The rain started to come down and the sirens were audible in the distance, I think that I am one of the few who heard them – and understood what they were. Blake, Zach and some twenty + others were already on the run course but the mass of people were on the bike course. Folks were rolling into transition as I see some of our banners fly across the park. I head out onto the run course as I hear that our volunteers are running for cover, I need to be sure that aid stations are up. Jordan Heimer an ST lurker was also on the course doing the same – without Jordan Heimer, Rockman would have had a “Worst race ever” thread or two. I got to the third aid station (Jordan was checking 1 and 2), lightning had struck not 100yds from the “Ha Ha” hill and I got there in time to see the local swim team running for cover in their cars. I plead with them to just drive their cars up the path and sit in their cars till they saw people – lucky for me Aaron Palmer who also raced on a team and was one of the top folks out of the water was at the aid station. Aaron is also the coach for the YMCA Stingrays swim team and a tri guy…he held down the fort and was sure that everyone stayed on track standing in the rain for hours.
Leaning into the wind I was waiting on a car to pass as the middle of the run aid station blew over and down the road. More panic. I knew there were folks on the bike course…I went to the mile 7 aid station and moved it to a corner, it would now be more than 2 miles between aid stations, but – the folks at the corner for a turn had left. I was now going to use an aid station to also be a directional station, even if there was more than two miles now (it was about a half mile move). Once I got them moved I noticed that the aid station trash can was not there…it blew away as it was just a cardboard box with a bag in it.
Once I had the corner set I called “Ha Ha” and heard that Blake had passed and was in the campground. Driving on a dirt path (sorry Rock Cut officials) I made it to the turn and they were set, I left before Blake got there and went to the start area to try to regroup. Driving in I was yelling out the window that we needed help and that if anyone could help to meet me at the tent. Many people dropped their day (spectators) and were willing to go out on the run course and man an aid station. Amy Linnabary who was in charge of our help did a hell of a job getting people where we needed them – back to the course I went. I got to the last out and back and found that there was no one directing people to turn right at a T in the path and begged two younger girls to walk about ¾ mile to the turn. The course had been marked in spray chalk that was now gone. My biggest fear was folks going off course…my worst nightmare. I knew that a few had gone off course on the bike – three was the rumor at that time.
Oh….Back track!!! So I was in the BMW flying south on Free Church Rd. Everyone was riding clean and it was a good race. I got to the end of the road and saw the cop car…cop sitting in it not controlling traffic. I rolled up and through the intersection where she just laid into me about rolling it…I told her I was RD and that there were bikes coming…she did not care and told me that I need to obey the law. Pulling away I called her Sergeant and asked him to get her out of the car…as a tri guy himself he did so. I hear that as soon as she got out the rain started where she was.
To stay on the “Back Track”…on the bike course I was at Capron Rd (where I changed a flat tire) and Coon Trail. Our volunteer for that corner was not there so I knocked on a door at the corner. The homeowner who I had met last year jumped into action! He got out road cones, saw horses and his kids…they took over the corner for me. I owe them some tee shirts.
Back to the park, I get a call…the tent is blowing away. The timers clock is broken and there are bike racks falling. I get another call that there is no one at a turn on the run and the leaders are not far off. I rush to the turn and park the BMW in the road. Park staff asks me to move the car and I put it onto the running path. Sitting in the car I feel the passenger side lower, I am crushing the path..I move the car back to the road just in time to tell Blake to turn right. I instruct him and all the others to turn left at the T and I did not know if there was anyone there or not.
I get relief from a new aid station that we setup at the corner. This was not a planned aid station, but we are putting people where we need them – then the phone rings.
I am on the phone on a con call with Loves Park Police, Boone County Police, Dept of Natural Resources Police, and NOAA officials…I was asked how do we stop this? I didn’t know. Terror swept over me and I felt warm suddenly – a far cry from the wet shivers I had though the heat was blasting and the seat heaters were on. Loves Park was at the mercy of the word of the woman from NOAA. There was talk about not letting folks head out onto the run course from the bike…but there were already over 200 people on the run course. The woman at NOAA said “this thing is alive, the race is alive. It was born at 7am and it has a life of its own”. She was right, the race had a life of its own. I was told that at the park the worst was over, and that the worst weather was now either north, or 30 miles south of the park – but heading east. The police call in extra folks from Roscoe, Rockton, Winnebago County, Belvidere and the State Police to check the course and look for any accidents or crashes.
I get a call from transition…there are people trying to keep the 40’ tent from blowing away…it is walking terror at the tent. The 52 foot truck has actually moved about 3 feet from the wind. But, I was out on the run course (and what could I do about the tent?). I get to transition area and make my way into the tent, soaked to the bone. It is something out of TV…there are men holding tent posts the one side of the tent whipping in and letting in the rain. Everyone was silent and looking up at the top of the tent. Timing mats took off…the timing company lost three boards of ChampionChips to the wind.
I went in the pouring rain to the bike area, there were many racks that had blown over with bikes on them. I and a helper who I don’t know got the racks back upright and put the bikes back on them. The fencing was blown out, banners were all gone. I saw my bike in a pile of a rack that had blown down…I was glad that the guy I let borrow it had made it to the run course.
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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?
Leaning into the wind I was waiting on a car to pass as the middle of the run aid station blew over and down the road. More panic. I knew there were folks on the bike course…I went to the mile 7 aid station and moved it to a corner, it would now be more than 2 miles between aid stations, but – the folks at the corner for a turn had left. I was now going to use an aid station to also be a directional station, even if there was more than two miles now (it was about a half mile move). Once I got them moved I noticed that the aid station trash can was not there…it blew away as it was just a cardboard box with a bag in it.
Once I had the corner set I called “Ha Ha” and heard that Blake had passed and was in the campground. Driving on a dirt path (sorry Rock Cut officials) I made it to the turn and they were set, I left before Blake got there and went to the start area to try to regroup. Driving in I was yelling out the window that we needed help and that if anyone could help to meet me at the tent. Many people dropped their day (spectators) and were willing to go out on the run course and man an aid station. Amy Linnabary who was in charge of our help did a hell of a job getting people where we needed them – back to the course I went. I got to the last out and back and found that there was no one directing people to turn right at a T in the path and begged two younger girls to walk about ¾ mile to the turn. The course had been marked in spray chalk that was now gone. My biggest fear was folks going off course…my worst nightmare. I knew that a few had gone off course on the bike – three was the rumor at that time.
Oh….Back track!!! So I was in the BMW flying south on Free Church Rd. Everyone was riding clean and it was a good race. I got to the end of the road and saw the cop car…cop sitting in it not controlling traffic. I rolled up and through the intersection where she just laid into me about rolling it…I told her I was RD and that there were bikes coming…she did not care and told me that I need to obey the law. Pulling away I called her Sergeant and asked him to get her out of the car…as a tri guy himself he did so. I hear that as soon as she got out the rain started where she was.
To stay on the “Back Track”…on the bike course I was at Capron Rd (where I changed a flat tire) and Coon Trail. Our volunteer for that corner was not there so I knocked on a door at the corner. The homeowner who I had met last year jumped into action! He got out road cones, saw horses and his kids…they took over the corner for me. I owe them some tee shirts.
Back to the park, I get a call…the tent is blowing away. The timers clock is broken and there are bike racks falling. I get another call that there is no one at a turn on the run and the leaders are not far off. I rush to the turn and park the BMW in the road. Park staff asks me to move the car and I put it onto the running path. Sitting in the car I feel the passenger side lower, I am crushing the path..I move the car back to the road just in time to tell Blake to turn right. I instruct him and all the others to turn left at the T and I did not know if there was anyone there or not.
I get relief from a new aid station that we setup at the corner. This was not a planned aid station, but we are putting people where we need them – then the phone rings.
I am on the phone on a con call with Loves Park Police, Boone County Police, Dept of Natural Resources Police, and NOAA officials…I was asked how do we stop this? I didn’t know. Terror swept over me and I felt warm suddenly – a far cry from the wet shivers I had though the heat was blasting and the seat heaters were on. Loves Park was at the mercy of the word of the woman from NOAA. There was talk about not letting folks head out onto the run course from the bike…but there were already over 200 people on the run course. The woman at NOAA said “this thing is alive, the race is alive. It was born at 7am and it has a life of its own”. She was right, the race had a life of its own. I was told that at the park the worst was over, and that the worst weather was now either north, or 30 miles south of the park – but heading east. The police call in extra folks from Roscoe, Rockton, Winnebago County, Belvidere and the State Police to check the course and look for any accidents or crashes.
I get a call from transition…there are people trying to keep the 40’ tent from blowing away…it is walking terror at the tent. The 52 foot truck has actually moved about 3 feet from the wind. But, I was out on the run course (and what could I do about the tent?). I get to transition area and make my way into the tent, soaked to the bone. It is something out of TV…there are men holding tent posts the one side of the tent whipping in and letting in the rain. Everyone was silent and looking up at the top of the tent. Timing mats took off…the timing company lost three boards of ChampionChips to the wind.
I went in the pouring rain to the bike area, there were many racks that had blown over with bikes on them. I and a helper who I don’t know got the racks back upright and put the bikes back on them. The fencing was blown out, banners were all gone. I saw my bike in a pile of a rack that had blown down…I was glad that the guy I let borrow it had made it to the run course.
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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?
Last edited by:
Record10Carbon: Jun 13, 08 3:19