Training for the Josh August 16, 2007
Posted by SL in Chatter, Training.trackback
I got in some quality training for The Great Josh Billings RunAground Triathlon tonight. My short simulation was built around the Bolton Sunset Canoe & Kayak Race.
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/3673381
I rode to the lake, paddled the race (GPS shows 6.3 miles), and ran home. On the way home, I tested the headlamp that Deb will use in next week’s Ultra Trail Mont Blanc race. AZW is better at running than I am at paddling. That means I was last place in the “racing” division, which suits me fine. Every once in a while, you need to do something that you are horrible at. I’m hoping to improve on my finish in the Ironman division at the Josh next month.
The Josh is a really cool event. Designed 31 years ago for teams, it attracts a huge field. AZW turned me on to it. The road race is wicked cool (27 miles), which is followed by a 5 mile paddle (canoe or kayak), and a 6.2 mile run. The road race is open field and mass start, so it rages. Since the race was designed for teams, it is very competitive. I know that AZW will be there. Art has done it before too. Everyone should check it out. It finishes with a big party at Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts.
Side note: the paddlers are just as fanatical about their gear as cyclists. There was more carbon fiber than you see on an F-1 car! The paddles are full carbon, the canoes and kayaks are full carbon. Several of the hard core canoers are tandems and they have their names (in fancy script) on the boat (right where they sit) and also have sponsors logos on their boats, just like in NASCAR. They have their own association too: NECKRA
Horst Engineering Cycling Team 
You should also check out the Glimmerglass Triathlon. I am heading to Cooperstown, NY this weekend to do the bike leg for the same guys that make up the rest of AZW’s Josh team (basically they look for mercenary bikers to fill out a Pfizer “corporate” team). The Glimmerglass is another paddle-bike-run, it just swaps the order on the paddle and bike. First part is a 5 mi out and back paddle in Otsego Lake (i.e. Glimmerglass from the James Fenimore Cooper Leatherstocking novels), next a 26 mi ride around the lake, followed by a 5 mi trail run in Glimmerglass State Park. This year is the 25th edition and certainly for the past 3yrs that I’ve done it, it has been a well organized event. It’s too late for this year, but if interested, you should look for it on the calendar next year (usually 3rd Sunday in August).
Gary, sounds very cool. I think Horst needs to field another Josh team. Someone should ride and Wayne should run. It would be easy to find a paddler.