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SRRC Race Reports

VA Run Triathlon Race Report--May 15, 2005
by Carol Johnson

OK all of you who ignored my plea via the website to join me in my first triathlon are going to regret it! This was a super race and one that I highly recommend for the years to come.

This race was Sunday (May 15). It was the inaugural year, and it was incredible. There were nearly 500 participants. The race went off without a hitch. It was superbly organized, and what could have been a logistical nightmare (500 participants and a pool swim) was not a problem at all. Kudos to race organizers Shandra Wrinkle and L. J. White.

Anyhow the race began with a 250 meter swim snaking through 5 lanes of a pool. The pool was 10 lanes wide so the 500 were divided into groups of two and lined up according to estimated swim times and ranked by number. Obviously the fast swimmers were in the beginning of the swim. My number was 398. Fellow SR resident Jason McKay was number 1, so you see where I am with my swimming ability or lack thereof! Apart from my having to wait a while to actually get into the water, the swim went really well. I actually think that Jason had completed the whole race before I even got in the pool! OK not that long! But again it was really well organized, so the wait was not so bad.

The bike portion was a nice fast 12 mile route (actually 2 times of a 6 mile loop). There were a couple small hills but all in all a really fast easy course through the VA run neighborhood and on to pleasant valley road. (Traffic was well controlled by volunteers and police).

The run was a really nice out and back 5 K loop--mostly flat but with a slight uphill on the way out which gave a really good downhill on the way back.

There was great Chip timing for the race, so by the end of the day you were emailed all of your splits which was cool, especially for me the non-anal triathlete who raced without a watch or a bike computer! You are given your split times, your MPH, and your rank overall in age group and in gender.

THIS RACE IS PERFECT FOR THE FIRST TIME TRIATHLETE YET FUN AND CHALLENGING ENOUGH FOR THE SEASONED VETERAN. Everything was done first class right down to the really great T-shirt and food after the race. (Admit it--sometimes you need that extra motivation of knowing some good chow is waiting for you when you are done!) Since it went so well this year, it will be a huge success in the years to come and will be one that you will have to register early for to get in so keep it it mind for next year. It is great having a tri so close to our neighborhood.

CONGRATS TO JASON MCKAY who won the race and flew through the course. Good Job Jason. Maybe since he is such a pro he can organize the first South Riding tri !!!!

May 2005

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