How tough was your toughest race? - terrain wise, any distance

Mine will be the Olympic that they've added to Harriman this May. Two loops on the bike course! Do we do the same run? Isn't the incline worse on the way back? Think the bike must've really taken it out of you.

Geez, that's a tough one to answer.

Johnstown sprint was a 20 mile bike, with a couple killer uphills (one huge son of a .... that really just killed) but the run was flat.

North Hills sprint was hard because there was a long uphill you had to climb 4 times with other rollers on the loop, and the run was on an off road trail with lots of uphills, roots, narrow path. Also Known As : Everything that I HADN'T prepared for.

Highmark Sprint: not really that hard terrain wise, but constantly windy, not gusty.

Pineman 1/4 Iron: Bike terrain was not so bad, a couple of rollers, big hills towards the end, but the freaking pavement had these cracks that were every x seconds and it was just this pattern jarring of your behind, plus the pavement was rough and added to the beating. The run wasn't too bad, nice and flat, but because it got started so late (Fog) it was SUPER hot and no shade. I felt bad for the Half participants because they were out there twice as long.

I'm sure the run is in the same direction (otherwise, someone is bound to run into a cyclist). I didn't even check to notice the Oly added. I'm working on climbing (spinerval tape on its way), so I can do some Lance immitation come summer.
Have you done the sprints there?

Yes I've done the sprint numerous times. i only live 15 minutes away so I'm able to train there as well. The oly (may 20) and a HIM actually (5/21) are being put on by genesis adventures. I'm glad cuz I'm not enamored w/ the NYTC especially that lame timing bib they use. I don't think either sprint is going to fit into my schedule this year.

Rolling hills on the bike and then a mostly off road (this wasn't mentioned on the race site) run in the mud did me in during my first olympic. I've become a decent enough MOPer but with that I was glad just to finish.

bts

Im sure everyones got a story, so good thread! So far my most difficult race was a 15 hour adventure race. 4 hours in a canoe in the dark, and then 8 hours on a bike (in dune sand for most of it!) and another 3 on foot through the back woods. I thought i was pretty prepared, but nothing prepared me for the mile canoe carry that started the race, and nothing prepared my butt for the 8 hours non stop on the bike. I couldnt look at my bike for a week after that, and still cringe when i see dune sand! It was worth it though in the end, and yes, id do it again

Oh yeah! Those "timing bibs". I'd forgotten about those cheap, inaccurate systems. I think I'll only do one of their sprints to see what progress (or lack thereof), I've made since the last time.

Edited by cobannero 2005-12-07 3:16 PM

My very first tri, the Lake Arrowhead Tri is still the toughest one I can remember. First off I lived at sea level and the race was at about 7000 ft which had sooo much more of an effect than I was perpared for. A quarter mile swim was easy, then climb a hill up to transition. Next the bike, one 10 mile loop around the lake. Sounds easy enough but I can honestly say it is one of the most technical course around since you are constantly climbing a tough hill or flying white knuckle down hill. The hard 90 degree turn at the bottom of one of those hills was the scariest moment I ever had on a bike (that includes the day I got hit by a truck). Finnally you get off the bike and run a 5K which also only has about a quarter mile of flat and about 750 feet of elevation gain in the last mile or so. After getting my tail thoughly kicked by this course and finishing in the bottom 5%, its amazing I ever raced again. But I was also hooked from that moment on!!!