2009 Heart O' Dixie Triathlon
25 July 2009

Click here to view the photos from the race

I wrote 90% of this report and then lost it ALL to my computer randomly rebooting!   Guess I'll save and save often this time around.

The Heart O' Dixie is still one of my favorite triathlons and the 2009 event didn't disappoint.   I guess what I like about this race is the hometown feel and the uniqueness of the course.   This is the only point to point to point race that I've done and I'm not sure that many exist due to the logistical complications.   The swim starts at a resort in Louisville, MS, a resort that very much reminds me of the vacation destination in the movie "Dirty Dancing".   After leaving T1 on the bike you ride 30 miles to T2 which is on the outskirts of Philadelphia, MS.   From T2 you run to the Neshoba Country Fair, make a lap around the horse track to the finish line.  It's well supported by the local communities and the course is very challenging to boot as you have to conquer plenty of hills on the bike and the run.

This report just wouldn't be complete without the night before adventures at the carbo-loading midnight picnic and the Louisville Motel experience.  Kelli was accompanying me to Heart O' Dixie on her second experience with triathlon.  She prepared an amazing picnic basket filled with pasta (just the way I like it), veggies and a salad.  She even found some Hawaiian bottled water.   She knows all about my dreams of Kona so sipping on some island water was a nice touch.  We stopped at a campground for our picnic that was just off the highway between Jackson and Louisville.   The dinner was most excellent and we were even offered a 'few  lil' ole catfish' by some locals that looked to be spotlighting or noodling in the little river that skirted the campground.  It sure was great to have her there to share the experience.   She's a great photographer, spectator, cheerleader and was even so kind as to help carry all my nasty, sweaty gear after the race on our long trek from the finish line back to my truck.   Thanks Kelli, you rock!

So what would Heart O' Dixie be without a little overnight lodging at the Louisville Motel.   Staying at the Louisville Motel is like literally stepping back into 1954...   Well, stepping back into 1954 with the smell of curry and Indian spices filling the air.   From the dark wood paneling to the mismatched furniture that looks like it was collected from garage sales throughout the last 5 decades.   It's unique, it's awesome, it's the LOUISVILLE MOTEL!  Surprisingly the bed was quite comfy but as usual my anticipation of the race made me restless and I didn't sleep much.  My coach, Will Jones of 4th Dimension Fitness, had me well rested and tapered for Heart O' Dixie so I felt good... and prepared.   Memories of last year's race flashed through my head as I envisioned what I could to do improve over last years time.   I was surely in store for a PR on the H.O.D. course this year right?

Sunrise turned the hazy, purple sky to a dark blue and revealed the cloudless, beautiful day that was in store for the triathletes that would be participating in the 30th annual Heart O' Dixie tri.   Time always seems to fly by on race morning and even though we arrived 1.5 hours before the first person was scheduled to hit the water it only seemed like 15 minutes.   I picked up my packet, prepared my T2 bag with my shoes, race belt and hat, setup my T1 area and prepared myself for the swim start.   I was chatting with Kelli and Mandi not realizing that it was already 6:40 and the race had begun 10 minutes ago.   The swim was starting in a different location from last year so I rushed to the start with only a couple minutes to spare.

The timer motioned me forward to the timing mat as my number was next to get in the water for the time trial swim start.   He gave me the thumbs up, said GO and I ran down the carpeted ramp into the water.   A couple dolphin dives and I was in deep enough water to start my crawl for the half mile swim.   My heart rate was a little elevated before I got in the water but that was mainly due to the excitement.   I was extremely calm for the entire swim and exited the water in just over 16 minutes.   I improved over my time from last year by over 6 minutes!  I would have had an even better time had I not gone off course a couple of times.

T1 wasn't very organized and the area that I was in was quite crowded.  There was literally only 6" between my bikes front tire and the row behind me.   Thankfully most of the participants to my left and right were still in the water.  Imagine that, I actually beat some people out of the drink!   I jostled for position as I slipped on my race jersey and bike shoes.   I hoisted my bike over my head and carried it to the mount line.   The sun was in my face as I clipped in and started along the 30 mile course.

So, the plan was to stay at 140 bpm heart rate on the bike.   I heard Will in my head telling me to stay on target, stick to the plan and keep my heart rate down so I'd have something left for the run.   My competitive side got the best of me and I hammered the bike keeping my heart rate at 145 - 150 most of the time.  My Achilles Heel of sorts I guess in that I didn't follow my coaches instructions and I later paid for it on the run because I didn't have anything left.  I passed people left and right, powered up the hills and flew down the backsides.   The thing is, nobody really gives a damn about the fastest bike split in a race.   Successful triathletes temper their actions to spread their energy out over all the events.   I didn't do that today but I made a vow to myself and to my coach that I will concentrate on sticking to my race plan at the Redman Half-Ironman in September and the Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 November.  I want to be successful.  I still race to beat the course but I now want to beat the course efficiently.  :)   So, after hammering the bike I averaged 22mph and got to T2 close to empty. 

I racked my bike, put on my running shoes, race belt and hat and shuffled out of transition.  I dumped a couple cups of ice water over my head but my legs were tired and I knew I would struggle up the hills on the long 7 mile journey to the finish line at the Neshoba County Fair.  

Triathlon is a solo sport and as such I usually train and race alone.  I rarely talk to anyone other than saying thank you to volunteers and police officers along the course.   No more than 10 feet out of transition, imagine my surprise when a female triathlete in a pink trisuit shuffles up beside me and starts chatting me up.    Dr. Tricia Aultman, a physician from Gulfport,  and I would end up pushing and pacing each other while talking for the entire 7 miles.   Just when I got the urge to walk she'd motivate me to pick up the pace and when she wanted to walk...   well...   I don't think she ever wanted to walk. :)   Either way it was fun doing the run with you doc and I'm glad to have met you.   Chatting with you made the entire run fly by!  

Entering the fairgrounds at mile 5.5 was a welcome sight.   The last bit of the run course goes through the little shacks that make up the majority of the Neshoba Country Fair.  These brightly colored little houses are all crammed together into little communities that are strewn with Christmas tree lights, crazy signs, statues and figurines.   It reminds me of old rickety western towns that were put up in a few days.   I understand that it's a status symbol to own the houses and have a place to chill during the fair.   Either way they looked like fun and the spectators that were outside cheering the participants on gave me the little push I needed to make it to the horse track.

One lap around the horse track and the race was complete.   As I made my way around the track I saw Kelli cheering for me.

"Why are you running so slow?  Speed it up!" Kelli yelled.

I think I half-ass smiled and grunted something as I ran past.  Glancing down at my watch I was a bit disappointed that I was going to be very close to my time from last year.   Even though I made up over 6 minutes on the swim I lost it on the run because of my hard headedness on the bike.

I crossed the finish line a whopping 40 seconds faster than last year.   So much for improving 20 minutes to break 2.5 hours.   Truth be told, deep down it didn't really matter.   I beat a difficult course now, TWICE and had a blast doing so.   Racing is racing.   I'm gonna buckle down and stick to my race plan at Redman Half-Ironman and definitely at the Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3.   I think at those races when I feel the urge to go faster I'll just slow down a tad and monitor my heart rate a bit closer.   I wanna do well.  I wanna make everyone proud of me as I run the race I know I can run!  

I would say the report ends there but there was a bit more to it that really didn't have anything to do with MY race but rather with someone else's race.   Since Heart O' Dixie is a point to point to point race you had to leave your bike at T2 which was 7 miles away from the finish line.  They had security at the area but I still didn't feel comfortable leaving my bike there while we played around at the fair so I decided to go get it and then go back to the fair.  On the way out we saw the person who was certainly the last athlete, still 6 miles out, making his way to the finish line.   We got to T2, picked up my bike and made our way back to the fair, passing the last athlete only a few hundred yards from where we last saw him.   He was an older gentleman, a few pounds overweight and he was clearly struggling.  I reflected on my last place finish at Tri-America last year and remembered how humbling it was to cross under the finish line as the last participant.  

This guy was out there and he was giving it his best shot to make it to the finish line.   I think we rolled down the window to give him a shout of encouragement as we made our way back to the fair.  

We walked around the fair for 30 minutes or so sipping on some fruity beverages.   I wanted to get a funnel cake but I'm sure that would have put me over the top and had me on the ground writhing in pain, running to the bathroom or even worse, passed out from the sugar overload.  It was past 11AM now and the heat was in the upper 80s to low 90s and the humidity was thick.   I had all but forgot about that lone athlete, surely battling the hills, that was still on the course...

As we drove back to the highway I saw a person in the distance still walking down the backside of one of the challenging hills that Heart O' Dixie's run course has to offer.   He was wavering back and forth and looked to be in a bind.   I looked at Kelli and she seemed to be thinking the same thing I was.

"I'm gonna stop to offer the guy some water or Gatorade," I said.

Of course she agreed.   I pulled over, rolled down my window and asked the gentleman if he wanted some cold water or Gatorade.   He nodded as he dodged traffic and made his way across the road clearly dragging his feet as he did so.  

I put down my tailgate, opened up my ice chest and pulled out some water and Gatorade and offered it to him.  He immediately plopped down on my tailgate telling me that he just needed to sit down for awhile.  He was mumbling and I could tell he was in trouble.   Kelli, a registered nurse, grabbed his arm to check his pulse.

"I'm a nurse," Kelli told the man as she checked his pulse.

"I'm a physician," the man responded.

He proceeded to tell us that he was having difficulty on the hills and didn't know if he could finish the race.   We were within a half mile of the entrance to the fair and around 1.25 miles to the finish line.   He stood up, walked a few steps and went to lay down in the grass.  I dunno exactly what he said but it was some condition called Visi Vigo or something that Kelli later explained to me was pre-shock.   He wasn't making sense at this point so we just stood by as he tried to drink some water and get his wits about him.  

Heh, I know at one point I tried to give him a fresh bottle and make my way back to my truck but Kelli glared at me telling me under her breath, "CHAD!  We CAN'T leave him here!"

I, of course, agreed with her.   We continued to talk to him and provide him with fluids.   Slowly but surely he seemed to come back to reality.

After around 15 minutes he sat up and told us that he felt much better but was still doubting his ability to finish the race.   I did my best to motivate him telling him about my mis-adventures and my humbling experience at Tri-America.   The point I tried to make is that:

"Nobody will really care if you quit...  But you, my friend, YOU will remember forever!  Get up, finish that race.  You are so close!"

Eventually I saw his attitude take a change for the better and he got back out on the course.  We followed behind him with the flashers on my truck causing a huge traffic jam in the process as people were trying to get to the fair.   I seemed to be able to read their minds... 

"Who the hell is this guy walking down the middle of the road.   Damn him!  I want my funnel cake and fruity drink!"

We gave a final wave and a few words of encouragement as we reached the entrance of the fair and he made his way to the finish...   He did finish by the way...   He finished last but HE FINISHED and that is what really matters.   He was surely battling his mind and his desire to quit, but he overcame!   He climbed that mountain!  

Great job Dr. Rampulla!   It's not about who finishes first.  It's about beating the course and it's what makes me so passionate about this sport.   By overcoming the adversity and fighting back the dominating urge to quit.  Individuals like you keep me swimming, keep me biking and keep me running!  You, my friend are a HERO!

Did Not Start > Did Not Finish > Finished Last > Finished First

Thanks for reading.  I hope you enjoyed reading my report of the Heart O' Dixie Triathlon as much as I enjoyed writing (and living) it. 

 

 

Best of luck on YOUR life journey!!!!
May you reach all your goals and achieve all your dreams!

Copyright 2008, Chad Soileau   All Rights Reserved

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