Tri Indy - Sprint Course - TriathlonSprint

It was fun swimming through the canal, but it was probably the darkest water I have swam in because of everything kicked up by everybody before me. I passed quite a few people and feel that I had a really strong swim.

Not much

Smooth transition, assigned rack was close to bike out. Still a little slow getting bike shoes on but getting better.

There where a lot of very dangerous spots on this bike course. To start there was a curb that you had to go over to get from the sidewalk to the street. For whatever reason the mats where either not set up or messed up when I got there so I had to go through a 1 foot section cut out of the curb and then immediatly turn right or risk crossing lanes.

Then there where the 3 different railroad crossing. 1 had no mats on it, 1 had partial mats on it and the 3rd was fully matted but as soon as you crossed you had to turn 90 degrees right.

On top of all of those obstacles several sections of the course had recently been stripped for repaving. On top of lose gravel and a ton of holes/gouges these sections always presented a lip to get back to the smoother roads. It was one of these sections that did me in. I was feeling good on the bike cruising a long at a decent clip, I hit one of these sections and realized I was in my drops. I saw the lip up ahead and did not want to be in my drops when I hit the lip. I don't like to take my hands off so I have a habit of sliding a hand up the drops until i can roll my thumb up onto the top.

As soon as I started to slide my hand I felt both tires go out from underneath me. I remember being in the air for a fraction of a second and then sliding across the pavement. Thankfully nobody was near me when I went down because I would have taken them down with me. I got up and made sure nothing was broken. Picked my bike up and started spinning wheels to make sure nothing was wrong with them. Nothing was wrong with the wheels other than the chain had slipped off the back.

There was a medic stationed at the corner and he came running over. At first I was kind of annoyed and just wanted to get back on my bike and keep racing. I didn't have time to just stand there and talk to him, but he was persistent and I soon realized I had blood all over my arms and legs. He cleaned my arms up and I told him I would get my leg cleaned back at transition.

Back on my bike clip in and realize the right side of my handle bars is bent in and almost all the tape on that side is gone. I check and the brakes work and I am able to shift so I just keep on going. I won't lie I argued with myself the whole way back about sucking it up and finishing the run. Everytime I would go up the slightest incline, not even hills, my left knee would hurt really bad. As much as I didn't want a DNF I also realized this race was just a fun way to end my weekend. I have already PR'd and shattered my old tremont time, I finished a new distance, there is no point in risking further injury.

So i just casually pedaled back to transition. Just to add to the hazards, there was one corner that was complete mud so you had to swing very wide to avoid it all. One section of the trail coming back in the entire right side was loose sand. Finally to get back onto the sidewalk to transition was the plywood ramp over the curb. I havn't used a plywood ramp since I was maybe 10 or 12.



Find a race that cared about participants safety.

I never left T2 and here is where I get kind of annoyed. I came back into T2 racked my bike, took off all my gear and started looking for a race official to tell them I was done. I couldn't find a race official anywhere in transition. So I figured there would be one over by the finish line. Nope couldn't find one there. At this point I just head over to the medical tent and get great care. Wounds cleaned and slathered in medicine, gauze pads on, bandages on, ice pack on knee. Once they are done with me, I hobble back over to the finish line and still can't find an official. I eventually find where somebody is manning a computer for the race results and ask if he knows who I should turn my chip into. He says he can take it, so I give it to him and declare myself the winner of the first indy aquabike race.

Find an official, there where a ton of USAT officials in transition all morning but none when I needed them.

I got some chocolate milk and ranted with my friends about how this was the worst bike course ever. It is and I will also admit to being slightly biased in that opinion.


Crappy bike course


I have to rate this race as a 1. I understand trying to put a race on in downtown Indy is probably a logistic nightmare in finding a course. There was great police coverage at every intersection. That was great, however I don't think having limited routes is an excuse for having such a dangerous bike course. I know my friend said she lost a c02 catridege, her multi use tool and a gel from how bumpy the course was. Another guy was telling us about how his water bottles got launched by the railroad tracks. In conclusion, if you are going to do tri indy enter the fat tire division and bike at your own risk. I won't ever be back for this race.