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Chicago Triathlon Is My Kind Of Race
by John Strassner
August 31, 2005
If you are looking for the very best atmosphere that the world of triathlon has to offer then look no further then the Accenture Chicago Triathlon. Aptly tagged, "Where The World Comes To Race," the Chicago Triathlon draws over 7,500 athletes competing in sprint or Olympic distance events. For my money it does not get any better than a swim in Lake Michigan, a bike ride down Lake Shore Drive and a run featuring sweeping views of the city by the lake. Add to this, crowd support that is unparalleled for these distances, and you have an event that should grace everyone's future race calendar.
The alarm clocks go off very early for this race as the largest transition area you will ever see opens up at 4:30am. All athletes must be out of the area by 6am when it goes "live." You set up in the dark (a few smart racers actually wear miner lamps on their heads) and then make your way to Lake Michigan for a beautiful sunrise over Monroe Street Harbor. At the conclusion of the National Anthem, the sprint distance athletes jump in 50 at a time and turn the lake into a sea of wetsuits.
Flanked by the shore on one side and boats on the other, the swim is one of the tighter and more crowded ones that you will ever encounter. Water temps were 72-73 degrees making for a very comfortable, wetsuit legal, swim. There are a total of 50 waves that go off and inevitably create a congested, stop and go traffic jam throughout the course. From a spectator standpoint the venue is phenomenal since you can virtually stand over your favorite swimmer as they make their way down the lake. From an athlete's perspective, there is something very comforting about having the crowd right there cheering for you as you kick and pull your way toward the swim exit. This unique type of crowd support (not typically enjoyed on most swim courses) exemplifies why Chicago is a top notch event. Despite being encompassed by competitors on every side (left, right, front & back) I was able to shave four and a half minutes off of my swim time compared to last year.
It is a long way from the swim exit to T1, about four and a half football fields to be exact. Always happy to have the swim behind me, the jog to my gear serves as a victory lap. A quick change and it was out to Lake Shore Drive for an out and back, two loop course. The ride is flat, quick and very crowded on LSD. Passing is done on the right. This is a no drafting event but it is tough not to draft due to the sheer volume of bikers in a race this size. The Lake on the left, the city straight ahead and blue skies everywhere makes it very difficult to concentrate on the task at hand. While my focused waned, my miles per hour did not as I was able to get up to 19 as opposed to 17.7 last year.
Sorry that the bike was over (I was really enjoying the course), I cruised into T2 well ahead of my last year's performance. A change of shoes and I was on my way toward the Shedd Aquarium. This is where the crowd support really kicks in. Throngs of supporters yell out encouragement along the route creating a positive atmosphere that is palatable. This race literally provides a live infomercial of the benefits derived from joining Team In Training. This is in dramatic contrast to Vineman where you get the distinct feeling that you are out there on your own.
The run course takes you up past the Shedd Aquarium with spectacular views of the lake and the city (see picture above). I did not have my best run ever but it didn't matter (I was actually three and a half minutes slower then last year) because I was truly enjoying just being out there.
I crossed the finish at 2:52:55. A marked improvement from the 2:58:28 that I posted last year. The weather, the support, the positive environment all contributed to a wonderful race. Everything that is good about triathlons exists in the Chicago Triathlon. The only drawback is the size of the event. Chicago mixes first time athletes with seasoned veterans and draws an enormous field. Some view this as a negative, I think that it helps make the race that much more special. The Chicago Triathlon prides itself on the fact that this is "Where The World Comes To Race." If you are immersed in the world of triathlon then I highly recommend that you follow the rest of the world to Chicago.
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 "Looking Good In The Windy City" |
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