This past Sunday I and about 1,000 other people participated in the 32nd (yes, I said 32nd) annual Music City Triathlon. This triathlon is the second oldest triathlon in the United States. The location of the race has moved a couple of times and other things have changed but one thing about this race remains constant, it’s one hot race. This year the race started on the banks of the Cumberland River with the Nashville city skyline in the background. It’s a pretty cool venue if you ask me. The temp at the beginning of the race (around 8:00) was already in the low to mid 80′s. This was slowly but surely going to change a lot during the race.
Team – Magic is the company that puts on this race. Team – Magic is a company stationed out of Birmingham, Alabama that puts on numerous races throughout the Southeast. Mad props to them and all of the volunteers on this day. I can’t begin to tell you how well run this race was. How was the race itself? For me it went pretty well.
The swim started in the Cumberland River. Because of the current and many other factors the race was a time trial start with people going off at three (3) second intervals. The issue with the first leg of the swim was that it was upstream. I felt like I was in Tuscaloosa all over again. For those of you who don’t know, at last years USAT National Championships in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the Army Corp of Engineers opened up the dams right before the start of the race. Once you got into the water it felt like you were swimming in an Endless Pool. Well, the same thing happened on Sunday again. Only this time it was just the river itself causing the damage. Needless to say my swim wasn’t as fast as I would have liked it to be. I was gapped by two (2) people in front of me and ended up third out of the water. This was very foreign to me as I am always one of the stronger swimmers in the field. I was very much relieved when I found out that both people that beat me were also ex-swimmers.
So, out on the bike I started the attempt to real in the two (2) in front of me. I did manage to catch one (1) of the persons who beat me out of the water. The other guy, Craig Evans, was hammering up the road and my chances of catching him on the bike were slim and none (and slim just left). So, I did what I could to stay in contact with him. This was achieved by just looking for the motorcycle that was traveling with him during the entire bike ride. The one thing I did notice on the bike was how the heat and humidity were increasing exponentially. I was having a hard time just keeping my sweaty hands on my aerobars. It was really starting to heat up! Coming back into T2 I was riding on an exceptionally sketchy patch of road and almost crashed because my hands were jarred off my bars. That gave my heart a bit of a jump!
Back into T2 I racked my Orbea Ordu, threw on my racing flats and headed out onto what I knew was going to be a miserable run. Miserable in the fact that it was now 94 degrees with 80 percent humidity. I believe the “heat index” at this time was well over 100 degrees. I thought to myself that “strong and steady” was the “order for the day”. So, I set off with a goal to run as hard as I could and still cross the finish line without having to cross the line “Julie Moss” style. Thankfully there were people on the course who were giving me splits in regards to how far behind I was. Starting out the run (running up and over a pretty steep bridge, uggg) I heard that I was 1 minute and 30 seconds back of the leader. Now, as all of you know, running isn’t exactly my “thing”. I thought that there was no way I could make up that amount of time in 6.2 miles. Again, strong and steady was all I was thinking in this heat. I was also making sure that going through aid stations that I was getting in enough fluids to keep myself hydrated and cool. One cup to drink and one cup over the head for 6.2 miles. Well, I am happy to tell you that my “strong and steady” race tactic worked. At mile four (4) I saw my friend Craig running up a hill directly in front of me. He wasn’t looking too well. All that was left for me to do now was time my pass and then put up a “mentally crushing” surge that would give him the idea that I was not going to be caught. Unfortunately for me, the surge had to be done on a pretty steep hill. So, I did what I had to do. Up the hill I went. Way, way, way outside of my comfort zone. Thankfully the surge worked. I was able to recover at the top of the hill and subsequent downhill afterwards. I was now recovered enough to counter any attacks that came from behind. Thankfully none came and I was able to cross the finish line first and without keeling over.
Now that the race was over it was time to get cooled down. It took four (4) water bottles poured directly over my head before I started to feel any relief. I am here to tell you that it was hot, hot, hot! Anybody finishing this race today deserved a pat on the back.
Afterwards I was interviewed by an individual with The Tennessean named Mike Organ. This is the article that showed up in The Tennessean today:
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100726/SPORTS11/7260334/2215/SPORTS/Brentwood+s+Gennari+wins+Music+City+Triathlon
The best part about the race was what happened afterwards. Evidently 1995 Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George was at the race. Yes, that Eddie George from THE Ohio State University. The same Eddie George that is a Tennessee Titan legend! Eddie was there to support a friend of his who was participating in the Sprint race. Now, I am not sure if it was a friend of his or his wife. Like I said, the heat was making easy things (like remembering names) very, very hard. Anyway, this individual that Eddie was supporting had a rough time in the swim. Eddie asked if I would talk to her about what she could do to ease her anxiety about the swim. So I did. I gave her some very informative information on what she could do to help herself in this area. The one thing that I told her is that “doing” the activity was going to make her feel more secure about it the next time. I told her that gaining confidence in swimming in open water was only going to come by her practicing in open water. I also told her that I too struggle with open water swimming. Yep, I don’t know if any of you know this but over the past couple of years I have almost developed a phobia about open water swimming. I am fine when I am in a wetsuit but when I am not in one things tend to “go South” for me mentally. I battle my own demons when performing in open water without a wetsuit. I think that just by talking about it openly I help myself. So there, now you all know.
Anyway, she was very appreciative with the time that I spent with her. Eddie was also very appreciative as well. It was a good day. Anyway, I can sum up my thrill of the day with the following two (2) pictures. Yeah, that’s me on the right!


Looking at the picture on the right tells me that I need to start doing more sit-ups! Maybe gain a pound or two (2) as well.
I hope things are going well for the rest of you this summer. And for those of you who are planning on doing Clearwater, please let me know. I’d like to coordinate staying in the same place we did last year. Just shoot me an email if you’re interested.
Bruce TWSS Gennari