congrats to Austin Tri finishers!!
I've been living vicariously through my tri-buddies while trying to figure out my "illness". I forget when I last worked out other than strength or stretching. It's okay.
Wed evening I had the ACA Education Committee meeting, Thursday, well, no working out. Friday I left work early and I stayed up very late to watch a stupid old movie I got on DVD for $6.99, "Car Wash". But it was mindless and I enjoyed the escape. I had to plan where I was going to park next day since I'd be (Supposedly) spending 10-6 downtown volunteering for the Austin Tri.
After a record-breaking 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep (11:45-3:45) with a one hour nap chaser (6:45-7:45) Saturday-back down at Auditorium shores for Olympic bike check-in 10-2. Lessee: I don't have enough digits on one hand to count the downtown events this weekend: BatFest, Austin Tri, Human Race, Zilker Relays (that was Friday, I know). Dilemma: where to park?? I'd parked in the TxDOT lot, thinking it'd be the safest way to get out of downtown which didn't involve a blocked traffic lane, and included a light to getout onto Riverside (strategy: since I thought I'd be there till after 6:00, I thought I'd catch lots of the Human Race traffic). Turns out this was good strategy because my usual standby, Bennigan's was charging ten bucks when it's normally free.
Then over to the HighHat for packet pickup. Found Michelle who said they were actually fully staffed, put my feet up and she might check with me in a few to do something else. About 3:00, I checked again and she cut me loose. Which I was grateful for.
Went to HEB and got a few things, went home and made healthy food to eat, watched some Court TV (sorry, it's still Court TV to me) and went to bed about 9:30. By no means does this mean I went to sleep. Nope. I guess the extra hour I got on Saturday morning between 6:45 and 7:45 was my Saturday night allotment. I am really NOT liking this going to bed and laying there for 5 or 6 hours... not fun.
anyway, alarm went off 4:15, I got up listening to BBC and drank a little coffee, checked internet, weather, etc and headed downtown.
Met Kenneth and asked if Vick was already in n'awlins and he said she was in Dallas awaiting deployment. He and Hannah and I manned the "TriZones corner" of the bike course at the top of the wrong-way-of-the-one-way Atlanta to LAB turn. Hannah did cheerleading moves, I cowbelled and Kenneth yelled encouragement. I saw many people I knew (including Tune on her 2nd lap!) and got lots of dirty looks, yells from drivers saying, "you need a detour sign", and people being cranky. Hey buddy! how'd you like to come out here at 5:30 am, stand around in the full sun till noon and cheer on YOUR friends? the highlight is when people "get" the cowbell -- one guy rounded the turn saying, "I got a fever!!" and I ran the cowbell louder. We did witness a nasty crash -- one guy cut the curb a little TOO close, and his back wheel went airborne, taking the two riders behind him down also. Oddly, all of them got back up and kept on. I yelled at one of them, "your chain fell off!" maybe he was too embarrassed to check that before starting off again.
So where was Kim? I knew she was #422 but never saw her. Fish came and went. Stacey came and went. Carolyn came and went. Uh oh. Where was Kim?? not good.. I went to check my phone to see if she'd called or something. Nope. So we continued to cheer for people: Fish, Missy, Maggie, Rachel (although I didn't realize it was Rachel till she'd passed me the final time..) Mark & Kim C, All Texas Iron, All TriZones including Shannon, Kelly & Jody, Stacey, Carolyn, Denise, and Tom and some TZ people I didn't know, Tune, Catherine, etc. etc. About 10:45 things came to a close. Hannah noticed a car trying to "edge" through the Run Tex parking lot, and onto Atlanta to the SB Mopac lane. Well, our police escort promptly escorted them with flashing lights and they both had to put it in reverse to go back to the Run Tex lot. Our hero went and got a tablet and wrote the guy a ticket. sheesh.
Our truck come to pick us up and as we were crossing the bridge to the finish line I saw Carolyn again so from the back of the truck I rang the cowbell again! "GO CAROLYN". about 5 seconds later we came up on Jody so I rang the cowbell again!! GO JODY!! I wasn't sure it was her, at first, cause I didn't see a camelbak.. but it WAS her and she waved back.
We got to the finish area, grabbed some beers and pizza and then I noticed Kim over there in her Texas Iron camp shirt. Dilemma time. Can't leave the beer corral till I've drank my beer. Want to talk to Kim. Oh hell, I can email Kim. Drink the beer, man!! I also saw Kirk and his group who I've been sort of mentoring pretty much all summer and I missed them at the OWS so another reason to head over there. I saw them taking group pics so I figured they'd be disbanding soon. So I said goodbye to Vic and Jerry (Dan's father, who is one hell of a guy) and headed over to say congrats to Kirk and the Veterans for Sarcoma group. Kirk and his wife were so grateful. Sounds like they had a much better race than CapTex. They will do great at Longhorn. I haven't decided what's in store for me for Longhorn. I know I can handle AquaBike. My ego wants a 70.3. But I don't think my hamstring will allow me a 70.3. First thing I have to do is finalize my birthday trip plans. Then I'll decide what to do about Longhorn weekend. Even if I don't "race" you can bet I'll be out there on the course. I watched Lyn get her age group award, gave her a hug, and as that was occurring, Jody got her award, so I went to give congratulatory hugs there and headed off up Lamar to donate a pint. Hee hee. Most people stop at the Tavern to GET a pint. Me, I dropped off one pint of O negative at the Blood & Tissue Center.
Next organized event: Sept 13 Tour de Florence I signed up for the 45 miler. After that, next organized event is Burnet Tri Hard.
GREAT seeing everyone out there today! I love event when there is still free beer left for me at the end!
Wed evening I had the ACA Education Committee meeting, Thursday, well, no working out. Friday I left work early and I stayed up very late to watch a stupid old movie I got on DVD for $6.99, "Car Wash". But it was mindless and I enjoyed the escape. I had to plan where I was going to park next day since I'd be (Supposedly) spending 10-6 downtown volunteering for the Austin Tri.
After a record-breaking 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep (11:45-3:45) with a one hour nap chaser (6:45-7:45) Saturday-back down at Auditorium shores for Olympic bike check-in 10-2. Lessee: I don't have enough digits on one hand to count the downtown events this weekend: BatFest, Austin Tri, Human Race, Zilker Relays (that was Friday, I know). Dilemma: where to park?? I'd parked in the TxDOT lot, thinking it'd be the safest way to get out of downtown which didn't involve a blocked traffic lane, and included a light to getout onto Riverside (strategy: since I thought I'd be there till after 6:00, I thought I'd catch lots of the Human Race traffic). Turns out this was good strategy because my usual standby, Bennigan's was charging ten bucks when it's normally free.
Then over to the HighHat for packet pickup. Found Michelle who said they were actually fully staffed, put my feet up and she might check with me in a few to do something else. About 3:00, I checked again and she cut me loose. Which I was grateful for.
Went to HEB and got a few things, went home and made healthy food to eat, watched some Court TV (sorry, it's still Court TV to me) and went to bed about 9:30. By no means does this mean I went to sleep. Nope. I guess the extra hour I got on Saturday morning between 6:45 and 7:45 was my Saturday night allotment. I am really NOT liking this going to bed and laying there for 5 or 6 hours... not fun.
anyway, alarm went off 4:15, I got up listening to BBC and drank a little coffee, checked internet, weather, etc and headed downtown.
Met Kenneth and asked if Vick was already in n'awlins and he said she was in Dallas awaiting deployment. He and Hannah and I manned the "TriZones corner" of the bike course at the top of the wrong-way-of-the-one-way Atlanta to LAB turn. Hannah did cheerleading moves, I cowbelled and Kenneth yelled encouragement. I saw many people I knew (including Tune on her 2nd lap!) and got lots of dirty looks, yells from drivers saying, "you need a detour sign", and people being cranky. Hey buddy! how'd you like to come out here at 5:30 am, stand around in the full sun till noon and cheer on YOUR friends? the highlight is when people "get" the cowbell -- one guy rounded the turn saying, "I got a fever!!" and I ran the cowbell louder. We did witness a nasty crash -- one guy cut the curb a little TOO close, and his back wheel went airborne, taking the two riders behind him down also. Oddly, all of them got back up and kept on. I yelled at one of them, "your chain fell off!" maybe he was too embarrassed to check that before starting off again.
So where was Kim? I knew she was #422 but never saw her. Fish came and went. Stacey came and went. Carolyn came and went. Uh oh. Where was Kim?? not good.. I went to check my phone to see if she'd called or something. Nope. So we continued to cheer for people: Fish, Missy, Maggie, Rachel (although I didn't realize it was Rachel till she'd passed me the final time..) Mark & Kim C, All Texas Iron, All TriZones including Shannon, Kelly & Jody, Stacey, Carolyn, Denise, and Tom and some TZ people I didn't know, Tune, Catherine, etc. etc. About 10:45 things came to a close. Hannah noticed a car trying to "edge" through the Run Tex parking lot, and onto Atlanta to the SB Mopac lane. Well, our police escort promptly escorted them with flashing lights and they both had to put it in reverse to go back to the Run Tex lot. Our hero went and got a tablet and wrote the guy a ticket. sheesh.
Our truck come to pick us up and as we were crossing the bridge to the finish line I saw Carolyn again so from the back of the truck I rang the cowbell again! "GO CAROLYN". about 5 seconds later we came up on Jody so I rang the cowbell again!! GO JODY!! I wasn't sure it was her, at first, cause I didn't see a camelbak.. but it WAS her and she waved back.
We got to the finish area, grabbed some beers and pizza and then I noticed Kim over there in her Texas Iron camp shirt. Dilemma time. Can't leave the beer corral till I've drank my beer. Want to talk to Kim. Oh hell, I can email Kim. Drink the beer, man!! I also saw Kirk and his group who I've been sort of mentoring pretty much all summer and I missed them at the OWS so another reason to head over there. I saw them taking group pics so I figured they'd be disbanding soon. So I said goodbye to Vic and Jerry (Dan's father, who is one hell of a guy) and headed over to say congrats to Kirk and the Veterans for Sarcoma group. Kirk and his wife were so grateful. Sounds like they had a much better race than CapTex. They will do great at Longhorn. I haven't decided what's in store for me for Longhorn. I know I can handle AquaBike. My ego wants a 70.3. But I don't think my hamstring will allow me a 70.3. First thing I have to do is finalize my birthday trip plans. Then I'll decide what to do about Longhorn weekend. Even if I don't "race" you can bet I'll be out there on the course. I watched Lyn get her age group award, gave her a hug, and as that was occurring, Jody got her award, so I went to give congratulatory hugs there and headed off up Lamar to donate a pint. Hee hee. Most people stop at the Tavern to GET a pint. Me, I dropped off one pint of O negative at the Blood & Tissue Center.
Next organized event: Sept 13 Tour de Florence I signed up for the 45 miler. After that, next organized event is Burnet Tri Hard.
GREAT seeing everyone out there today! I love event when there is still free beer left for me at the end!