"Can someone remove my thigh from my ear"?
Let's have a crack at my race report.
Heading into the race I had a little tweak in my ankle but it seemed to calm down. Walter DeNino and I had planned to juice up my bike a little. We also planned to leave everything on the course.
Lisa and I drove up on Saturday. A little late but not too bad. We arrived and our room was not quite ready so we had to check out bags. Have you ever tried to check a bike at a bellstand? A little tip, however, and the bike gets stored in the break room
We had lunch planned with Tom Holly and his wife, Val. Lunch was to be at Cocco Pozzo fulfilling the carbohydrate criteria. Now these two are great and still look great whild celebrating their 20 th wedding aniversary at the Drake hotel. As an aside, this brought home that my 20th wedding aniversary will be next year. Good???
Anyway, they seem to be doing well and Val is considering a Danskin tri and Tom is dancing around a tri himself. Somebody push him and tell him to go for it. As a matter of fact, sign up with Chicago TNT for St. Anthony's next year and let's have a go at it.
After lunch we had to fly down to the expo and get body marked (so the coroner can identify you) and get race numbers etc. They were out of T shirts by the time we got there. I still was able to buy a bike workout video by a very enthusiastic coach to use during the long winter months. After that we headed back up to Spiaggia for our pre race dinner and then to bed.
4 am comes early but I achieve my major goal of not waking Lisa by pumping my tires in the hallway. I get to ride through Chicago with mostly triathletes on their way to transition. Bike set up goes well and I get spot near a tree with easy access from both entrances.
Lisa gets there just before the swim start and what a relief to have her there. The start is a deep water start which means that you have to tread water before taking off.
I felt pretty good and was moving along but got a mouthful of gasoline. This triggered a negative reaction in my head and I started to think, "Why am I here" and "I need to get out"? Shades of St. Anthony's. Now in the past I have thought about what Lisa went through and that has kept me going. But this time I really thought I should quit. Then I realized that the blog readers would make fun of me---"Nice wetsuit, manatee"!!! So I lumbered on and finished in a very slow time with Lisa walking along the shore.
Well that sucked but let's move on. I got through transition in 1/2 the time of last year and headed up Lake Shore Drive on my bike. It is two loops to the city limits and back. I really moved well and was able to keep a much better pace than in the past. I was passing people for the first time ever. So now I am happy but how hard can I push? I tried to keep my gears high and my heart rate down around 155 or so. But this is a big breakthrough.
As the bike ends I come to a hairpin turn down the exit ramp. I know about this and misjudge and almost go sliding. On to transition hoping for a fast time.
In transition I go to change my left shoe. Monster cramp--the kind where your leg bends towards your ear. So I running up and down the aisle trying to work it out. I finally solve that and change the other shoe--Wam!!! same thing. So much fo a fast transition.
Keep moving the legs-no cramps. I am taking baby steps down by the lake and head towards the museums. Lisa is there on the path to wish me luck.
On the run I see a guy wih one leg, a girl with one leg and a guy with no legs. Now you were complaining about what? Keep moving, keep moving.
Sometimes it is the little things that catch you. Near the swim I see a family all wearing blue tee shirts. On the back it says, "In honor of Alex". Without knowing, you know that this is a big day for them. You can imagine what they have been through without knowing what they have been through. You know it was painful and you hope there will be joy. But today a meaningless race is the most important thing in the world. For real.
Mile three is down near McCormick place. It is a lonely part of the run--far but not far enough. He cranks U2's "Beautiful Day" and I cry a little---"Whaaa Whaaaa I am overcome with emotions", "Whaaaa Whaaaa" Just shut up and run.
The end is near and Lisa is at the finish line. This is a big race and the finish line has a major league feel to it. I continue to raise my effort right up to the finish.
First stop--the big blowing fans with the mist---works great. Next stop Lisa. Then congrats to the Cincy Team in Training folks.
Better off than last year but still room for improvement. Time to rest for a while and then get ready for next year---first stop the pool.
Now I have some big plans for next year. Any suggestions......?
Heading into the race I had a little tweak in my ankle but it seemed to calm down. Walter DeNino and I had planned to juice up my bike a little. We also planned to leave everything on the course.
Lisa and I drove up on Saturday. A little late but not too bad. We arrived and our room was not quite ready so we had to check out bags. Have you ever tried to check a bike at a bellstand? A little tip, however, and the bike gets stored in the break room
We had lunch planned with Tom Holly and his wife, Val. Lunch was to be at Cocco Pozzo fulfilling the carbohydrate criteria. Now these two are great and still look great whild celebrating their 20 th wedding aniversary at the Drake hotel. As an aside, this brought home that my 20th wedding aniversary will be next year. Good???
Anyway, they seem to be doing well and Val is considering a Danskin tri and Tom is dancing around a tri himself. Somebody push him and tell him to go for it. As a matter of fact, sign up with Chicago TNT for St. Anthony's next year and let's have a go at it.
After lunch we had to fly down to the expo and get body marked (so the coroner can identify you) and get race numbers etc. They were out of T shirts by the time we got there. I still was able to buy a bike workout video by a very enthusiastic coach to use during the long winter months. After that we headed back up to Spiaggia for our pre race dinner and then to bed.
4 am comes early but I achieve my major goal of not waking Lisa by pumping my tires in the hallway. I get to ride through Chicago with mostly triathletes on their way to transition. Bike set up goes well and I get spot near a tree with easy access from both entrances.
Lisa gets there just before the swim start and what a relief to have her there. The start is a deep water start which means that you have to tread water before taking off.
I felt pretty good and was moving along but got a mouthful of gasoline. This triggered a negative reaction in my head and I started to think, "Why am I here" and "I need to get out"? Shades of St. Anthony's. Now in the past I have thought about what Lisa went through and that has kept me going. But this time I really thought I should quit. Then I realized that the blog readers would make fun of me---"Nice wetsuit, manatee"!!! So I lumbered on and finished in a very slow time with Lisa walking along the shore.
Well that sucked but let's move on. I got through transition in 1/2 the time of last year and headed up Lake Shore Drive on my bike. It is two loops to the city limits and back. I really moved well and was able to keep a much better pace than in the past. I was passing people for the first time ever. So now I am happy but how hard can I push? I tried to keep my gears high and my heart rate down around 155 or so. But this is a big breakthrough.
As the bike ends I come to a hairpin turn down the exit ramp. I know about this and misjudge and almost go sliding. On to transition hoping for a fast time.
In transition I go to change my left shoe. Monster cramp--the kind where your leg bends towards your ear. So I running up and down the aisle trying to work it out. I finally solve that and change the other shoe--Wam!!! same thing. So much fo a fast transition.
Keep moving the legs-no cramps. I am taking baby steps down by the lake and head towards the museums. Lisa is there on the path to wish me luck.
On the run I see a guy wih one leg, a girl with one leg and a guy with no legs. Now you were complaining about what? Keep moving, keep moving.
Sometimes it is the little things that catch you. Near the swim I see a family all wearing blue tee shirts. On the back it says, "In honor of Alex". Without knowing, you know that this is a big day for them. You can imagine what they have been through without knowing what they have been through. You know it was painful and you hope there will be joy. But today a meaningless race is the most important thing in the world. For real.
Mile three is down near McCormick place. It is a lonely part of the run--far but not far enough. He cranks U2's "Beautiful Day" and I cry a little---"Whaaa Whaaaa I am overcome with emotions", "Whaaaa Whaaaa" Just shut up and run.
The end is near and Lisa is at the finish line. This is a big race and the finish line has a major league feel to it. I continue to raise my effort right up to the finish.
First stop--the big blowing fans with the mist---works great. Next stop Lisa. Then congrats to the Cincy Team in Training folks.
Better off than last year but still room for improvement. Time to rest for a while and then get ready for next year---first stop the pool.
Now I have some big plans for next year. Any suggestions......?
posted by BigWaveTom at 8:50 PM
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