One of the first things that I tell newbies when they cross the finish line of their first Ironman race is "Welcome to the club, you are now a triathlete!” This is similar to the famous line heard at Ironman races around the world, when announcer Mike Reilly welcomes athletes to the finish with his recognizable, "You are an Ironman." Hearing these words as you cross the finish line of your first Ironman, you can't help but be changed forever. I know that I changed after my first time (Ironman Lake Placid in 1999). For I was not just a triathlete, but now, an IRONMAN triathlete.

Last weekend, after almost four and a half years since my last Ironman (Hawaii 2003), I tackled an event called the "RustMan" in beautiful Ruston, Louisiana. The RustMan consists of three events in three days. I am not being sarcastic when I say it was beautiful, as the entire racecourse was lined with tall pine trees and the grass along the course was green and dotted with wildflowers everywhere you looked.
 
The event began with the Gator Terra Off-Road Tri on Saturday: an 800-yard swim, 10-mile mountain bike and 3.5-mile run. In the evening there was a 2-mile road running race (the Lincoln 2 Miler), and Sunday capped off the weekend with a sprint triathlon (Hidden Paradise Sprint) consisting of a 600-yard swim, 13-mile bike and 3.2-mile run. The fastest cumulative times for all three events provided the scoring for the RustMan.

Okay, so maybe the RustMan is not as prestigious as the Ironman, but for me it stands for something special nonetheless. What it means for me is a triumph over my recent injuries (herniated disk, seizures and a few other things…) a return to racing after almost a three-year hiatus, and a reaffirmation of my identity as a triathlete. After eight Ironman races I am no doubt an Ironman; but my inactivity lately has created an internal conflict with what I think I am.

This race was more than just a great weekend of events. It was a revival for a lost triathlete – someone who forgot what the athletic accomplishment of crossing a finish line feels like.

This was my first Xterra race, and the Gator Terra had such a great aura and fun atmosphere that I'm glad it was my first. You always remember your first marathon, Ironman or even 5k. So this will always be a memorable race. In addition to the great time that I had it was obvious that the race was received well by other participants. I didn't see a single frown or scowl, and I didn't hear any words except praise for this race, venue and entire weekend of events.

Before the Xterra race started, the race director Fred Phillips gave us some background. I found it very interesting that this is the oldest Xterra race outside of the World Championships in Maui. And amazingly enough, there were a few participants that have been doing it since day one. Most impressively, the two volunteers working kayak support for the swimmers have been there every year since the first race. You can tell a quality race when the participants and the volunteers keep coming back like that!

One of reasons that the event was so well received has to be the Lincoln Parish Park venue where it all took place. The Xterra race was totally self-contained in the park, as was the two-mile road race. The Sprint Triathlon was an out-and-back course on a gradually rolling path outside the park, for the bike, but the run portion stayed within the park. The run either bordered the lake or followed the park roads, which were shady and made us all feel a great connection to our natural surroundings.

If you are looking for a fun and challenging weekend, you should definitely consider whether you have what it takes to be a RustMan! I didn't think I had it in me, but I can now proudly say that I am a RustMan and I look forward to my next big race... and becoming a VINEMAN! No wonder they call Dave Scott "The Man". He has probably won all of the races that have "Man" in their names.
 
See the full results and more information about the RustMan weekend events at www.dltmultisport.com/Rustman.