Orange County Olympic Triathlon

Unfortunately, the OC Olympic Triathlon website lacks good course maps so it wasn't until today that I got the info I needed to drive the bike and run course.  It turns out I've ridden most of the bike course before - about a year ago.  It's a rolling course with a 3-5% grade going either up or down the entire way.  These should be some good hills - they won't be impossible to climb and they will be fast going down.  The road surface is good and the scenery is awesome.  Should be fun.

What I didn't know anything about was the run course.  I drove what I could of it as much of the route is on closed bike path.  But on the parts that I could drive, I was none too pleased to discover the THE MIGHTY HILL OF DEATH at mile 3.  This half mile stretch of guaranteed pain looks like it averages what, a 13-14% grade?  I'm too tired to figure it out exactly, but clearly there is far too much purple for my liking.

This race is inland in the foothills of the Santa Ana mountains.  The swim is in a lake, so I don't have to worry about the surf, jellyfish, sharks or stingrays.  But I do have to deal with frickin' Mt. Everest.  I'm not sure I like this trade off.

That said, it is what it is.  It will be good practice for the Hawaii 70.3.

Good luck to everyone else racing tomorrow.