Race Report: GAAR

Race: Great Ames Adventure Race
Date: August 31, 2008
Location: Ames, IA
Distance: ~3 mile canoe / 15 mile bike / 3.1 mile run
Official Time: 1:50:07
Official Finish: 2nd place male tandem

It was truely a beautiful weekend for a race! I awoke around 5AM to an outside temp of 62° and quickly prepped gear before my friend Bryce pulled in the drive to pick me up. Throwing my bike in the back of his truck next to the Mad River-16 canoe, our watercraft for the race, we headed out for the hour-long drive to Ames.

Arriving at Ada Hayden Park in northern Ames, we set about unloading gear and prepping materials we would need, including gloves, helmets and water bottles. The canoe we walked down near the water's edge where officials were already grouping canoes and kayaks in pods of six. We also rode our bikes over to the fenced-in transition area, where we would be switching from canoe to the bike, then from the bike to the run. Being in the middle of all the preparation brought back fond memories of triathlons past...and something that might reoccur in the future, if I can ever improve my swim technique.

After a quick race meeting to outline the course and rules, officials sent us all back to our watercrafts to await the water start. We happened to be in the third start wave back, so that allowed us watch a few other individuals and teams as they pulled away from the dock and give us a chance to talk strategy for our hopeful fasttrack around the lake. Once our wave group was called, Bryce and I carried the canoe down to the boat ramp and swiftly glided out on the water and into our start position. A couple minutes later and the horn sounded...we were off!

Now when I say "strategy", what I really mean is "paddle your butts off". And that's exactly what we did. Fortunately, both Bryce and I happen to be fairly competitive individuals, so having a gameplan on how to increase our lead throughout the race was essential. Our canoe gameplan was simple: we wanted to do our best to pass at least six canoes/kayaks during the ~3 mile course around the lake. A bit of a stretch goal, but we thought it was doable. However, after settling into a fast and coordinated pace, we slowly began creeping past other boats. By the halfway point, we'd cleared those in the wave we had started with and a couple others besides. By the time we hit the backstretch, with only a few hundred meters to go, the score was five canoes and three kayaks. Satisfied we given ourselves a little cushion for the remainder of the race, we pulled up into the boat ramp and portaged the canoe out onto the lawn area. Canoe time: 30:10 (not a bad time, if I might say). Onto the next section of the race!

Stripping off our PFDs and gloves, we raced up to the transition area where our bikes were waiting for us. We both donned our helmets and slipped our bike gloves on, then dashed out the other end onto the road leading out of the park. The course took us briefly south, then turned east up through a residential area where a few hills greeted us. Grabbing a swig of Gatorade from my bike bottle, I began my best at hammering out a pace to catch those in front of us. Of course, many individuals obviously take their biking seriously (it's not that I don't, but it takes money to be road-competitive) and you could see more than a few decked-out road bikes with aerobars and carbon fiber wheelsets. Those bikers easily out-paced us, but we held our resolve and focused on those on mountain bikes like us. By the time we reached the long straightaway heading north, the wind began picking up and the pace began to slow somewhat. And trying to force yourself into an aerodynamic position on a mountain bike for 15 miles is nearly impossible! Fortunately, as the course turned back south, the headwind began to relent a little and we soon entered a tree-lined section of road with only a mile or so to go. Turning south again, we followed the highway back to the park entrance where we zoomed into the transition area a final time. Bike time: 53:55 (on a mountain bike, that's smokin!) Alrighty, only a 5K left!

Okay, for those of you who have participated in a triathlon before, you'll likely understand when I say I hate "bricks". Bricks are what are affectionately known as bike-to-run workouts...essentially, it's when you immediately follow a bike with a run. After biking full out, your legs feel like lead posts when you exit that transition area. Of course, this race was no exception...blame the training I guess. Hitting the trail for the loop over the lake bridge and around the nearby hills, it took most all of my reserves just to get the legs to initially turn over. However, within about a mile or so I was back to increasing my pace and focusing on that next runner in front of me. Just after the second mile marker, we came down out of the hills and returned to the flats near the lake. Back over the bridge and through the parking lot to the finish. Run time: 27:14 (not a personal best by far, I was just happy to be finishing on my feet.)

Bryce and I cooled ourselves down at the finish line watering station, and enjoyed a few orange slices they had set out as a post-race snack. Then it was back to our gear-minded duties of loading both the bikes and canoe again into the truck. Race officials announced the race results would be released at the Moose Lodge pancake feed just up the road, so we changed our shirts and followed the crowd. Soon after at the lodge, we were pleased to learn we had placed second in our category (2-person, male tandem), only a few minutes back from the leaders...what a nice treat for our hard work that morning.

Heading home, we both vowed we'd be back next year to in an attempt to claim the top spot...so stay tuned.