Introducing the Buddy Bones 64-Mile Triathlon

June the 2nd? 

It's my birthday. I turn 64 years old that day. For the past several years, eight to be exact, I have celebrated each year by swimming the Chicot Challenge. This year, due to a global pandemic, Chicot has been rescheduled for September 26.

How do you feel about that?

Moving the swim left me with an empty spot inside. I don't want to start a new tradition of doing nothing on a day that pushes me closer to old age and the grave. So my mind began to wander and wonder. It does that from time to time. It wandered from a pool swim to a long run to a monster gym session to a personal triathlon. It stayed on the triathlon. I'll do a 64-mile triathlon, I thought. And the more I pondered it the more I settled in on the challenge.

Plan?

The plan goes like this. Penny takes me and my bicycle to Twin Rivers where I will swim a mile-- starting a bit before 8:00 a.m-- transition, and then head out Money Road for a little cycle. Out on the road, I plan to ride for 50 miles ending at the Hideout. There I will transition, and then attempt to shuffle for 13.1 miles.

The bicycle course?

I already told you Money Road. Of course you may be aware that Money Road ends at Highway 8 only 18 miles from Greenwood. I may turn around and do some turn backs or side roads. Or I might ride Highway 8. I will probably go east on 8 past Philipp and then back. I can stop at the store there and access some nutrition.

The run course? 

Right now I am thinking of zigging and zagging through north Greenwood in an attempt to stay in the shade as much as possible. I know that is a lot of zigging. I can always head out Money Road if the weather turns off cool or I think I can handle it. But there is no shade out there and with a GPS watch I can make it up as I go. I think I'll spend a bit of time on the river bank, in the shade of the Yazoo River Trail. That will keep me out of the sun.

Time? 

Slow, very slow. The only part I plan to push is the swim. That is my real super power. I'll have a go at swimming well, attempt to do the 50 mile bike with as little fatigue as possible, and then survive a slow run that will probably take me three hours or more. In all, it will likely take me eight hours to complete the race.

Race you say?

Well, sort of. I will, in my mind, be racing Randy Beets and some other jerks, jerks who need to be humbled. The nice thing about doing these solo events is that if you finish, you always win. I like to win.

Reason?

Do we really want to go there? Yes, I want to show out. Of course, I like physical challenges. And true, this will help form the fitness base that I will swim Chicot on this September. Maybe I can use it to kick off the fund raising for the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi. Besides all that, it will give me something to do.

Name?

I'm calling it the Buddy Bones 64-Mile Triathlon after my good buddy Buddy Bones. He is the only one who will do this sort of thing with me.

So it's a sure thing?

Nothing is a sure thing. But I plan to do it.

How will we know? Some of us want to know.

I'll make a few posts on Facebook. Stay tuned.