2009 Josh Billings Runaground Triathlon
Last Sunday marked the 33rd annual Josh Billings Runaground Triathlon and my first time participating. "The Josh Billings is the 2nd oldest bike, canoe/kayak, run triathlon in the world! The race begins in Great Barrington, Massachusetts with a 27 mile scenic but challenging bike ride, followed by a 5 mile canoe or kayak sprint around Stockbridge Bowl, and is completed with a 6.2 mile run around the lake ending at the Tanglewood Music Festival in Lenox. The Josh has 26 categories divided into 20 canoe and 6 kayak classes. Competitors may enter as part of a 4, 3 or 2 person team or as an Ironperson."
My team consisted of myself pedalin', Rob (paddlin'), and his friend Greg (pitter patterin'). This was our first time competing and our team was aptly named "Helpless Idiots". The event had over 400 teams and is one of the largest mass start triathlons in the US. I took this pic right before we began and there were probably three times as many cyclists behind me (not a bad start position!).
Josh Start
With Jay's expert advice, I was in perfect position to start my team off with a respectable time. In my head I was to go hard up the first hill which would set me up to draft others for the remaining 24 miles. I made a few beginner mistakes which cost a considerable amount of time (climbing first hill in my big gear, dropping my chain with 5 miles to go). Overall it was an awesome experience, my team did an fantastic job, and the post-race beers were phenomenal.
Bike Leg Stats:
Distance: 27.82 mi
Time: 1:24:44
Average: 19 mph
Max: 38 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,151 ft
Team Stats:
Place: 192 of 429 teams (7th in our category - male biker, 1 male kayaker, male runner...)
Time: 3:21:21
Post-race beers emptied: 1 case of Octoberfest
GPS Data: (click on the pic for a pretty animation of the bike leg)
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