Bryan Brosious: Harvest Thunder Triathlon

The Harvest Thunder triathlon, a race that is unlike no other. This is not because of world class venues, scenic courses, or once in a lifetime experience. I wavered back and forth about racing this year, a rather steep entry fee and a 3.5 hour drive each way dampened my enthusiasm to race it.

However, I like to race, and as always I caved in and paid up. My experience has been that the races that I have the most doubts about racing are the ones I end up enjoying the most, and I did enjoy this trip! Corrie, very nicely, agreed to go with me, it gave us an excuse to drive my car on the twisting hair-pin road was just an added bonus. vroom vroom.

This race is one of the only races in the pacific northwest that utilizes a time trial type swim start. Each racer essentially races against the clock as each racer is started one-by-one 30 seconds apart. It is hard to gauge where you are relative to other racers but one thing is for sure, catch the racer in front of you and you have essentially gaped them by 30 seconds and dealt them a mental strike. Have a good day and positive confirmation comes easy, have a bad day and you'll see a lot of racers going past.

I put down a little slower of swim time estimate to add a little "fun" to my race. I figured if I am going to drive 7 hours round trip and pay 55 dollars for entry I am going to make the most of the experience. I chose to start further down the start list (starting 10th) because that would allow me to use those racers starting in front of me as motivation to go faster and add a little to the race.

My race, after a 300 meter warmup, started with a leaping plunge into lane 1. I hit the far end of the pool, flip turned and started back. After completing lap one (of 5) of the 500 meter swim, I ducked under the lane line and started down lane 2, thus the serpentine swim format. After 2 laps I had caught 2 swimmers in front of me, 7 left. I continued to swim what I felt to be a comfortably, yet fast, pace. I caught 2 more racers by lap 4, taking it 3 wide in the lane. Time is of the essence in this race and I was not going to wait for these swimmers to pull over at the wall.

I completed the final lap and hopped out of the pool for the run to transition 1. I picked up a few spots in transition while quickly getting my helmet, sunglasses, race belt, and saddling my Cervelo P3 Carbon. I put the hammer down and passed one racer before putting my feet in my shoes. With my feet in my shoes, I made the sweeping corner to enter the main out and back of the bike course.

I felt two things immediately. The first was the slight wind I was riding into the the 22.5 mph reading on my computer re-enforced my suspicion. The second was the uncommon, but not unknown, feeling of not fitting on my bike.

I am fortunate enough to have a body type that affords the full maximization of a P3 frame. Very few people can ride a P3 to it's full aerodynamic potential because in order to do so one must fold themselves over very prominently at the waist, ride a high seat, and drop many inches to the aerobars. This tucks the rider into a very pronounced and very aerodynamic tuck. Like I said not many people, due to flexibility issues, bio mechanics, and/or body composition cannot (or should not) ride in this aggressive setup. I am lucky because I have very long legs and a relatively shorter torso. This allows for a very high seatpost on a relatively smaller frame. This afford the aggressive drop from saddle to aerobars that is extremely aerodynamic.

However, it takes everyone time in this position to fully adapt to it, no matter how flexible or bio mechanically efficient you are. I had not spent enough time in the position (time off and aquathlon) so I felt a little awkward and uncomfortable throughout the ride. It was mostly a comfort thing as I forced myself to stay in the aero tuck as to not lose any time. I rode hard, creeping all the way up on my saddle, holding my shoulders steady, and focusing only on those ahead of me, forcing myself to stay in that zone of burning legs and painful lungs.

I caught a few more individual racers and many of the team cyclists that started 20 minutes prior on the out portion of the race. I readied myself for the one major hill that led to the turnaround and my one time split I could take on Geoff (my bet for the winner).

I hit the bottom of the climb and sat up, dropping a few gears. I saw Geoff go by going downhill at easily 40 mph. I found my way to the turnaround spinning easily 95 rpm, made the turnaround and started downhill. Not only was it a down hill, but it was also, after making the turnaround, tailwind assisted. I maxed out my huge FSA chainring and 11 tooth cassette, easily doing 45+mph with wheels (literally) screaming in the wind. I wind gusted blowing me from one side of the road to another, I held tight and pitied those smaller riders that would be more susceptible to the cross winds.

The ride back to transition 2 was fast, mostly over 25 mph. I caught a few more riders, 1 that started 4:00 ahead of me. There was now only 2 racers left to catch. I made my way back through transition 2, feeling great and started the run course.

Finally, after 2 races of running like a "tank" in a world of incredible pain, I felt like I could actually run efficiently. I made my way around the course running what my estimation to be a 6:30 ish per mile pace. I could not catch the person that started the run slightly ahead of me, but he had started 4:30 ahead of me so I essentially had a 4 minute gap on him from this position.

I later found out it was this same guy who I had battled for the lead on the bike portion of Summit Solstice in 2006 before he cracked me late in the race to take the win. The fact that I had erased 4 minutes of the 4:30 gap he started with today felt great. He ended up 3:56 behind me at this race, a tribute to my hard work in the past years, very satisfying.

I ran hard the rest of the run, making it really hurt at the finish line. I had a great race, ending up 2nd overall, only 50 or so seconds behind super-triathlete (and Hawaii qualifier) Geoff L'Heureux (He was also my home stay for this race). I even made out with 2 yes I said 2 medals!!

Aaaaaannnnd! The Great Falls News Station wanted to interview me! I answered many questions on camera, the typical ones mostly. "What goes through your head in each portion of he bike?" My summarized and paraphrased answer, swim: swim smooth, strong, and don't get crazy. Bike: hammer, hammer, hammer. Run: pain, always pain. :)

My favorite question was "what would you tell the people watching this that are thinking about doing a triathlon?" Ahh, a perfect question. My answer, "I would tell them that a race of this length is perfect for anyone to achieve success at. If you can swim 1 lap in the pool the can work up to this race. If you can ride a mountain bike for 30 minutes you can work up to this race. If you have ever run a 5k you have what it takes to train for this race."

And the million dollar phrase, it's mine so don't try and steal it. "The thing that people overlook is the mental aspect. With a race of this distance it is really the mental challenge that one must overcome. Once a person puts their mind to actually starting the training and starts believing in themselves, a race like this is achievable.When it comes to a triathlon the challenge of finishing it is IN YOUR HEAD, NOT YOUR MUSCLES" That made the news...because it's true. Hopefully it convinces one person to take up the challenge or breaking their routine and doing something special.

It was a great race, and a great weekend trip. Check out some random pictures of the adventure. Thanks for reading.