LAND SHARKS
I was nibbling on a Fig Newton and contemplating arm warmers when a blaze of fire erupted from the Tennessee River and raced into the Rev3 transition. The first group of men, ejected from a hurricane . . . all hunting for blood. Ladies and gentlemen, meet professional triathletes.
Cameron Dye was the only familiar face, but like a school of sharks, they were close enough to be considered one. Literally on each others heels as they tore across the asphalt in bare feet.
Cam turned down the wrong bike aisle and had to backtrack, which probably cost a grand total of 7 seconds . . . but for these guys, that sliver of time can be the difference. They all landed in the row right next to me and it was an incomprehensible flurry of action.
I leaned on the fence and watched as these cats spent about 10 seconds stripping their wetsuit and ripping their bike from the rack. And just like that . . . they were gone.
Their transition times were around a minute and a half, but most of that was running in and out. The time they actually spent at their bike was minimal. Maybe 20 seconds.
Talk about getting your blood pumping. Bike shoes are on the pedals and the thought of socks, gloves (or arm warmers) didn’t cross their minds. Bare is the game and animal is the lifestyle.
I can’t even comprehend the pressure of racing at that level. A group of 5 or 6 guys ran their bikes out together, all ready to pounce on weakness. Hell, I get cold sweats and fight dry heaves if I even SEE a guy with my age group number on his calf. These guys live in that world . . . and it’s no place for bait.
QUICK THOUGHT ON TRANSITIONS
When I first got into triathlon I was digging for information on everything and one time went to a “Transition Clinic” that included how to lay out all your crap on a towel. But after watching a Pro Transition, I think I could give my own clinic and it would go something like this:
1. Run as fast as you can from the water to your bike.
2. Rip off the rest of your wetsuit
3. Put on your helmet.
4. Grab your bike
5. Get your ass on the course
CAMERON DYE
I raced in Knoxville last year when Cam Dye absolutely destroyed the course in miserable conditions. His swim was 14:55 and he averaged 28 mph on the bike en route to a convincing 1:47:53 victory in the Olympic .
Over the course of the year, my buddies and I joked about me going back to Rev3 to get revenge on Dye. All I had to do was figure out how to cut 53 minutes off my time. As it turned out, he raced the mid-range distance this year, so the Rumble in Knoxville never happened, but we did have a marginally intense discussion about Twitter after the race.
@miketarrolly @camdyetri
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