The Washington, NC Olympic and Sprint Triathlon, 2011: Chapter I - Getting Started, and Then the Finish | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: From the better late than never file, I offer this journal entry of the Washington, NC Olympic and Sprint Triathlon, 2011, mostly in images. If it was just the words and a few pictures, I would have completed this article months ago; however, it is never just a few pictures with me.

    I take lots of photos, and they take a good bit of work for me to bring them to you, but I'd rather use a full assemblage of images of the event, and let them tell the truer story that is the totality of the raw emotions and energy that is the essence of the human experience in this competition.

    I will offer this triathlon journal in images, in a number of chapters, so please continue to visit BCN, and help us see this series to its fruition. Please feel free to send any information that you would like to have published - just login for specific directions.

    The second installment is The Washington, NC Olympic and Sprint Triathlon, 2011: Chapter II - The Run, the Race and the Swim.


    It was a beautiful, clear morning that last Saturday of July, 2011. The sun was barely up, as I crossed the new Runyon Creek Bridge, on foot, after parking near the Washington public boat launch.

    For nonresidents of Washington Park, there is no parking in the suburban town of Washington, North Carolina, and by foot was my only conveyance to the Olympic and Sprint Triathlon competition held along Washington Parks's waterfront.
My first impression of the event, as I made my way to the Triathlon's starting point amid the craggy cypress knees along Washington Park's waterfront: Above. The swimmers wade out into the Pamlico River for the swimming portion of both the Olympic and Sprint categories of the competition. Notice the volunteers in the kayaks, who act as boundary guides for the swimmers who endeavor to stroke across the surface of the mighty Pamlico: Below.     photos by Stan Deatherage

This next group is off on their 750 meters swim if it is of the Sprint category, or 1500 meters swim if it is of the Olympic category: Above. When the event official gives the signal to proceed, the great gaggle of competitors make a big splash as they take off through the murky waters, not unlike a gaggle of Canadian Geese taking off or landing, which is a most common sight in winter in these waters: Below.     photos by Stan Deatherage

The dude here with the colorful left arm sees what I see, and what I am showing you now; the only difference - he will soon be in the "drink," and you and I remain dry and poorer for it: Above. These dudesses will soon be in the "drink" as well, as they contemplate the route that lies before them: Below.     photos by Stan Deatherage.

    When I arrived at the event along Washington Park's waterfront, the first thing I noticed, outside the wide array of competitors,were the young, old and all ages in between. This is what I found to be such a fine statement on the necessity of physical conditioning, and how important it is to practice these efforts on a regular basis.

    The practice of taking exercise was manifested well in the remarkable conditioning of these competitors' corporal being, and, moreover, in their full spirits, brimming with vigor. Irrespective of their ages, they all possessed a sense of pep, exuding the inextricable will of irrepressible determination. I saw it in their faces. I hope you see the same in some of these images that I made.
Spectators and event organizers, like Debbie Gavaghan (in the Finish Strong T), who is FS partner Jason Bigg's (no, not the actor who played Silverman, who needed saving) wife, appear to be enjoying themselves. The middle blonde, with her back turned to the camera, is 14 year old competitor, Cierra Dellarova: Above. A look of concern by one of the event's organizers, Brent Dorenkamp, and one of the FS (Finish Strong) partners: Below.     photos by Stan Deatherage.

"Talk about the 1,000 yard stare" ... wow: Above. You'll soon be next, Gary Hartong - you with the 1000 yard stare: Below.     photos by Stan Deatherage.


Go Back



Leave a Guest Comment

Your Name or Alias
Your Email Address ( your email address will not be published)
Enter Your Comment ( no code or urls allowed, text only please )



Comment

( October 9th, 2011 @ 3:55 pm )
 
Marc Primanti of FS (Finish Strong) Series has just provided this article a backlink on their great website (and I don't say that about many websites).

Naturally, we reciprocate by giving fine websites, like theirs, a comparable backlink.

Also Marc sent me the names of some of the competitors to list on our article. We want this, and since BCN gets so much traffic, and we do leave these articles up for perpetuity, these spirited efforts of others will be remembered, and are a fine example of the human will to succeed.



Resolution to achieved in the Ronnie Wayne Craddock vs Beaufort County Sherriff Beaufort County Showcased, Beaufort County, Community, Body & Soul, My body is my temple, Health and Fitness, Discovering Beaufort County Sandy Hackett's Tribute to the Rat Pack to Play the Turnage Theater

HbAD0

 
Back to Top