The Columbia Triathlon will always hold a special place in my heart.  It was there in 1996 that I first stepped down a damp, slick, starting ramp into a freezing lake at 7:30am, and left all doubts about what was possible behind me.  It was my first ever triathlon, and I’ve loved going back there ever since.  It’s like a homecoming of sorts – it’s where it all began for me.
 
If you’ve raced Columbia then you know what I’m talking about.  If you haven’t yet and this will be your first time, are you in for a treat!  Columbia is one of the most well run races in the country.  It’s up there with an Ironman – it’s that good.  Race Director Robert Vigorito (Vigo) has set the standard to which most other races strive for, as evidenced by Columbia’s selection as host for USAT Age Group Nationals in 1994 and 1997.
 
This month, Bob Mina offers a preview of the Columbia Triathlon, a regional race with a national reputation.
 
Race Date – May 19, 2002.  First wave heads off at 6:45am. 
 
However, May 18^th is just as important if you’re racing Columbia.  Why?  You need to take care of two things on Saturday afternoon.
 

1. Get your bike to Princeton Sports and Travel (www.princetonsports.com) and have your inspection done before you head to the hotel for check-in.  The folks at Princeton have been doing this for several years now, and will have you in and out in minutes.  Have your rig together and your helmet in hand, and you’ll make everyone’s day a lot smoother.  If you wait until the afternoon (after 1:00pm), you can also check-in at the hotel and then have your bike inspected at Centennial Lake before you rack it.
2. As you may have noticed if you read the above paragraph, you will have to rack your bike at Centennial Lake the night before.  Yes, you will be sleeping a night without your baby.  Roll it to its spot.  Cover the Jetstream with a bag.  Pat the saddle.  Whisper nice things to it, and then walk away.  The security at the park has been great, and your baby will be well tended to.

 
Assuming you’ve gotten your bike inspected, your lid looked at, and your numbers, schwag bag, swim cap, and wave assignment…you’re all ready to go.  After a good night’s sleep on Saturday night (or a peaceful, meditative stare at the ceiling if you’re like me), lets get on with the show on Sunday and what you can expect!
 
Pre-Race / Transition Area:
There will be close to 1000 machines parked on the slope leading away from Centennial Lake.  Do you know where yours is parked?  If you haven’t done so on Saturday, do a walk through.  Count the rows – that will be your best bet.  There are a few trees (saplings, really) that surround the corral, but I can never remember where they are.  It’s uphill all the way from the moment you stand up at the end of the swim to the entrance of the park, but other than that it’s a fair transition area with a huge central aisle leading out to the bike start.
 
Make sure you know what time your wave start will be, and leave yourself about 10 extra minutes to walk from the corral to the actual boat ramp (which takes about 5 minutes).  You’ll most likely be walking in bare-feet on pavement, so bring some flip-flops, sandals to hand to someone, or even socks you don’t really care about if you have sensitive tootsies.
 
The Swim:
You’ll be called to the water with your wave about 2 minutes before you go, so there’s little time to dilly-dally!  The water will be cold; I don’t care what the application says.  67-71°?  My fanny.  Centennial Lake is spring-fed.  Gasp if you must – we all do (at least you won’t need that second cup of coffee).  Once you’ve gotten in and managed to un-stick your eyeballs from being blown wide open due to thermal shock, find your place in the narrow starting area.  Be honest with yourself – the start is VERY narrow, and it can be crazy in those first 100 yards.
 
Once you get underway, the swim is easy to navigate.  You’ll be making 1 right kink and then 5 left-turns, and the shore pretty much stays a constant distance away.  If the shrubbery is getting closer, check your buoy alignment.  There will be zero surf, even with a slight breeze.  The lake is too small to allow waves to form beyond those from passing official boats and Daryl Haley.  Once you’ve finished the long back straight-away you’ll turn left around a small island, and you’ll see the swim finish all the way.
 
You’ll swim until you are precisely 4 feet from shore (yes, 4 feet – the bottom comes up fast).  Stand up, and up, up, and away you will go!
 
T1 – Swim to Bike:
Did you do your walk through?  Start counting racks, and find your stuff.  Don’t worry about how your legs feel – remember, it’s uphill all the way so you’re probably going to feel worse than you think you should.  Once you’re ready to roll, be careful on the run-out up to the parking lot.  It’s grassy, steep, and if you’re anyplace but the first wave, it’s probably going to be wet, somewhat chewed up, and slippery.  Take your time here – no sense in rushing and face planting in front of everyone, only to slide back down where you started.
 
Run through the small timing-tent, mount your faithful steed, and away you will go!  By the way, you’ve now left behind the only flat portion of your day, now that the swim is behind you.  Giddy up!
 
The Bike:
Hills.  Hills.  Hills!  This bike course will hit every single hill in Howard County, and a few that aren’t even known.   However, you shouldn’t shy away from riding this course like you mean it – it will reward those willing to hit them hard. 
 
As you exit the park you’ll turn right onto Route 108 and head gently uphill.  This is a stretch to settle in to your rhythm and calm down after T1.  108 Will roll up and down a bit, but there’s nothing too bad along here.  After about 2 miles you’ll turn right and start the longest descent of the day down Homewood Road (Note – this is also the last climb of the day on your way back).  On Homewood, get down in your aerobars, tuck like Picabo Street, and go for it. 
 
Homewood road changes to Folly Quarter, and you’ll start the rolling hills in earnest now; Up one, and down the next.  There are too many single climbs to remember, but it’s important that you stay focused, and not let your concentration slip.  Just take them on one at a time, and allow yourself to catch some recovery in short bursts during the descents.
 
There will be an aid station at the top of one of the rises on Triadelphia Road – if you aren’t taking anything, head to the left to stay clear of the handoff and pickup.  It’s at the top of a short climb, so you’ll have plenty of time to decide what to do before you get there.
 
After passing the aid station, you will start descending on Triadelphia Road, and this is my favorite section of the course.  It winds, it’s narrow, and doing your best Picabo through here will see you through.  Be sure to glance up and around from time to time – the view of the farms is pretty nice if the sun is out!
 
One specific note:  When the marshals warn you about the 90° left-hand corner at the bottom of Triadelphia?  LISTEN.  When I came barreling down there in 1996 all full of myself (thinking, “I’m a roadie – this is easy!”), I didn’t slow down, and I knew I’d potentially made an error in judgment when I watched the corner workers all run for cover as I reached (too little, too late) for the binders.  I missed the corner by a good 8 feet, bounded over the grass and rejoined the road somewhat humbler for my return.  Take it easy!
 
After Triadelphia, you will start stair-stepping and false-flatting back towards Centennial Lake.  You will be past halfway now, and it’ll be time to start gritting your teeth and taking whole gulps of the essence of Columbia.
 
You’ll head left and then up Green Bridge Road.
You’ll take another left and head STRAIGHT up Linthicum Road. 
 
(As I recall there are always folks in lawn chairs in front of their houses here, so be sure to wave, gasp in appreciation, pant and grin, or at least try not to throw up on them as you grind by).
 
At the top of Linthicum Road, you’ll take a right turn back on Folly Quarter, and you’ll be headed back the way you came out.  If you’re in an early wave, you’ll see folks headed out – cheer them on.  It could be warmer, and they’ll appreciate it.
 
Mentally, you should be getting ready for that final climb I warned you about in the early part of the bike.  The last grind up Homewood Road isn’t so bad by itself, but coming at mile 22 after all the little hills you’ve already conquered?  It’s waiting for you – hit it as hard as you can.  It’s not steep, it’s not long, but it just seems to take forever.  Don’t be afraid to push it here – you’ll have nearly 2 miles on 108 to recover before T2, and this is definitely a place to make up time if you can.
 
As you finish the climb you’ll turn left onto Route 108, and you’ll be headed back to the park.  (NOTE: Seeing Elvis, the Easter Bunny, The Marquis de Sade, Dale Earnhardt, or Milton Berle along this stretch is normal if you’ve pushed it on Homewood Road.  Wave, and ride on).
 
If you taped a GU to your top tube for pre-run fueling, now is a great time to hit it.  108 is fairly straight and with one mile to go, you’ll have one last little rise to take out before you turn in for T2.  Spin down as much as you can here – your legs will appreciate smart riding in the last 2 minutes.
 
As you turn down into Centennial Park, slow down!  It’s downhill all the way in, so just follow the arrows all the way to the dismount.  Well done!  Just 10K to go now, right?
 
T2 – Bike to Run:
Remember that uphill scramble on the way out of T1?  Well, you get to do the reverse on the way in.  You’ll dismount and head down a (not-as-steep) grassy entrance hill towards the corral.  You’re coming in from a different side of the racks, so make sure you know where you’re going as you come in through the gate.
 
Rack your baby, drop the helmet, and head downhill…the fun is about to really begin.
 
The Run (or, “How I Learned to Hate Gravity.”)
As you head through the initial opening kilometer along the lake, you’ll probably be feeling pretty good.  You beat those hills like a champion, and now you’re ready for a good run to back it up.  So far, so good, right?  Well, enjoy that opening stretch – it ends, abruptly.
 
At the ¾ mile mark, the road will suddenly double-back and head straight uphill.  Your eyes aren’t deceiving you – it’s really a switchback climb.  It’s about 10-12% in grade at the bottom, but it’s mercifully short.  However, everyone feels it here.  Welcome to Columbia!
 
As you finish that opening salvo, you’ll come to the first mile marker just before you cross a small footbridge.  As you cross to the other side of the lake, you’ll continue to head uphill.  Hang in there – the best is still coming.  As you try to work on a decent rhythm, you’ll notice that the hills just seem to come at you like mosquitoes on a summer day:  Little, relentless, and unstoppable.  Just keep rolling the best that you can – this is a normal feeling for this course.
 
As you cruise along the opposite side of the lake you swam in all of an hour and some minutes ago you’ll be under the shade of some trees, but you’ll be able to hear the finish line all of 200 yards away, across the lake.  Mentally – this can be tough.  If you hear Vigo cheering people home, don’t let it get you down!  You’ll be there soon enough, and he’ll be calling you in.
 
Take the hard left hand turn, and take out your envy of those already done on the conveniently placed wall-like climb out of the park.   Some runners will be coming in at this point – soon, you’ll be there, too.  I don’t know if they’ve paved this part or not – I remember running over gravel here in 2000, so be ready for some scrambling if that’s the case.
 
As you finish the climb by the tennis courts to your left, a feeling that your legs have had all of their muscle fiber replaced by a combination of Quaker Oatmeal and Sakrete is normal.
 
Shuffle on up the grade, and turn left onto the shoulder of Annapolis Road.
 
You’ll trot along Annapolis for a few hundred yards, and then take a hard left down Carillion Drive.  You will plunge headlong down a steep downhill, and then right back up the other side to mile 3.  This has always been my slowest mile in 6 Columbia Tri’s, so if you’re way out to lunch on your expected pace – don’t panic! 
 
You’ll slowly wind your way through suburbia (some of whom may cheer, most of whom are still sleeping, but there are a kind few that set up sprinklers along the route), slowly bearing to the right at all times to loop back to Carillion Drive.   I know that it’s impossible to run a loop that goes uphill back to it’s start (sort of M.C. Escher-esque), but I swear – that’s how this section feels.  Be patient – it will end soon!
 
As you plunge back down (and right back up) Carilliion Drive, you’ll exit onto Annapolis Road and head back towards the park.  For the first time all day, there will be more descending than ascending before you – you’ll only have 1.5 miles to go now.
 
As you turn into the park, open your legs up and let it fly on the downhill that so cruelly beat you down early on…but be ready:  There’s one more nasty grade to deal with.  You’ll head up one more evil, wall-like ascent (aid station at the top), and that will be it.  You will be able to hear Vigo’s voice now – and this time, he’s calling to you.
 
As you leave the last climb behind you, you’ll empty out of the woods and onto the path that wraps around the East end of the Lake.  It’s flat along here, and you’ll be galloping headlong like a horse that knows the stable isn’t far now.
 
As you turn onto the dam that borders the end of the Lake, hang in there.  It’s only about 250-300 yards long, but it will feel like miles.  Once you get across the dam, you’ll turn right and you’ll be in the homestretch.
 
You’ll pound over one last little insult of a rise at 6 miles, but the last 2/10ths are all you!  You’ll empty into a natural hillside amphitheatre with friends, family, and finished racers surrounding the course as you enter the last 100 yards.  There will be streamers, balloons, and that big, booming voice guiding you home to that final arch – the arch that says, “Congratulations!  You just survived the toughest Olympic Distance Race in the Country!”
 
You know what?  It won’t be kidding, either.
 
2002 will be my 6^th Columbia – I hope to see you there!
 
Bob Mina is the monthly columnist for Xtri.com – The Home of Draft Free Triathlon Coverage on the web.  If you were offended, bored, or put off by any of the above material, whatever you do don’t go to http://www.xtri.com and click on the link for “Hurricane Bob” on or about the last Tuesday of every month.  He can also be reached at bob@bobmina.com - complaints are welcome; compliments are encouraged.