DC Tri Race Report

Courtesy of Mike Gerrity:

What a great Daddy’s Day I had, as my daughter and TRTC member Denise and I competed in the 2nd Annual DC Triathlon together.  Left H’ville Wednesday to spend a few days with Denise and fiancé Kyle Joplin, before going to DC on Saturday.  Arrived at the Convention Center where we picked up our race packets.  Then rode our bikes (police escort) approximately 3 miles to the Transition Area (TA). 

Before entering the TA, we stopped to put our race numbers on our bikes, and guess who did not have his numbers?  Seems I had an ADD moment, and somehow left my numbers back at the Convention Center.  As I was not allowed to put my bike in the TA without a bike number, Kyle and I rode our bikes back to the Convention Center (No police escort) to try to locate my envelop with race numbers.  I found my numbers, then rode (again No police escort) back to the TA.  Ended the STRESSFUL day by meeting  an old roommate when I was a Lieutenant in the Army (30 years ago) for dinner.

This race began at 6am!  TA opened at 3:30am.  That is not a misprint!  We arrived around 4:45am with plenty of time to prep.  Wetsuit legal, with water temps just below the USAT level to allow wetsuits.

Denise and I raced in the Olympic Distance Tri which started before the Sprint Tri.  Time Trial Start with  8 athletes going at a time.  Swim was directly behind the Lincoln Memorial in the Potomac River.  Bike was 2 loops and stayed in town with lots of 180 degree turns.  When we finished our 1st loop, we were joined by the Sprit Tri group and it was WAAAY crowded with Tons of “not so experienced “cyclists on the road.   VERY SCARRY!  The 10K run to the finish took us back to PA Avenue in front of the Capital.

Denise and I both exceeded our goals.  She was shooting for a sub 2:45 and did a 2:34+.  I was shooting for a sub 3:00 and did 2:45+.  My knee brace that I got last Monday, allowed me to run relatively pain free, so I am VERY excited to be back in the game.

If you want to do an Olympic Distance race, I would NOT recommend the DC Tri.  Saw lots of wrecks and more “almost” wrecks.  If you want to do an Olympic Distance race in the Capital, do the Nations Tri in September.  There is no Sprint Tri at the same time.