WAYNE'S WORDS
September 12, 2004
Reading Time: 3 minutes
TOPIC: How To Put On A Triathlon

Yesterday at 10:30 I was running and I thought to myself that there was no place I would rather be in the world on this warm September day than in this park doing this race.
I was doing the 15th. Annual Coors Light/ Trail of Tears Triathlon.
When my buddy John Connors and I got to the transition area, the first thing I noticed was how quiet it was.
There wasn't some annoying guy yelling into a loud speaker telling us what to do or not to do.
There was plenty of room in the transition area, and everyone was happy and seemed relaxed. The feeling was one of a family get-together, rather than a USAT Triathlon.
At a civilized time of 9:10, the whistle blew to start the race.
The ½ mile swim was in clear and cool Lake Boutin.
The 15-mile bike was a combination of hilly and beautiful park roads and well-paved country roads. Every turn had volunteers that KNEW what to do. I felt very safe on this course. I saw maybe a dozen cars on the whole bike course, and a couple of hyperactive horses that seemed to be trying to run with us.
As the day heated up, I started on the 4-mile run. Each mile was marked with a water station and had more volunteers, who seemed to get prettier and prettier as you got closer to the finish.
At about 21/2 miles into the run, I had my epiphany: It was just great to be doing this race.
After the race there was SHADE, water, Gatorade,
barbecue, Coors Light, lots of happy triathletes and their family and friends, and hardware for everyone (well almost).
You got all this for $27.30.

I think you know where I'm going with this.
You can do the comparisons if you want.
The LSL Parks and Rec. guys need to take a trip to Cape and talk to Jared Tanz and the Cape Girardeau Parks and Rec. Dept.
After the race I tried to talk to Jared about that entry fee (what's the deal with the 30 cents?). But he was busy breaking down the course and thanking ALL the volunteers that came out for us.
They know how to do it right down in Cape Girardeau.

PS Don't tell anyone about this race. We want to keep it just the way it is.
PPS. I did my goal of 4 Triathlon this year. Next year my goal is to do 5 Triathlon and actually beat somebody!
PPPS. Congratulations to Katie and Brian at Fleet Feet.

Until next week,
Train smart, live right.
Wayne
whuckshold@yahoo.com