Two Weeks, Two Triathlons
Running several miles at a time and biking 20 on the same day, especially in overpowering heat, seems like enough workouts to fulfill a month's quota.
But to do all that, and more, twice in a week? That's just self-abuse!
Michelle Bozath was willing to go for it - and she's glad she did.
"I started triathlons two years ago." said the Hampton physician's assistant, 26, who's done seven such events in her life. "I just like the competition and training for different sports; I like the biking and running and swimming, instead of just doing all running races."
That's why, when Sept. 7 rolled around, she was heading up to Williamsburg to do all three in the Patriots International event. But the night before the event was to be held, Mother Nature became the athletes' worst enemy, sending tropical storm Hanna to town, and getting the swimming event cancelled. Instead, the triathletes would be running 1.8 miles, biking 40K (about 12 and a half miles), and running again for 10K (about 3.1 miles).
On the first run, Bozarth said, "It was hard to say (how she was doing). You don't really know how to pace yourself, because you're usually swimming first. But I've been doing a lot of training on my bike this summer, so I was ready."
Then came another run - and the late morning heat that went right along with it.
"By the time we got out to the 10K," she said, "it was between 10:30 and 11 a.m., and the heat was horrible."
Still, she persevered, and finished with a time of 2:11.23, good enough for third place in a group of 89 ladies.
Meanwhile, Denise Hall, also of Hampton, was ready to compete in the Patriots Sprint event, a miniaturized version of the International (and her second triathlon overall); in this case, competitors had to complete "only" a 1.5-mile run, 13-mile bike and 3.1-mile run.
"I just started training this year," said Hall, 35. "Before that, I just ran, ran, ran. Some injuries prompted me to do a little more cross-training, so I went into cycling and swimming, and it just kind of naturally fell into place."
Putting one cleated shoe in front of the other on the last run, she felt hopeful.
"I felt like I spent most of the time passing people," she said. "I knew that my strongest point was the run, so what I had to give was endurance. A lot of people started to break down near the end of the race, but I knew it would be my strongest thing. I'm not one that reserves anything - I go for it until the very end when I have nothing left to give. I definitely was done at the end, but I felt good. I came in really strong."
Strong enough, that is, to finish as the top female participant in age 35-40 competition, and eighth among all women.
"I was not expecting that," she said, "but I was very pleasantly surprised."
The next Sunday, Bozarth decided to go south instead of north, heading to Virginia Beach for the Sandman Triathlon.
"The Sandman is the big local one," she said. "For me, it's the end of the season. I worked out slightly through the week, but I tried to pretty much rest. I was going to go hard or go home."
This time, she got to get wet, as participants swam a K in the Beach waters.
"The past two years, the swimming was really rough.," she said. "This year, it was completely calm. I've been swimming once or twice a week since May."
Then the athletes hopped onto their bikes and pedaled to Fort Story and back, a distance of about 14 miles.
"I just tried not to get passed by too many people," Bozarth said, "because I'm not very experienced on the bike."
Fortunately, she's experience at the run - and her 5K time of 20:13 was good enough for first in the 25-30 division, and finished her at fourth for the event, with an ending time of 1:18.13.
Still, neither woman is even close to completion; Hall's training for an October triathlon in Richmond (one where she'll hopefully get to hit the water), while Bozarth would like to do a Half-Ironman event in 2009.
"I think I'll definitely bring my time down," Hall said.
Bozarth's new race will consist of a 50-mile bike race, a half-marathon run, and a varied swimming distance. Several such events are scheduled for next year, the closest one, at press time, scheduled for Cambridge, Md., in June.
"It's going to be crazy!" she said.
