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2006-08-01 12:04 PM

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Subject: Greenfield Lightlife Triathlon - International Distance

Hey BTers...ready to rock and roll in the river on Saturday?



Edited by lobstergirl 2006-08-01 12:05 PM


2006-08-01 2:42 PM
in reply to: #499503

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Subject: RE: Greenfield Lightlife Triathlon - International Distance

I train there all the time. Let me tell you about it.

First, the location: the triathlon takes place at the place we call the "Greenfield Swimming Pool" in quirky New England way: it is NOT a pool, it's just an improved section of the Green River with sand and gravel on the river bed, a dam to raise the river height and a sandy beach on one side and a grassy picnic area on the other side. It also has a concession stand and a place to shower and change. There's a pavillion where you'll register and where there'll be a pretty snazzy buffet of food afterwards. It's a fun place for observers as there's a beach and a playground and lots of shade.

The river is nice: there's a slight current which is even slighter when the water level is raised. It's just downstream from our town drinking supply: it's very clean and clear, maybe 40 yards across at the widest, and generally no deeper than five feet or so. The entire sprint distance is devoid of creepy crawly things and I don't think the international distance has much in the way of wild life, either, but it goes farther up the river than I've ever swam so I'm not positive about that. The temperature is chilly first thing in the morning but quite nice in the afternoon. I'm on the edge about using my wetsuit. I haven't heard any rumors about not allowing wetsuits, but the swim isn't terribly long and you can stand up in almost every location so it wouldn't be terrible if they disallowed them.

The sprint distance starts near the transition area and goes downstream to the dam and turns around a buoy and comes back upstream to exit where you entered. The international distance starts 300 yards downstream from the transition area, swims upstream and then back down to the exit to the transition area that the sprint swimmers use. (I think: confirm this on race day. I've never done the int'l swim.)

The transition area is just up a grassy path from the water. Go through it to the road and the bike route is either two or four of the 7.1 mile loop. It goes counter-clockwise, starting with a 150' climb that is an annoying way to start. It goes uphill for the first mile and then you get some pretty rollers until just about half-way when you take a left and go over a covered bridge and that's immediately followed by a straight-up 150' climb with an s-curve switchback. Watch the pavement for inspiring words. I particularly like, "WWLD?" What would Lance do? He'd stand, and so must you. After that hill it's nearly entirely downhill for the next 3.5 miles (with just a small rise in a pretty flower-gardeny neighborhood. There's lots of shade, too.

As I said, you do this loop a couple of times, going past the grand-stand and the T area each time and people yell and cheer. The covered-road bridge with hill and the road outside the transition area (with the first annoying hill) are both closed to traffic, but long stretches on either side of the rectangle are not. Traffic on these rural neighborhoods is usually light on a Sunday morning, but who knows when the tri is going on.

The run for the international distance is nearly the same as the bike loop: the runners just go straight at one point where the bikes take a turn, but it comes out at nearly the same place.

Meanwhile, the sprint distance is completely different. You leave the transition area out a different shoot than you'd gone out before (everyone messes up the T2, so walk the ins and outs) and you go back out towards where you just came from the bike and do a triangular run. There are some houses and some shade, but it's largely farm fields and slanted roads with no decent shoulders. It's got a slight uphill grade: I train with a .5 on the treadmill and I'd say that's about what you're looking at. There are no sharp uphills or downhills and it bills itself as a fast course, but I prefer trail running so I'm not wild about it.

My sense is that the hill by the cover bridge is going to be an unpleasant surprise to people who aren't used to hills, but it's fairly short. The first hill, near the Swimming Pool, is annoying but not terrible. But that second hill has been known to max out my heart rate. The trick to it is to cut through the outside edges of the S: swing way left as you start up the hill (crossing the center line is legal 'cuz traffic is closed) and then swing way right at the next curve. That reduces the steepness a bit. And plan on standing.

I think the bike course is pretty and well-supported and rather fun on the downside, but I can't get any decent speed out of it because I spend so much of the first part climbing. Expect your race average to be slightly slower than you're used to. There's also a right turn on a downhill that I can't do fast without crossing the center line and it IS open to traffic so you will have to slow down and come out of the drops for that right turn. It's around mile 5.



Edited by Gwendal 2006-08-01 2:45 PM
2006-08-01 2:57 PM
in reply to: #499503

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Subject: RE: Greenfield Lightlife Triathlon - International Distance

Where to eat in Greenfield?

You won't go wrong going down town.  Main Street has a fancyfairly expensive  Thai place (Thai Blue Ginger) and there's a decently priced mexican place (Mesa Verde) just off of Main Street on Fiske Ave.  There's also a medium-priced pub with pasta & burgers called Taylor's Tavern.  Just around the corner from the main intersection there's an higher-brow higher-price organic whole foods brewery (The People's Pint.)  A block up from that is an Old Person's IceBerg Lettuce Over-Air-Conditioned place if you are dying for saturated fats called Bill's Restaurant.  It'd be my last choice.  In the block behind Bill's, though, is a really nice seafood place where you can usually get a pasta-seafood combo or some good chowder if you're not into fried seafood boats (Pete's Seafood.)

 I heard a rumor about a local club doing a spaghetti dinner, but don't know details or even if they're doing it again this year.  I'll post here when/if I find out.

There are also chain restaurants near the rotary (exit 26 of I-91) including Friendly's and Applebees.  Applebees usually has a long line on a Saturday night and Friendly's is known for being deathly slow.
2006-08-02 7:59 AM
in reply to: #499503

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Subject: RE: Greenfield Lightlife Triathlon - International Distance
Gwendal, you rock!  Thanks for this report!
2006-08-02 8:00 AM
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Subject: Expected Weather: Greenfield MA Sunday 8/6
Day 


Mostly Sunny
High
84°F

Precip
20%

Wind:S 6 mph
Max. Humidity:62%
UV Index:9 Very High
 
Sunrise:5:48 AM ET
Avg. High:84°F
Record High:100°F (1955)
2006-08-02 8:17 AM
in reply to: #499503

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Cambridge, MA
Subject: RE: Greenfield Lightlife Triathlon - International Distance

Wonderful race info, and look a forecast, too!  Hot and in the 80s instead of 90s or worse... 

What else could we possibly need to know to have a great race in Greenfield?  Nothing, I hope!

 Thanks ladies, and have a great race everyone, -Sunny



2006-08-04 8:13 AM
in reply to: #499503

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Subject: RE: Greenfield Lightlife Triathlon - International Distance

This is why I love smaller races...there are only 17 women in my age group, so I might actually place top 10!

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