Tulsa Tri 6-15-08

[TysonB]

Guys,

I'm a 58 year old age-grouper. Sunday the Tulsa, Oklahoma Triathlon was held in a new format.

Olympic distance, but point to point. After the swim in Lake Skiatook 25 miles from the city, we biked to River Parks West for T-2. There we had an out and back run. Though it was hot, humid and miserable fighting a stiff headwind all the way on the one direction bike leg, it was a fun race.

I really liked the point to point format even with the attendant extra hassle. We were given stuff bags with our race numbers for T-1 and T-2. At T-1 we stuffed our used swim gear into our designated bags and they were taken to the finish. At T-2, our designated bags were awaiting us for transition and set in an easily found order. We had "bike valets" who took our bikes from us and raked them immediately after crossing the T-2 entrance mat.

There was a nice setup afterwards with free food, drinks, beer and music. It wa a fun format and a race I would encourage those in neighboring states to consider on their schedule. Nice.

TysonB
Cushing, Oklahoma

PS Swim was ugly because of whitecaps on the lake. Just before the start, the race directors changed direction on the swim course just so the longest single leg was downwind. Good idea and another nice touch to a well-run event.

PS II, A number of years back, a young unknown teenager from Austin, Texas, blew away all the small group of elite favorites in this race. You know him today as Lance Armstrong.

[Jagee]

That's high class racin'! Sounds like a lot of fun--I'm going to look for a similar format here in New England. It also sounds like whoever managed the race was totally on top of it. I think it would be tough for me initially--I'd have flashbacks of lost luggage at baggage carousels after a flight. But if it's done right it might be a great way to do things.


I think I've seen picture of the young Lance Armstrong competing in tris. I wonder which sport was his strongest...

[TysonB]

Jagee,

As to Lance as a teenager, I read a report from one of the race favorites in that particular Tulsa Tri. He said he was the leader but saw this skinny kid motoring on the bike at the turn around (Lance was still second or third at the bike turn around). The leader thought the kid was having a good bike but that he would never catch him on the bike or on the run. Lance blew by him either at the end of the bike or early in the run and never looked back, increasing his substantial lead all the way to the finish. (I think we are talking 6-minute mile runs here, but not sure.)

TysonB

[Jagee]

Guess if someone's going to pass you on the bike, might as well have been Lance Armstrong. I wonder if, in his "retirement" years, he's considered doing any more tris. He's done well with the marathon: 2:46!