Close-up: Prescott's Mile-high Triathlon

No SWEAT! COMPETITORS REACH FOR NEW HEIGHTS IN PRESCOTT'S MILE-HIGH TRIATHLON

"It hurts real bad." That is not the definition of a triathlon. That is simply a fact known to every individual who has ever completed one. There is no single word or group of words that truly explains a triathlon. Everyone who has ever participated creates his or her own rationale drawn from the experience of combining three long-distance sports (usually swimming, biking, and running) into one continuous and grueling endurance event. So, let me briefly explain the source of my own definition. Eight years ago I began running. Later I took up bicycling, then swimming. Three years later and 20 pounds lighter, at the age of 55, I entered my first triathlon.

NO SWEAT!

The experience remains in my memory — and probably always will — as occurring in present time. After completing the one-kilometer (.6-mile) swim, I'm feeling quite fit. No hard breathing, no discomfort. However, as I trot from the lake to my bike, I note a peculiar sensation. My legs feel as though they are encased in concrete. Once on the bike, I am outbound into a stiff head wind and rolling hills. Soon, the pain begins, increasing with each spin of the pedals. Twenty miles later, at the transition area, I am ready to quit, but I can't, not yet. Still ahead is a 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) run. At the halfway mark, the pain is almost unbearable. But I am propelled onward by the humiliating possibility of finishing last. Or worse, not finishing at all. Finally, during the last mile, a voice inside my head starts talking to me, very clearly: "You are a fool. This is the most stupid thing you have ever done. Stop! Stop right now, and go sit in the shade of that nice tree by the side of the road."

But, pain-wracked, I plod on, finally crossing the finish line. And as I do, I make the firm decision that I will never enter another triathlon.

Never! Positively! Absolutely! Never!

I take a long drink of cold water, pour some on my head. Eat a banana. Walk Californians Alex Begg (LEFT) of Solana Beach, and John Holbeck of Calimesa, break away from the pack in the triathlon's second event, a mostly downhill and unexpectedly difficult 8.8-mile run on a course sometimes punctuated by loose gravel and potholes. The duo finished first and second, respectively, in overall triathlon rankings.

about a bit. Suddenly, I sense a smile form-ing. I feel weightless, as though walking on air, nearly overcome by a sense of consummate well-being. And in only a matter of moments, I am strategically planning my next triathlon.

While others may watch and even admire, a triathlon is a drama played out by each participant to himself or herself and to no one else.

I pull into Prescott on a balmy July morning with a 10-speed Shogun bicycle hanging on the back of my car. Prescott is my old high school hometown, but I haven't seen much of it in the past four decades, having just recently returned to Arizona. I've driven up from Phoenix to cover the Prescott Triathlon.

However, I won't be participating. The event is too long, too tough for me. Perhaps I'll tackle the day's companion event: a 23.6-mile biathlon (running and bicycling).

Only in its sixth year, the Prescott Triathlon has gained national attention as one of the most deceptively difficult triathlon courses on the continent.

Added to the allure of that challenge is the fact that the event, under the auspices of the Prescott Parks and Recreation Department, is known for its smooth plan-ning and execution. But possibly the event's most attractive feature is its 39-mile scenic route descending from a high mountain lake at 5,600 feet, through thick pine forests, then along the picturesque and shaded avenues of the town itself, and finally out from the city and across a sweeping mile-high valley that offers a panoramic view of distant mountains.

Triathlete Magazine has rated the fledgling Prescott event as one of the top 30 triathlons in the world, while Triathlon Today lists it as one of the 10 most exciting in the western U.S., stating that "big city race organizers could take lessons from Prescott for its conscientious race management and the most enthusiastic volunteers anywhere." Both publications laud the event for its magnificent scenery and the steep uphill/downhill 8.8-mile run that is sandwiched between a .6-mile swim and a 29.7-mile bike ride.

About three entrants out of every 100 on the triathlon circuit are beyond the age of 50. This year, at Prescott, there is an entrant who is 76. Rarely is a participant less than 16. Most triathletes reach prime in their late 20s and early 30s. Approximately 20 percent of those in a triathlon are women.

The lawn around the downtown court-house and several rooms have been set up for bike inspection, check in, packet pick up, and late registration. I'm preregistered for the biathlon, but I still need to check in. I'll do that in a few minutes. First, I need to contact Eddie Simpson.

I make the call from an outdoor pay phone. The operator tells me there is no number for an Eddie Simpson listed, unlisted, or otherwise.

Disappointing. I haven't seen or talked to Eddie in 40 years. I'm trying to locate him because he and I attended Prescott High School together and played for a city league basketball team that was called the Thunderbolts. But more importantly, I'm looking for Eddie because every year since the Prescott event started he has won the biathlon in his age division.

I call an old acquaintance, one of Prescott's 25,000 year-round residents. "How do I get in touch with Eddie?"

"Eddie doesn't have a phone because he doesn't want one," my friend reports. "I suggest you stand on a street corner and wait. In a few minutes, Eddie will pass by on his bicycle."

I know when my leg is being pulled. "Quit kidding," I say.

"Who's kidding?" my friend replies.

"Eddie rides his bike nearly 12,000 miles a year. If you want to see Eddie, you wait on a corner, and soon he'll pass by. That's a fact known to nearly everyone in town."

I place the phone on the hook, look around. I haven't laid eyes on Eddie since 1950. I probably wouldn't recognize him if I stumbled over him. Besides, the courthouse square is now filled with people riding bikes, pushing bikes, carrying bikes. I put the search for Eddie on hold.

On a lower floor of the courthouse, I approach the sign-in table and give my name to a freckle-cheeked volunteer who appears to be in her late teens. She rises from her chair and extends her hand, saying, "I'm Judy Sears. I've been expecting you."

Ah, Judy Sears. I had interviewed Judy by phone some weeks earlier. Upon introduction, I know that she is not a teenager. She's 39, a Prescott resident, and one of the nation's top swimmers in her age class. Also an inveterate triathlete. We chat briefly, but the line is piling up behind me. I suggest she join me later at Murphy's restaurant for a more leisurely visit.

At Murphy's, I locate photographer Jeff Kida who will capture race day on film. Jeff and I spread route maps on the table and start planning tomorrow's schedule. Almost immediately I realize I have a problem. I must be at Goldwater Lake to observe the start of the triathlon swim at 7:00 A.M. The biathlon run commences at 6:30 A.M. There is no way I can do the biathlon run. Instead, if race officials will allow it, I decide to limit myself to the 18mile biking leg of the event. That will, at least, permit me to feel the pulse of the day's activities. To be a part of it.

Murphy's is the pre-race and post-race hangout for triathlon and biathlon entrants. It is also the birthplace of the whole idea. About seven years back, Jim McCasland, Prescott's recreational services director, Andy Tomlinson, city manager, and Paul Murphy, owner of the restaurant, were passing time at a back table. For no apparent reason, one of them mentioned that Prescott needed a good community-sponsored triathlon. None of the three had ever participated in a triathlon or had any experience in organizing one.

When they began investigating the feasibility of the project, race organizers across the country told them that it would not be possible for novices to produce a quality triathlon. They proceeded anyway, designing the event as a "people's race" for about 700 entrants. There would be no prize money for professionals, but trophies would be awarded to winners in each agegroup. Six years later, nearly every triathlete in America has heard good things about the Prescott event.

Judy Sears, finished with her stint at the check-in table, joins us. With her is a man who is walking bent at the waist, a little like Groucho Marx. I learn that he is Judy's husband John, a local attorney.

John has a problem. Through a grimace of pain, he tells us about it. For years he had gone intermittently on training runs with Judy, even participated in one biathlon. But, this year, he tells us, he became serious and immersed himself in a disciplined months-long training program. "I got up this morning feeling great, feeling fit, and ready for tomorrow morning." He pauses. "I went into the bathroom, reached for the faucet, and threw my back out."

Judy pats his arm. "I'm taking him over to the doctor when we leave here." Judy has a problem of her own. People in town have told me that she is a superb triathlete, but, running in her age division is a worldclass competitor named Susan Shafer, twotime overall female winner at Prescott. Judy will push her mind, spirit, and body to the outer limits tomorrow, knowing before she starts that she cannot beat Susan, knowing that a trophy will elude her for another year. "When I'm 40, I'll jump into a new category," Judy tells me. Susan will stay in the 35to 39-bracket for another year. Then I'll have a chance."

Mike Murphy, a tall 43-year-old veteran of the Prescott Triathlon, comes by. He has an interesting story to tell. The previous year, Mike went on a rafting expedition down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon. His party, as scheduled, completed their adventure the day before the 1989 Prescott Triathlon. Mike, already registered for the event, had made arrangements for a private plane to meet him at a remote landing strip near the Canyon. At Pearce Ferry, he obtained a truck ride to the rendezvous where he waited until nightfall.

He later learned that the plane had gone to the wrong location. In darkness he walked eight miles to discover that the only motel in the area was full. A sympathetic local resident permitted him to sleep in an unused house trailer. The next morning, before dawn, Mike hitchhiked to the town of Ashfork. There, Prescott friends, alerted to his problem, were waiting for him. But when he reached Prescott, participants already were crossing the finish line. Too late!

Mike tells us that his top priority this year will be getting to Goldwater Lake well in advance of start time. "If I can do that," he says, "I have a feeling the rest will take care of itself."

bananas, oranges, fresh-baked bread, and soft drinks. Shortly after the last of the biathlon bikers push across the finish line, the announcer's voice booms over the noise of the crowd. The triathlon leader is heading in. He's Alex Begg, 27 years old, from Solana Beach, California. He completes the 39-mile course in 2 hours and 13 minutes. Twenty-one minutes later, Kathy McGovern of Tucson, Arizona, also 27, is the first woman to finish.

I eat watermelon and mingle with the crowd. At 2 hours and 52 minutes, Judy Sears crosses the line. I locate her a few minutes later. As expected, she was unable to catch her world-class rival, but, nevertheless, she is grinning ear to ear. "I really do this so I can eat jelly beans and cream pie," she tells me. "I'm going home and eat five pounds of jelly beans."

Later, I locate Mike Murphy who, in 1989, was stranded near the mouth of the Grand Canyon and arrived too late. This year he started on time and finished the three events in a very respectable 3 hours and 4 minutes.

Shortly before noon, only two contestants remain on the course. At 11:50, Al Clark, 76, crosses the finish line after 4 hours and 55 minutes of grueling and continuous physical action. Nearly an hour later, Rose Steward, 72, is the last to complete the course. Theirs are awesome accomplishments.

The crowd begins drifting toward the courthouse lawn where the awards will be presented. I see Eddie Simpson sitting on the curb in front of Murphy's. I have heard the news. Eddie's string of age-class victories has been chopped at five. Nevertheless, he greets me with a beamingsmile and the offer of a slice of an orange. We chat for a few moments. Then I ask him, "What's your next adventure?" "A friend and I are leaving on a bicycle trip pretty soon."

"An overnight trip?" I inquire. "Six months," he replies, swinging his arm in an arc that points vaguely toward the north. "Six months. First up through the Rockies, then east and south to . . ."

He smiles and shrugs his shoulders. "To wherever."

Eddie, at 59, exemplifies the spirit of the long-distance athlete. Through strong personal discipline and vigorous physical involvement, he, like virtually all the others who have traveled the arduous trail this day, is a seeker of the joy of life.

When he isn't racing or recouping his strength, author William Hafford frequently contributes to Arizona Highways magazine. He wrote the article about Pipe Spring National Monument in this issue.

Photographer Jeff Kida isn't enthusiastic about running but recalls pedaling 300 miles a week when he was in training for bicycle races.

WHEN YOU GO

The 1991 Triathlon: The 1991 Prescott Triathlon and Biathlon is scheduled for July 14. Registration forms and other information may be obtained by writing or calling the Prescott Triathlon/Biathlon, P. O. Box 2059, Prescott, AZ 86302; (602) 445-5286.

Weather: Prescott is a mile-high community, so summer nights can turn chilly. The area also has frequent but usually short summer showers. It is recommended that you bring a sweater or jacket.

For additional information: Contact Prescott Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 1147, Prescott, AZ 86301; telephone (602) 445-2000 or, toll-free from Phoenix, 253-5988.

ARIZONA'S MAY DECEMBER, 1991, TRIATHLON / BIATHLON SCHEDULE

May 19Bud Lite Triathlon Series, Phoenix, the season opener for the largest triathlon series in the world. Contact Rob Wallach, (602) 277-4333; or Runner's Den, 6505 N. 16th St., Phoenix, AZ 85016 June 2Arrowhead Ranch Biathlon, Glendale, the Arizona state championship event. Contact Dave Berman or Carolyn Kaye, (602) 9491633; or Valley Events, Inc., 7403 E. Sixth Ave., Ste. 4, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 June 16 Firebird Multisport Festival, a triathlon, mini-triathlon, biathlon, and kids' event at Firebird Lake on the Gila River Indian Reservation. Contact Doug Holland or Bob Porter, (602) 246-7697; or American Endurance Events, 2801 W. Medlock Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85017 June 29 Winslow, Arby's Biathlon, Arizona's wildest cross-country run. Contact Elaine Larson, (602) 289-5032, or at 405 E. North Rd., Winslow, AZ 86047 July 20 Mad Dog Biathlon, the toughest course in the West, from Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument to Wupatki National Monument and up Kendrick Peak. Contact Lou Montiel, (602) 774-0041, or at 514 Lake Mary Rd., Flagstaff, AZ 86001 August 10 McHood Park Triathlon, Winslow, the only crosscountry sprint triathlon in the state. Contact: see June 29 listing.

August 11Fountain Hills Sunrise Biathlon, a challenging hilly course. Contact: see June 2 listing.

September 1Sun 'n' Spokes So Long Summer Biathlon, Sierra Vista, a fun event for the average athlete. Contact Ken Swearengin or Dan Abrams, (602) 458-0685; or contact Sun 'n' Spokes, 164 E. Fry Blvd., Sierra Vista, AZ 85635 September 7Mountain Man Triathlon/Biathlon, Flagstaff, a high-altitude multisport competition along the Lake Mary-Morman Lake Road. Contact Eddie Carlin at 3326 Gillinwater Rd., Flagstaff, AZ 86001 September 28U.S. Swim and Fitness Triathlon, Phoenix, an international sprint triathlon at Lake Pleasant. Contact: see June 16 listing.

October 6 (tentative) - London Bridge Triathlon, Lake Havasu, the biggest race event on the Colorado River, swim under and run over the London Bridge. Call (602) 680-1010; or write London Bridge Triathlon, P.O. Box 1515, Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403 October 27 Pinnacle Peak Biathlon, competitors run and bike to the top of the peak in the scenic desert south of Carefree. Contact: see June 2 listing.

Coors Lite November 10 Biathlon, Phoenix, the national championship for the largest biathlon series in the world. Contact: see May 19 listing.