2002 Purple & Gold Triathlon The Purple & Gold Triathlon is put on by the LSU Department of Recreational Sports, and they do a very nice job. Buddy Lemann and his staff do a low key, thoroughly enjoyable race, in a very professional manner. I did it this year for the first time. It is not largely publicized, and I only heard about a week prior. I am glad I made the decision to check it out - I plan to do it again, as well as its sister event, the Tiger Triathlon, also sponsored by Buddy's group, in the fall. Driving over race morning, it looked as though we had made the wrong decision - there were dark clouds overhead and in the east, and occasional droplets on the windshield. We caught a break, though. There was rain before and a downpour after, but the race itself was dry except for a brief shower late on the bike course. The race is a "backwards" tri - run, bike, swim. Gotta be best way to do it when the swim is in a pool - an attraction for a crummy swimmer like myself. Pretty clever really. How else could you have a manageable swim, when each participant has to do 10 laps in a 25 yard pool to get 500 yards total? The natural spread as the field lengthens on the run and bike means there is very little jostling for position in the pool. You enter the pool in lane 1, go up and come back. Duck under the rope buoys/lane dividers into Lane 2 and repeat. Etc., etc. The pool (the Special Olympics Pool) is nice. Very clean, and warm, probably close to 90 degrees. All shallow, I think. The 5k run course is a simple out and back - only one turn besides the 180. Totally flat. The 20 mile bike is south down River Road for 10 miles, then back. Also totally flat, with no turns to speak of. Excellent police protection. There was very little traffic on the bike course, and what there was went slowly and gave us a wide berth. I was concerned at first because the two lane road is a bit narrow, but that worry faded quickly when I saw that the police has things well in hand. Lafayette's own John Deshotel was the winner, comfortably. Local athletes Tammy Deshotel, Phyllis Bazer, and Jerry Richard won age group awards. It was Tammy's first triathlon since her liver transplant, I believe. Way to go, Tammy! The race offers indoor toilets instead of portalets, always a welcome surprise. There is a mountain bike category as well as street bike. I saw a few hardy souls on them. A nice t-shirt, fruit and drinks after, and age group awards. An incredible bargain for $13, and only two bucks more on race day. This would be an excellent event for first-timers or anyone a little shaky in the water. Check the LSU Department of Recreational Sports website for more info.
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