On April 2nd, five members of the triathlon club cycled the Shimanami Kaido. This was the last event of the season for the triathlon club, so it was nice to see everyone's year worth of efforts come full circle in this great test of endurance.
The Shimanami Kaido, which translates to "Sea Road," connects the main islands of Honshu and Shikoku through a series of bridges and islands. The total cycling distance is about 70 kilometers.
The members started cycling at about 10am. They cycled, stopping before each bridge to take a short rest and to take in the nice views. At about 1pm they stopped to have lunch at a designated lookout point with a scenic view of the Tatara Ohashi Bridge. After lunch the members kept good pace and good form. It wasn't until the hill climbs of Oshima Island that the club started to show some signs of fatigue. At that point they were just about fifteen kilometers from their goal and had enough fight left in them to finish. They finished at 5pm, which was ahead of schedule.
Please congratulate the Shimanami Kaido finishers when you see them. Since the start of the season, the triathlon club members worked very hard to increase their endurance and confidence. Throughout the season they have surprised themselves by accomplishing things that they had never thought possible. Let's continue to support them and wish them the best of luck for the 2011-2012 season!
