Race Coverage

"...the words I needed to hear."

Sunday, 22 January 2017 05:10

By Kristina Swenson (kristinaswenson.wixsite.com)

HITS-Naples Race Report - On Monday, January 2nd, 10 of my teammates from Iowa State and I packed a 15 passenger van to the brim, loaded our bikes in a trailer, and drove 23.5 hours down to Naples, Florida. This trip has become an annual event, and it's meant to be a week of laying on the beach, training, and fun. At the end of the week, on Sunday, everybody competes in the HITS Triathlon on Vanderbilt Beach. This is a pretty small local race. We are definitely among the youngest competitors, but it's fun to get a little warm weather training in and get excited for Collegiate Nationals which occurs in April every year. 

The race began something like this... 38 degrees. 30 degree windchill. 8-10 foot swells on the beach. A rip tide and small craft warning. You'd think being from Minnesota that I'd be prepared for every race condition under the sun. Let me tell you, this wasn't one of them. I've been racing competitively for 7 years, and never have I been so unmotivated to start a race as much as this one....

As I got my transition zone ready, I had to add a few new items. We had stopped at CVS the night before to get hand warmers, toe warmers, and cheap gloves. I laid those items out alongside my race gear which for the first time also included a cycling jacket and leggings. 

The swim at this race is particularly interesting. There is a 2-3 foot deep sandbar that runs parallel to the beach. Athletes start on the beach, make a 45 degree angle out to the sandbar, swim parallel to the shore and make a negative 45 degree angle back into the beach. You then exit the water to run around a buoy on the sand and take a second lap. The ocean was so tumultuous the lifeguards couldn't hold the buoys in place. The swim course was really short, and you could practically run the whole thing. This was by far the toughest swim (or rather run) I've ever done.  READ MORE