Rev3 Quassy - Racer’s perspective

June 10, 2012 - 5:29pm by Anonymous (not verified)

Last year I raced the Olympic distance at Rev3 and volunteered at mile 7 of the run for the half. I watched over 1000 triathletes come through that aid station cursing the course.  Somehow, the pain I witnessed was not enough to keep me away. This past Sunday, I stood at the edge of Lake Quassapug ready to take on the infamous half course and my second ever 70.3.  The weather was absolutely perfect and we really couldn’t have asked for better racing conditions.  Being one of 10 Yale triathletes out there that day made the experience as fun as a hilly half-ironman can be.  I had previewed the bike course and knew just what to expect: 56 scenic miles with long climbs and a few crazy fast downhills.   Though I didn’t like being passed by so many men on the bike leg, I did enjoy the cheering from each of my teammates as they breezed by me.  Adam was first (training by racing for the cycling team really paid off!!) then Jon S, Jon A, Dan, Danny, David, and Francesc.  Perhaps the highlight for me was when Francesc pulled up behind me on one of the grueling ascents and serenaded me with “I’m sexy and I know it.”

As I was nearing T2 I saw Adam, Dan and the Jons starting out on the run.  And just as I was leaving transition I saw Miranda Carfrae rolling into the finish chute.  Uhhh I was just beginning my half-marathon as she was finishing??  Whatever – she had a head start…

Despite the fact that I come from a running background, the run was by far the most difficult part of the day for me.  I was expecting hills on the course but the warnings didn’t do it justice.  They tease you with some nice downhills into mile 3 then it just goes up and up and up for the next 6 miles.  I felt little bursts of energy each time someone yelled out “Go Yale” and was totally rejuvenated when I saw Funda, Karlyn, and Alex at the mile 5.5 aid station.  When I hit the mile 12 marker I knew I had one last climb ahead but I would make it to the finish soon enough.  Wearing my best pain face I came around the bend to approach the finish and all I could hear over all the noise was Roberto cheering “Come on Colleen.”  I honestly don’t know if I would love this sport so much if I didn’t train and race with such wonderful teammates and friends.  People think I’m crazy when I say a race can be fun but I promise you this one was.  I still can’t believe I started my season with a half-ironman but if the rest of the season is anything like this, we’re in for an amazing few months.