Recreation Through Endurance

Endurance is a bitch! It has no reflection on your current ability or fitness, just on what you desire or need to do. It's the ability to keep going when few would. If you've ever laid beside a trail cramped up saying "This will pass," or thought only "10k left" or shed tears during a sprint on mile 26.1, you know it's what it means. Simply, to finish.

...and if you don't? It can crush a person, demoralize their efforts, and strengthen their resolve. Either you learn from your mistakes or come back because you need to succeed. If you complete against your own best self, you can always accomplish more.

...just make sure you enjoy the ride.

Thursday night on the way to dinner, Liz and I were talking about what to do this weekend. I had taken Saturday off and she'd taken Monday off so we had a rare 3 days together. We debated the Stokesville IMBA Festival, spending much needed time on house projects, or heading down to NC for the Smith Lake Off-Road Tri. Stokesville would be better with a group. House projects can always be done later. Besides, since this was the first year for Smith Lake, the Xterra points might come easier.

Smith Lake is a place no one's ever heard of. It's basically a state-park-esque place next to Fort Bragg Army Base that's reserved for military and their families. I also heard this weekend that every military base has one. Who knew?

Any good race require a pre-ride and a little camping rarely hurt anyone. Since this was kind of a last minute decision, not all the details were clear, such as if reservations were needed to stay overnight or if the pasta dinner was this weekend or next at ACE Big Canyon. When talking to the park office, they mentioned that reservations were needed and we didn't have any. While I stared blankly waiting for a miracle to happen, the Good Luck Fairy showed up and gave us a spot in the picnic area. We essentially had the whole right side of the park to ourselves making us the only campers in the country to have solitude on Memorial Day weekend. ...and a pasta dinner!

We then pre-rode the course and had a good time. The course itself, with the exception of a few man-made obstacles, is very flat. Flat and slow due to the 2-5 inches of sand that covered 90% of the trail. Sloppy cornering, squirrely straights, and a couple energy sucking climbs. It was going to be an interesting race.


Sunday Race Briefing:
National Anthem and Flag Raising
"Remember those that gave the ultimate sacrifice on Memorial Day.
Course Description
Thanks to the Fort Bragg for the facilities.
"Good luck on the Exterior Triathlon!"

Swimming is rough. You can practice pool swimming all you want and you'll get more comfortable and stronger and get better at holding form. Holding form is a lot harder when you have someone's arm pushing you down, seaweed getting tangled in your arms, or sticking your hand into someone's crotch on the reach.
...but you tough it out. I looked over my shoulder coming out of water and estimated I was in the bottom half. I really wanted to be in the top half to justify all the swimming I've done. Either way, the money was to be made on the bike.

The bike was slow. I was slow. 18 mile of slow. Ideally, the bike should go faster when I tell it to and turn when (and only when) I tell it to. None of this happens when your trudging through inches of sand. There were a couple spots when I could shift into the big gear and crank, but not many. I felt a little bad for all those guy on their full-suspension rigs that does even worse in that stuff. Despite how I felt it went, I believe had the 19th fastest bike split (of about 100) and was only passed once. Regardless of how I did, I surely didn't feel it.

After trading shoes and ditching the bike, Liz course marshaled me onto the run and the sand was beach-deep. It was easier to run beside the road in the weeds. A couple miles later, I ran into Bill Swann, who told me to pick it up each time I started walking. I sprinted the finish because no matter how tired I am, I love doing that.

Results...?
Splits aren't out yet, but I was 24th overall.
Even better, I was 2nd in my age group. (1st place was 1st overall, so I didn't stand a chance.)
Also, top half in the swim! It does pay off.

Points for the series: 67
Swag: T-shirt
Bonus Swag: Box of Gu packs
Super Bonus Swag: Free race entry to a regional race, like Richmond East-Coast Championship! It wasn't a gimme though. The crowd voted and instead of a push-up contest, the first 4 to jump in the lake and run back got them. Still, it was worth reshowering for.


...day 3 of our weekend? House projects.

So, I registered for this race.

...then I read the course description:

The trek begins upstream of the historic town of Thurmond where the racers will swim 1.5 miles in the ancient New River, including a small class 1 rapid. At the old site of the once famous Dun Glen Hotel, the competitors will begin a 1,000 foot climb out of the Gorge. The seven to eight mile run meanders over single-track trails and forest service roads passing through and around abandoned coalmines and tiny towns that once lined the river. The brave souls will then hop on a mountain bike and travel 11 miles on some of the most technical and scenic single-track trails in the east.

There are many things that I would be proud of
If I'd only invented them such as the wheel
The washing machine and the tumble dryer
On these inventions surely I could retire