General Smallwood Sprint Triathlon

I'm looking forward to this nice little race.  I've never done this particular one before.  It will be my first race since major surgery last year, so I'm doing it to basically see what my fitness level and endurance is like before doing IronGirl in Columbia in August.  Based on the water temps I've seen lately in Maryland, I would guess this will not be a wetsuit legal race.  Great site for water temps, btw:  http://mddnr.chesapeakebay.net/eyesonthebay/index.cfm#map.

very good site. Thanks

Hi Melissa!  So glad you are doing this race.  I remember how disappointed you were having to drop out of Iron Girl last year due to surgery.  Glad you are feeling better! 

I did this race last year after Iron Girl.  The bike was a large loop with sloping downhills and uphills, but nothing like in Columbia.  The last few miles were in the shade.  About half the course had wide, smooth shoulders.  The other half had older, cracked roads with no shoulders.  Very little car traffic, except for at the very beginning and end of the bike course (just outside of Smallwood State Park).  http://www.setupevents.com/files/smallwood_sprint.pdf 

The two leaders on the bike (one is a a really fast BTer) got sent in the wrong direction on the bike by a cop that wasn't paying attention.  They went off course for a good 3-4 miles before they realized it.  Bye bye podium.  They were ticked!  Of course, that was no problem for me since I was at the back of the pack and in the last swim wave. 

As far as the swim goes, this race was in September last year, so it was fairly warm (about 75) and I did not wear a wetsuit.  They used the backup race route for the swim which was 250 meters away from transition to avoid the hydrilla.  I still felt like I was being eaten by a giant sea monster and it freaked me out.  Since the race is in June this year and the hydrilla shouldn't be as bad, I am guessing we'll be swimming at the closer venue.   

For the run, they had advertised water stations at every mile, but there was only one station that you passed twice within a few minutes' time close to the midpoint.  I was not happy!  The first half of the run is the same as the bike course out on the main road with a wicked uphill to get out of the park.  The back half of the run was on a trail through the woods and not paved.  I slowed down and walked more than I should have because I was afraid to twist an ankle on the gravel and roots.  But at least part of it was in the shade. 

Hope that helps!  I really enjoyed the race, and I'm looking forward to seeing all of you in a few weeks.  We BTers definitely need to meet up somewhere after the race! 

Laurie

Picked up my packet, I am number 307 and my husband is 306.  I was confused looking at the water as to where exactly we will be swimming.  I looked like a course was set up for off the main dock directly behind the building.  I didn't see any type of beach area.  If you see me tomorrow be sure to say hi.  Again I'll be wearing a BT temporary tatoo on my back shoulder.  Good luck everyone!!!