I haven't done one of these in a while so I figured no better time than right now. Well it's race day. This one is different from the rest. It is 0930 as I write this. Usually by now I've finished the race and had a beer or 4. Tonight's race doesn't start until 5. I'm used to getting up at 4 and trying to squeeze out a poop, setting up for transition in the dark, dealing with the chilly mornings by the water, that kind of crap. 5 o'clock?? What am I going to do all day? I'm on vacation, I want to start drinking. I'm going to take it easy and get ready slowly.
This race is also different because it is in fresh water. Can't tell you the last time I swam in a lake. PROS- no currents, waves, or saltwater that I usually get a lung full and then choke on for a few minutes as I flail like I'm having a seizure. (the move I call swimming) CONS- I'ts flippin' cold. I've heard between 70 and 74 degrees. That's bath water to these crazy northern bastards but I'm a Florida boy now. If the air temp was 70 degrees I'd have a sweatshirt on. Hopefully it makes me swim as fast as possible, which I have found out at previous races is as fast as an overweight 45 year old woman, and get the hell out of the water.
I'm also not used to these hills. I went for a run my first morning here and I felt like I was a smoker again. I was gasping for air. After a few miles I got used to it. They got fun when I jumped on the bike and started roaming the tri-town area. Coming back from visiting my grandmother I hit 33.05mph. That was pretty intense. You have a lot of faith in your bike when you hit speeds like that with cars and dump trucks driving just 2 feet away from you.
As far as the run goes I've got that under control. Even though I pulled a calf muscle playing kickball Tuesday night I feel good. I've been running a lot lately. If you are in the St. Pete/Tampa area join Running for Brews. Such a fun group. Todays run is only 3 miles, I can do that in my sleep. In Florida when I'm running theres usually great things to look at, Tampa Bay, palm trees, girls in yoga pants, sunrises, sunsets.... Here in CT theres not too much. Hills, houses that I used to party at in high school, the telephone pole I almost wrapped my truck around. But I did notice the trash on the side of the road is different up here. In St. Pete you'll see Checkers wrappers, empty packs of 305's, and tall boys of High Gravity. People in Watertown are more classy. Snapple bottles, Marlboro Lights(which I saw are like $9a pack), and I even saw an empty handle of Smirnoff vodka by the golf course.
The final thing about today's race that makes it special is that I finally get to meet Evan. I feel like I know him already. I've known DeDe and Joe forever but still haven't met the EvMan. Thats the great thing about Facebook. Even though I've been gone for 5 years I don't feel like I've missed much. I've watched evans progress over the last 2 years and I'm proud of the little dude. Can't wait to meet him tonight!!
Thanks for all the donations, you guys rock!! I'm going to do this race every year!!
Really can't thank you all enough,
Tommy
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