Fear Nothing

Starting back in May of 2010, my goal has been to run the 70.3 at Lake Ray Roberts north of Denton TX in May of 2011. I cut my Oly distance teeth on the course in May of 2010, and the 70.3 course was simply more of what I had already experienced. I knew the water (cold but not scary), the bike route (a bit hilly but not terribly so) and the run route (very hot, a bit up and down, but nothing too alarming). I knew where to park and what transition looked like and where the bathrooms were (indoors, I will tell you--this is a park and they had clean, easy access INDOOR toilets at the finish/start areas--what a concept!). It wasn't a perfect event--some of the bike roads were torn up, the heat during mid May is pretty tough, and the handouts at the volunteer stations were pretty sparse (plenty of water and nice people, just not much else). I was also excited because last year, no person in my age group even attempted the 70.3. If that stayed the same, and I finished under course time, I would have the podium all to myself. :-)

I just recently discovered that this event is NOT going to have a 70.3 this year, only a Sprint and an Oly. I am devastated. I am heartbroken. I am frantically searching Active.com for other events. I am a triathlete without a country.

My initial thought is to go back to the Galveston (now Hermann Memorial 70.3) where I tried to do my first Oly last year only to have the swim canceled due to high winds and waves. I was okay with the idea of doing an Oly race here but a 70.3 makes my blood pressure rise a bit. The course is fairly flat, which is great news, but in Galveston, the wind is always blowing and it's generally blowing hard and all directions at the same time. I know, I was born there. I'm not sure that riding a bike for 56 miles into a howling wind will make up for no hills. In addition, you swim in the bay, which is not really all that protected--although there will be no big surf, you will get a LOT of chop and swells. I am at best a hesitant swimmer, and although I know in my heart that trying to drown in salt water while wearing a wetsuit is probably less possible than the Rangers digging out of a 0-2 hole in the World Series, I do worry that I will swallow and choke on enough wavelets to either make me panic, or make me vomit, or both. Finally, the run, although flat, is going to be warm and also pretty boring (it's four loops of a garden park track, driveway, and parking lot combined).

Still, it's only a five hour drive for me, it's a well organized race (although very large, being a qualifier for the 70.3 championships). The roads are in good shape and face it, Galveston is still fun and interesting even post Ike and even if you grew up there and know it. I'm mostly worried about the swim in the chop and salt water, and I don't think I am going to be able to get down there and practice in Offats Bay before the race (in addition to all my other worries, you don't get a warm up swim before the event. It's a deep water start from a ladder down the pier because the shallow water is full of sharp oyster beds that will cut your feet to ribbons. That's not a killer reason to be worried, but I like knowing the feel and temp of the water before I take the first plunge. I'm SUCH a weenie).

This race is also the first part of April which moves my timetable up about a month.

I've looked at all the other 70.3s within a reasonable drive from me that are happening in spring 2011 and I can't find anything that makes my heart go pitter pat. If I want to wait to fall 2011 there are more options, but I don't want to wait. The Tall Texan 70.3 in Boerne is too soon (March) and way too hilly for me.

So...looks like I am gearing up for an April 2011 70.3 in Galveston. Ihe the meantime, I am burning my copy of Open Water, and throwing salt tablets into my bathwater to simulate race day. This race I can do. Fear nothing!