A Girls Gotta Have Support - Knoxville HalfRev Pre Race Report

A while back I started a post called "a girls gotta have support" and it was intended to be about my decision to apply for and join the TRAKKERS triathlon team for 2010. Joining Trakkers was a complicated decision for me. I never finished that post, and maybe I will someday, but this weekend really showed me what amazing support I do have, no matter what kit I'm wearing on race day.

I am one lucky girl with an amazing triathlon support system.

It was Saturday, the day before the race, my Trakker's teammates Kiersten and Kati (and Kati's husband), watched my kids while I did the practice swim, warmup bike, race registration, etc. in the morning. Alex was working at the all3sports tent, so I had to have help with the kids. These guys were awesome and made the morning completely stress free for me! Thank You!! I was calm, and feeling ready to race.

However, as I went to rack my bike in transition (little ones in tow - who were being amazingly patient as they were starving and it was well past lunchtime) I noticed my front tire was completely flat. This was the first time I was riding the 808's, but I knew enough about tubulars to know, this might not be something easy to fix. Not sure if I should get kids lunch and then try to fix tire, I decided that it'd would be best to drop wheel with Alex and see what magic he could do. Packed everyone/thing back in the car, drove up to expo parking, walked down to find Alex at the expo (he's pretty unreachable via cell phone during expos because he's so busy). As I'm walking into the tent I run into EC Coach Dan and show him the wheel, upon inspection we find a gash in the tire and he popped out a piece of glass. This wheel is done.

Long story short... the only option is for me to ride regular training wheel in race, as tire is too damaged for patch and I don't have a spare wheel lying around (who does?) :D

After about 10 minutes (which I'm sure to my VERY hungry and VERY tired boys seemed more like 8 hours) it's decided that I will ride a friends spare wheel that Coach Dan just happens to be in possession of! (see what I mean about being a lucky girl!! even in bad luck I have good luck).

I mention to Alex that I'm taking boys to lunch and then racking my bike (with my cool loaner wheel). Alex saves the day "I bought you guys lunch this morning, it's in the cooler" Not only lunch, but tons of fruit and protein (my MET planned pre race lunch as I don't do well with high fiber foods (i.e. greens) before a race) and stuff the boys like to eat. Seriously, how cool was that.

So we all sat down right in the middle of the expo and had a picnic lunch! It was a great part of the day, because folks came and sat with us and we had a really nice time. We had Trakkers teammates, all3sports team folks, Endurance Concepts team folks, etc.

Now I have two no longer hungry, but still tired, boys and a bike to rack! :D Head down to transition (again) to rack bike, open wheel bag, wrong wheel (it's a 1080, I have 808 rear). I'm not sure what to do (this is where my inexperience with all the "fancy" equipment comes out) a couple of stressful calls made, feeling like I can't possible drag my children anywhere else EXCEPT the hotel to relax, a parking lot chat with uber triathlete and fabulous human being Haley Chura, and I decided just to go with what I had. Haley also stayed in the car with boys (my littlest was zonked out in the car) when I finally did get everything organized and racked my bike.

Yeah, if nothing else came out of this race, I would know I am lucky beyond measure to know the great, fabulous, amazing people that I have in my life.

And as if that wasn't enough, as I'm getting the kids dinner, I get a text message from EC Coach Shanks - Dan has an 808, he's switching it for you in transition, what's your race number - so amazingly thoughtful! Thanks Dan and Shanks! Of course, since we are all family, Shanks couldn't help but tease a little "I guess we don't need your race number, it's probably the only midget Kestrel 4000 with a 1080 front in transition" midget Kestrel, very funny :D

Another text message later from coach Dan with picture of bike in Transition with 808 (fully inflated haha) front wheel.



Then text from Shanks - the front brake is rubbing, if alex can't fix in am, I'll help.

Yep, unlucky and yet LUCKY me.

I have to say though, all of this left me feeling

STRESSSSSSSSED OUT!

and I really didn't want to race anymore. It just felt that the universe was trying to tell me something. but then I thought, well, maybe it's a test

HOW BADLY DO YOU REALLY WANT THIS

and when someone tests me, I stand up and fight.

So I fought back by making

LISTS

ha ha I know it sounds silly, but it calms me down. After I got the boys to sleep that night I made lists

a list for what to do so this wheel issue never happens again
a list for when to pack and prep what for future races
a list for what to do in transition in the am (fix brake, fills bottles, sunscreen, tri slide, etc.)
a list for what nutrition needed to go where and when to mix it

then I started attacking the lists I needed to, tried to get myself centered and in to bed.

a fitful nights sleep (I kept singing "Perfect" by P!nk in my dreams, weird.)

and it's race morning...