Grand Marais Triathlon

After a one year hiatus, we returned to the Grand Marais Triathlon, this year with our friends Joan and Brian Suits and my brother and his family. We'd enjoyed this small, scenic triathlon on the shores of Lake Superior twice before, it always has a great mix of competitors - serious, casual, aspiring, and accomplished. We've watched the carbon bikes and aero helmets riding along side the fat tired beach cruisers and mountain bikes, we've cheered the families competing as teams and the families with infants in tow on all three legs - swim leg towing a raft with baby on board, ride leg with kiddie trailer, and run leg with baby jogger. The swim runs along the sandy shore of the harbor and can generally be walked if you're not too short. The ride follows the twisty, impeccably paved, tree shrouded route into the National Forest and back 14 miles, passing through the quaint town and along the shore of an inland lake. The run is flat and uninspiring from town along a residential road and back covering 3 miles.

This year our team was Ann swim, Jeff bike, and Brian run. Eric and Joan were going solo. Tatiana had to drop out when she wasn't feeling well. So Griffin missed out on the trailer/jogger experience and stayed back to watch with mom.

We stayed in our favorite motel in Grand Marais, the North Shore Lodge on Coast Guard Point. Not that the hotel is anything great, but the location is matchless. Located 2 miles from town between the harbor and Lake Superior next to the old Coast Guard station and backing on to 7 miles of sandy nearly uninhabited beach, it hardly matters as long as it has a roof, walls and a door. We recommend the motel section with external room access. The hotel section is not as nice. Eric and Tatiana had a hilarious problem that windy night with the suspended ceiling. With the windows open, the ceiling tiles would rise and drop 6 inches with each gust, as if the room were breathing. Anyway, it's much nicer to come out your door onto parking lot and dunes than into a dark hallway.

Some of us had supper at the West Bay Diner, a cute, classic stainless steel sheathed diner attached to a wood frame house now itself shiny metal. Fresh baked goods, funky eclectic decoration, pizza, sandwiches excellent breakfasts. A fun place to eat. Carbo loading for race day was never so much fun.

The night of our arrival the weather turned rainy and the wind arrived. For race day it looked cool (50's), cloudy, and very windy, with a chance of rain in the afternoon. Race time was 1:30 PM. The waves on the lake were building, crashing over the breakwater and rolling up the beach. It was glorious. Sunrise peaked between the clouds.

Continental breakfast at the Lodge restaurant, then a walk on the beach, some exploring in town, pick up of race packets, a light lunch, then it was race time. Brrrrrr. Those without wet suits (Eric) shivered as they walked the length of the beach to the start. I hear the water felt warmer than the air. But you can't just stay in. Then the run across the beach and up the long stairs to the transition zone. After Ann's tag, I headed off towards the forest on my bike, passing all manner of mountain and comfort bikes, and being passed by numerous aero bike racers on their carbon fiber steeds. I even got to help one who had passed me earlier, disk wheel humming, put his chain back on at the turn. Coming from mountain biking and being on a standard road bike, I could hold my own on the climbs, but just didn't have the pace on flats or glide on downhills. I think I held a little too much in reserve, and had quite a sprint for the last mile. I should have used up more over the rest of the race. Still, I did ok and moved us up some in the standings. Then Brian took it home on the run, and did a great job holding our place - 3rd among coed teams. Eric arrived at the transition soon after I did, and I joined him for the run. We had a nice run together to the finish. By then it was starting to rain, so we skipped the awards, and headed to dinner at the Lake Superior Brewing Company. Some great beer, nice burgers, and the company of friends and family.

The next morning Joan and Brian headed back, and we took a hike with Eric, Tatiana, and Griffin to Sable Falls and dunes, just outside Grand Marais. A short hike good for Griffin to the dunes, the beach to collect stones, and along the falls and stream. Then ready for a nap in the car and a trip home - at least for Griffin. The rest of us had to drive.