Camp Pendleton Sprint Triathlon not to be missed
August 10th, 2008 Categories: Aquathlon and Duathlon Race Reports, San Diego County Triathlon Race Reports, Triathlon Club of San Diego Race Reports, What to do in San Diego
SAN DIEGO– The Camp Pendleton Hard Corps race series features some great events. There are of course the two Mud Runs, running races of various distances, a duathlon, international distance tri and a bike race. But the best race of all is the Camp Pendleton sprint triathlon held on the Navy based home of the Swift Intruders.
What makes this event so unique and I mean one of a kind unique, is that the event is that the majority of the race takes place with in the ‘secret wall compund’ that houses the hovercraft. When you travel on hwy 5, you can not help but notice the towering cement walls and wonder just what the heck is going on in there.
The transtion area is set at the base of the landing ramp used by the craft 
for entering and exiting the ocean. This landing ramp also is the worst hill of the whole course and you climb it twice when leaving transition on the bike and run. So for your first event, know it doesn’t get anymore difficult than that.
The swim is an ocean swim and during the summer you should expect some surf as we see a predominant south swell and this area of San Diego county is usually a couple feet larger than most areas south. This day the surf was 2–3 with an occasional 4 foot set waves. The only real challenge was a large 7–8 foot deep trough and then a sandbar again which is where the surf broke again. This caused some funky current conditions. When the surf was down, there was a bit of a north current, but once the waves came the current turned and pushed north. Another thing you can count on is a 
perfect 68–70 water temperature.
The bike route is a very easy out and back with no real hills at all. Truly the only ‘hills’ are an overpass to cross hwy 5 and a rise out of a storm wash. Do they slow down your effort? Yes, but they really are not a climb. When you make your turn on to Las Pulgas, it does seem as though it is a constant elevation gain, so do not let your necessary extra effort discourage you as once you make the turn it will be time to drop down a couple gears and let the legs go!!
Coming back in to transition the prevailing thought for me was, “dang, now we have to run up that ramp!!” It really isn’t that bad. Just short quick turnover and get it over with. The run course is contained within the Intruders compound and you run through and around numerous hovercraft as well as the hangars, cranes and other machinery used to maintain the fleet. It really is pretty cool to be there amongst the workings. Additionally, with all the distractions and the winding unmarked course, you never really know where you are, so you don’t know if you are hurting or not. What I mean by this is, if you see a mile a marker, you gauge your effort and how your legs feel towards what is left. Sometimes this a negative mentally when you calculate that if I feel this way now, I am bummed with ‘x’ number of miles left. I guess it could be surmised as ignorance is bliss!!!
Now that the run is winding down, you come around the corner of the last 
hangar and there is the finish line. What distinguishes it is not so much the balloons and banners, it is the parked hovercraft that you cross thorough with Marines waiting for your bib and chip. That’s another thing about any of the Hard Corp races. Being on the base there are so many ‘voluntold’ Marines out there helping to make all the events GREAT. It makes these events a great opportunity to thank those guys for what they do and they really do appreciate it.
As for results, local Ironman Champion and Carlsbad resident Michelie Jones rode her bike over to make sure she got in her warm up and won the womens 
field in 1:17:15 only beating me by about 15 minutes 
. The Triathlon Club of San Diego had a great presence at the race and had two club members, Philippe Krebs and Shane Byusse place 2nd and third overall. Funny thing, Phillipe beat Shane by three seconds, but was in a later wave. Wonder how both their times would have been if they were on the course together?
I would have to say that this race in my opinion should sell out as fast as the Mud Runs and should certainly sell out before the International. As a sponsor of both of these races my inbox was flooded with requests for entries because the races sold out. make sure you sign up early and if you can not race, call it a donation to the guys who are out there supporting our country everyday. The money from the races goes towards Marine Corps Community Services. It is a small amount of money for what these guys are doing. Especially given the current situationS our military is involved in.
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