On Sunday I did the Revolution 3 Triathlon in Middlebury, CT, as part of a relay team. This was the first time I had ever done one as a relay and also the first time I had ever raced in New England.

How did I come to do this race? Several months ago my friend Carol Scheible, who is on the Trakkers team, asked me if I'd be willing to do the bike part of the race in a relay with her teammate Kelly Covert. Once I saw that a lot of top pros would be in the race, and that my friend Stormy lives near the race site, I decided to do it because it sounded like fun.

Our drive from NC to CT was quite an ordeal! It rained on us the whole way, we got stuck in several traffic jams, and once we crossed the Tappan Zee Bridge over the Hudson River, we went the wrong way on Saw Mill River Parkway. By the time we realized our mistake, we were in Yonkers, NY, a long way from where we were supposed to be. What we thought would be a 10-hour drive ultimately ended up being a 15-hour drive.

I met my relay partner in person for the first time the day before the race. She was to do the swim and the run. After we met, I set off on my bike to preview the first few miles of the bike course.

Because I was just doing the bike ride, and because I was being asked to carry a Trakkers device during the race, I decided to wear a bicycle jersey on top of my tri suit. Since I had jersey pockets, I also decided to carry my iPhone with me on the bike.

When the race started, I took pictures of the first few waves beginning the swim. Then, as I was getting ready to take my spot in the transition area to wait for Kelly, I saw the first pros running into the TA. Since I had my iPhone with me, I took pictures of the pros. One shot in particular showed Matt Reed -- who would ultimately win the men's race, leaving the TA with his bike.

When Kelly entered the TA, she started yelling my name and waving at me, which gave me a great heads up. She gave me the timing chip for my ankle and the Trakkers device, which is about the size of a pager, and I was off.

The first few miles were mostly downhill, with a few small rollers thrown in for good measure. But then the course settled into its true nature, which was roller after roller after New England roller, and it stayed that way for most of the ride. Most of the hills were not that long or that tough on their own, but the cumulative effect was brutal! There were a few screaming fast descents that I really enjoyed. I caught up to Carol after the first really fast descent, about one hour into my ride and about 20 miles into the course. There was also one long climb after that point that lasted maybe a mile or two.

When I finished the bike ride, I tried to hand the Trakkers device to Kelly, but she said it wasn't working and that she had gotten a second device. She was off pretty quickly and looked strong heading out. My bike split ended up being 03:05:37. (In comparison, my PR on the Duke Half Ironman bike course -- also considered a tough course -- was 02:51:57.)

While I was waiting for Kelly to finish the run, I heard over the loudspeakers that Matt Reed had won the men's race in an amazingly fast time of just under four hours. And not long after, I happened to see him hanging out near the massage tables. I introduced myself to him, congratulated him on his win, and showed him the picture I had taken of him with my iPhone. He confirmed that it was indeed him in the picture.

I asked him what he thought of the run course. His reply:  "Oh, it was brutal!"

Kelly finished strong and I got a picture of her entering the finishing chute. A little while later I got a picture of Carol as she entered the finishing chute.

Our relay team -- called Team Covert-Hughes-- finished #17 of 33 teams. And Carol, who put in a really gutsy performance herself, later called the race a "brutal test of mental toughness" for her. There's that word again -- brutal. It keeps coming up whenever I hear someone talking about their experience in this race.

My verdict on the bike course? Without a doubt, it was the toughest triathlon bike course I have ever ridden.