Yam City Triathlon - 8/29/10

This is my first race review, and a very special one to me.  After all, this was also my very first race!  The race was held August 29, 2010 in Opelousas, LA.  The race centered around the Louisiana Family Fitness Center.  It consisted of a 150 yd. pool swim, 14 mile bike, and 2 mile run, so I guess it would be classified as a super sprint distance race.

First, a little background information...

As I mentioned in my very first post, I trained most of the summer leading up to this race.  As with most tri newbies, my swimming ability was atrocious when I first began training...actually, it was practically non-existent.  But, in the 2 1/2 months leading up to the Yam City Triathlon, I put a lot of time in the pool and made enough progress that I felt reasonably sure I could at least swim 150 yards in a pool.  Still, I was extremely nervous leading up to this race.

Believe me, that smile is forced.
I was so nervous, I don't even remember
taking this picture.

The night before the race, I remembered my coach's words that the earlier you show up for a race, the better.  So, I set my alarm clock for 3:30 a.m. and was out the door by 4 a.m.  Now, keep in mind that the drive from my house to this race is only about 30 minutes.  I got there so early, they hadn't even finished setting up the transition rack yet!  There was no body marking volunteers yet...nothing!  I was left to do the only thing that really makes sense at that point:  get back in my truck and take a nap!

Now, on to the actual review... 

It rained the night before the race and it was actually a bit cooler than normal the morning of the race.  But, there was standing water everywhere.  The race volunteers did a good job sweeping water out of the parking lot where the transition area was set up, and by the time the sun was up the concrete had dried nicely.  The folks working packet pickup and body marking were very cordial and everything moved along smoothly, which was great for a nervous beginner.

At this point, even the lady in pink was intimidating to me.

The swim consisted of six laps in a pool, with each athlete starting on 10 second intervals (if my memory is correct).  I don't remember much about the swim or the minutes leading up to my swim start; again, probably due to nerves.  But, I do remember that the line of athletes waiting to swim moved fairly quickly.  I also remember that the pool area is contained within a fence.  The fence is only a few feet beyond the perimeter of the actual pool.  That meant the swim start area was very crowded with athletes and didn't leave much room for spectators to stand without getting in the way.  But, there's probably not much that can be done about that.

Coming out of the pool it was a short run around to the front side of the building to the main parking lot, where transition was set up.  With the swim behind me, I remember feeling more confident heading into T1.  Since I got to the race so ridiculously early, I had a sweet spot on the bike rack.  Both my T1 and T2 times were pretty fast.

Of course this would happen at my first race!

But, this being my first race, it was not without some drama.  As you exit T1, you leave the parking lot of the health club and get onto the street where you begin the bike course.  But, as you leave the parking lot there's a curb before you step down to the street level.  In my haste to get the bike mount line, I guess I let my bike fall too hard off that curb.  I didn't realize it until I mounted my bike that my chain had come off!  Fortunately, I got a hand putting it back on.  I'm sure I only lost 30 seconds, tops.  But, it felt like an eternity.  Once I began pedaling, I remember thinking how difficult the bike seemed.  As a newbie, I assumed my legs must be tired from swimming.  About 2 miles into the ride, after calming down, I became aware of a noise in the front of my bike.  I quickly realized that my front brake on my bike was somehow stuck closed on my front wheel!  No wonder I couldn't get up to speed!  To this day, I'm still not sure how that happened...it's never happened since.  After a quick stop to correct that issue, I was back on the bike and rolling.

The bike course was a single loop out and back course.  You head out south on Hwy. 182.  For the most part it is flat, but there are several rolling hills in the area, making it a bit of a challenge for someone not used to riding in hills.  The bike course was well marked and traffic control was fantastic; overall, a nice course.  There is one big complaint, though.  After the turnaround on Hwy. 182 the course takes you east to the I-49 feeder road where you begin heading north again.  The feeder road was in such terrible condition, it was actually difficult to hold any speed whatsoever.  Everyone was fighting to ride on the paint line, as it was the smoothest part of the road.  (Disclaimer:  This road has since been completely repaved and is smooth as glass now.)  Fortunately, that stretch of road was short and the rest of the roads were in good shape.

Heading out of T2 and on to the run course, I remember hearing the announcer on the PA calling our names as we came by.  For a race of this size, that is a very nice touch!  It's encouraging to the athletes, and it helps spectators identify their friends/family members in the race. 

The run course was also well marked and supported.  It is only a 2 mile run course through the neighborhood behind the health club.  Still, there was an aid station at the 1 mile mark.  That's something you won't see at many races this small, and I thought it was a nice touch.

5th Place Age Group Finish

As I crossed the finish line of my first race, I already knew this wouldn't be my last race...I was hooked. After checking the posted finishing results, I was pleased to find out that I placed 5th in my age group...not bad for my first race!


The Yam City Triathlon also had one of the more interesting awards presentations that I've ever seen.  Besides the usual medals, etc. for top finishers, they also give away yams!  I suppose it makes sense, being the Yam City Triathlon and all.  Oh, and the staff at the Louisiana Family Fitness Center was even nice enough to allow the athletes to use their shower facilities and restrooms after the race.  Definitely needed after a race in August!

Yams.
This is what all that training and expensive gear got me?

Overall, this is a great race; especially for beginners.  It is USAT sanctioned and well organized.  The race director knows what he's doing and it shows.  For $35, if you're looking for a well run local race that won't break the bank, this is a great choice. 

Venue: 8 out of 10
Value: 10 out of 10

(NOTE:  The 2011 Yam City Triathlon was cancelled this year.  I'm told the race director's wife is ill, and they thought it best to avoid unnecessary stress.  Hopefully, she'll recover soon and we see this race again in 2012.)