Lessons I've learned so far...

This past weekend Justin completed the X50, a triathlon that consisted of a 1 mile swim, 40 mile bike ride, and 9 mile run.  I am so proud of how well he did, especially in the swim.  I know how important his improvement is to him, and its wonderful that all that time training is paying off.    I also got to use this opportunity as a chance for me to prepare for the IronMan as a spectator as well.

Some important lessons I learned to be a successful spectator include:

1.  Be prepared at least 24 hours in advance:  The night before, I was feeling pretty yucky.  Before I was able to get anything together for this race, I took Benadryl.  Huge Mistake- I fell asleep at 7:30 pm so nothing was ready to go the next day.

2.  Always carry extra clothes with you for the children: I woke, packed up the car, got the kids up, dressed them, and seat belted them in.  I was so proud of myself that we were out the door at a reasonable time.  (Now, keep in mind, I never planned on getting there to watch the start- it just wasn't going to happen.  The race started at 7 am and was about and hour away.  Justin was well aware of this and I think OK with it.)    About 25 minutes into the hour drive, I hear Joey say "Uh, Mom, somethings wrong with Jake."  About that time, I look in my rear view mirror and see Jake start to throw up all over himself and the seat.  I did NOT  plan for this, therefore, I did not pack any extra clothes.  So I had to turn the car around and head 25 minutes back home to clean up the car and Jake.    We did it, no problem, and on our way we were again.

3.  Bring extra snacks and drinks, especially if you have growing boys: In the 3.5 hours that I was there, my kids managed to eat a whole can of pringles, a whole bag of goldfish, drink 4 sprites, and 4 packages of cheese sandwiches.  And, I was left starving and thirsty.  Thank goodness for the Powerade booth.

4.  Always bring a swimsuit (for the kids): You know there is going to be a body of water around, so you know kids are going to want to swim.  My kids made due with their shorts, but apparently the sand was lodged into places that was not comfortable.

5.  Bug spray: Texas humidity and a body of water nearby, need I say more?

6.  Remember what clothing your triathlete is wearing: Everyone looks the same out there.  I have tons of pictures of random triathletes.  Next time I'm going to put a bright orange piece of duck tape on Justin so he stands out a little more.

7.  Attend these events with friends: I am lucky to be able to share most of these experiences with a friend and neighbor, Leslie Ball.  Her husband will also be participating in IM Louisville in August and I am excited because we always have a good time together.  A lot of the time can be spent standing around waiting for your triathlete to pass by, and having someone to pass the time with really makes it more enjoyable.  I also made some new friends this time around as well.  Yay me!

8.  Know your triathlete's estimated finish times for each event: This made it much easier to guesstimate when Justin was going to pass by.  So, I planned bathroom breaks etc.... around this.

I know I probably learned a lot more lessons, and with each event will continue to learn more.  But, watching Justin this past weekend really got me excited about what's in store in August for us.

I was able to take a picture of Justin while he was at Mile 21.  yes, I was driving and taking a pic, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity!

                                          Jake still not feeling 100% when we first got there

                    Jake and Joey playing at the beach- obviously whatever Jake had went away

                                                      Justin coming in at the finish

                                                                 Congrats guys!

                                                                 Congrats Me!

Phone call

 Every Thursday night from the hours of 6:30-8:30 pm, I know not to expect a phone call from Justin because he's riding.  He rides with a large organized group, which I like because I know he's not by himself out there. If my phone rings during that time, and Justin's name pops up, I'll know that something's wrong.  Last night I did get a call at 7:45 pm from his phone.  My heart nearly jumped out of my chest.  Luckily, he was OK and it was him on the other line telling me that he had gotten a flat and something was wrong with his back tire and it couldn't be fixed.  Grateful that he was ok, I packed up the kids and went to find him and pick him up.

I want to make a note before I start this next paragraph:  I was wrong in my last blog, the group is not with Richardson Bike Mart.  I'm not too sure of the name of the group and I am not going to name the group either.

I like the fact that he rides with a group because there is safety in numbers.  As a cyclists in a group you know that you will have a buddy- or at least you should.   According to Justin he got the flat and started pulling back from the group, and no one stopped- which Justin says they normally do.  The group left a fellow cyclist on the side of a two way street nearing dusk.  I don't know what the rules are for the group, but common decency for your fellow cyclist would dictate that you don't leave them behind-  at least I would think so.  I'm mad.  Unfortunately, I don't have anyone to aim my frustration at because I don't know anyone from that group.  Although, when I dropped Justin off at the meet up place to get his car, the group president did see Justin get out of a car and asked him what happened.  Hopefully, the president will make mention of this occurrence to make sure it doesn't happen again.  

So again, everyone keep safe out there!

PS For those of you concerned, yes, Gwyneth is ok as well.  She had a few loose screws and those will be able to be replaced, just in time for Justin's Tri he has this weekend. :-)

Justin has joined a riding group with RMB (Richardson Bike Mart) and every Thursday night he rides about 20-30 miles with a group of fellow cyclists.  Although it has totally ruined my Thirsty Thursdays, I don't mind him leaving for 2-3 hours because I know that he will be riding in a big group and there is safety in numbers.

However, I still worry.  I worry that some teenager is going to be too busy texting their boyfriend while they are behind the wheel and not notice that their car is veering into a group of cyclists.  I worry that someone of an older generation may have forgotten their glasses and fails to stop at the stop light while a group of the cyclists ride by.  And, I worry that my husband can't unclip his shoes fast enough in order to stop his bike in time, therefore losing control and falling over.

Luckily, the only accidents Justin has had are of his own doing.  And, thankfully, no major injuries have occured that a bandaid (for Justin) and black paint pen (for Gwyneth, the bike) can't fix.

I decided to do some searching for a Cyclists Prayer, because it never hurts to have the Big Guy on your side.  There are several out there and this one rang so true and made me laugh: 

O Lord give me titanium
For the lightness that it brings
And carbon fiber, and 11 cogs
And new suspension fork springs
And disc brakes, and custom wheels
And two hundred dollar chainrings
And see me through my bankruptcy
When I buy too many things

However, this one seemed more along the lines of what I was looking for:

Lord, protect us from harm as we go on this bike ride.
Guide us away from accidents.
Instill in us a level of awareness to thwart others who are inconsiderate to our vulnerability on the roadways.
In your name we pray...
Amen

(written by Bert -no last name provided)

So, I am asking you, please be careful when driving out there.  Share the road with the cyclists.  Remember, those men and women are important to someone in this world!
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