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Race Result
| Racer: |
Dan Frost |
| Race: |
Rethymno Enduro Triathlon |
| Date: |
Sunday, July 2, 2006 |
| Location: |
Rethymno, Greece, -- |
| Race Type: |
Triathlon - Other |
| Age Group: |
Male 35 - 39 |
| Time: |
0:56:01 |
| Overall Place: |
2 / 18 |
| Comment: |
Triathlon in Greece - similar and different |
Race Report:
The post-race story can be found at:
http://www.3athlon.gr/show_news.asp?id=1397&parent=home&type=news
Pictures at:
http://www.3athlon.gr/show_gallery.asp?id=43&parent=home
...or try going to the www.3athlon.gr home page.
If you want to try to read it in English, a good on-line translator is the AltaVista BabelFish Translator (http://babelfish.altavista.com/)
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The Rethymno (Crete, Greece) Triathlon
300m Swim / 7km Bike / 2.5km Run...then do it again!
Sunday, July 2, 2006
Sunny - 80sF - Gentle NE breeze
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As you may know from your history, and from watching "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", everything was first invented in Greece. Well, certainly running was invented here. Swimming and cycling certainly came later. Putting all three together...well, that's probably an American creation, and that's a bit apparent as the sport here in Greece is in its early, growing stages.
Triathlon is very much a sport that Greeks don't know much about, generally because they have not been exposed to it. Last October, the very first triathlon on the island of Crete was held, and this event was the second. Although this year, there is a series of triathlons occurring throughout the country, each individual event is solely organized and embedded in the grass roots, with many of the organizers and participants being people who have been exposed to the sport outside of the country.
For a first-time event, the Rethymno Enduro Triathlon went very well. The organizer, a triathlete himself, managed to construct a first-rate event without the benefit of sponsorship or money. The race took place entirely within the Rethymno Marina pier, a large and long asphalt structure where the nightly ferry to Athens docks...and with the ferry not leaving until the evening, the entire pier was closed off for us. With a truckload of track hurdles, cones, buoys, wooden pallets, milk cartons, beach umbrellas, floating rope and Do-Not-Cross tape, we managed to construct a fast, technical, and spectator-friendly course on the pier. Starting from the bow of the ferry, one clockwise triangular circuit in the harbor was followed by seven bike laps around the pier and twice out-and-back running the length of the pier. To add additional challenge, this was an "Enduro" event where the entire course was navigated twice...Swim, Bike, Run, Swim, Bike, Run, Done.
There are a few other things to note about this race, as well as the other running events that I have done here so far. There is no entry fee. Race numbers are usually made of cloth, like the material for bedsheets. There is plenty of food at the end. All of the finishers get a certificate, and there are prizes for the top finishers. Everyone has fun. It is always sunny. The scenery is always spectacular.
Cheers, and best wishes to y'all on this Independence Day and for the remainder of your seasons.
- Frosty
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