This year’s RF Events T-Rex Triathlon was the same, but different.
The same is that it was the usual sprint triathlon or duathlon, the final of the yearly series. Different in that for the first time ever, it took place at a different location. Construction at Island Lake State Rec Area meant we had to move to the opposite end of the park, which is approximately 3 AU from our normal spot. But the Sycamore Picnic Pavilion is a very nice area, and one could watch the swimmers from several different spots.
I’ll admit this was hard for a true-blue Wolverine to take. But I did my best!
And different for the Green Team, we put the main station in the post-race area. Our usual spot near registration was crowded, so we just set a table there with All Waste boxes on it. This was also close to the pizza truck, so we swapped it out frequently.
Thanks to an earlier event this month, our Free Stuff offerings included a bunch of nice bike-worthy water bottles. I was pleased to see more than half were taken. On the other hand, we ended up with a nice towel that someone didn’t want. Give and take!
And Zero Waste Rex finally made his first sustained appearance this year, after deflating at Pterodactyl.
Food was Little Caesars pizza, so our compostables were mainly boxes and half-eaten pizza, along with a number of banana peels from some mysterious source. Disposable water bottles were the main item recycled, along with aid station cups. Specialty items included Gu wrappers, discarded ankle tags, and the ever-present and ever-annoying little white tabs that come off said tags. I swept transition clean of them early on so I wouldn’t have to search for them in the dark.
And yes, it gets dark way too fast at this event, so Debbie and I packed up right after awards, and I weighed everything the next day. This plus the new location almost led to disaster, as Debbie couldn’t remember where she parked her car at first! A kind RF staffer came to her rescue, and it was duly located.
And someone stole Zero Waste Rex! The staff must’ve thought he was part of their inflatable set, which they give away to kids at the end. Fortunately he had a brother nearby, so “New Rex” will make his 2025 debut next May, back at our usual hangout at Kent Lake beach.
Happy Planet Running 