The Rivuh Sprint Triathalon

Well folks, after long respite, I am back...at least for today and maybe tomorrow. And I am back with a vengeance. How so you say? Well tomorrow, I attempt something never attempted by any man. The Rivuh Sprint Tri! That's right folks. Take a look at yonder link and you'll find 26.5 kilometers, or about 16.5 miles, of swim, bike and run. It breaks down like this...

First leg will be the swim. Leaving from the dock and swimming to the southernmost buoy in our slue, looping to the northernmost and then back to the first before coming back to the dock. It should be about a 650m swim.

Second leg is the bike. Leaving from the cabin and heading to the end of Mtn. Dr. turning North on Lickskillet to the old G&G site then back passing Mtn Dr. and heading down Harrisville Rd. to the intersection of Harrisville and Pinetree Rd. From there, it's back to the cabin. It should be about a 21.5 kilometer ride, 13.4 miles.

Last will be the run. A simple 5k from the cabin to the end of Mtn. Dr. and back.

All told, and taken separately, I know that I could finish all of them with relative ease. But taken as a whole and with some expedience between the changes in disciplines, I am thinking I will be lucky to finish.

So what worries me particularly? Well, I got in the water once since last summer. And that was to jump in and get a hinge pin for the dock that I had just kicked in last November. Needless to say, it wasn't for fitness. I swam to the first buoy and time or two last summer, but this will be a longer swim and my first swim in quite some time...So, I am a little anxious on this leg.

On the bike side of things, I just rode 11 miles yesterday morning so the distance is really nothing, but not knowing how my legs are going to feel coming out of the water has me nervous and then realizing the elevation changes that I will be dealing with has me shaking a little. Mtn. Dr. is a hilly street, yet when I look at the elevation breakdown of my route, Mtn Dr. looks like so many ripples in an ocean with a couple of tidal waves beyond it on Lickskillet. So will I be able to handle it? I am hoping so. But this is going to be a real test.

On the run, I've run Mtn. Dr. countless times. It's a great run. Challenging with the hills but perfect for the distance. But again, if I make it this far, this will be after the swim and the bike...will my legs work? I'm guessing my thighs are going to be pretty well cooked at this point which means that running the hills might be the most painful thing I've ever done. Hopefully, I'll be able to tell you all about it.

So that is it. Again, for the distance, it's nothing. But for me, it is a great test and hopefully one that can set me on a path of tris that will extend me and my abilities.

Pray for no bike wrecks...big hills ought to be fun, slow and hard on the way up, but fast as lightening on the way down! Hoping for safe drivers in any cars I encounter...and vigilance on my part for those that are not. I just don't want to have to bail off some embankment or something.

Also pray for no sprains, strains, pulls, breaks...that would suck.

I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow!