The swim is triangular around a pocket of a good-size, shark-free lake. No problem.
The run is slightly hilly, but nothing scary. Also, I'm just guessing here, shark-free. No problem.
This is the profile for the bike course.
Let me repeat... this is the profile for the course which Cerdic and I must haul our big-boned butts up and over. The earlier, visuals-free description online, when I registered, said "moderately hilly." It did not mention the giant freakin' mountain right smack in the middle of the course.
Okay, yes, I know mountains are technically 1,000 meters or more, but still. I am particularly terrified of what happens at the mile 4 marker. Is it me or does the course get vertical? Should I invest in some rock-climbing gear?? Crap!
I mean, really. Crap!!
Does Cerdic have a -0000 gear that might possibly get me over that monstrosity?
I suddenly feel like I should get a leash for Cerdic because I'm going to be walking him quite a ways on race day.
Maybe you cycling types think I'm over-reacting, but I'm having trouble getting up baby hills with maybe 20' in elevation gain over a quarter-mile.
That said, as I get less terrified of Cerdic, I am finding the momentum we build going uphill, however painfully, turns into warp speed momentum on the down side.
I will not be held responsible for any skinny wenches Cerdic and I take out as we break the sound barrier between mile markers 5 and 6.5.
5 comments:
Holy crap, that thing looks like all the Newton, MA, hills from the Boston Marathon put together!
You had my sympathy. Until you mentioned rock climbing. You see, I AM a rock climber. And rock climbers are much like triathletes. Only we have to deal with the fact that if our gear (or our judgement) fails, WE WILL DIE. Now get out there on your bike and train on some hills!!! You'll be fine. And stop making fun of my baguette pan.
This is the sort of challenge you love. You will rule this hill. Personally, I'd be more afraid going down that sucker than going up. Just keep conquering.
hey tommy... when my brakes fail as i achieve speeds that should never be achieved on a bicycle on the downhill portion of mt. doom, i will be in the same position as a rock climber with no one to belay him/her... that is, if you stud rock-climbers even use a belay. i figure if you think you need a baguette pan, you prolly think you need a belay, too (sorry, couldn't resist).
dr. v: yeh, i actually compared it to some challenging hikes i've done that i have profiles for and this is much steeper. what the hell??? pray for me. and for anyone in my way on the downhill.
shorewoodian... yeh, i'll admit it. 90% of me is scared shitless about that hill, both going up and zooming down, but the other 10% (the 10% that is pirate, reincarnated viking and the sort of nutball who thinks it's cool to hike a sub-anarctic trail alone with a broken arm) is going "what a cool way to die."
i'll need to watch "13th Warrior" several times to psyche myself up for this. gulp.
Well, I wouldn't necessarily call myself a stud rock climber, but... okay, I'll take it. And yeah, hurtling down that hill won't be the safest thing you could be doing at the time, but man, it'll be fun! You'll be thinking, "I'm in my thirties, and JUST LOOK at what I'm doing!" As for getting up it, like I said before, just get out there and do as much hill work as time and your body will allow, and you'll be fine.
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