Survival of the Shawangunks

I was hunting for point-heavy races that I could use towards my pro card.  I found this random race in New York, Survival of the Shawangunks, and decided to give it a try.  It was completely different than any race I've done before.  It started with a 30 mile bike ride, followed by a 4.3 mile run, 1 mile swim, 5.6 mile run, 1/2 mile swim, 8 mile run, 1/3 mile swim, 1/2 mile run.  It was wild, and not just because of the race format but because of how everything played out the night before the race.  I was reassembling my bike and accidentally pinched and cut a critical wire for my bike shifting.  I and other athletes tried splicing it together but that didn't work.  So I randomly reached out to a pro who lives in the area, Bec Wassner, asking if she knew anyone with an extra bike I could borrow.  She invited me up to her home and let me borrow her husband's bike.  It wasn't set up for racing, but it would get me from point A to point B.  I was so grateful!  

Race morning I was up way too early and just kept hoping I was ready for this adventure.  

The bike was uneventful, and the borrowed bike did it's job.  

The first run was a trail run and I was having so much fun in the dirt.  When it came time to get in the first lake for the swim I just hoped I knew what I was doing.  I stashed my shoes down my tri kit and hoped for the best.  My swim felt slow, but I thought it was just my imagination.  The next run was absolutely gorgeous!  They talk about stopping to have a Shawangunk moment, but I was going for a podium finish and it's not like I had my camera with me anyway.  But the views of the mountains were incredible.  

The second swim was in another lake and went off without a hitch.  I was most nervous about the third run since it was the longest at 8 miles.  Unlike most races I do, this race was very isolated in the mountains and I was alone almost the entire race.  I ran past families out for a morning stroll, rock climbers and hikers.  It was pretty and quiet out there.  The last swim was the shortest and I finally realized why my swims felt so slow, where I stuck my shoes was causing so much drag it was absolutely killing my time.  I couldn't fix it by then though and was a touch disappointed I didn't catch that earlier.  

The last run is a joke.  It is straight up a cliff to a lookout!  I kind of ran, kind of walked up the steep slope and was looking for that watchtower at the top.  I made it!  It was freezing up there and I was so cold from being constantly wet.  Even though I wanted to stay and enjoy the moment, I needed to get warm more.  

I walked down with Laurel Wassner and was able to hitch a ride with my bike angel back to my car.  Ultimately I did take third, only 30 seconds behind the iconic defending champion, Bec.  Laurel was fourteen minutes ahead of us.  If only I had my bike, if only I hadn't lost that time in the swim, I actually think I could have won.  It would have been a poor way to repay their generosity, but it would have been pretty sweet.  

I think I might have to go back and try again.  That was so much fun!

Fun pics from the next morning of recovery in New Paltz.

I found a hiking trail to move my legs and hoped I hadn't pushed them too hard the day before.

See that tower on top?  That was the finish!

Too hot for hot chocolate so I thought I'd try frozen hot chocolate.  Good...weird...my favorite part was the whipped cream.

Bonus time meant I went and checked out the Vanderbilt Mansion.