Hip Redux
OK, so not a RR, but in case anyone is thinking about doing this one, I figured I'd put down my recap!
Because my husband was doing the HIM, I signed up to volunteer. First shift was kayak volunteer for the swim, then I directed traffic at a three way intersection on the run - the first loop, second loop and finishers all came through and so we had to keep everyone on track (lest we have a Jay-incident and someone get lost!)
We drove up Saturday and hit the race check-in right when it opened, got Mr. Oski's bike racked up and then drove the bike course. For being in the Adirondack region, this is pretty damn flat. There's one slow slog up for the first three miles, then it's flat until you hit Brenton Lake, then a few short rollers. The run course is mostly a rail trail, so we couldn't drive that - but our recon said it would be hilly (and it was).
Sunday AM started off at volunteer check in at 6am. Got the kayak unloaded, said good luck to Mr. O and then got my instructions and got on the water. I was actually more nervous for this than I think I was for any of my own races!
My view of the shore (it was ridiculously muggy, can you tell? DP was about 72 for this race, ugh)
And the first swim wave passing my kayak:
After the last wave went out, someone yelled from the shore for a few of us kayakers to come swing back. We were told that there were people showing up well after the last wave went out who thought the race started at 8. (it started at 7!!) So we had to make sure they got out ok. I don't know how you don't double and triple check start times, but at least a few of them didn't. The swim is a straight out and back, pretty typical.
One of the final waves was a pink capped women's wave. I was monitoring the folks coming in (making sure they were aiming to hit the correct location to get out) and all of a sudden - there was a pink cap. She had to have lapped at least three waves ahead of her! Amazing. Then I found Mr. O in the mass of swimmers and snapped a few photos as he passed.
Once the swim was done, I was assigned to transition assistance. The nice thing about this race is that the transition for swim-bike and bike-run and finish are in the same place and right by the water. This meant that I could see pretty much the whole race, including Mr. O, which obviously important for me.
My view of the lake and transition:
At this spot, we had to guide people coming out of transition onto the first loop of the run, people starting the second loop and then people heading back into the finish. The first man came through to start the run at about the ~3:10 mark followed by 3-4 other men.... and then the first woman about 5 minutes behind. At this point, I texted MBC to say that I thought the woman could win the whole thing because she was FLYING by the men.
At about the 3:45 hour mark Mr. Oski came by and was so busy fiddling with his damn Garmin that he missed my high five. Like, ran right by me. LOL All the other volunteers and spectators got a good laugh. I knew he was having a great race at this point, and was hoping the humidity wouldn't kill his run, which is his strongest leg by far.
The run is tough at the end of a HIM. It's an out and back that you have to do twice. Yuck. First two miles up, then a little flat, then two miles down, repeat.
The first man came though the first loop.... and guess who was in second? Yep, the woman! She passed all the other men, and was now on the first man's heels, only about two minutes behind him. The crowd who had gathered at our intersection knew she was kicking butt - the roar was pretty awesome for her as she started the second loop.
A lot of the runners starting the second loop looked gassed. It was a rough day for a run, let alone one taking place at the end of a swim and a bike ride. The crowd support was great and all the volunteers were really into the day, and making sure everyone had whatever they needed and knew where they were going. It was a lot of fun to help out.
Mr. O heading for the second loop - me making sure he sees me for a high five!
The woman did end up winning the whole damn thing. By a minute. She didn't catch the first man on the course though, that would have been even awesomer. lol Mr Oski ended up with a great sub-6 hour first half Iron.
I went to spectate the Providence "Official Iron Man" HIM last year and I have to say that Lake George was a much better experience. It was low key (200 racers, as opposed to the 5000 of the official IM) and with a great set up - not needing to take shuttles or have to worry about parking or getting to a different transition area etc. If you're looking for a good half IM, this would should be on your list!
Go figure
Thanks for sharing - very fun to read for someone thinking about doing one of these. It's rare to see someone win an Ironman or HIM based on their swim, but the top woman clearly did that. Her run was great as well.
Very cool that you were able to help out at the race and still see your husband at various points. Nice to see that the two of you figured out the high five as well (it's an advanced maneuver, I hear).
Trying to find some more hay to restock the barn
Thanks for sharing. Congrats to Mr. Oski!
Damaris
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Had you stepped any further into his path, he likely would have been disqualified! lol
Good stuff! Does volunteering to kayak require any proven skill or were you assigned that randomly?
Congrats on becoming the spouse of a Half Iromanor (er?)! I dreamed of becoming a sprint triathlete and actually took up running as a means to that end...dream deferred.
delicate flower
Great job by the Oskis! Sounds like it was pretty brutal conditions for a HIM.
I was looking at the results. Not only did the female win, but she did so having done the sprint tri the day before. Impressive!!!
<3
I told them I had a kayak I could bring (and that I have kayaked) - and that was about all the qualification you need, I think. lol I was really glad no one had any issues, though. The worst of it was trying to keep the swimmers on track.... It was like herding cats, they were swimming every which direction!
Great job by the Oskis! Sounds like it was pretty brutal conditions for a HIM. I was looking at the results. Not only did the female win, but she did so having done the sprint tri the day before. Impressive!!!
It was an Olympic distance the day before! AND she did the Mont Tremblant full two weeks ago. (no, we didn't stalk her race results or anything...) Beast!
Sounds like a fun day, and thanks for volunteering!
I never see DH when he is at my races. Not a lot of encouragement for him to come back the next time, hehe!
Nice report. Tri people are crazy!
Dave
Mr Oski rocks! Congratulations! Tris just look hard as hell to me.
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
running is bad for you
Heh heh! When's the next one??
Thanks for volunteering and congrats to Mr. Oski! Under 6 hours is amazing for a half IM, especially a debut race! The area looks beautiful, it's too bad the weather was so tough to deal with. Hope it clears up and we get some decent racing weather soon!
Skirt Runner
The high 5 thing was funny! Yay Mr O! Good work volunteering..... the kayak part sounds cool.
PRs: 5K- 28:16 (5/5/13) 10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13) 4M- 41:43 (9/7/13) 15K- 1:34:25 (8/17/13) 10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14) HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14) Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)
I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to
Thanks guys - I had a lot of fun volunteering!
I will say that it was helpful to have someone around who had raced before... not a lot of the volunteers had racing experience and during set up, they got really into trying to figure how to have enough signs around that intersection so that everyone knew where they were supposed to go. You had people coming from two directions needing to go to three different routes - no sign was going to work. I just told them that they had to be vocal and just repeat "2nd loop to the right, finish to the left" over and over. And spectators ended up standing in front of the signage they had anyway, so it was really just as well.
So if you were thinking about volunteering for a race, do it! Your expertise is invaluable, coming from the other side.
Congrats to Mr. Oski, great job!! and gorgeous photos.
I love volunteering too when I can, love giving back to other racers and it's just plain fun.
We have a lot in common as couples as we also have kayaks.
Hubby and I celebrated our 29th anniversary by doing our first Olympic tri this past Saturday.
We were on the course with the 1/2 and full Iron races and I have to tell you that I am not sure
I will go back much to "just" running races. This was my 5th tri of the season and I am loving
them so much and having incredible fun and feel more fit and stronger than i have in 14 years
of running.
Lets see if I still say that next July after my first 1/2 Iron.