Tri daddy gets geeked!!

We hoped the tolling of the bell from our alarm clock was not a bad omen

bong bong bong

For who knows for whom the bell tolls, perhaps it tolls for you.

Ok enough drama queen. Here it is: Perhaps it is because he sleeps in the same bed as the newly minted trimama, or perhaps it's insane jealousy of the Kahuna's abs and tight tri body, maybe it was wholesale coveting of trimama's "Get your geek on!" sweat shirt (available at Trigeekdreams.com) for whatever reason, tridaddy decided he better authenticate his name and complete his own triathalon. Since trimama was registered for the Buffalo sprint, it seemed a likely choice to follow. It's my website, so I can tell you he went through that mental hell we have all endured leading up to our first big race. Will I drown? Will I have to take the boat out of the water? Can I really do all 3 disciplines? What the he** am I thinking? The water was projected to be a chilly 65- it was about 70 on shore and about 60 out around the far buoys- so we both went in for wet suits-ok so we won't drown because the darn things are so buoyant. so here are the things we learned from our first real tri:

1) rubber duckys are cute in a bathtub-but sure evil as yardage buoys especially when they are a menacing 3ft tall-ha ha ha I was made to float and bob in this frosty lake-and look you sink when stop-If I'd had a knife I might have gone postal on the one that finally turned us back to shore.

2) Yes you really do get run over and kicked in a tri swim-and that makes it very difficult to catch your breath, but dang if it doesn't feel good to pass people who were in the wave ahead of you.

3)I am not a seal and cold water takes my breath away-sidestroke is a legal stroke

4) a 1/4 mile run up a hill to a transition area in a wetsuit is well-it is what it is.

5) Buffalo is a geographic anomoly whereby you can travel 10 miles up hill and 2 miles down and still arrive back at your transition area- it's a strange thing when most of the field averages only 14-15 mph on the bike leg

6) Mr. #10@@ big shot tri guy- cursing your fellow atheletes is bad karma and is probably why your chain slipped off on that big hill 1/4 mile later

7) volunteers are awesome

8) if your transition pepsi is not properly flattened it will go up your nose

9) clipless shoes will diabolically reclip right outside the transition area and you will have one of those awful 1 mph falls-turn the pedal over when you clip out

10) for runners the run really is the best part-especially when you pass that person you were chasing through the whole bike leg :))

11) There is nothing greater than crossing the finish line!!!!!

12) except looking at the fading body marking the next day- a badge of honor