Cape Cod is a summer vacation destination for many families throughout New
England. Sunbathers, swimmers, and surfers galore frequent its beautiful beaches to
enjoy the sunshine, sand, and surf. The activities the Cape has to offer are endless and
can be enjoyed by people young and old if they have a love of the beach and all that the
Cape encompasses.
However, when one thinks of the amusing past-times of Cape Cod, he does not
generally think of triathlons. On June 4th, men and women of all ages waded their way
into the 65-degree bay of Onset Village, located in Wareham, Massachusetts. These
athletes were preparing for the Escape the Cape Triathlon, put on by Max Performance,
just 2-miles west of the Cape Cod Canal.
In its second year, this triathlon gathered 715 athletes to participate in a 1/3-mile
swim, 10-mile bike, and 3.1-mile run. The athletes ranged in age from 12 to 74, all
working his or her hardest to reach new goals, whether they were hoping to complete
their first race or improve their time from their last. Each athlete was given a colored
swim cap to indicate the wave that they would begin their race in.
The swim leg of the course began with an in-water start. The race director walked
the athletes down the beach, where they, mostly donning wetsuits, were to wade into the
chilly water and wait attentively for an air horn to sound. Large orange buoys in shallow
water close to the beach guided them so that beginner triathletes could be assured that if
they needed to, they could walk. The bay provided for calm waters, despite ocean
breezes.
The bike course featured an out-and-back route, steering the athletes through the
heart of Onset Village. They also passed many cranberry bogs and scenic views of the
bay on their trek, but it is sure that most were focused more on the race than the beautiful
scenery that surrounded them.
The final leg of the race, the run, wound through the neighborhoods of Onset
Village that bordered the East River. The course, for the most part, was fairly flat, with a
few hills that came as a surprise to unsuspecting runners. Each athlete rounded the bend
to the finish, greeted by cheers from spectators and a large Max Performance arch.
After the race, the athletes and their supporters gathered around the bandstand for
music, prizes, raffles, food, and plenty of cool sales on gear, merchandise, and work out-
enhancing products from pop-up tents. Winners of the overall race and for each division
were announced and applauded for their great achievement. In spite of fatigue, soreness,
and exhaustion, the athletes paraded around in their Escape the Cape T-shirts in great
cheer and each had an air of self-satisfaction from their impressive accomplishments for
the day. For these triathletes, the Cape Cod region will not only remind them of summer
fun in the sun, but a challenging race that they powered through to the finish on a warm
June 4th in 2011.
