By Anne Larsen
Mountain bike – check. Road bike – check. Seafaring vessel – check. Running shoes – check. The Olympia Traverse is right around the corner, and it’s promising to be another fun filled event that challenges solo athletes to test their limits and bonds teammates as they compete together.
This will be the 3rd year for the mulit-sport, adventure-packed Olympia Traverse!
Last year, while enjoying a well deserved adult beverage with teammates, I saw a solo athlete finish. He looked a little tuckered out, but seemed to be exuberant in the fact that he was DONE! I chuckled at his “Running Sucks” shirt. But, that’s what great about the Olympia Traverse, it’s an event where shaved leg cyclists hang out with weekend warriors and people just looking for fun. Sure, there are sponsored athletes competing, but you will also be cycling, paddling, or running with friendly neighborhood teams.
If you’re considering competing as a solo athlete or with a team, the following stories will encourage you to register.
Going Solo
Drew Phillips, wearer of the “Running Sucks” shirt, is a fine example that with a good attitude, a desire not to quit, and a sense of humor, the Olympia Traverse is achievable. Training and high tech equipment are optional and clearly unnecessary.
“The Traverse sounded fun but really tough. It sounded like something I’d have loved to do as a kid, but they didn’t have them, so I just tried it,” says Phillips.
Some people train for events and other just go at it knowing they’ll have to finish one way or another. “I had a really lazy attitude about it,” and so starts my conversation with Drew.
Phillips showed up at the mountain bike start with a 1988 Kline mountain bike, a helmet cam, and what looks like a gray sleeveless cotton shirt. His mountain bike skills were a bit rusty. “I’d been running a year and did a little biking. I’ve always biked so I figured I could do that. But I hadn’t been on my mountain bike in 10 years. The first mud puddle I hit I fell in because I couldn’t unclip,” describes Phillips.
“The people that were on the mountain bikes were like maniacs trying to hit the trail first. I was just pedaling along and there were maybe three or four people behind me but I knew that it was downhill and then you hit the bridge and go straight up. So I think that of the 4 people behind me, two of them passed me on the mountain bike stage,” comments Phillips.
At the mountain bike/road bike transition area the majority of competitors (or maybe every competitor but Drew) switches to a road bike and takes off. Phillips carried all of his gear and put road tires for his mountain bike at the exchange. “Yeah, it would have been easier with quick release because when I got to the exchange they were trying to take down the tents. I turned over my bike and start taking off my tires. At this point, the other two people that I had beat passed me because they just jumped onto road bikes.” This year he will be using a road bike, although he did stand by his decision to ride his mountain bike the whole time.
In certain events, race organizers recruit individuals to “sweep” the course. A sweeper’s job is to stay behind the last athlete and make sure that everyone safely gets from the start to the finish. Although they are vital volunteers, many of the athletes never know of their existence, unless you are injured or in last place.
At Waddell Creek Road, Phillips decided to eat lunch. “I didn’t know there were sweepers but this guy stops with me and asked if I was doing the Traverse. I said yeah and introduced myself,” describes Phillips. “I asked him what he was doing and he said that he was following the pack to make sure everything was going all right. He literally just road behind my tire. Every time I stopped, which I did a few times to get some water, food, or just to take a break -he stopped and we chatted.” If you are one of the people whose greatest fear is being in last place, fear not! You will probably make a good friend to a sweeper.
Phillips ends up passing the two bikers on French Loop Road and then did a fast transition into the kayak. But, unfortunately he went to the wrong mark which added some time, but he got to paddle with his friend, Bruce, who was serving as the sweeper for this leg of the race.
At this point, with nothing to lose, Drew decides to cool down with a little swim. I guess that’s the luxury competing to finish and not to win….you can take a little cool off swim in the Sound! “Crossing the finish line, I remember saying ‘I will never see any of you people again because I am never doing this again,'” recalls Phillips who then walked home. And, guess what… he’s signed up to compete again. This year, he has friends who want to beat him but experience is on his side. He’s training more and plans to carry more food and water.
“After the first 5 minutes I didn’t see anybody. I was all by myself. You still gotta finish. I am hard headed enough that I just didn’t ever hurt enough to quit.”
Going it together
Now if doing it solo is not your thing, round up some friends and compete as a double or team!
ThurstonTalk is sponsoring a stacked female team with some pretty heavy hitters. They are competitive even in registering, boasting the first team to register for this year’s Traverse! (If I would have known that was part of the competition, I would have been all over it!).
Team ThurstonTalk is comprised of four women who competed together for years on a US National Ultimate Frisbee team. Their list of competition titles and wins is extensive and intimidating. Clearly you run while playing Ultimate, but these teammates also mountain bike together and many commute via road bike.
Teammate Kati Jones and her husband Dan have enjoyed the team aspect of competing in the Bellingham Traverse. This year, Kati rallied her friends to create an Olympia Traverse team. “I’d like to hang out with them for the weekend, plus I think we’d be a pretty good team,” explains Kati. ThurstonTalk is also sponsoring a male team, with Kati’s husband Dan road biking, so there will certainly be some friendly family rivalry. So what inspires a busy mom with twins to sign up? ” It’s really, really fun to get together with your friends and be competitive and then go drink beers afterwards.” Exactly.
Just do it already!
Defending a perfect track record of winning the co-ed division the past two years (despite minor/major mishaps), is my very own Steamboat Island neighborhood team. From personal experience, I can tell you that the Olympia Traverse is just plain old fun.
Every year we convince more individuals and teams to compete. Our enthusiasm must be contagious. Each of our teammates marks their calendars for both the Olympia and Bellingham Traverse events every year. When you work as a team you compete for yourself, but you certainly push yourself harder knowing teammates are counting on you.
The Olympia Traverse is for every athlete, old or young, shaved legs or cotton tee-shirt, competitive or “stopping to eat lunch” – it doesn’t matter. The beer is still cold at the end and the later you finish, the better reception you receive.
Round up a team or equipment if you’re going solo. Check out the Olympia Traverse Facebook page for additional information or go to their website.
We’ll raise a glass together at the end!
Olympia Traverse
Saturday, July 14
Race begins at noon at Mima Falls Trailhead in Capitol State Forest
