Let's see your Wildflower 70.3 Photos
There has been a lot of talk about Wildflower lately since it was added to the 2013 "Official" EN Calendar and it is rather prominent on the West Coast schedule.
To crank up the team mojo and hopefully convince a few that may be sitting on the fence or are thinking 2013 plans, I thought I might start a photo thread to focus on the vibe and the event as a whole versus a "race report". 2012 was my first doing this event, but it will likely become an annual event for me. The thing is just that cool. While a I wish I had more/better picutres here are a few to get things going. I am sure others have better stuff. Please post them here!
Wildflower is more of "a happening" than just a race and is often rightly called the "Woodstock" of triathlon. Core to this is the camping/ festival vibe. The event is at Lake San Antonio which is a good 30 minutes or so from the nearest little peck of a town and probably about 45 minutes to Paso Robles, CA. The other issue is that the lake only has one way in and that road is key to the course, so it closed well before and after the event. As a result of these factors, just about everybody camps and the campground is awesome. It just swallows everyone up. Plenty of room and none are turned away. The place holds thousands comfortably and all are there to either, race, cheer, party, or chill out. Most are doing all 4.
The vibe is taken up a few notches by the college crowd and the dozen or so really BIG Tri Clubs that flock to the event. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is close by and in the this part of California, this time of year, Wildflower is about the only thing going. It is like Spring Break. Plus, the Cal Poly Mustangs are rediculously well represented at the race. They have a really strong Tri Club with some top athletes.
The Cal Poly factor fuels a lot of the energy at the naked aid stations and the post-race mass streak through camp grounds. As evidence, check out the now famous picture Chris McCormack tweeted after the Olympic distance event on Sunday after Saturday's long course this year. Keep in mind he was leading the race at this point and went on to win it. As he went through the "nakes aid station" at mile 8ish, a few of the "staffer" decided to give chase....
You would be surprised how fast can make it through an aid station staffed 85% by naked dudes, let me tell you....
2012 was awesome because our footprint was HUGE. Team EN had about 8 or so and my tri-club, Pasadena Triathlon Club (PTC), had about 45. The connection between the two is very cool. Coach Rich started PTC about 10 years ago, so there are a lot of cross over.
Here is a shot of out little tent city the morning of the race. It is a poor man's Olympic Village.
While there are thousands in the Saturday event, it doesn't feel like it. The whole thing is really well organized, they been doing it 30 YEARS, and it is really spacious. Getting your swag bag is a snap and transition is HUGE.
After the race things get going pretty quick. Unlike many events where poeple are stampeading for the exits, Wildflower keeps you there. For the cheering sections, the partying has been going a while. The run course pools through huge sections of the campground and unoffical aid stations are EVERYWHERE and so are parties. It is nuts!
For the racers, the party starts around 2:00 or 3:00 depending on how fast you are. Example, here is EN wicked fast guy, Trent P., two fisting after his finish. The cup is a margarita from the PTC margarita MACHINE.... in the campground....
Then the recovery meal gets cranking. Here is Mr. San Diego, Trent, processing about 30 pounds of Coach Rich's famous chicken and carne asada. Note one of the MASSIVE grills. Rich brought TWO!?!
Pre-dinner team photo.
Time to eat.
I know that looks like a lot of wine for a camping trip, but you gotta remember that the central coast of California is considered really terrific wine country.
Then, there is the fire. Coach Rich is very particular about his fire. First, if a small fire is nice, a BIG fire exponentially more awesome. If you use GASOLINE to kick start it from time to time, then the awesomeness is just off the charts. Finally, no chicas are allowed to speak of, comment or suggest anything relative to the fire. Certainly no comments about it's size will be tolerated. Also, as he adds gas he like to ask in rather gladitorial way "ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!?"
If you look closely, hard to see in this picture, the firplace cover is glowing. But, you can roast a REALLY well done marshmellow on that afterburner going out of the top.
And, turns out cakes don't camp well, so you gotta have a cookie....
Please post your pics from Wildflower if you have them, if not make sure you put Wildflower on your 2013 calendar so you can get some....
Let's make 2013 HUGE!
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Official EN Mascot, Riley the WonderPup!