| Overall Course Description | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bike Leg | Run Leg 1 | Swim Leg 1 | Run Leg 2 | Swim Leg 2 | Run Leg 3 | Swim Leg 3 | Run Leg 4 |
I took the above video from the SOS website. I really liked the video they had. It was well done.
My plan here is to explain what SOS is, how I heard about it, eligibility, training and logistics and then the actual race as seen from eyes... I will say that this race is awesome. It is well thought of, well cared for, scenic as hell and difficult. I truly enjoyed it tho I do have what I consider some legitimate concerns which I will list as I get to them.
So, at the top of this page, there are maps of the course as well as the official course description from the website. Let me give you a quickie version. SOS is really an eight stage race with cutoffs. They refer to it as a triathlon but it doesn't have 3 stages. It has 8. Also, it has a different format and some unique challenges along the way to make life "interesting".
A triathlon is (99% of the time) Swim - Bike - Run. I have done a Tri that didn't fit that format but usually that what it is. SOS is Bike-Run-Swim-Run-Swim-Run-Swim-Run. There are also some other issues to deal with. There is no transition area as you are constantly moving forward so complications arise...
| 1 | Bike | 30 Miles | 10 - Flat, 10 - Rolling with elevation gain, 5 - flat with elevation, 5 - climb 1,200 feet |
| 2 | Run | 4.5 Miles | 2.5 uphill followed by flat with hills. Contains Cardiac Hill. |
| 3 | Swim | 1.1 Miles | |
| 4 | Run | 5.5 Miles | 2.0 uphill followed by flat with hills. |
| 5 | Swim | 0.5 Miles | |
| 6 | Run | 8.0 Miles | 2.0 nasty downhill followed by flat with hills. Contains Godzilla Hill at end. |
| 7 | Swim | 0.5 Miles | |
| 8 | Run | 0.7 Miles | Up the mountain the whole time. Nasty switchbacks and 12 ugly uneven stone stairs.. |
| Totals | Bike: 30 Miles | Run: 18.7 Miles | Swim: 2.1 Miles |
Shoes: There are 4 possible solutions here...
I Chose the last option. I knew it would cost me time taking them off and putting them in the bag making sure that they won't get wet and then later taking them out and putting them on but I wanted an easy swim and dry feet.
Temperature of the 3 lakes: There are 3 options here...
I chose the last option and was hoping for the best.
I originally heard about this from Andre around 2004. First 30 miles on the bike was too much for me. Then I wasn't sure I would make the bike cutoff. Then I didn't have a person to pick up my bike. Fast forward to now... They changed it now that you don't need to bring a buddy to pickup the bike. Bikes would be transported for you to the start AND I got faster on the bike AND maybe?
I asked them if I could submit my double Ironman but they would not accept that. They told me that if I could do a double then I should go ahead and do a full. Well, I didn't want to do that. I don't want to be on the saddle for 112 miles anymore so I looked for a nice Half Ironman and found Watermans. I did that in 2023 and qualified. Now it was time to man up and register...
Hm... I didn't want to stay up till midnight to do this AND I definitly did not want to miss this... So, I tried the registration link (just for fun) and it worked!!! I got in. I even got a confirmation email. I was shocked. I texted Amer since he expressed interest and boom!!! He tells me that he registered. What?!? I still couldn't help myself and I actually emailed SOS to confirm that they are in. They confirmed it and told me that due to some mistake, a few people got in and that they did realize about the counter and that they took that down.
Regretting life choices now...
I went out for 27 miles and 31 miles but that's it. Basically just on the service road. The week before the race, Tuesday, I went on the service road and then went into the college for 2 loops. The next day, I spoke to Andre. I wanted to know the name or get a picture of the bag he used for his sneakers. He scared me about the bike... Friday, I went out with Donald and we hit Avery, Stillwell, Lawrence, Snake and Fish. He also took me a different route and we got more "no-name" hills. It was a good ride.
I found a bag for my shoes and ordered it. Amer got a hotel and I called them. They had a 2 day minimum and wanted over $700. What?!? I googled and found a much cheaper place with no minimums. Nice!
Took my bike in to Ed for a tune up. Wasn't going to ride at all, the week of the race.
Friday, tried the bag to see how best to tow my shoes. Thought it might be best to wear it like a bookbag in the water but it was NOT good. Towing it seemed best but had to play with it to see how far from me is best. Adjusted it and felt good about it.
Got daughter to cover my Saturday classes. Pieces slowly falling into place.
Saturday went for a 3ish mile run and pickleball with the wife and then home to shower and pack. It's getting real y'all...
Temps for weekend...
Saturday: In the 80s but bad bad rain.
Sunday: No rain (yay) but cold!
Amer packing his winter gear meant that I need to seriously think about stuff. Good news about not flying is that I can take as much stuff as I want and I did.
Saturday, after lunch, packed the car and drove. Got to the hotel about 2 minutes after Amer. Turns out Amer changed to my hotel when he heard I got a better price. He found it by himself but it was good that we were both there. He went down there with his parents. I went by myself. Checked in and got everything in the room. Went to packet pickup.
As I drove there, I saw the sign for Mohonk House. It was nostaligic. Saw a deer crossing sign and spied 3 deers. Oh boy. Got there in slight rain and the tent was hopping. Got my stuff and since the meeting is NO longer mandatory, quickly got out of dodge. It was way too busy for me. I couldn't take it. As I was leaving, Amer and his parents got there. I asked him to confirm that meeting is optional and asked him to stop by my room later to help me decide on clothes for the bike.
Went back to the room and ate and started organizing as best as I could...
Apparently it started coming down real hard. Anyway, Amer came over and helped me think about what to wear.
Clothes:
I knew I would look stupid. I also knew that I had a chance of staying somewhat warm.
Got bike sticker and helmet sticker on and that was it. Amer got a text from his parents to come outside. Apparently there was a huge rainbow. Actually it was a very intense double rainbow. Pretty cool and hopefully a good sign for what's to come. Who knows...
With that in mind, I went to sleep soon after.
Race day craziness. Checked in and got my timing chip and got body marked. Also found out that there are indoor plumbing facilities as well as port-a-potties. Used the indoor plumbing and started bringing stuff from the car. I brought my Bike-to-Run bag and my Skytop-Finishers bag and handed them in. Bike-to-Run had my sneakers, small towel for feet, running cap, swim cap and goggles. My Skytop-Finishers bag had sweatpants, underwear and a jacket. It gets cold up there and I intended to change. This race is different in that you ONLY get the swag if you finish so assuming I would finish, I would get a small carrying bag, survivor shirt, medal and survivor towel.
Next came the bike for inspection and the wait game started. Amer had the parental units nearby so that was nice for him. He didn't have to worry about certain things. I gave them my 2nd pair of sneakers last minute and I also decided to carry my car keys in the under the saddle bag. This way, we are not married to each other. Still, hopefully all will go ok.
At 6:50am, the announcer got very vocal about people finishing up in the port-a-potties to the extent that he started knocking on doors. He was funny and people were laughing. My nervous bladder and I refused to wait in line and simply went to the indoor plumbing where there was no line. (Pro tip right there...)
There are some cuttofs to be dealt with and will talk about them (very) shortly.
Bike - The first cutoff... You have 2:15 (2 hours and 15 minutes) to finish the bike. I was in the 4th wave based on my age which means I started 4 minutes after the first starters. I assumed I would get 2:15 but it seems like I got 2:15 minus the 4 minutes. That's not cool and that is my first complaint. Knowing this now, I should have just gone with an earlier wave. As is, the wave sign girls were so close on top of each other that I am sure others did exactly that. Whatever...
The rules in the FAQ were very specific that you may NOT draft on the bike nor may you work together with another athlete in the swim and run. I have never heard of that. That being said, I heard that people draft like crazy in the first 10 miles and that I should as well.
First wave went off. A minute later, the second wave went off etc. Amer only lost 2 minutes because of his young age, while I was penalized 4 minutes. Sucks. Some people in their 60s, were in wave 11 and lost 10 minutes...
I unashamedly drafted. I didn't even pretend. I did surge in front of the guy and let him draft too so wasn't a total bad guy. Truth is, is that it was hard not to draft. So many people...
The race email told us that there was a bridge under construction around mile 10 and we would need to get off the bikes and walk over. Andre told me that there are crazy downhills there and I should be careful anyway since the roads may be still a little too wet.
I was doing well for me. I was averaging 19MPH while my max was 32+ MPH. Around mile 10, I saw the slow down signs with volunteers letting us know to slow down. Donald gave me new wheels which Ed from Tulip Bike told me would be loud on braking and perhaps not great at breaking. All around me, I heard wheels protesting the slow down. It wasn't only me. Cool.
Walked across the bridge and continueed on.
So many cyclists... So many rollers... Some nasty short ups and some wonderful downs. I started talking to a dude named Bradford who was a big guy and I said to him that we big guys gotta maximize the down hills. He couldn't agree more as he passed me. I later leapfrogged him climbing the next and on and on we went until I completly lost him. Perhaps said better, he left me. Good for him! I'm about 20 miles in and now comes the somewhat flat with elevation section. I'm convinced that I'm the last person out there when a person comes flying behind me. This keeps happening.
And then... Here it is folks... The moment I've been dreading... Make a left turn and climb for 5 miles up the mountain. Yeah... I'd like to say it was easy but it wasn't. There were some ok parts to it to be perfectly honest but it got worse. Way worse. Saw Bradford from a far. He was off his bike. Shoot. Not a good thing but he got back on. Caught up to him and he said he thought he may have had a flat but he didn't. My back was hurting and I desperatly wanted to get off the bike but you just cannot. Must. Continue.
Started talking to these 2 ladies. It's not that bad they said. Gotta continue. You just gotta get to "Jane". I don't know what that means but apparently it's "only" a mile after that. There were some short but very steep downhills that I immediatly attacked to help me climb. We reached Jane. We should hear screaming and the finish of the bike soon. When the hell is "soon" gonna happen?!? Still going up... Suddenly I see tape and a funnel of sorts and there's the dismount line and I'm done???
Walked over the timing mat. What a relief. I made the bike cutoff. The 2 women kept telling me that they are pretty relaxed about all the cutoffs. Guess we will see. (Spoiler alert: They were NOT relaxed about the cutoffs but we will get to that. I made it and that's all that matters in the moment.)
Trying to let it sink in. I made the first cutoff. The hardest bike ride I have ever done. The first leg. I rode from the Ulster County Fairgrounds to the Awosting Parking Lot.
Very well organized here. I heard my number (#154) being screamed down the line. Besides the timing mat there was also manual record keeping. My number was yelled from one person to the other as I am wheeling my bicycle to I have no idea where. Finally a dude locked eyes with me as he waved to me yelling 154 154 154. I walked to him and parked my bike in my area. There was an up-turned bucket there to sit on and my bike-2-run bag was there. COOL!
Took a deep breath and started changing/stripping and getting ready to go.
I left there and started my first run (2nd leg). Ran into my 2 lady friends and we talked. I ran up the hill but also eventually started a run/walk thing. Off all the trail runs, this was to be the most technical stage. It wasn't super technical but of the 4, it was the most technical. They left me but that's ok. First 2.5 miles are up and then you got rollers. At the top of one of the hills, a spectator was there and we had a fun conversation.
HIM: I like your shorts... ME: Bathing suit so... HIM: Got it from Victoria's Secret obviously... ME: YES!
Cardiac hill did NOT disappoint. It sucked.
I should mention that at this point, all I was wearing was heavy/more padded Thorlo socks, sneakers, bathing suit, tri top, hat and my tow bag as a back pack. I was freezing. All the stored heat I had, left me as I took all the layers off. My reynaulds felt awesome with my hands. I was very worried about the swim as the first lake (AKA the longest lake) was also the coldest lake. It was in the 60s and as I said, I was worried. I voiced my concern out loud to someone (can't remember who it was right now) and they told me not to worry because as cold as the lake is, it's warmer than the air temperature. That gave me some relief...
He wished me luck and I left. I kept leap frogging with this older dude who had 2 almost face plants. I saw one of the almost and heard one while he was behind me. I also leap frogged with an older lady but she eventually passed me. We got to an aid station. We could see the lake behind them. It was huge and beautiful.
We could see a huge line of swimmers but I just couldn't see the start. Makes sense as this swim would be 1.1 miles but at the time, I didn't think about that. I just kept looking and not seeing the swim start.
This thing seemed endless. We kept going and going. Finally we saw the swim start. It was at the other side which meant we had to go around the lake. When the hell does this lake end??? Finally we circled around it and got to the swim start. Yay.
First run/second leg done... Awosting Parking Lot to Awosting completed. I started the transition to swim. Took a hot second... Got everything ready and my waist belt just did NOT fit. I actually said outloud, "What the hell??? Did I gain so much weight in 2 days???". Nah, wrong belt for the waist. Just took me a minute to figure that out but I was freaking out. Meanwhile more and more people came in and jumped in. Damn it...
I have a slight foot injury so walking barefoot on the trail and sharp stones really hurt but I finally got to the edge and sat down. Jumped in and the dude who told me that the water temperature was warmer than the air temperature was instantly regarded in my mind as the worst person ever to lie.
I swam out to the first buoy and made my right turn. As soon as I did that, the sun hit me from the right side and I immediatly warmed up. Maybe just maybe that person did not lie. I finally warmed up. Up ahead, I saw a swim pack and I changed gears. Time to start hunting. Aimed for the closest swimmer and passed them. Did this constantly.
Suddenly, a woman in front of me started screaming. I stopped and asked if she was ok. She said that she wasn't and that she's having an anxiety attack. I asked if she needed help and she said no. Meanwhile a kayaker did hear her and started our way. She didn't see me but I waved to the kayaker and as soon as he realized that I needed help badly, I pointed to her and he changed course to her. Later, I found out that she hung on until she relaxed. She then swam from kayaker to kayaker and that's how she did it.
Meanwhile, I was still chasing. Chasing and passing. Still, the swim seemed forever and I couldn't see the finish line. I finally asked one of the kayakers and he told me that it was just past the big white rock. Cool. I needed a visual target. Aimed for it and finally got there and got out of the water.
First Swim/Third leg is done... I swam across most of Lake Awosting.
I get out of the water and they are offering water or hot coffee. Lot of people go for the coffee since they are cold. I sit there and do my transition with the shoes thing. My new wiseguy friend is there and I recognize him and greet him like a lost long friend...
ME: Hey. It's my new friend... HIM: Hey. It's the guy with the Victoria Secrets pants. You did get them from Victoria's Secret, right? ME: Yup - 3rd floor, the clearance section.I laugh. He laughs. All around us people laugh. It's a good day.
Got a 5.5 mile run now. First 2 miles are up and the rest rollers. Course didn't disappoint. I stop to pee on the way. I apologize to the 2 women who pass by who tell me that they are always jealous of men for that reason. I, of course, tell them that there's a spot right near me but one tells me that if she squats right now then she ain't getting back up. Oh well for her... I run with one of them for a little but she drops me. That's ok. This is the most scenic part of the course. Really beautiful. I start working with a dude named Sean. We do well together. Lives in Islip, Long Island.
Another female athlete asked me if I am a swimmer. I told her that I do swim. She told me that I blew right by her as if she was just standing there in the water and she was just blown away by that. Cool...
Just like that Second Run/Fourth leg is done... I ran from Awosting to Minnewaska via Castle Point.
The second cutoff is confusing. The website, assuming I understood correctly, said that you have 5 hours and 30 minutes to finish the next swim. The video they put out instead of the mandatory meeting mentioned 5:15. I finally figured out that the video references the start of the swim while the website talks about the end of the swim. I think anyways. It's not clear and stressful. Nonetheless, I made it. Who cares now... Sean swims with his shoes on so he just goes. I need to transition. This water is very different than the other lake. The other lake, the wind was on our back. This time the wind is coming from the front and it's creating quite a bit of chop. On the other hand, there was a rope moored for us from start to finish so sighting was not needed. I just swam with my right shoulder constantly touching the rope. I passed a lot of people again...
Initially thinking about this race, I figured I would catch up to Amer either on the first run or the first swim. During the bike, realizing that he started 2 minutes in front of me and is faster and has a quicker transition, I realized that I might not see him until the finish. Here and now, I keep wondering how ahead of me is he...
Just like that, Second Swim/Fifth leg is done... I swam across Lake Minnewaska. I get out and people ask if I'm ok. I tell them I have a foot injury and they immediatly ask if I need medical. No no no. I'm good except for my stupid mouth. A woman finishes behind me and she says that she is hypothermic. Medical comes over and a blanket is around her and she is bear hugged by medical and a volunteer. Nice... I sit on a rock, apparently next to the timer which I didn't quite realize, and transition.
We are talking as I do my thing. I ask about the woman and apparantly 2 other ladies came out and needed a blanket and warm drink but were allowed to go. I don't know about her tho. As I transition, Sean leaves. I'm hoping that I catch him but I gotta do my thing. Someone asks the timer something. I missed the question but the answer was that they have 1 more minute and then they will start pulling people out of the race. What?!?
I leave. I have an 8 mile run to go but thankfully NO MORE CUTOFFS... The first 2 miles are this horrible downhill. Only reason I'm fast running it is to see if I can catch Sean. I would hate biking up this hill. Thank goodness we don't need to. I do see a cyclist do it tho...
I'm running... Chasing and not finding Sean. Oh well. Dude named David is behind me. I start talking to him. First thing I say to him is, "Thank God that downhill is done. Didn't think it was ever gonna end...".
We start working together and it's all good. I see a sign saying "say hi to *can't remember the names anymore* at the aid station" so of course I do as soon as we got to the 2 mile mark (aid station). We go onward. I see someone wearing an Empire tri-top but it's not Amer although he knows Amer. Almost at mile 4, Trapps Bridge, and I recognize Amer from afar. We meet him there and we leave together. We are at the section of the Gunks where people practice mountain climbing and whatnot. Amer can't continue with us. Tells us to leave.
A little while later, a volunteer on a bicycle comes along and I say hi to him. Conversation goes as follows...
ME: Hey! HIM: Hey. ME: How are you doing? HIM: Me? I'm fine. You guys are fine too. ME: HM? You checking up on us? HIM: No. You're good. You made the cutoff... ME: What cutoff?!? HIM: The one at Trapps Bridge ; the one at the 4 mile mark. ME: Excuse you?!?This is the 3rd annoying thing I have with this race. The website didn't mention a 3rd cutoff. The website mentioned that race officials can pull anyone off at any time. Apparently they added a 3rd cutoff and thank God that I was chasing Sean or I would have slowed down... We made it tho... They did pull 7 people out of the race on the other hand at that aid station.
I'm annoyed and freaked out and we continue to the 6 mile marker (aid station). Later I found out that we had a celebrity brush. The dude on the bicycle is the Mayor of New Paltz. The woman at the aid station had a LOT of energy but that was cool. We left and Godzilla was soon upon us. Just like cardiac hill, it didn't disappoint.
Just like that Third Run/Sixth Leg is done... I ran from Minnewaska to Mohonk.
Before I talk about the next swim, a couple of people to mention. Remember my friend who had an anxity attack on the swim? She was also one of the ladies from the bike... Anyway, we were leapfrogging with her during the 8 mile run and she of course transitioned faster than me and into the water. Her name by the way is Danielle. There was also a black guy who we leapfrogged. His name is Patrick. He also towed his shoes but his transition was faster. We will come back to these 2 later. David also transtions faster. It is what it is.
I get into the water and start chasing again. First come David's feet. Then I chase Patrick's bag. I still don't know his name at this point but I chase. I then chase after Danielle who I also don't know her name. I chase other people too. The climb out is the most difficult of the swims and with my foot injury, it really hurts but that's ok. I sit on the bench and transition. Amer's parents say hi. This swim was fine. No rope but if you look to the left, you see Mohonk House. Beautiful and full of memories of another time. The wind is from our right and whenever I take a breath, the water dropping from my right hand are thrown into my face. I actually stop to see whether it was raining because it was so bad.
Just like that, Third Swim/Seventh Leg is done... I swam across Lake Mohonk.
I get my shoes on and David comes out of the water. He really wants to give it his best for the last last run. Wonderful. The hardest run section. OK - Here we go. We take off. This is the only run leg that I actually know. Elizabeth and I went up it. It's harder than what I remember. Then again, I wasn't in this state. People coming down the mountain. People with medals and people who came to support. It's only 0.70 of a mile. Easy, right? Keeps going even though I know it's close. I'm leading David and me. We go. I ask a guy coming down how far it is. I know it's close but I cannot help myself. He tells me that we have a "couple of nasty switchbacks and the stairs and then we are there". Wonderful. I wonder outloud to David whether he meant a couple strictly as it's meant as in "2" or whether he meant it loosely as a "few". I counted at least 5 nasty switchbacks so there's my answer... Got to the stairs. I've done stair climbing races and these are NOT ideal stairs. These are more of rocks stacked on top of each to produce stairs of sorts with a banister. I grab onto the banister like I know to do in stair climbing races and a nail that was hammered in from the top and is currently sticking out of the bottom pokes me. Great. I don't care though. I finish the stairs and sprint to the end. Done... Yay.
Just like that the Fourth Run/Eight Leg is done... I ran from Lake Mohonk to the Survivor Line up at the Skytower.
Take a picture with Sean and David. Got my little SOS bookbag which has my survivor towel and shirt and get my medal. Where's my plaque??? No one got one... Sucks.
I change clothes and grab some hot soup. It feels wonderful. Amer finishes. He looks a little beat up. His parents arrive. We take a picture. He changes clothes and we slowly make our way down the mountain. I can run it. He is walking a little gingerly. There's a huge line for the shuttles back to the start. Two busses come and they don't even get everyone. We end up waiting about 15 minutes for a 20 minute ride. There we grab some food. My plan is to eat and take a nap in the car and then drive home. Amer's plan is to eat and work through the first beer.
I also talked, hugged and took a picture with Danielle. She thinks me her shining knight. I am me.
I finish, say my goodbyes and go collect my bike and stuff. Load the car and try to nap but unfortunatly I am both exhausted and wired up so I decide to leave. I'll stop along the way. I'm doing ok so far. Before the Taconic Parkway, I stop to get a hot chocolate at Dunkin Donuts to help stay awake. I manage to get all the way home without an incident.
I contacted SOS and the plaque will be coming...
I really did enjoy this race. This race is tough and brutal and those cutoffs suck but it is beautiful. I don't like to repeat races and I am glad that I don't have to repeat this race.
I would like to repeat my complaints here one more time.
A few days after SOS, I walk onto the pool deck at the YMCA and a black guy I know but cannot remember his name, who does Ironmans, right away asked me if I just did SOS. I'm shocked. I answer "yeah... But how did you know???". Turns out he knows Patrick (only now did I find his name out). He said his friend, Patrick, also finished and spoke to a guy who kept passing him in the water who works out at the Cross Island YMCA... Small world...
Bradford didn't make a cutoff. Not sure if it was number 2 or number 3. A dude inhis 60s was in wave 11 and lost 10 minutes because of it. He made the bike but missed cutoff number 2. They took his timing chip but he said screw this and continuued. He got a medal but then apologized for what he did. I assume he got a DNF. He was wrong to do what he did but the cutoff situation was a little funky in my opinion. I understand that these volys need to go home especially those freezing in the water but if they were just more clear about it... And potentially not punish the older folks...
