Eamon Foley Reviews the Harriman Olympic Triathlon
Eamon Foley reviews the Harriman Triathlon in New York State with its super hard and technical bike course
Triathlon Name
Harriman Olympic Distance Triathlon, NY
Triathlon Date
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Who Are you?
A USAT Level 1 triathlon coach, Eamon coaches with Team in Training and Tri Latino in New York City.
He strives to bring a fresh perspective to coaching, with a focus on fun & efficiency. His new Holistic Triathlete blog aims to translate swimming & all things triathlon to simple English.
He competed internationally as a swimmer for over 15 years and holds regional records that have stood for 15 years. This makes him feel old.
Race Category
Male 30-34
Country
Harriman State Park, New York, USA
Why did I do this race?
Location 1 hour from New York City, and in beautiful, quiet Harriman State Park. Early season race.
The Swim
One loop, turning at two buoys for a triangle-shaped course, out and back.
The Bike
Very, very hilly. Two laps of a hilly course, with a few long, slow climbs. The course starts with a steep downhill where you can reach 40mph, into a hairpin turn, and back up that same hill where you can reach 4mph! In my opinion, quite a dangerous feature, while the more optimistic will say it is good for technical skills and gear management. Strong cyclists will love it, swimmers like myself will hate it! Good traffic management and markings around the course.
The Run
Flat, one loop, out and back. Mostly on roads with a mile or two on a shaded country track. A couple of aid stations with good snacks (energy gels, h2O, skittles!). Supporters were thin on the ground.
Transition
Very well organised. Bike racks are not the racks you hang your saddle on, but the slots for your wheel with a small bay to store your kit. Very tidy. Good signposting, vocal volunteers in transition cheering athletes on. Easy check in.
Race Organisation
Very good. Laidback crew and very helpful. Atmosphere around transition was great. Could have been more warnings about the bike course. Pizzas, plenty of fruit and ice cold drinks after the race were much appreciated.
Top Triathlon Tips
- Prepare for cold water in May after a New York winter.
- Very, very tough bike course.
- Good practice for non-bikers, good fun for true cyclists!
- Dangerous hairpin turns, so watch out!
- Great location for New York City and surrounding areas. Fun event.
How did you do?
I did ok myself. Really struggled on the bike with the hills but enjoyed a good swim and an average run. Fun atmosphere made for a good day out.
Verdict
I might avoid the hills in future, but it is a lovely setting in Harriman State Park and very well put together.
You can check out Eamon’s website Holistic Triathlete here or follow him on twitter as @tricoacheamon
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