SOS Stories
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The eight stage Survival of the Shawangunks triathlon is unique among triathlons in its number of transitions and that athletes must carry all they use for the seven stages of the race after the bike, its camaraderie, and of course its beauty.
The 2015 SOS dawned foggy and cool but not rainy for the 150 riders starting off on a 30 mile bike ending with the climb into the Shawangunks.
Dominic Gillen finished his bike first in a time of 1:23:02. Pia Mountford was the first woman arrive at Awosting at an hour and thirty-two minutes.
The 2015 SOS dawned foggy and cool but not rainy for the 150 riders starting off on a 30 mile bike ending with the climb into the Shawangunks.
Dominic Gillen finished his bike first in a time of 1:23:02. Pia Mountford was the first woman arrive at Awosting at an hour and thirty-two minutes.
William Haffarty, first rider into Awosting Transition.
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 First woman rider at Awosting Transition
The Awosting Parking Lot transition is always filled with an excited tension as crews wait for their athletes to come through and transition from the bike to run/swim segment of the race. Cheering,clapping and calling out the athletes' names accompanies the changing of shoes and clothes, and gulping of Gu and water before athletes start running the 4.5 miles to Awosting Lake.
Although the SOS starts off with a bike instead of a swim that is not what makes it challenging- it’s the transitions. SOS is a race of experience. Even athletes who have finished 20 or more SOSs are still trying to find the best way to manage the run, swim, run, swim, run, swim, run all the while carrying their shoes, wet suit or fuel or whatever else they decide they need. |
The most common method for dealing with running shoes while swimming is to shove them down the shorts of the tri suit. Some chose to use a dry bag. This year one long time SOS used his dry bag as a buoy. He said his swim was his best ever but that improvement may have been nullified by the times the transitions took.
Some athletes don’t wear socks at all but that can get irritating by the end of nearly 14 miles of running in wet shoes. Some just keep their socks on for the swim.
This year Elizabeth Bassett lost a shoe in Minnewaska Lake. She was sanguine as she ran down the road out of the park half shod- “I’m not gonna stop now!”
Some athletes don’t wear socks at all but that can get irritating by the end of nearly 14 miles of running in wet shoes. Some just keep their socks on for the swim.
This year Elizabeth Bassett lost a shoe in Minnewaska Lake. She was sanguine as she ran down the road out of the park half shod- “I’m not gonna stop now!”
Elizabeth Bassett at Skytop brandishing her recovered running shoe.
She showed up at the finish with both shoes because someone dove for the missing sneaker in Minnewaska and photographer Martin Weiner rode after her down the Trapps Road to give it back.
These are the interactions that make the SOS unique.
Many of the athletes train together and have been racing with each other for years.
One of the early finishers of the Awosting Swim commented to the volunteers
“This guy has been touching my feet, it’s a big lake!”
He turned to look at the swimmer behind him emerging from the water and just said “Oh, it’s you”.
The two knew each other from years past.
These are the interactions that make the SOS unique.
Many of the athletes train together and have been racing with each other for years.
One of the early finishers of the Awosting Swim commented to the volunteers
“This guy has been touching my feet, it’s a big lake!”
He turned to look at the swimmer behind him emerging from the water and just said “Oh, it’s you”.
The two knew each other from years past.
The swimmer and the guy touching his feet.
The weather didn’t play as significant a role as was feared, although 50 athletes didn't show.
Saturday night an email went out to athletes and volunteers explaining what would happen during the race in the event of lightning and thunder.
Luckily, that protocol wasn’t needed but Saturday night’s rain did bring the water temperature of the lakes down a few degrees.
Early in the day Sunday the air was cooler than the water, for some that was a factor.
Second place female finisher Michele Wolfson was the first woman out of Awosting Lake but she emerged shaking with purple lips. Video of Awosting Falls
She spent 10 minutes at the aid station trying to warm up with a reflective sheet and hot tea before heading out on the run.
That 10 minutes made the difference in her race, she came in second by less than a minute and was still shivering at Skytop.
"Lesson learned," Wolfson said."Next time- just start running".
Saturday night an email went out to athletes and volunteers explaining what would happen during the race in the event of lightning and thunder.
Luckily, that protocol wasn’t needed but Saturday night’s rain did bring the water temperature of the lakes down a few degrees.
Early in the day Sunday the air was cooler than the water, for some that was a factor.
Second place female finisher Michele Wolfson was the first woman out of Awosting Lake but she emerged shaking with purple lips. Video of Awosting Falls
She spent 10 minutes at the aid station trying to warm up with a reflective sheet and hot tea before heading out on the run.
That 10 minutes made the difference in her race, she came in second by less than a minute and was still shivering at Skytop.
"Lesson learned," Wolfson said."Next time- just start running".
The Palmaghatt Valley was pretty well socked in. The damp air and cooler water made for a some chilly running from Awosting to Minnewaska Lake.
One supporter out on the course asked if she could give her friend a jacket. No, no assistance for the athletes, that's part of being in a self-supported race. Athletes can only use what they are carrying so there are strategic choices to be made- 'Do I carry another layer incase I need it? but if I don't I have to haul it through the whole course, including the swims'. Experience.
Part of the 8 mile run up to Mohonk Lake includes the Undercliff Trail on the Mohonk Preserve where triathletes run past rock climbers and each look at the other thinking "now that's crazy".
Mohonk Lake is .5 mile swim and the race finishes with the kick in the teeth .7 mile run up to Skytop, but the views and the pronouncement "YOU ARE A SURVIVOR" as athletes cross the finish line make it all worthwhile.
Anthony Accardo, three time Survivor, explained that for him the SOS is a race of experience. He beat his goal time this year and took 10 minutes off his Awosting swim.
This year he wore Lava pants, designed for stand up paddleboarding, with heavy duty velcro glued onto them. He took the pants of for the run and velcroed them around his waist. Then doned them again for the swims.
"It was huge," Accardo said about the difference they pants made.
While this race is self-supported in terms of gear, there is no lack of support from one athlete to another. The unique challenges in the SOS and year after year of competing have created a huge community of support.
At the end of the day the sun and crowds of supporters greeted finishers at Skytop after another great day of biking, running, swimming, and running and swimming in the Gunks.
One supporter out on the course asked if she could give her friend a jacket. No, no assistance for the athletes, that's part of being in a self-supported race. Athletes can only use what they are carrying so there are strategic choices to be made- 'Do I carry another layer incase I need it? but if I don't I have to haul it through the whole course, including the swims'. Experience.
Part of the 8 mile run up to Mohonk Lake includes the Undercliff Trail on the Mohonk Preserve where triathletes run past rock climbers and each look at the other thinking "now that's crazy".
Mohonk Lake is .5 mile swim and the race finishes with the kick in the teeth .7 mile run up to Skytop, but the views and the pronouncement "YOU ARE A SURVIVOR" as athletes cross the finish line make it all worthwhile.
Anthony Accardo, three time Survivor, explained that for him the SOS is a race of experience. He beat his goal time this year and took 10 minutes off his Awosting swim.
This year he wore Lava pants, designed for stand up paddleboarding, with heavy duty velcro glued onto them. He took the pants of for the run and velcroed them around his waist. Then doned them again for the swims.
"It was huge," Accardo said about the difference they pants made.
While this race is self-supported in terms of gear, there is no lack of support from one athlete to another. The unique challenges in the SOS and year after year of competing have created a huge community of support.
At the end of the day the sun and crowds of supporters greeted finishers at Skytop after another great day of biking, running, swimming, and running and swimming in the Gunks.
Don Davis, father of the SOS, starting out on the bike- year 41.
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