Go Back |
Club Member: |
Leonard Imada |
Race: |
Challenge Atlantic City |
Distance: |
Ironman |
Race Date: |
06/29/14 |
Submit Date: |
07/21/14 |
After reading Ian�s periodic world report, he mentioned a European triathlon company having an inaugural event in the USA. I investigated further to learn about Challenge Atlantic City (CAC). This would be their first entry into the USA. Challenge, a family owned global iron distance racing organization, now has 26 long distance triathlons in 15 countries. CAC was promoted to be a fast, flat course which included running on the famous Atlantic City Boardwalk.
This was an opportunity to do another iron distance race, an �easier� one before �hanging up the cleats,� that is, retiring from long endurance races. A bike accident at Cool Breeze last year prevented me from participating my last IM distance race at Lake Tahoe. After training rides on the IM Lake Tahoe course, I knew how difficult it would be, especially hearing several reports after the race. After much deliberation, rather than re-register for the tough IMLT, I opted to do the flat course at CAC.
After flying into Philadelphia with my family, we rented a mini-van for easier transport of the Trico Bike Box. We paid for the E-Z Pass, avoiding the daily hassle of paying each time on the Expressway. Before reaching Atlantic City, we surveyed the double loop of the bike course around Hammonton, the blueberry capital of the USA. Finally arriving in Atlantic City, we checked in at the hotel and I immediately assembled my bike.
Thursday morning, I attended the practice swim at the back bay next to Bader Field, the first US municipal airport. I wanted to test out my new LAVA pants which arrived a day before we left. The predicted water temp of 72 to 74 degree would be unbearable wearing a full wetsuit for me, because I heat up at that temp. They had two buoys, one next to the landing where we would begin our race and one approximately 300 hundred meters toward the Albany Bridge. I didn�t want to aggravate my bad left shoulder, so I only swam half way (my longest training swim was one mile). The race day plan would be to swim easy. Swimming back, there was a small group treading water next to the landing. To my surprise, Macca (Chris McCormack) was conducting a clinic.
Thursday afternoon, I picked up my packet at the Expo. They gave us some nice swag, a keepsake messenger bag, �clean bottle,� bike seat cover, VonDrais V-tag, shoe hanger, etc. Afterwards, I attended the mandatory course talk. The run course was being changed for the third time, understandably being an inaugural event. To make it more family friendly, there would be loops on the Boardwalk. The Challenge Family is about having your family involved at the event. They had shuttle service for family members from the host hotels to Bader Field and then to Hammonton. They also arranged an area where family members could join their runner crossing the finish line. The day before the race, there was a free 2K run for kids with finishing T-shirt and swag.
Friday morning, I attended the practice swim again. Everyone had full wetsuit on, including Mirinda �Rinny� Carfrae. I suppose Macca and Rinny had endorsement obligations. The water temp felt warm at approximately 74 degrees and the wind was blowing causing choppy condition on the swim back to the landing.
In the afternoon, I rode a short section on the bike course to be reassured the bike was mechanically functioning well. In the evening at the Bally host hotel a delicious athlete carbo dinner was provided. The keynote speaker was Challenge CEO Felix Walchshofer, who told us about the evolution of the Challenge Family, started by his father years earlier.
Saturday was a rest day. I dropped off the bike and transition bags at Bader Field. That evening I bought my race morning breakfast at Donkin Donuts (ham and cheese sandwich). I wanted to be in bed by 9:00 PM, but last minute weather and water temp checks and arranging nutrition, etc, kept me up till 9:50 PM.
I woke up at 1:25 AM and could not sleep any longer (I am a poor sleeper before an event). So I checked the weather again for the 10th time and ate breakfast and did some stretching. At 4:00 AM, I left for Bader Field. Driving there to my surprise were two buses already on the road. Bader Field is a large area with plenty of parking space.
Months before leading up to the race, I had checked the participant list to find 11 men including myself in my age division. Two had registered for the relay and one had opted out to do an Aquabike race due to a leg injury. Yes this venue had an option for relay or Aquabike. CAC had 5 awards for each age division (I was hoping for a 5th place finish).
The K-9 unit requested our bags to be placed on the road before entering the transition. The dog would sniff our bags (searching for peanut butter jelly sandwich?). As we pumped our tires, the announcement came over the PA saying that this would be a �no wetsuit swim� due to the 80 degree water temp per USAT rule. I heard a few moans. Later they announced a wetsuit wave to start after the last wave, but the participant would not be eligible for awards.
The Pro Men started at 6:00 AM and the Pro Women 2 minutes later. I was in wave 9 which I didn�t care for (being a slow swimmer meant last out of the water). The young women age group, the Aquabike, and the Relay were the last 3 waves. The early morning weather was sunny, but not hot yet, with very little breeze. The swim was in the water start between 2 buoys. The water was calm, unlike the Friday practice swim with the wind causing choppy condition. Swimming south toward the Albany bridge was not difficult, then we rounded 2 buoys and headed north toward the Atlantic City Express Bridge. The sun in your eyes made it more difficult to spot the buoys. As I approached the island, I felt the shallowness and the warmer water temp. Some people were walking alongside waist deep. The tidal current picked up as we approached the Atlantic City Express Bridge (swimming against the current is worse for slow swimmers like me). After rounding 2 buoys, we headed west where the next 2 corner buoys were easy to spot. After rounding the buoys, we headed east and then south to the finish. As I swam around the bend, I could see the swim finish, off in the distance. There was a large orange buoy with people swimming near it, but remembering the course talk to keep buoys to the left, I kept swimming toward the finish. By now I saw the lifeguards approaching me and pointing so I stopped. They told me to swim around the big orange buoy. Suddenly, my adrenalin kicked in as I swam hard toward the orange buoy to make up for lost time (it was my fault for not sighting the other swimmers). As I got out of the water, I was devastated to see the time on the clock.
Into T1, I noticed only a few bikes left. My age group (AG) bike rack had 3 bikes left (I had beaten 2 others in my AG in the swim).
A short distance away began the ride onto the Atlantic City Expressway (ACE) for a brief time, then off onto the streets for a few miles to avoid the busier on and off ramps of the ACE. Then back onto the ACE for 14 miles to Hammonton. We were instructed to stay on the shoulder of the ACE, so that the closed right lane would act as a buffer zone for safety.
Getting on the ACE, I noticed someone had stopped with bike trouble. The bike was turned perpendicular to the road. While moving to the left, I unexpectedly hit the rumble strip, startled I kept control, exerting undue force on the handle bars. The bars fell downward and I had to stop. Without tools, I had to forcibly straighten them. I should have tighten them better. Once off the ACE, there were 2 loops around the Hammonton area where the road takes you through blueberry fields. A 2-mile section on the Columbia Road was very rough, with every crack the Gatorade in my �Jet Stream� would squirt out onto me. Even though I rode slowly (several people passed me on this section), the Gatorade would splash out with every bump. This section had water bottles, gels, a sandwich spurned all over the road. Second time around, needless to say, with intentionally less Gatorade in the flask, I still got drenched. At the next aid station I poured water all over to remove some of the stickiness. Back onto the ACE riding against traffic for the next 14 miles, there was a strong headwind. The first few minutes I paced slowly with high cadence, but realized I may not make the bike cutoff, because of my poor swim time. So I decided to power through the wind (this is where hill training helps). I was now passing people on the bike and people stopped along the roadside (taking a rest?).
Finally off the bike, I was so relieved (developed saddle sores). I enjoyed running on the Atlantic City Boardwalk and didn�t mind occasional dodging of tourists, just be mindful of children wandering in your path. The volunteers did their best to keep tourist out of way. Many spectators cheered us on as they called out our names. My finished time was 15:10. Nauseated, I did not attend the post meal. United with my wife and daughter, as I mumbled never again, we walked back to our hotel room. My sherpas had already picked up my bike and bags.
The weather was hot and humid, but I was thankful it never reached 90 degree. There was a strong breeze which made biking difficult, but it did help cool the body, especially on the run.
The next morning at the award banquet held at Bally�s with a fabulous breakfast, I was announced the champion in my AG. Before reaching the stage, I inquired about the guy in my AG that had a faster time, but with no explanation, they said I was the winner. I feel very fortunate to have participated in the inaugural event. It was definitely challenging and rewarding to finish.
Thank you for reading.
|