pre-race jitters
unfortunately last night i was in no state to post my thoughts. i was nervous. scared. and really just utterly confused.
i'd gone to packet pick-up and parked next to the transition area and immediately started doubting the sanity of the situation.
metal rod bar corral situations. thats what they were, they were these metal bike holdy-uppy things, in rows, with letters on them.
just... all over.
and i mostly laughed. what in the hell are those!? how the hell is my bike supposed to..
what do i lean it? like.. how does..
i don't get it.
and i laughed.
there were people all over. really kind of just fit looking people. the kind of fit that makes you go whoa. i so don't belong in the same arena as these people. i can actually see their muscles.
they're not even flexed!
i'm.... yeah. i'm dying. tomorrow. it's pretty much a given.
i was uh... well. intimidated. scared. petrified more like. really really unsure of what i was getting myself into.
in my head.. i've run the course. i've biked and run the entire thing. and i did it. in my head, i knew it was possible.
but then the lady started talking about the course.. pointing things off really, really like kind of really far away in the distance and suddenly... damn. thats really far away. we have to RUN that?!
@(#$%&!
i left packet pick up with the nervous giggles. i couldn't stop laughing. which was really the only thing keeping me from crying. i'm so f*cked.
i got home, poured out all my stuff for transition, called 0% and relayed my confusion.
she laughed.
and then slowly talked me through how everything works.
question number one was the metal rod corral... things. question number two, were these...
ummmm. whats with all the numbers? why three? why three numbers? and what's with the metal wire. wtf am i supposed to do with that... isn't that kinda pokey? that seems.. like. why would i want to wear that?
i don't get it
question number four, was this.
a race belt. thing.
truth be told.. i've always wanted one of these. all the "real" athletes seem to always have them and i dunno. they just seem cool. but when i got mine, and got home with it, and tried to put it together...
yeah, so... that doesn't seem right. aren't they supposed to lay flat?
*sigh*
crap.
my night kind of went from this...
i can do this!
to
i am not all that certain i can do this.
to
i'm so screwed.
so.. like i said. i was in no state to post.
today however is a different story. i raced this morning and... well.
for that play by play, you'll just have to check back later! cuz...i need a nap.
a really long one!
Comments
Well- you obviously lived to tell the tale. Can't wait!
Posted by: 21stCenturyMom | May 20, 2007 1:55 PM
Yay! I can't wait for your recap! I'm sure you rocked it :-D
Posted by: Charlotte | May 20, 2007 3:11 PM
I'm still stymied by what the number with the wire is for. Do duathlons contain a competitive wire stabbing portion?
Posted by: Danielle in Iowa | May 20, 2007 3:52 PM
It's funny because it all turned out OK.
Good on ya!
Posted by: Brent Buckner | May 20, 2007 4:05 PM
whooo hoooo!!! whatever happened, you lived to tell the tale. and i bet it's a good one.
congrats!!
Posted by: jeanne | May 20, 2007 4:12 PM
ha! I found out!
:)
Posted by: jeanne | May 20, 2007 4:23 PM
well you're alive. we know that much :)
Posted by: miss petite america | May 20, 2007 5:28 PM
congratulations!
Posted by: eddie | May 20, 2007 7:44 PM
classic!
that 'i'm so screwed pic is da best!'
Posted by: bold | May 20, 2007 8:00 PM
This is the reason multisport works. We've all felt the same way. Welcome to the family, multisport gawdess.
Posted by: Greyhound | May 20, 2007 8:06 PM
I love the pic evolution. You look so fake-sure on the first, the second speaks volumes with just the eyes, and the third, we've all been there.
Don't worry, confusion is part of the fun but like everyone else points out, you made it. Congrats.
Posted by: Viper | May 20, 2007 8:47 PM
Congratulations!!! You passed your test. Welcome to the world of multisport.
Posted by: qcmier | May 20, 2007 9:23 PM
What a cute post. I can't wait to hear the report.
Posted by: jkrunning | May 21, 2007 5:29 AM
I hope everything went fine for you.
Posted by: Denise "Firefly" | May 21, 2007 7:52 AM
I just went through this exact same scenario! Race number belt and all. I bet you did a fab job though! I was totally freaked out when I pulled up and saw all the people setting up transition - they all looked so, uh, ripped. And it took forever to rack my bike because I couldn't figure out how to balance it since my bike is a hybrid. But it all worked out.
If you want to read about my first tri experience - http://pbj.typepad.com/peanut_blog_and_jelly/2007/05/i_trid_now_im_a.html
Posted by: Sarah | May 21, 2007 7:58 AM
Hah! Love the photo series. I can't wait to hear all about it. :)
Mike and I had a similar situation at the Galena Tri this weekend. We were way too confused for our own good.
Posted by: RunningJayhawk | May 21, 2007 8:39 AM
I. CAN'T. WAIT. Wake up, AJ, I wanna hear how it went. C'mon - the sun's up!!
Can't wait to hear. Nuff said.
Posted by: Larissa | May 21, 2007 11:14 AM