...So I am checking in at the airport on the eve of my first Ironman, and the fun part is seeing other athletes with their bike boxes, so you not only can easily pick-out your fellow travelers, but you don’t feel like such a lone idiot lugging so much “stuff” around a busy airport full mostly of light-weight carrying business travelers.
I notice this one “old guy”, who looks like he just woke up from 1985….as I sit munching my muffin, drinking a much-needed coffee (it’s 6:30 am I had 3 hours sleep), this same guy sees me and sits down next to me.
Old Guy: “Hey, looks like you’re headed the same place I am”
Newbie (me): “Yes, it’s my first Ironman, I’m pretty excited, how about you?”
Old Guy: (laughing) “Wow, your first one, now that is exciting, are you expecting anything like a specific time?”
Newbie: My goal is to get out of the water alive, have fun and finish, and you?”
Old Guy: It’s my 106th Ironman, so I want to just finish as I just did Hawaii Florida
Newbie: “106! OH MY GOSH….that must be a record” “what is your name btw?”
Old Guy: John Wragg. (go ahead, look him up)…
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.
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(Of course my mind is racing as I try to do the math on how much this must cost)…
So that’s how my first Ironman Race Weekend starts out, meeting exactly the type of person I don’t want to become, the ultimate Tri-Geek! No offence to any who read this, but….read on.
Even better, as we walk down the corridor upon arriving in Phoenix
Newbie: “John, are you okay, you sem to be struggling just walking along here…”
John Wragg: “Oh, this is how I move now, since my car accident (hit while cycling) and hip surgery this spring…
Newbie: “So how are yu going to run the marathon Sunday then?”
John: “Oh, I am not running, I have to walk the marathon now…”
Newbie: “You can’t even run? Then why are you bothering to enter, and when will yu decide to hang ‘em up?”
John: “I will stop when I can’t finish under hours (the cut-off time for all Ironman Triathlons…”
Newbie: “Oh, well then, Good Luck!”
(:
PD
peter@mynextrace.com
