rev3 triathlon

May 16, 2014

Nashville Heads To Rocky Top for Rev3 Knoxville

Well, the girls are heading to Knoxville . . . Me, Corey, Jim, and Wasky will soon hit I-40 East to tangle with Rocky Top. For most of the ride, I reckon I’ll be trying to figure out the “Rocky Top” lyrics, which will be good to get my mind off the race.

For years the first two lines alone have been enough to throw me into a mental straight jacket. I could never figure out how they would go up to Rocky Top down in the hills, but clearly they were in Kentucky or something longing to be back home, which I’m guessing will be how the four of us will feel about Nashville after riding our bikes up into those mountains on Sunday.

According to Wikipedia, “Rocky Top” was written by married songwriting duo Boudleaux Bryant (1920–1987) and Felice Bryant (1925–2003) in 1967, which took about 10 minutes (Corey’s average transition time) to write, served as a temporary diversion for them (and clearly for me as well).

I’ve posted the lyrics below, but here is a short summary of what someone thinks each verse means, along with my interpretation of how I think the mystery inside this legendary song will apply to us at Rev3 this weekend.

Rocky Top Lyrics Defined

Wiki: Despite its fast and upbeat tempo, the song is actually a lament over the loss of a way of life.

Crushing Iron: Fast and upbeat will be a stretch, but the “loss of a way of life” part certainly applies to us considering we spent most of last year together and now all we do is text.

Wiki: In the song’s opening verse, the singer longs for a place called “Rocky Top,” where there is no “smoggy smoke” and there are no “telephone bills.” The singer reminisces about a love affair he once had on Rocky Top with a woman “wild as a mink.”

CI: I’m almost positive there is no cell service in those hills, so at the very least our phone bills will be reduced. While it definitely won’t be a love affair, I’m pretty sure Corey will get a tad bit sentimental about the fun he had on the bike last year. And I wouldn’t put it past Jim to know a few wild minks in those hills from his time as a rock star UT.

Wiki: The song’s second verse recalls a story about two “strangers” (apparently revenue agents) climbing Rocky Top “looking for a moonshine still,” but never returning (conflict between moonshiners and “revenuers” is a common theme in Appalachian culture).

CI: This is the part that scares me. Wasky and I are both from the north, which could easily put us in the “stranger” category. On top of that, Corey and Wasky are both finance guys, which immediately lumps them into a “revenuers” category. Our only hope is Jim, who will likely have a few connections, but I’m not sure his new aero helmet will be a hit with his moonshiner buddies.

Wiki: In the third and final verse (which consists of just four lines), the singer again longs for the “simple” life, likening life in the city to being “trapped like a duck in a pen.”

CI: These four strangers, invading Rocky Top to spread their “cramped up city life ideals,” may indeed wind up “trapped like a duck in a pen” if they’re not careful. And somehow, despite the fact that texting really isn’t that complicated, we may need to convince some of these half bear-half cats that we’re sweet as soda pop. The lycra should help.

Here is my 3 part race summary from a cold and rainy Rev3 Knoxville 2013:

The Swim – My first real venture into ice cold water
The Bike – Including quotes from the great Ernest Shackleton
The Run – This could have nearly doubled as the swim

This is a different Mike and Cindy from their hike on the Appalachian Trail. Click photo for more on their adventure.

Rocky Top Lyrics

Wish that I was on ole Rocky Top
Down in the Tennessee Hills.
Ain’t no smoggy smoke on Rocky Top,
Ain’t no telephone bills.

Once I had a girl on Rocky Top,
Half bear the other half cat;
Wild as a mink as sweet as soda pop,
I still dream about that.

CHORUS

Rocky Top, you’ll always be,
Home sweet home to me.
Good ole Rocky Top,
Rocky Top Tennessee.

Once two strangers climbed ole Rocky Top,
Lookin’ for a moonshine still.
Strangers ain’t come down from Rocky Top,
Reckon they never will.
Corn won’t grow at all on Rocky Top,
Dirt’s too rocky by far.
That’s why all the folks on Rocky Top,
get their corn from a jar.

CHORUS

I’ve had years of cramped up city life;
Trapped like a duck in a pen.
All I know is it’s a pity life,
Can’t be simple again.

CHORUS

May 8, 2013

Ironman Training Injuries

The Fab Five is a bit of a mess these days. Possible meniscus tears, turf toes, rotator cuffs, IT Bands, allergies, planter faciitis, hernias, tendonitis . . . and the list goes on. Thankfully mine are minor: a bump on the forehead from my Rev3 medal, and a bruised elbow from running into the door while trying to avoid two wild birds I let out of the dryer hose.

Injuries are obviously a big part of training, and this video is a hilarious viewpoint of how absurd the will to train through pain can seem to someone who is not training for Ironman. Warning: Explicit Language.

I can’t prove this, but I’m willing to bet that at least half of triathlon training injuries are directly related to running. I can honestly say that my legs (and body) feel better right now than they have in months. Over the last 24 days I have ran exactly 5 times: A 3.5 mile run with the East Nasties, a short/easy 2 mile jog after a bike, another two mile jog when I was sick, the Country Music Half, and a 10k for the Rev3 Olympic on Sunday.

Following the CM Half, my feet were very sore and my IT Band was on the brink of relapse. My calf was (and still is) in a knot. That day I ran for one hour and thirty seven minutes.

Following Olympic Triathlon Sunday, which took over an hour longer, I felt fantastic. Not one body part was sore (other than the calf). I was ready to do a hard workout the next day.

That said, there is a major catch. The run is a huge deal in triathlons and I’m not even remotely suggesting it should be avoided. In fact, I love the work involved in running. I just preparation, warm up, and strength exercises should not be taken lightly. Done right, we should all probably warm up a minimum of 15 minutes before a run and if that cuts into total run time, so be it.

That’s another reason why I love triathlon . . . by the time you get to the run, your legs are definitely warmed up.*

* Unless you did Rev3 Knoxville this year.

May 8, 2013

Rev 3 Olympic Knoxville – The Run

First of all, do any of you know if Rev 3 had photographers on the course for this race?

The Rev 3 Knoxville Olympic Run

Fresh off the bike, with frozen feet, I sat on the cold concrete and fought to slide on my new Pearl Izumi Tri N1 Racing Shoes.

I’d been wearing these bad boys around the house and while walking my dog, but never for a run. Today would be the first.

They are very comfortable, but a lot different than the Pearl Izumi Streaks that I have been wearing. Honestly, though, I think I could have been wearing Uggs for the first few miles and not known the difference.

I just kind of chuckled as I slid my way up the rainy road out of T2. I was a little disoriented and stopped for a second because I thought it was the wrong way. I threw caution to the wind and kept “running.” It felt like I had a tennis ball in each shoe right under my arch. There was no thought of speed (and no watch to confirm) and I would have to be content with a shuffle.

After a mile and a half we entered a bike path that looked like a scene out of Katrina. Every hundred yards or so it seemed like we were running through ankle to shin deep puddles from the overflowing creek. Many runners ran on the grass, but I found the splashing water actually warmed my legs.

It was an out and back so we got to the turn at around 3 miles. I still couldn’t feel my feet.

At around mile four I realized that no one was passing me, so my pace must have been pretty solid. Then I heard the hoofs of a large man closing in on me. I resisted temptation to look and he cruised by me like a gazelle. Sure enough, I looked on his calf and this gentle giant was in my age group. With just over two miles left, I suddenly had a war on my hands.

But evidently he wasn’t in the same trench because a minute later he was a hundred yards ahead of me. I just shook my head and prayed for feeling in my feet.

Amazingly, as we exited the bike path, I spotted him ahead, still within striking distance. He turned left over the bridge and I wasn’t far behind. Suddenly I was on a very tight and flooded sidewalk with runners coming from the opposite direction. Something didn’t feel right. I looked up and my challenger had stopped. I caught up to him and saw the confusion in his eyes. Then there was confusion in my eyes. Then panic.

We both turned around and went back over the bridge and out onto the road. I was right on his tail, but upset about the transgression. It wasn’t long before he created another cushion between us. I just didn’t have my legs.

About mile five, I started to feel my feet and legs again, but I’m not sure it was a good thing. They were a little weak and I was a bit gassed as I closed in on the dozens of fans waiting for us to turn into the home stretch. I saw my coach running toward me, saying something about a “podium.” I put my head down and ran after Mr. Green Jeans, but it wasn’t meant to be.

I crossed the finish line in just over 49 minutes. The Gentle Giant finished about 1:30 ahead of me. He took third in our age group.

I wasn’t disappointed, but have a lot of work to do on the run. I felt great after the swim and bike, but the run was kinda like, “Oh, and now I have to run,” more than it was something I felt like crushing.

Everything I read and hear and learn points to the run being the difference maker in triathlons. It’s so true. A week before I averaged 7:27 in a half marathon. Sunday, my pace was around 8 minute miles for less than half the distance.

Not to self: Trust frozen feet.