Just Another Training Day

Just Another Training Day: Race Day – July 24, 2005

Throughout my days as a triathlete, I have come to one consistent conclusion – and that is that I truly need to find a sport that will not force me to be up at the crack of dawn! At 3:15, I woke up to the darkness that was Lake Placid. I’d gotten some solid sleep every single night of my trip – and this night was no different. It was the best “pre-race” sleep I’ve had. I always like having the time to “ease” into the race morning. This day was no different. I had about 30 minutes before Kirk and Ali got up … and then, all hell broke loose. Ali makes a move towards the stereo, and all of a sudden we’re jamming at high volume, the silence of the morning shattered by the strains of … well, it doesn’t matter!

After a “breakfast of champions” – Apple Jacks, Ensure (for the nutritional content and in honor of my Crohn’s disease days), and coffee (yes, I got my necessary pre-race intake!) – I was ready to roll.

We drove downtown, parked, and headed to transition. Sunrise was 5:34am, with a low temperature of 46 degrees! For a guy living in Texas, this was chilly! It was definitely time to pull out the toque to keep the ears warm. The air was crisp, the sky was clear, and the moon was overhead. The transition area was a beehive of activity, but I felt very calm and collected. It was a very peaceful sensation, even amidst the testosterone and anxiety that occurs when 2000 psycho triathletes collect on race morning!

We met up with the Team SSI Support Crew – Jen, John, Angie, Mark, Melissa (and Ainsley), and the Ng clan. The wetsuit goes on, the toque comes off, and then it’s time to head towards the swim start – with 2000 of your closest friends.