Fairhope Alabama and the Grandman Triathlon
This last weekend (May 30) I traveled to Fairhope Alabama to participate in the Grandman Triathlon. Fairhope is a town just outside of Mobile situated directly on the eastern shore of Mobile bay. I drove down from Atlanta in order to take my bike and not have to fly and ship it by air. The drive takes about 7 hours at a leisurely pace stopping for meals and gas. A little highway congestion is encountered by roadwork on I-85 just south of Newnan Georgia then again on I-65 just south of Montgomery. But overall, the drive is uneventful and smooth. As an aside, one of my favorite charities and places is the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in Montgomery. It is a world class venue that is well worth the time and effort to attend; at any one time, the venue not only sponsors Shakespearean plays, but originals as well. A weekend attending a play and exploring the city of Montgomery can be very entertaining and educational.
Fairhope has a very distinct southern beach-town charm about it. The drive in is filled with old trees and a path that greets you with proudly flying American flags; the approach into the town makes you both relaxed and proud. The weather was perfect with the temperature in the high 80's, clear blue skies, and a soft breeze off of the Gulf. The town is filled with shops, art and book stores, and many little restaurants. What stood out for me was the vibrancy of colors created by the storefronts and thousands of flowers planted along the shops and roads. It is a town for which you will slow down and enjoy the beauty.
We checked into the Baron's Inn just south of the Fairhope pier on Scenic Mobile Street. The location of this newly renovated motel was ideal for the triathlon; it was within walking distance of the start of the race (less than a mile). The staff and owners were extremely friendly and made every accommodation for the athletes staying with them. It is not a big motel with all the amenities of larger hotels, but it is comfortable, very clean, and reasonably priced.
We unpacked the car, then drove to pick up my race registration packet by the pier. The packet contains race numbers, rules, swim/bike/run coarse descriptions, and goodies supplied by the various sponsors. This particular race had close to 400 athletes participating and was a sprint distance (1/3 mile swim, 17 mile bike, and 3 mile run). The entrance fees not only cover the cost of the race and USAT supervision, but provide donations to local charities as well. I bought several extra raffle tickets to help support the charities and for a chance to win a Trek tri-bike.
From the pier, we drove to lunch and then to the Grand Hotel for high tea. An absolutely gorgeous old hotel that still has great charm. It sits on the bay and offers all of Marriott's finest. We enjoyed our tea and scones and then strolled the grounds. We would come back later for drinks. Back to Baron's where I suited up for an easy half-hour bike ride along part of the route I would ride in the triathlon. The ride was made at a slow pace to not only turn my legs but to sight see as well. I rode down town through Section Street which was fairly hilly (rollers) then out to a flatter part of town and then turned back. I checked out the hill at the start of the race (a steep climb from the pier up Fairhope Avenue), then rode back along the park by the bay to the motel.
The organizers of the race had a spaghetti dinner at the conference center starting at 6:00. We opted for the dinner which was very good; at the same time as the dinner, a meeting for first time racers was being held. The speakers talked about what to expect, how to set up your gear in the transition area, and answered the many questions we all have for our first race. Each and every time I race, I learn something new not only about racing, but about myself. I love the sport not only for the physical challenges and training, but the mental discipline I am gaining as well. Each and every event is filled with excitement, challenges, and many fantastic people who get up very early in the morning to better themselves.
The race went well for me, but I am constantly trying to better my times and techniques. My coach, KT White, says it take a while to become a seasoned triathlete and I believe she is right. I started triathlons to get back in shape and with a goal to be in the best shape that I can be in for my age. I am accomplishing that with KT's help and daily training. It is a great quest for me and adds to my life and balances it out physically (with a little mental and spiritual balance thrown in as well).
After the race, we are treated to refreshments, massages, music and the raffle. I won two breakfasts at Atlanta Bread Company! It took a while for me to cool down from the run--I was obviously not acclimated to the humidity of that area. To help us cool down, there was plenty of water and recovery drinks to help out.
After the race, Patti and I drove back along the Mississippi coast starting in Biloxi and ending in Diamondhead. Although hurricane Katrina destroyed that area of our country in 2005, great progress has been made in renovating what was taken away. The process is slow and the people seem determined to build it back better than every. My heart goes out to them--the loss of everything you own has to be devastating. But there is hope, love, and faith, and as long as we have that and can work toward our goals we can achieve just about anything.
Fairhope has a very distinct southern beach-town charm about it. The drive in is filled with old trees and a path that greets you with proudly flying American flags; the approach into the town makes you both relaxed and proud. The weather was perfect with the temperature in the high 80's, clear blue skies, and a soft breeze off of the Gulf. The town is filled with shops, art and book stores, and many little restaurants. What stood out for me was the vibrancy of colors created by the storefronts and thousands of flowers planted along the shops and roads. It is a town for which you will slow down and enjoy the beauty.
We checked into the Baron's Inn just south of the Fairhope pier on Scenic Mobile Street. The location of this newly renovated motel was ideal for the triathlon; it was within walking distance of the start of the race (less than a mile). The staff and owners were extremely friendly and made every accommodation for the athletes staying with them. It is not a big motel with all the amenities of larger hotels, but it is comfortable, very clean, and reasonably priced.
We unpacked the car, then drove to pick up my race registration packet by the pier. The packet contains race numbers, rules, swim/bike/run coarse descriptions, and goodies supplied by the various sponsors. This particular race had close to 400 athletes participating and was a sprint distance (1/3 mile swim, 17 mile bike, and 3 mile run). The entrance fees not only cover the cost of the race and USAT supervision, but provide donations to local charities as well. I bought several extra raffle tickets to help support the charities and for a chance to win a Trek tri-bike.
From the pier, we drove to lunch and then to the Grand Hotel for high tea. An absolutely gorgeous old hotel that still has great charm. It sits on the bay and offers all of Marriott's finest. We enjoyed our tea and scones and then strolled the grounds. We would come back later for drinks. Back to Baron's where I suited up for an easy half-hour bike ride along part of the route I would ride in the triathlon. The ride was made at a slow pace to not only turn my legs but to sight see as well. I rode down town through Section Street which was fairly hilly (rollers) then out to a flatter part of town and then turned back. I checked out the hill at the start of the race (a steep climb from the pier up Fairhope Avenue), then rode back along the park by the bay to the motel.
The organizers of the race had a spaghetti dinner at the conference center starting at 6:00. We opted for the dinner which was very good; at the same time as the dinner, a meeting for first time racers was being held. The speakers talked about what to expect, how to set up your gear in the transition area, and answered the many questions we all have for our first race. Each and every time I race, I learn something new not only about racing, but about myself. I love the sport not only for the physical challenges and training, but the mental discipline I am gaining as well. Each and every event is filled with excitement, challenges, and many fantastic people who get up very early in the morning to better themselves.
The race went well for me, but I am constantly trying to better my times and techniques. My coach, KT White, says it take a while to become a seasoned triathlete and I believe she is right. I started triathlons to get back in shape and with a goal to be in the best shape that I can be in for my age. I am accomplishing that with KT's help and daily training. It is a great quest for me and adds to my life and balances it out physically (with a little mental and spiritual balance thrown in as well).
After the race, we are treated to refreshments, massages, music and the raffle. I won two breakfasts at Atlanta Bread Company! It took a while for me to cool down from the run--I was obviously not acclimated to the humidity of that area. To help us cool down, there was plenty of water and recovery drinks to help out.
After the race, Patti and I drove back along the Mississippi coast starting in Biloxi and ending in Diamondhead. Although hurricane Katrina destroyed that area of our country in 2005, great progress has been made in renovating what was taken away. The process is slow and the people seem determined to build it back better than every. My heart goes out to them--the loss of everything you own has to be devastating. But there is hope, love, and faith, and as long as we have that and can work toward our goals we can achieve just about anything.
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