Kurt Angle, Wes, and LT - All Pennsylvania Olympians

Deerfield Triathlon Team Captain LT Thompson inducted Wes Battle for the 2006 edition of the annual North Carolina race on Saturday, August 13.

While the inaugural 2005 edition reeked of some weekend warrior abilities, Wes' presence characteristically raised the stakes - this time to Olympic distances. The race:

1 Mile Swim
27 Mile Bike
6.2 Mile Run

LT (Deerfield '94, Williams '98, Insight Express '99, Hickory 'current) and Wes (Shady Side Academy '89, Exeter '93, Deerfield '94, UVA '98, US Navy OCS '02, Navy 'current) made colorful reports.

Newly 30, LT ran 3:05 to scorch last year's "29 year old guy" time by 7 minutes.

In what I believe was his virgin encounter, Wes got dealt some clumsy fortune: 2 flat tires, a dropped bike chain, and the distracting shock and awe of the fringe divisions. Yet he finished in 3:30 and filed a coloful report that begins....

“The race went as predicted in some ways and others did not…. After awaking at 4:30 to hear from LT that he had already taken two dumps, we drove in a monstrous rainstorm to Wilkesboro, about 45 minutes from Hickory, with LT’s buddy Hank, a fellow Clydesdale competitor (+200 lbs.) I was impressed, by the way, that LT’s friend Hank is a college educated and could complete full sentences….”

Read the full email by running your mouse down to the jump link below -->

I would like to congratulate LT for putting up a strong effort and beating his last year’s time by over 7 minutes and beating me soundly. The race went as predicted in some ways and others did not.

After awaking at 4:30 to hear from LT that he had already taken two dumps, we drove in a monstrous rainstorm to Wilkesboro, about 45 minutes from Hickory, with LT’s buddy Hank, a fellow Clydesdale competitor (+200 lbs.) I was impressed, by the way, that LT’s friend Hank is a college educated and could complete full sentences. (just kidding: great dude) Anyway, so we arrive in the pitch black deluge at the race and LT is complaining that he is going to deuce himself so he takes off in a sprint when we park, locking us out of the car so I cannot get my ID from my bag and meet him at the registration as planned. Anyway, LT would go on to take his 4th pre-race #2 about 15 minutes prior to the race, this time in the woods as the Porta-potties are jammed. My race drama increases 20 minutes before the race when my rear tire goes flat on me but I am able to get it fixed by a bike guy in 10 minutes…whew!

LT starts the swim 9 minutes ahead of Hank and me, making a compelling dynamic of the whole race. As predicted, I come out of the 1 mile swim 3:30 ahead of LT (still 5:30 behind him on the course) LT beats me by 1 minute in the first transition (By the way this is all post mortem analysis as we have no idea where we are in relation at the time) Then, as I am hopping on my bike, I notice my front tire is flat: unbelievable. I am devastated and I luckily have a spare and fix my front tire in exactly 10 minutes but know, that for all intents and purposes, my race is over but can hopefully take some satisfaction in finishing within 19 minutes of LT now.

But I could not have predicted the severity of these hills. They were brutal and crushed me. I have not trained in the mountains. Jax is very flat and I was very unprepared. I ended up losing an additional 20 minutes to LT on the bike. LT put another 8 minutes on me in the run to win by 37 minutes or 27 if you deduct 10 for the flat. Everything went as expected, I beat LT by 3:30 in the swim, he beat me by 2:30 in the transitions, he beat me by 8 in the run but the real surprise was the ass kicking on the bike.

A side note: LT’s buddy Hank is a stud, finishing in 2:50, placing 2nd on the podium in the Clydesdale division. LT was at 3:04 and I was 3:41.

It was an awesome challenge, so much fun and hope you guys would consider joining in a future year. I know I will be training harder and will come back next year to the Bandits Challenge.

This is the 2005 team picture. John Hansel, LT, and I running the wimpy "Sprint" division....or resting afterwards.