FAMOUS - well at least for this report

SPECIAL REPORT: The Ultimate Endurance Test
Posted: Feb 02, 2012 2:31 PM EST
Updated: Feb 09, 2012 2:29 PM EST

By Sara Belsole - WLTZ News

COLUMBUS, GA - They swim. They bike. They run.

And they put all three of them together for the ultimate endurance test: the triathlon.

"Pain, exhaustion, fatigue, where's the next aid station," triathlete Brent Staley says.

Despite the tremendous physical challenge, triathlons seem to be the new drug of choice for fitness addicts here in Columbus.

"It's the fastest growing part of my business. Two years ago it was women's cycling and now it is triathletes," Ride on Bikes owner Jason McKenzie says.

"I had heard of triathlons before I started and never really thought about doing it, but once I got into it I don't know what it is, it just grabs you," triathlete Scott Burkhalter says.

Many triathletes say once you're hooked, it's time to alter your lifestyle in order to train--which some say can almost be like a second job.

"I wake up before the sun, I was in the gym this morning running on the treadmill," Staley says.

"I bike probably about 3-4 times a week, and swim at least twice a week and run twice a week," Burkhalter says.

Not to mention a totally new diet plan.

"I eat about 4,000 calories a day, lots of fruits, I try to get a lot of protein in to kind of rebuild especially after I work out," Staley says.

If you're looking to get involved in triathlons, Ride on Bikes right here on Broadway is where you need to come. It's the only full-service triathlon store in Columbus.

"We have over 300 bikes in stock, so when you walk in, we narrow it down for you. I try to get it down to three bikes for you to choose from," McKenzie says.

Ride on Bikes also has all the shoes, clothing, and other accessories any triathlete could ask for.

"I found out the hard way, it's not cheap by any means," Staley says.

But the triathletes say it's totally worth it.

They also say the increase in triathletes in the area has created a feeling of comradery.

"We travel together, we train together, we diet together, it's kind of like, I hate to say it, a cult, it's something everyone wants to do together," McKenzie says.

And those triathletes are passing the tradition on to their families.

"The most exciting moment I ever had in my triathlon career was last year when my 11-year-old daughter called me up and said she wanted to do one," Burkhalter says.

To celebrate the explosion of triathletes in Columbus, the city is hosting four this year.

And they won't only give those tri addicts another opportunity to compete, but it will also help boost the economy.

"It's becoming a part of our community and people are going to start traveling which is brining money to Columbus. The way triathletes work is they will travel anywhere to race so the more people we get to Columbus for the motels and businesses, the better it is," McKenzie says.


If you want to join the triathlon craze, log onto www.active.com for more information on races, gear, and events here in Columbus.

GSC #4 West Point, Ga.

West point is almost like a local race. It is only about 40 miles north of Columbus. This was good in that I was able to actually go up there 3 times and ride the course before the race. It is a very typical course, about 10 miles with it's share of up and down hills and fast flats.

I had a flat front tire the week before the race, so I decided to buy 2 new tires instead of just trying to fix the flat. I got the Kenda Blue Groove for the front and the Kenda Nevegal for the back. Both are a lot more aggressive than the tires I had on the bike.

The new tires turned out to be a very good thing as it rained hard the day before the race. The course was very slick in the corners and on the bridges. The start of the race a 250 yard flat sprint, then a 90 degree right hand turn up a 100 foot steep hill that was very muddy. So my plan was to hopefully get the hole shot and be the first to the hill. I didn't want to get stuck behind anyone and take a chance that they screw up on the hill. I would hate to have to walk the bike up it.


As the gun goes off, I sprint out to the lead. I was challenged by a new guy riding for the Cycle Youth team. Luckily I was able to hold him off right before we hit the hill. I motored right up the hill and sprinted back down and into the woods. They were not too far behind me tough. I also wanted to get to and over the first bridge in the lead.

As I get to the bridge I see a lot of people watching it. I am sure they wanted to see a crash. As I carefully cross the bridge and sprint up the hill and around the corner, I hear what sounds like a crash. I have no idea what happened and I never look back. I am hoping that whatever happened slowed them down.

As I am racing through the woods, I am able to eventually catch a glimpse back when I do a few switchbacks. I have a good lead on them! Maybe I can hold them off. I am in the hilly part of the course, which is good for me. I know that Curtis is back there and will giving it everything he has to catch me. I really don't like being in the lead as I have nothing to judge myself to. All he has to do is keep me in his sites and try to catch me.

Shortly after I reach the top of the hill section, I hear someone coming up behind me. I am about halfway through the course by then, but I know it probably is Curtis. Shortly there after he passes me. We are on a long slight down hill section so I try my best to keep up with him. I am able to do it for a while, but my legs are almost short so I have to back it off a little. Curtis is very strong and I will kill myself if I try to push it too hard.

Shortly, another guy passes me. I don't pay any attention to his race number and just let him go. He is on a single speed bike so I was thinking that he was in that category. Well I was totally wrong! It was Bob Saxon and he is now in 2nd place. Dang it!!! And I just let him go without a challenge. Oh well. I will not let that happen again. Learned the hard way.

So anyway, the race a good one but still pretty slick. I did manage to finish without any problems. But I did do a lot of sliding around in some corners. I ended up finishing 3rd. Still in 2nd place for the overall series.


Here are the RESULTS

SERC MTB Race #5 - Monte Sano St. Park Huntsville, Al.

Well this one will be a short story after a long haul!!! I drove all of the way over to Huntsville, Al. (5 hours) on Saturday with the intention of racing the SERC race on Sunday morning. I get to the park early Saturday morning for a pre-ride of the trail. After about 3 miles into the course I scrape against a rock and break my deraileur hanger!!! Shoot, dang it!!!

I have to walk it out the 3 miles. When I get back to the start line I start asking around for help. No one has a hanger that will match, but someone tells me to go to the local bike shop and see if they have one.

So off I go and find the bike shop. After about an hour of them looking around, nothing! They even call all of the other shops and they have nothing either. The closest shop that has one is in Birmingham, 2 hours away. Oh well.

So I just decide that it wasn't meant to be. I have to go break down my camp site, pack up the car and head back home. Another 5 hour drive. For some reason I feel as though this race wasn't meant to be and therefore I am not mad. Hmmmmmmm... And the part only cost $30.

GSC #3 Fort Yargo State Park, Winder, Ga.

This was the 3rd race of the GSC series and I am now standing in first place in my age group and cat, by only one point mind you. So I have to everything in my power to keep this lead, all be it might be hard to do. My bike is broke again and there wasn't a quick fix this time. So I am having to borrow a bike and luckily Al Pickens is letting me use his spare.

It is a full suspension bike but it weighs in around 30 pounds. It fits me fine and I able to pre-ride the course on it the Saturday before the race. I have no issues with the bike during the ride so I feel as though I am good to go.

For the pre-ride I met up with Al, John and Mike. We started on the trail not too long after the Xterra race awards was over with. The course was clear but the weather wasn't so much. The forecast had threatened rain and we knew it was on its way. About halfway through the ride the skies opened up and the bottom fell out. And it fell out hard, with lightening too! There was nothing that we could do but keep on riding. No where to hide. The rain didn't last too long and we actually finished in the dry.

Later on that night, after we all got cleaned up, we met in Athens for the Twilight Crit race. We first went to eat at the local Carabbas. The crit was exciting as always and we really enjoyed it. Until the rains returned, that is. Luckily I anticipated the rain and brought my umbrella with me. As did many other folks. It didn't slow down the racers though. They kept on going, and they were probably faster in the rain than I am on the dry pavement.

Fun was had by all, but i now had to go back to the park and attempt to sleep in the storm. The forecast had predicted severe thunderstorms which had me little concerned. But by the time I got back to the camp site, it had all but quit. I quickly changed clothes and went to bed. There were actually a couple other campers there too.

The morning comes bright and early on race day as Dave and Terri Berger crank it up around 7am for pre-registration. At least they are playing some good music over the loud speakers. I lay around for a while, then slowly decide to go ahead and get up. My race doesn't start til 9:30, so I am in no rush.

So the time has finally come a we are all staged at the starting line. I am hoping to get a great start and to be able to hold off the other guys. Not thinking about the "other" bike that I am riding. When the gun sounds, I can't seem to get the bike rolling. It just doesn't want to go. I am in about 4th place off of the line, but I am struggling. This is not a good sign, especially from the start of the race.

The course is 10.5 miles and I am having a hard time keeping pace. I have no idea why it is so difficult. About halfway through I crash twice in the back 40 and am really starting to get pissed off by now. The first half of the course seems to be a lot of up hill trail, but the second half seems to be a lot down hill trail, except for the very end where there is the bill hill climb.

I am now thinking that I can maybe catch up to the leaders some since I am on the easier section of the trail. I have no idea how far ahead they are of me, so at the next road crossing I ask the volunteer. He says that they are only about a minute ahead, so I really start to push it hard. I almost crash a few times on slippery roots, but I don't.

I never am able to catch the leaders and I end up finishing in 4th place. I am very disappointed in my performance. I seemed to be in a struggle the entire race. I never fell into a groove. But that's the way it goes sometimes. 4th place isn't bad, but it puts me back into 2nd place in the series by one point.


Click the link for race RESULTS

GSC #2 Flat Rock Park Columbus, Ga.

Since this is my home track I was somewhat wondering if I would actually have an advantage for the race. Being that I practice here at least 2 times a week, I feel that I should. The time trial on Saturday surely showed that I have the potential to make it happen (except for the crash at the end).

So the hour has finally arrived and I am feeling strong and confident. My race doesn't start til 11:30, so I am patiently waiting. As I am riding around warming up the legs, I notice groups of riders starting to line up near the start line. Hmmmmm I wondered. Are the races ready to start? By the time I got over there the first group was off and riding! WOW, I almost wasn't paying enough attention and almost missed my start! Doh!!! So we were the next group up by the time I got over and ready to go.

The whistle blew and we were off. I had told the guys that I didn't want to be leading the race right from the start, but wouldn't you know it, I am. But not for long as Robert Wommack got a little impatient and passed a few hundred yards into the race. So it is Robert, me, and Curtis and all of the rest heading off into the first section of woods. It is still a tight pack as we turn on the new berm and head towards the trench.

When we reach the top of trench hill we are hitting it pretty hard and fast. Robert is a little out of control on the dip and crashes right in front of me. Luckily he veers off of the trail and into the woods, so we just keep on going right past him. He is uninjured and continues racing, but is in the back of the pack.

So I am now leading again. I have to keep telling myself not to push it too hard and don't worry if you get passed. I am thinking ahead to what is coming up next on the trail. The chicane and then the rock garden. Neither of which are my favorites, but I have to do them non-the-less! I just hope that I don't crash.

As we come to the top of the hill I glance back
and see that there is now a 4 man breakaway from the group and Mike Nichols is in it with us. So we enter into the rock garden with much anticipation. As I make the first right hand switchback I get stopped on a rock with my front tire and fall over. Curtis passes me before I can get up. As I am getting back on my bike Mike pulls up and stops to let me in. I couldn't believe it. What a great guy and teammate!

As we come around the bottom of the rock garden
I am planning what to do for the climb up the rocks. I decide that I will get off of the bike and run it up the hill. So now I am back in 2nd place and I have lost some ground. I tell myself not to worry as we still have a lot of ground to cover. I eventually catch back up to Curtis as we are about to cross the road at the end of the lake. I stay right on his tail all the way through until we reach the exit of the first back woods section.

As we are approaching the exit we catch up to a slower rider from the group that started ahead of us. Now I am planning my strategy to pass Curtis. As we exit the woods I gun it and pass both guys before they knew what hit them and shoot back into the woods in the 2nd section. I know Curtis is going to be right there so I try to keep a fast pace going.

We are about halfway through the 2nd wooded section when we catch up to another slower rider from the group ahead of us. I ride is tail for a short bit and ask him to let me pass when he gets a chance. He does and I pass but Curtis doesn't get the chance to pass him too! YAY, I think. Now I can really put the pedal to the metal and try to pull away from him. I do this and never look back.

As I am exiting the woods and finishing the low area below the dam I catch up to David Jones. I tell him to look out for Curtis as he is coming up behind me. I don't know how much of lead I have, but hopefully he will get stuck behind David and have to slow down again to pass. David tells me that this is exactly what happened after the race is over.

So I am now flying through the top 2 sections on my way to the finish line. As I round some of the switchbacks I get a glimpse back and see Curtis is a pretty good way behind me now. I just have to finish the race uneventful and I will have the win! I feel that I am blistering the pace just like I did in the time trial. I come out of the last section and no one is behind me.

I cross the finish line in 1st place about 30 seconds ahead of Curtis! YAY My time was 50:29 which equates to 12.23 mph. This win also puts me in 1st place overall in the GSC points series (by only 1 point though). Mike Nichols came in 3rd place.


See complete results HERE

GSC #2 - Time Trial - Flat Rock Park Columbus, Ga. April 17, 2010

Well this was a much anticipated weekend to see if my 2nd place finish in Thomaston was legit. Curtis Tucker had finished 1st ahead of me by 3.5 minutes. That is a hard lump to swallow and I was out to prove that it was just a fluke.

A little recap of the week before the race to set the stage. Nicki Sutherland and I decided to head up to ride a few laps around the West Point Lake trail on Sunday April 11. It was only my 2nd time riding up there so I jumped at the opportunity to go. We got there around 10am and headed out for our first lap. We were about half way through the lap when I heard a POP from the rear of my bike while going over a dirt mound on the trail. The bike immediately wabbled so I knew this wasn't good. I immediately stopped and told Nicki that something broke. And I was right! The left side chain stay had broken right behind the weld. Can you spell SUCKS?

Well, since I knew this was just part of being a mountain biker, I had to suck it up and start walking. Since I had been up there recently with Blake Melton I knew my way out. I told Nicki to go ahead and ride and I would just meet her at the car. She insisted on staying with me, for a little while at least. LOL

So we had about 2 miles to walk it back to the car. It wasn't too bad as we found the nearest road pretty quick. It was also nice to have someone to talk to for the walk. So this ended our day there, and we headed back to Columbus. Once we got back to her house, we decided to get her other bike and she was going to let me ride her Santa Cruz. So we headed over to Flat Rock for a spin so I could check out her bike. She was going to let me borrow it for the race the next weekend. The ride was good except for the blister that I got from her grip shifters.

So Monday after work I bring my bike to Ride On Bikes downtown for them to look at. They said that they would call Trek and see how much the new part would cost and how long it would take them to get it in. Of course Trek was closed for the day, so the call had to wait til Tuesday.

Tuesday I call down there and they say that the part is in stock and was going to be around $300 installed. So I told them to get it shipped over night and I woul dpay the difference. They said ok and told me that it should be here by Friday and that I could pick up the bike after work.

Well low and behold I get a phone call on Thursday and it is Kyle at Ride On Bikes and my bike is READY!!! YAY So of course I run down there and get it so I can take it for a spin. I was supposed to meet Paul and some other people at Flat Rock around 6pm anyway.

So I get myself and the bike to Flat Rock right at 6pm and Paul and the gang are ready to go. So I tell to go ahead and I would try to catch up to them. I still had to swap pedals and get all of my gear on. After about 15 minutes or so I am ready to go. Everything on the bike is perfect and I have a great ride. I am so very stoked to have my bike for the race!!!

So back to the race. Saturday presented a beautiful day for a time trial. There were 74 people registered and the park looked packed with racers.
The time trial started at 5pm and went by race category with each racer blasting off in one minute increments. The course consisted of just the top 2 loops of the trail system which was around 3 miles. A time trial is just a blast as fast as you can go for one lap. There are series points on the line here too. 5 bonus points for the winner and so on down to 1 point for all of the rest. I had a feeling that Curtis was going to be here so I knew I had to do good.

I was 37th in line and was hoping for a smoothe ride with no crashes. When in race mode I then to put all fears aside and just go for it. I know that this can and probably will get in trouble one day, butit is what has to be done to get better.

So the clock ticks down and I am off. The entrance in to the woods is a hard left turn on the loose leaves and oine straw so I had to be careful not to slip down. I slid out a little bit but nothing was lost. It usually takes a half mile or so for me to get warmed up, so I actually take it a little easy on the first stretch parallel to the railroad tracks. After that I crank it up.

About halfway through the first loop I have no problems other than brushing a tree with my right shoulder. I was concerned that the ground would be too dry and slippery, but it wasn't too bad. I felt that my speed and handling was good and that I would really be able to turn it on in the 2nd section. Towards the exit of the first section I hit a root and get a little sideways and slid out to the left a little missing a large pine tree and then over correcting and rode off the trail on the right side. I don't think that I lost much time here but it sure was a little scary.

So I survived the first section and am heading out and on the 2nd section. Terry Witbeck is standing right at the exit and is trying to take a photo. So I yell yeehaw and put the pedal to the metal. I am flying and hoping that I don't make any mistakes, especially in the loose dirt and rocks. I hit the new berm and shoot off the end without loosing much speed. The hairpin turns slow me down a bit but the addrenaline is high. I fly down the revine and blast up the hill towards the finish line.

The approach to the finish line is a slight down hill and I know I am flying. So I decide that I'm NOT going to slow down and I am going to take the ditch full speed ahead. I have hit it pretty fast before, but not this fast. My plan fails misearably
and I crash big time right at the finish line in front on EVERYONE!!! I think I actually hit the up-hill side of the ditch and flew over my handlebars. The adrenaline was so high I didn't even care. Nothing was broke so I jumped up and tried to carry the bike to the top of the hill. I slipped and slid back down the hill, so I just threw the bike up and over it. LOL The whole time Dave Berger was yelling at me to not worry about it that my time was already stopped. And I didn't even hear him at all. I was just wanting to WIN.

So I did just that! I won my age group with the time of 13:32. See the resuls below and also check the full RESULTS HERE.

Wheels of Fire Charity Ride

This year for the first time in the history of the Wheels of Fire ride, they are offering a mountain bike course. It is a 15 mile trail on the property of Hal Avery in Harris county. The property is located off of Hwy 18 west of I-185. It is an 1100 acre farm that has woods, pasture land, several creeks and a lake. I have been wanting to do the course this year, so I asked around and found a couple local guys that agreed to do it with me. Yves Roskam and Tim Boucher. The start time didn't matter to the organizers so we decided to sleep in. The only rule was that we had to start before 11am. The day was nice and a little cool, but overall a perfect day for a ride. We met around 9:45, registered and headed over to the course. The course coordinator there said that there were 20 people ahead of us and that we would be the last people out on the course. So we head out and start our leisurely ride. The property was beautiful. .Gently rolling hills. The trail mostly followed the edges of the pastures and headed into the woods several times. We crossed 4 creeks and climbed a couple hills The ride took us 2:38 hours and we traveled 14.93 miles. I considered this a training ride but it was a little slow for my tastes. It was quite enjoyable though. Here is the official GPS recording.