Goleta Beach Triathlon director Jerrett McFarland welcomes all sprint participants shortly before 7 a.m. McFarland called the inaugural event a success. (Photo by Randy Weiss)
For Santa Barbara’s Dawn Maho, her first triathlon experience is an opportunity to inspire her four young kids, including 8 1/2-year-old triplet sons.
For Don Davidson of Redlands, the duathlon is his first test at competing in a multi-sport venue.
Dawn Maho checked in before dawn to participate in her first triathlon.
For three Dos Pueblos High Chargers, Haley Peterson, Alexa Shimada and Lauren Valkenburgh, their first sprint triathlon is a unique chance to expand their stellar athletic skills.
And here at the first Goleta Beach Triathlon, it’s all sold-out (500-plus entries) and the good news is that it has a little something for everybody:
- Olympic Triathlon (.93 mile swim, 24.8 mile bike, 6.2 mile run)
- Sprint Triathlon (440 yard swim, 8 mile bike, 3.1 mile run)
- Duathlon (3.1 mile run, 24.8 mile bike, 3.1 mile run)
But, oh, what a launch!
At the 5:30 a.m. check-In there’s thunder and lightning and ‘raindrops that kept falling on our heads.’
Then, when Race Director Jerrett McFarland welcomes all sprint participants, shortly before 7 a.m., blue skies abound.
Go figure …
McFarland, in his first director role, reviews the course …
“And because we are here at Goleta Beach we are having you run under the pier,” he tells all.
Remember that …
The first wave of sprint swimmers starts around 7:15 and this begins a steady flow of multi-colored swim caps taking the orange and yellow buoys on their left shoulder.
Later on, the Olympic and duathlon races run on near-precision timing.
“The race is a complete success,” McFarland says hours later.
“But with a few hiccups…” he adds.
And about those hiccups?
“For some reason a sprint runner missed a turn on the beach,” McFarland said. “Well, a spectator saw it and took it upon themselves to encourage the next runners to make this same turn.”
What it means is that these sprint front-runners didn’t complete the course.
To best resolve this matter, race and timing officials discussed the possibility of creating a “super sprint division’ for these participants who were unable to finish the actual course because of these unique circumstances.
And now with the inaugural GBT “in the books,” it’s time to take a breath and think about building on it for, well, yes, the second annual Goleta Beach Triathlon.
Until then, seasoned racers like Maho, Davidson and the three DP Chargers juniors can bask in the sunlight of sweet success.
For this, their very first time …
