A bad day=water going down your back is better than water going down your throat or how to be the perfect husband
I know. I know. No blogs for a while. So here goes a long one.
We finished out our trip to California with a few decent swims in the ocean and a great run around Pasadena. But even La La land must end at some time. So back home we went.
Sunday was the East Fork Tri. David Young was willing to go with me and step up to the Olympic Distance ( Mile swim, 25 mile bike, 6 mile run). I was to meet him aroun 6:30 at my house. I went outside and he suprised me by jumping from behind the car where he had been reading the paper. First heart rate acceleration.
Off we go. Now I know the directions the Irish way, "Well, you kind of go down by the big road and then when you see the old building, make a left but not too sharp. Well, you'll know where it is, everybody does"--That sort of thing--move by feel.
David also kind of knew the way but more through half baked verbal directions. The end result--we mixed the two styles to great failure.
A word here about, "the locals". Legend has it that locals know "the best place to eat", "the quickest routes" and "where to get the best deals". I have always contended that the locals are overrated. Sunday did not disappoint. We go into the UDF and ask for East Fork Lake. I emphasize here that East Fork Lake is a large body of water is the Middle of NOWHERE. First three people inside , "East Fork Lake??? (With requisite dumb look)". Not going too well. Outside, guys in trucks--hope springs eternal. The guys responds with overlapping irrational instructions, "Head down here two miles and turn right at the Asteroid, or was it left". No help. So we drive around until we find a guy who says, "Drive down 222 for three miles, turn left on 125 and thr lake is on the right". "Thanks", I say. Quick glance at the license plates--Pittsburgh, PA. I rest my case.
Now David is very fast. He barely trains and is way faster than me. He actually looks good doing this. So I am trying to talk him into Team in Training next year for Philly or St. Anthony's. He would love it. He would take off with coaching and the trip would be great. So he says to me, "If Jody (wife) wants to go I will do it". Newlyweds learn so fast. The Perfect Husband.
David had a great race and I think was impressed at how difficult it is to do this distance.
I swam ok but got a little off course. Out of the water and onto the bike. Did I mention that the bike starts up a big hill? Did I mention the law of gravity? I start up the hill and my chain jams. Now there is a moment when I know I am not going forward and it is only a matter of time before I go backward (remember the clippy bike shoes). Crash--down I go at the start. Big cut on the elbow. Start over and spend the first ten miles just trying to get a flow going. Then come the downhills. Not great because that means there will soon be uphills. A real slog back to transition. Off on the run and the temp is now up to 96 degrees. Two more degrees and we would have a boy band. By the way, the hill is still there and it is a double loop course so that means twice the fun. I find that drinking water is of little help but throwing over my back lets me run a half mile or so. I do this multiple times until I realize that my socks are wet and I now have blisters.
A couple of insults to injury:
1)As I am finishing the ambulance crew is leaving as if to say, "If he kicks now his life is not worth saving"
2)As I am finishing, the creepy guy with the ice cream truck is leaving
3)When I am heading up the hill for the second loop of the run one of the winners is calling to me. She is saying, "you forgot to turn in your timing chip". She thinks I am done. So I correct her and let her know that I am still racing. A look of shock and disbelief come over her. "Ohhhhh, you are stillllll racing". Not in a condescending way,but rather with the same tone she would use if she had just seen space alien. "The Horror, The Horror"
Well now onto Chicago at the end of the month---What awaits us on the hot apshalt?
We finished out our trip to California with a few decent swims in the ocean and a great run around Pasadena. But even La La land must end at some time. So back home we went.
Sunday was the East Fork Tri. David Young was willing to go with me and step up to the Olympic Distance ( Mile swim, 25 mile bike, 6 mile run). I was to meet him aroun 6:30 at my house. I went outside and he suprised me by jumping from behind the car where he had been reading the paper. First heart rate acceleration.
Off we go. Now I know the directions the Irish way, "Well, you kind of go down by the big road and then when you see the old building, make a left but not too sharp. Well, you'll know where it is, everybody does"--That sort of thing--move by feel.
David also kind of knew the way but more through half baked verbal directions. The end result--we mixed the two styles to great failure.
A word here about, "the locals". Legend has it that locals know "the best place to eat", "the quickest routes" and "where to get the best deals". I have always contended that the locals are overrated. Sunday did not disappoint. We go into the UDF and ask for East Fork Lake. I emphasize here that East Fork Lake is a large body of water is the Middle of NOWHERE. First three people inside , "East Fork Lake??? (With requisite dumb look)". Not going too well. Outside, guys in trucks--hope springs eternal. The guys responds with overlapping irrational instructions, "Head down here two miles and turn right at the Asteroid, or was it left". No help. So we drive around until we find a guy who says, "Drive down 222 for three miles, turn left on 125 and thr lake is on the right". "Thanks", I say. Quick glance at the license plates--Pittsburgh, PA. I rest my case.
Now David is very fast. He barely trains and is way faster than me. He actually looks good doing this. So I am trying to talk him into Team in Training next year for Philly or St. Anthony's. He would love it. He would take off with coaching and the trip would be great. So he says to me, "If Jody (wife) wants to go I will do it". Newlyweds learn so fast. The Perfect Husband.
David had a great race and I think was impressed at how difficult it is to do this distance.
I swam ok but got a little off course. Out of the water and onto the bike. Did I mention that the bike starts up a big hill? Did I mention the law of gravity? I start up the hill and my chain jams. Now there is a moment when I know I am not going forward and it is only a matter of time before I go backward (remember the clippy bike shoes). Crash--down I go at the start. Big cut on the elbow. Start over and spend the first ten miles just trying to get a flow going. Then come the downhills. Not great because that means there will soon be uphills. A real slog back to transition. Off on the run and the temp is now up to 96 degrees. Two more degrees and we would have a boy band. By the way, the hill is still there and it is a double loop course so that means twice the fun. I find that drinking water is of little help but throwing over my back lets me run a half mile or so. I do this multiple times until I realize that my socks are wet and I now have blisters.
A couple of insults to injury:
1)As I am finishing the ambulance crew is leaving as if to say, "If he kicks now his life is not worth saving"
2)As I am finishing, the creepy guy with the ice cream truck is leaving
3)When I am heading up the hill for the second loop of the run one of the winners is calling to me. She is saying, "you forgot to turn in your timing chip". She thinks I am done. So I correct her and let her know that I am still racing. A look of shock and disbelief come over her. "Ohhhhh, you are stillllll racing". Not in a condescending way,but rather with the same tone she would use if she had just seen space alien. "The Horror, The Horror"
Well now onto Chicago at the end of the month---What awaits us on the hot apshalt?
posted by BigWaveTom at 8:44 PM
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