The NJ TriDevils are a TriTeam in the New Jersey shore area and are expanding our current roster of able-bodied athletes and trying to recruit paratriathletes to join the team. www.njtridevils.com. As part of our networking efforts, we were invited to join the Getting2Tri Foundation’s annual National Paratriathlon Training Camp.
The camp is an intensive 3-day event for all classes of physically challenged athletes. The camp is sanctioned by USA Triathlon and was held in Charlotte, NC and surrounding recreational areas from June 7- June 9. The camp's curriculum is designed for the beginner who is looking to start a training program or for experienced paratriathletes who wish to further their development. G2T also welcomes those interested in learning more about programs for athletes with disabilities and triathlon, including coaches, trainers, and volunteers. www.getting2tri.org.
Camp
After a 600-mile drive from NJ down to Charlotte, NC, I was warmly welcomed by Mike Lenhart and a bunch of the early arrivers. Nothing could have made me happier than pizza and beer, both of which were thrust into my hands before I could even park my car.
A busy day 1 included indoor swim training with amputee and wheelchair coaches Deanna and Dobe, respectively. Then we split into ambulatory and wheelchair groups. The wheelers went to handcycle class and the ambulatory folks went to bike fitting with Lee Childers, who is an awesome asset to the camp. Transition clinics followed. Dobe had some great advice, and I felt bad about asking so many questions for fear of hijacking the session and making it into one about how to be a handler. After that, the ambulatory did running workouts while the wheelers went to the track with their racing chairs. After a quick shower back at the hotel, we had a wonderful BBQ dinner hosted by the Junior League of Charlotte.
Day 2 started off at Lake Norman for an open water swim.
While most of the athletes and volunteers were heading straight out from the beach toward the yellow race buoy far off in the distance, my new friend John was a bit worried about his stamina, and wanted to stay closer to the shore. Since the only swim I know is slow and steady, that’s what we worked on. After a few hundred yards, he mastered regular breathing and learned not to go full sprint all the time. Slowing down his stroke got him all the way along the shoreline without stopping. Thanks to Thomas’ tips, we also worked on a recovery stroke for when you are out of breath: just roll onto your back, backstroke slowly, watch the clouds go by, and recover. After a few long practice laps, John declared that he wasn’t wrapping up the day without making it out to the yellow buoy. So off we went. Much to my surprise, fellow athletes Thomas, David, Mario and their handlers joined us for one more lap to cheer John on as he swam across the lake.
Every thrill seeker knows that asking forgiveness is better than asking permission. With this in mind, John swam off anther 100 yards to the giant inflatable water slide. As we got there and I looked back, there wasn’t a camper, coach or volunteer that wasn’t in our wake and headed toward the slide. It turned out to be a highlight of the day for everyone. Memorable quotes were “Sure, we have permission”…“I bounced like a skipped stone” … and “Quadriplegics gone wild.” Even if it’s on the schedule for future camps, it will be hard to recreate the electricity of this spontaneous half-hour.
After lunch and classes on bike and handcycle maintenance, the ambulatory group went back to the rec center for another run and mobility clinic hosted by the brutal Lindsey Justice while the wheelies worked on racing chair technique and speed. After the heat of the afternoon and the intensity of the workouts, the afternoon ice cream social was well deserved.
Triathlon
Sunday was a beautiful day for a race. Even though John felt he could do the race all on his own, his wife, Blondie, wanted a handler to be with him mostly to make herself more comfortable, so I volunteered. Since John wanted to finish the race without his crutches, and the transition area was a bit far from the pool, we decided to set up a mini transition area poolside where his leg, towel, shoes and stuff would be waiting. Dobe’s advice on what accommodations a race director would make for paratriathletes was really helpful. We then went to the official transition area to set up our bikes and helmet where we had our first race day glitch...John’s front tire was flat and the gun was going off in 5 minutes.
Not many PhDs, university professors, or ex pro cyclists would change a flat for someone else. Lee Childers is all three, and fixed up John’s bike with a smile while we got set-up poolside. Thanks Lee!
Swim
The pool was so warm that wetsuits weren’t legal, but John cut a dashing figure in his tri shorts and NYC Tri top. Never having worn lycra before, John was pleased at the Spanx-like effect. So was Blondie. Second race day glitch, I forgot to charge my Tri watch, so we couldn’t keep track of John’s time or spits. I'm so dumb. I've made this mistake more than once, but it's worse when someone else's time is on the line.
After a super fast first couple of laps, John realized that the loss of buoyancy and speed from the wetsuit made the pool swim harder than what we were doing yesterday. A little help from the recovery stroke settled him down. He finished strong and was the second swimmer out of the pool. Great job, John.
Out of the pool on his own, across the deck to T1a with my shoulder to lean on, then on with his leg. If I thought there was a lot of gear for triathletes, the extra stuff needed for paratri makes transition into a sport of its own.
Then off to the official T1 where we run into our third race day glitch…I had forgotten to set up my own transition area. No helmet. No bike shoes. And I had lent my bike seat to Mario. Uggh. Lee to the rescue again installing another seat in the nick of time. And thanks to Brad for cluing me in to the rules; failure to observe any USAT rule by either the racer or the handler would have DQ’d John. So while John got himself sorted out and Dr. Lee went back to mechanic duty, I sprinted to my car to retrieve my helmet.
Lesson learned. I can’t do a good job of being a handler for John if I’m spending my time taking care of my own problems. A rookie mistake cost us a long T1 time.
Bike
John’s first time on a bike since his accident was not even 24 hours ago, but off we went in his usual style – all out. A quick lesson on shifting got our speed on the downhills to nearly 25mph. There was a long incline back to the rec center that had us both huffing and puffing. Then we made “Richard’s Turn” only to find that the hill continued. Uggh again. Once at the top, it was around the rec center and out for a second loop. Knowing the course and the gears, John rode the bike hard and killed it on the second loop. It was great fun to see runners, bikers, handcyclists, and racing chairs all on the course at the same time.
Even though we were averaging 15-16mph, Mario, the Army Special Forces vet, blew past us like we were standing still. Must have been the seat.
Run
T2 was uneventful and super quick. Drop the bike and go. Not having a racing leg was a bit of a speed disadvantage for John, but we went off at a good pace and kept it steady the entire time. John, never at a loss for words, gave me a full lesson on prosthetic leg mechanics as we made our way out to the turnaround and back.
This is where the wheelchair racers came into their own, David and Jess whipping past us at light speed.
Around the last bend was the finish line, which was set up with jamming music, finish line banners, photographers, and a full cheering squad. With my rookie mistake, we don’t know John’s time, but one thing we do know is he set a Personal Record. And he inspired me and everyone else at the G2T camp with his performance, outlook, and smile. I have crossed lots of finish lines since I started my athletic endeavors, but this is one I will never forget.
Final Thoughts
Here are some of the big things I learned:
- Every athlete’s abilities are different, and so is their desire for assistance. As a handler, be sure to ask what they want you to do. It’s better to be direct and sure, than not know what to do. Thomas is fully capable of doing everything himself, but his race time is much better if he can save the energy of taking off the wetsuit by using his handlers. Other racers would rather do it themselves. It’s our job to ask and know.
- Be sure to take care of your own needs in advance. I was prepared to go in the pool with John, but didn’t need to. And I totally failed at prepping for the bike leg. My mistakes cost John time.
- Every athlete has a different outlook on talking about his or her disability. If you get to know them just a bit, you’ll figure it out. John was happy to jump right into the details about his accident and recovery, and was pretty funny telling us his stories. Other people weren’t too interested in talking about it, and let me know with response of just a few words. That’s totally cool, too. I learned not to be afraid to ask, though.
- It’s better to come out and volunteer than to sit home and wonder if you should have! This weekend was a wonderful experience for me, and I’ll never forget the training, the inspiration, and the new friends.
Over the weekend, John was interviewed by the Charlotte news and was quoted about his accident: “It can make you better or it can make you bitter.” I didn’t know John before the accident, so I can’t be sure if he is better, but one thing is plain for all to see, he is not bitter. And I am the better for getting to know him. Same goes for David, Thomas, Jess, Francesca, Eileen, Deanna, Dobe, Brad, and Mario. And for Mike Lenhart who is inspiring himself in organizing G2T and this camp.
Awesome report Dave! You and CAF are great. Bro Rob
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