September is here already?  (Insert cheesy line about how fast this summer has gone by, here).  Are you going to miss it?  If you’re like me, not at all.  Living on the East Coast in the summer of 2002 has answered that age-old question for me, “What would it be like to spend my summer on Venus?”  It’s been so stupid hot this summer, I was pretty thankful that my wife and I happened to move into a house in June – I had 382 brand new excuses lined up so I didn’t have to train outdoors on the weekends.
 
But for those of you that managed to stay in (or find better) shape, fear not!  September is one of the most race-dense months in the 2002 Calendar.  There’s something to do every single weekend in the Mid-Atlantic, from several sprint distances, all the way to the Full 140.6 Mile Monty.  Choose your dance, and have at it!
 
On September 7th, you have the Pine Barrens Olympic Distance Triathlon in Atison Lake, Atison, New Jersey (http://www.pinebarrenstri.org/).  This race is in its 20th year, having quietly existed as long as Wilkes-Barre, Cambridge, and even Ironman Canada (not local, but you get the idea).   According to former competitor Laurie Hug, “The swim takes place in a nice cedar lake - it is murky brown (due to tannin) but really clean. Wetsuits were allowed.  The bike is flat, flat, flat, and is a loop of around 23 miles.   The run is a straight up out and back along the shoulder of the bike course, but it can be busy with traffic.”
 
“It’s a low key event w/maybe 100-150 racers.  I don't recall anything special about the post race  food (maybe fruit and bagels.)  They gave out gift certificates to winners and cash prizes to top 3 Male and Female finishers for the past few years I think.”
 
Don’t want to go Olympic distance?  Want to go longer?  You’ve got it, and the folks at Piranha Sports have the race for you.  Neil Semmel and his troops have put together a new race in Delaware that will take place on Sunday, September 8th – the Delaware Diamondman Triathlon in Bear, Delaware (just outside of Wilmington) - http://www.piranha-sports.com/.  The swim will take place in the Delaware River (course to be determined based on tide), but you can almost surely bet it will be current neutral (or in your favor!) since Neil has a 6th sense when it comes to getting tides right with his races.
 
The bike course will use a lot of the route from the Escape from Ft. Delaware race, as well as the Lums Pond Triathlon.  It’s another route that will allow you to leave the little-ring at home (slap on that 55-Tooth you’ve always wanted to try) so long as the wind doesn’t kick up too badly.  The run course is a flat and wide-open, single-loop traverse to the East and West (whereas the bike goes pretty much North and South).  RD Semmel claims that this one ends “with a beautiful finish on State Park grounds (shaded, wide and smooth trails).”  This is the longest triathlon that Delaware has ever seen, so sign up now if you want to be a part of it!
 
The Dewey Beach Sprint Triathlon (http://www.deweybeachtriathlon.com/) which takes place along the Delaware beaches on September 14th, is the site of this year’s USAT Mid-Atlantic Regional Sprint Championship.  Hoping to add that last strong race to your regional ranking?  This is the place to do it.
 
The swim takes place in the Atlantic, and is point-to-point (always set with the tide).  You’ll fight it a bit on the way out and then on the way in, but along the beach you will cruise like John Weston on a good day.  After a brief, sandy run-out to the bike-lot, you’ll head out onto US-1 South.  This is another race that bores topographical software to death, save the single climb over the Indian River Inlet (which can be nasty if the wind is blowing).
 
You’ll ride out 8 miles, then U-Turn on a wide-open crossover to the other side of the highway, and spin back to Rehoboth.  This is one of those bike courses that can be navigated by even the worst bike-handlers out there:  No turns (save the big-U)!
 
The run heads through a bit of brush at first, then takes a turn off US-1 into Rehoboth.  You’ll run through town for a bit, then turn around and head back to the park for the finish.  The picnic afterwards is a fully-stocked affair, and then you can spend the rest of the day on the Delaware Shore.  It’s a perfect venue for a race!  I actually raced this one 6 days after my wedding (with the wife’s blessing, of course!) and I’m still hoping to get back one of these years.
 
Sprint, Olympic, and Half-Ironman not enough for you?  Perhaps you don’t want to deal with the size, hype, and spectacle of the M-Dot races, and you just want your shot to cover 140.6?  Then on September 8th, 2002, you’ll have your chance at another brand new event.  The Duke Blue Devil Triathlon (http://www.set-upinc.com/dukebluedevil/) located at Duke University.  According to the website, “The swim takes place in a part of Falls Lake that is off-limits to motor powered watercraft. Participants will complete one lap (1.2 miles), exit the water, run through a chute/gate, re-enter the water and complete the 1.2 mile course a second time. Upon exiting the water following the 2nd lap, participants will have a short run (approx. 50 yards) to the transition area.”
 
“Participants will exit the transition area and ride 2.5 miles to the park entrance. At the 9.5 mile mark, participants will begin the first of two 47.1 mile loops - then ride 8.3 miles back to the transition area.   NOTE: There will be an additional 1.2 miles inside Beaverdam Recreation Area on the "out" segment in order to get the required 112 miles (the difference between the 9.5 miles out to the loop and the 8.3 miles back).
The entire bike course takes place on rural roads within Wake, Franklin, Granville, and Vance counties. Road surfaces are good to excellent and vehicular traffic will be light on race day.

The topography can best be described as a mixture of flat, gently rolling, to moderately hilly terrain. There are no major hills on the course.  Aid stations will be located every 10 - 15 miles. All aid stations will have water bottles with water, water bottles with Gatorade (lemon-lime), Clif Bars, and Hammer Gel packets. Each aid station will also have a portable toilet.”
 
So how about that last little run leg?  “The run will be the most unique aspect of the Duke Blue Devil.  The run will begin at Beaverdam Recreation Area and finish on the beautiful Duke University campus - in front of the picturesque Duke Chapel. Many days and hours were spent scouting out potential routes from Beaverdam to Duke. In the end, we've come up with a route that covers the 26.2 miles on the most lightly traveled roads possible - making the run as safe as possible for participants - with the least amount of negative impact on residents and motorists.
 
The entire run course is on paved surfaces. There are no major hills, but participants will encounter a few gradual climbs. The final two miles take place on the Duke campus and are the most scenic part of the run.   The final half mile leading up to the Duke Chapel will provide participants with lasting memories. The 26.2-mile length of the run course will be marked with cones and volunteers will be stationed every 200 yards along the entire course. All run course volunteers will have flashlights for the benefit of those later finishers.”
 
Aid stations will be located every mile. Each aid station will have a portable toilet. Aid stations will contain the following items:  All stations will have water, Gatorade (lemon-lime), oranges, flat Coke, and cookies.  Every other aid station will also have Clif bars.  Selected aid stations will also have grapes, bananas, bagels, chicken broth, and pretzels.”
When I last peeked in at the list of registered athletes, there were under 200 people signed up.  That’s low-key – think about how much attention you’ll get at each aid station?  You can sign up now – if you had a rough IM this summer, or want to end your year with one heck of a long training day?  Go for it!
 
Want to be the toughest person on your block?  Want to pretend you’re Joe Bonness for once?  Finish the Duke Blue Devil, and then race the Skylands Sprint Triathlon (and Duathlon) 6 days later in Clinton, New Jersey. Sure, Joe usually backs up a sub-10 IM with another one, but we can skip that detail for now.  The race is still open (as of August 24th), so check out http://www.lin-mark.com to see if you can squeeze in.   The triathlon is a ½ mile swim, 14.1 mile bike, and then a 3.1 mile run.  Don’t want to bother with a swim?  Then substitute a 5k run to start your day, and that’s it.
 
With field sizes approaching 500 in past versions, this race uses a unique mass swim start. The course is made up of two rows of buoys about 50 yards apart a 1/4 mi into the reservoir.  The field is split in two, and each half swims outside their respective line of buoys to the turn.  You them come back to shore in between the rows.   Following a 100-yard run across the beach to the transition area, a fire truck crew will be there to wash the beach sand off your feet as you reach the pavement.
 
The bike course is very technical, with several 90-degree turns that rob momentum, and leave you looking up at a steep climb. There are two pretty serious hills, the first of which always has a number of people pushing their bikes; the second climb is just plain long and mean.  A final very fast downhill leads to the flat last two miles.  From people I’ve talked to about it, the New Jersey State police & local authorities do a VERY good job of traffic control.
 
For as hilly as the bike could be, the run is another flat, flat, flat 5K run.
 
September 15th in Huddleston, Virginia is perhaps the one race you just have to do for the post race food (and perhaps the name).  You can bet that the Outback Steakhouse Big Lick Triathlon at Smith Mountain Lake State Park (http://www.set-upinc.com/) will have perhaps the best post-race fare out there.  It’s also the Mid-Atlantic Region Collegiate Championship.  Big Lick is an Olympic Distance event, but to be honest, I have no idea about the course.  Everyone I e-mailed about this one just wrote back about blooming onions, shrimps, and steak sandwiches.  Whatever happened to rinsing your cottage cheese, people?  Keep it up – this is my kind of race!
 
As we round the corner for home on this month’s menu of aerobic feasting, we head back to the Delaware Shore one more time.  The Make a Wish Sea Colony Triathlon (http://www.tricolumbia.org) takes place about 8 miles down the road from the Dewey Beach Sprint on Saturday, September 21st.  This race is a bit shorter then Olympic Distance (1.5k swim, 36k bike, and a 10k run), but you won’t miss those extra 5k on the bike.   Following an out and back swim in the Atlantic (be mindful of the swells on your return), you’ll head North on US-1 (sound familiar?), and then turn around and come right back.  The run is another out and back affair through the Sea Colony resort (which is a hamlet within Bethany Beach).  Bring your sunscreen!  There is ZERO shade to be had here – none.
 
The entry fee of this one is steep, too – You are expected to fundraise $275 for the Make a Wish Foundation (as a minimum), but often people bring in more then $1000, and come back year after year to do it again.   Sometimes it’s not about the clock, the PR, or even making an athletic effort at all – this is the kind of effort you can’t measure, but you know is good as soon as you’ve done it.
 
Take care – next month brings the Fall Run Report from yours truly!  Considering I’ve never written one before, anyone have any ideas?
 
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.