GH3 Triathalon with Team Dogsmile
What do you do on your day off from your 24/7 job?
Well, you get up at 6 AM to win a triathlon, you bet!
The Grenada Hash House Harriers sponsored the first of three triathlon events leading up to Tri de Spice Triathlon in November. On Friday before, our instructors, Jon Totten, Jenni Hellpap and Mike Harrington hatched a plan to participate as a team. (RJ is in Mexico attending a wedding. NOT his own.)
The athletes had their choice of two divisions:
Super Sprint Triathlon Distances: 0.25mile (375m) Swim, 6.2 mile (10km) cycle ,1.5 mile (2.5km) run.
Sprint triathlon Distances: 0.5mile (750m) Swim, 12.4mile (20km) Cycle, 3.1mile (5km) Run
Which one did they choose?
The Sprint!
Jenni was a natural choice for the swimming leg, Mike is our runner, and Jon got to do the biking bit. Except Jon doesn’t own a bike, Ryan, Jenni’s husband, had a bike sitting in the corner of their apartment just collecting dust (and spiders!) The problem was, it was a mountain bike. Not really the best choice for a road race. That didn’t bother Jon, though. He made the best of it. Chris & Chrystal volunteered for the water station. Yep! We got a tough job!
It was cool in the morning but then the sun came out and it was a hot one! The swim was the first event. Jenni easily completed the .5 mile swim in the sparkling blue water of Grand Anse Beach. Next, Jon hopped on his Trek mountain bike and headed down the road. Jon was in competition mode as he spurned our effort to hand him a cold Stage. He managed to pass a few competitors on the hill climb but they blew past him going downhill. He was hit by a blast of wind turning the corner onto the Dusty Highway.
Yelling “Go, go, GO!” as he skidded into the dirt, Jon realized the brakes were broken. Mike took off in a flash of red, yellow and red. Meanwhile, Chris & Chrystal were perfecting their water hand-off routine at the water station. You see, if you hand the water to the runner with your left hand it’s more efficient. The runner grabs the cup with no resistance. Genius! Oh, and be sure to only fill the glass halfway as most of the water spills out during the grab.
Mike finished the race in two or three steps and he was greeted with, you guessed it, ice cold Stag by his team. Jenni & Ryan ran off to church while the rest of us went to the Umbrella’s Beach Bar to wait for the results. Umbrella’s sponsored the event and offered happy hour prices at 7:30 AM. The winners were announced and Team Dogsmile aka 55R (insert drum roll here) WON a first place in the Relay Division! Yeah!
We went to breakfast to celebrate then back to Umbrellas for more celebrating. Jenni & Ryan came back and we had a private ceremony to award Jenni her medal. The celebrating continued down the beach to Esters – the best mojitos in Grenada – then to Coconut Beach Bar for some dancing.
It was a really fun day and full of shenanigans. Just the way we like it here at LTD Sailing – “Living the Dream!”
Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to the volunteers!
ON ON!
Hmmm….do we need that front wheel?
*PS: There w
as only one team entered in the relay. 🙂
