What is the Tri-craziest thing you've done?

I used to live in Dallas, Tx. and rode 35 miles once in a driving rainstorm with hail. We had tornadoes coming through and flooding all around White Rock Lake where I was riding. Not very smart.

I went on holiday to Lanzarote a few years back and took my running kit, did a 5 mile run at 2 in the afternoon, during the  hiottest part of the day, when i got back i had to jump in the pool and sit in the shade for an hour before i cooled down, it was scary, i was so hot, my eyesight went all blurrey I  thought i was about to experience the dreaded european hospital system,

its a toss up between the '08 rockman half IM and the '08 toyota half IM.

hurricane during one, tornado the other

It started with "It's not that bad out" and ended with "Honey, do you need to go to the emergency room?".  It involved running in a hailstorm.  Not one of my brighter decisions.

I did a triathlon in 2005 during which I didn't feel well. During the run, my HR monitor said my HR was 175--higher than my measured HR max. I pressed on, and finished 3rd in my age group (I was 59 at the time), still feeling sick. A half hour after the race, my heart rate was still 127. I went to the medical support people. They put me in the ambulance and took me to the hospital.

Later I found out that I was in full atrial fibrillation, a problem that took me three more years to solve.

It's crazy what we do to our bodies during a tri, and even crazier when we continue running and biking in a triathlon when we should be in a hospital bed!

While training for my first marathon I stepped wrong and screwed up my knee at mile 13 of a 16 mile run. One of the run coaches offered to get me a ride. I hobbled for 3 miles back to my car and paid the price of not being able to run (let alone walk straight) for 5 months while I recovered. I was stubborn and crazy to think that 3 more miles was a great idea on a bum knee.

Well, after snow blowing 28 inches of snow yesterday, I got changed and followed a snow plow around for a 5 mile run.

Today I cleaned up my office enough that I can get my bike/trainer in there next to my desk.  Now tomorrow when I'm waiting for jobs to finish I can ride my bike.

After getting home late from work, I had to run at 10 pm.  One road wasn't very well lit, but with the moon it was fine.  When a car came, their high beams blinded me and I fell into the ditch on the side of the road.  Had to walk 4 miles home with a sprained ankle.  Now I always plan night runs where the roads have actual street lamps.

You should change your screen name to McBadA s s

I guess for me it would be running after a huge snow storm a few weeks ago had just dropped 54 inches of snow in a couple days. Just had to find some fairly quiet streets since the plows only made a narrow lane for just the cars. (yes, I know it's hard to believe, but I live in Arizona

Edited by Synon 2010-02-07 8:57 PM

14-mile long run on a cruise ship January 2009.  70 laps around the deck.  Started in the dark, before the walkers got out.  Finished as we docked in Cozumel.  All in prep for Shamrock 2009.

18 mile run that I started at 4:00 in the morning on a weekday before work as part of my first IM build up.

Oh, and if I recall correctly, I rode that night on the Columbia tri course (25 miles) with the fast group on the weekly ride from a bike shop they used to do.

Edited by Daremo 2010-02-08 8:41 AM

IMAZ April 2008, 95 degrees on the bike, 98 on the run. I doggedly stuck to my hydration and nutrition plan, derived in part from my IMAZ 07 experience of drinking too much. Worked great in winter / spring training in Seattle. Not so much in blazing Arizona sunshine.

About mile 9 of the run I experienced chills, goosebumps, a bit of disorientation settling in - the signs of dehydration on the way to heat stroke. Next aid station I drank 20 ounces of fluids and then sat out of the sun, on a curb under an overpass. Really I have no idea how long I sat there. I was desperately hoping no medical people would come by and ask me hard questions like what year it was or who the President was or where I was. I kept repeating "2008" and "Bush" and "Tempe" in my head like I was prepping for their questions. People asked me how I was doing, I said "fine, resting my ankle". That clearly makes no sense...

may,17,2009.... lake placid bike course.... ~50*.... POURING rain....112miles.... shorts and tri top..... 20mph wind gusts on a  50+mph downhill....


-5*~10mile run... frozen EVERYTHING

2008 Pikes Peak Ascent.  Race starts at 7500 feet.  Rain temp in the 40s.  Continues to rain all the way to timberline when it starts thunder and lightening, and starts to snow.  The race was called at this point and they started sending runner's back down the mountain.  I just happened to be just in front of the point where they started turning people around.  I continue to the finish at over 14000 feet though a blizzard.  My toes and fingers were numb for probably an hour after the race.

Starting.


rayd, were there any race staff still at the finish line? I bet the look on their faces was... wow. Glad you came out of that OK!




Or "More Metal Than You" ... !

Ran for an hour in minus 30 plus windchill. It wasn't too bad on the way out with the wind at my back. The run back was not as much fun.

yes there were!  I was so cold and frozen I don't remember the looks on their faces but I do remember her struggling to pull the tag from my bib.  I always appreciate the volunteers...but that year they really moved up a few notches for me!