3 Race Report

Well ok technically it's a volunteer report as I decided to toss my scant resources toward Providence 70.3 and my crazy dream of a Kona slot. I will say this it's wired wearing the other T-shirt, but at the same time it's kinda relaxing. I mean not having to sit there and think about decents, gearing, wear on the running shoes, am I trained enough, what do I eat tonight so I preform at my best? For once it felt good to show up with a Great one from Dunkin Donuts and two chocolate Donuts and not feel like a hypocrite.

On Saturday I showed up early in the AM and Bsed with Bob and Mary Ann Blais at the War on ALS booth. I met up with Robin the volunteer coordinator and got my T-shirt then headed over to transition. My first task of the day was going around with Cinda ( who was Belinda Granger's homestay ironically enough.) and stapling race numbers on the transition racks. As I went through I say some familiar names including some of my buddies from HEAT ( Tony, Dave, Slowpoke, Gabe, Raf, etc.) and then out of the Blue on one rack Claire Badass Mofo. Well this necessitated a quick phone call with a stupid voicemail message along the lines of "I didn't know you were racing this bitch." or something stupid like that. The last few months I've been in work, class, train, classwork, repeat mode so my people skills are well...sort of non-existent. I also bumped into Bree Wee.

Well after stapling 700+ race numbers to the transition "boxes" I moved over to check in. I essentially became a transition escort. I would help guys find their transition spots answer basic questions such as "where is the bike out?" "How much space do we have for gear?" Claire came in asking questions for the Aqua bike that apparently none of us knew. I sent her to race info hoping they were better prepared than we were...unfortunately as I would later find out trying to find info for the Aqua bike would require consulting a Buddhist holy person on the top of a snow covered mountain.

I worked Transition until 1:30 and then ran into town for a bite to eat and met up with Josie for our afternoon ride. We made it out to Waramaug and after one loop of the lake decided to bypass the Bethlehem section of the loop. Again she throttled me as she averaged over 17 mph and my dead ass pedaled in a good 5-10 minutes behind. I covered our 50 miler averaging about 16.7 mph I need to find my form on the bike and fast. Granted I think I might need to be refit as there were some sections where she was able to stay perfectly areo and I was either in the bull horns or out of the saddle not so much for power but to relieve pressure on my lower back. Regardless, this week there will be more time spent on the bike.

I got back to the park at about 6:00, and hopped in the endless pool demo to wash some of the salt and road grime off, so I wouldn't be scarring the late check- ins away with the rank of aroma of eau-de 80km ride. I went back to transition and helped check in the last minute stragglers. After that it was off to the Volunteer dinner/ meeting. I figured out where in Litchfield I was supposed to direct traffic and what time I needed to be at the park to help with body marking.

Sunday
I showed up at the park at about 5:30 to help with body marking. Things went pretty smoothly. I marked up a couple of my teamamtes,Tony, Karen, a few of the locals I know and the youngest competitor in the race a 14 year old racing with her dad. I listened to one of the women getting marked up by the guy next to me. Then came the Question, "Rob, umm this chick's got a low number and she wants her age on her calf." I looked over and saw the tell tale bikini top, it was Bree. "She's a pro." I said to the dude, Bree looked up..." Can't I just compete with the age groupers?" She said with a smile. Sadly I had to be the big mean scary race number Nazi. "Sorry Bree you're a pro it'd be unfair." Claire came over sporting her Aquaphor gear...part of me is think I should have applied/signed up... as it looked pimp.

As I started to see the people shuffle to the water in their wetsuits part of me was regretting not racing..or at least I was until I drove to my spot on the bike course. As I rolled over some of the hills I realized how much of a bear this thing was and despite my hill training there is no way I would have been ready to go as fast as I would like to this weekend.
I arrived at my road block which split a rather large farm completely in half and set up the "Road Closed "sign with the Litchfield Cops and got the warning that these things very rarely work. Well that theory was tested early ( read my other post for this) when some bimbo in a Saab made the comment she couldn't get around on the otherside to get home, since she lived on the road I let her through. I would let 4 cars through not including the farm dumptruck and a couple of state police crusiers and oh yes a rather rude woman in a white ford F-150 with a horse trailer. More on that later. I got up to my post at about 7:30 and waited for the leaders to come through...they were expected at about 8:15...that came and went...then 8:30...then at 8:45 the sate police entourage came through. A cruiser, two motorcyles followed by...Matty Reed...and the TV crew... I was a bit shocked what happended to Luke Bell... about two minutes back Richie Cunningham blew through followed by a pack of three pros....I sat there and wonder where Luke Bell was he was the favorite to win this thing. Then the pro women came through first I couldn't make out the leader but I could see Joanna Zieger in 2nd. Then Natascha Badmann rolled through and shouted "thanks" you could tell it was a rough course as she was only half smiling...

Then came the pack...Jo Lawn , Belinda Granger, Mirinda Cafree going 3 wide traffic be damned. Some dude in a subaru cut right as I had to direct some of the fastest age group men around the stalled car. Then Bree came through and about 5 minutes behind her came the age group packs, and stragling pros...still no Luke Bell...so assumed he DNFed. Gabe rolled through then Tony, Karen, Claire, Dave, other Dave, and so it went on for about 3 hours. As the packs went through there would be little breaks...one rider slowly chugging along, and then no one for about 5 minutes then 5 or 6 together...then no one then another lone rider...then no one...and then the mechanic's truck..."You've got one more about 5 minutes back."
Then 10 minutes later..." #7XX is the last one she's about 15 minutes back..." 15 minutes later she rolled through and my duites were done. I drove back to the park and met up with some of the HEATers found out Erica had been hit by a car at mile 1 of the run as somebody blew through the massive local/ state Police road block seriously there must have been at least 10 cops and five crusiers. Tony had come in in the 5:25 range..not a bad day...a good tune up for Louisville. Natascha was sitting with some of my teamates discussing shoulder rehab. Bree made the comment she was going to hit some rides as she had a knot in her stomach and hoped it would lossen it up. Found Claire and met Grease Monkey...and her dog Kona...no the name does not refer to a certian town on a certain volcanic island which hosts a certain sporting event in mid October, which would drive this particular gathering of masochists buck wild.

So that was REV 3 watching all those athletes was good motivationto get me back into my training. Monday I did an Olympic Distance brick, yesterday I swam about 3300 yards and tonight I've got a run and swim on tap. Hopefully Patriot will be a good kick start to my summer season.

So to all those who Reved or are Reving up I salute you.

R.D.

* sorry I will add the pics later, it's just I can't up load them at work.