Race Reports for Savageman 70.0

[1]

Race rating (5)

Comments: [b][i]I am Savage, hear me shuffle… [/b][/i] September 16, 2007. The inaugural Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation’s “Tri-To-Win” Savageman Half-Iron Triathlon had become a race of lore long before the starting gun initiated our battle against the fiercest 70.3 miles in the history of the sport. During months of internet discussions between the triathlon-obsessed, over beer-induced honesty at the quarterly meetings of dozens of triathlon clubs, and on countless group rides commencing any steep climb, a resounding “no way in hell” respect for Savageman’s brutality was interjected only occasionally by the “bring it” bravado of a few adrenaline addicts like me. This race was something different—something uniquely insane. It wasn’t about speed. It wasn’t about PRs. It wasn’t about the trend, recently described with typical slowtwich eloquence, of “pussified pancake courses” designed to make triathlon as easy as possible. If Savageman were about anything other than the triumph found

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[2]

Race rating (5)

Comments: Every year for the last few years I've resolved to do something stupid to commemorate my birthday. Last year it was Six Gap. This year I looked around and hey..I heard talk about this "Savageman" race that was supposed to have the toughest course ever for a half ironman. That sounded like just the sort of masochistic foolishness I was after. For the curious, take a look at www.savagemantri.org: Wet suit swim in a rapidly cooling lake in fall. Bike course with 6,000 feet of climbing and the 25% grade Westernport Wall (videos of people falling over are on the web site...). Run course up and down rocky, boulder strewn trails. Even better, I had a work conference in Baltimore that would pay for my travel. I signed up. I arrived the night before the race to hear the mandatory pre-race briefing. The park and surroundings were gorgeous. The race director told us that the morning weather forecast called for a clear day...and 37 degree air temps at the start. I started to wonder

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