triathalon weekend

The weather was fabulous. The backdrop of Lake Michigan amazing. The company was great. The race is over for another year.

I likened the feelings that surround this event for me as that of a mom waiting to send her independent 5-year-old off to kindergarten, you know they will be okay...but what if they need you? I am always nervous about what is going to happen out on that course, is dh prepared enough, is he okay? And I know he is okay, I know he has trained hard but all of those "what if's" coming flodding in. This year, my dh's contest was plagued with "tummy troubles" and equipment problems...but he finished and was in relatively good spirits afterward. He made it. He'll tell you all about it here.

I am amazed by the group of people that turns out for this event - I am inspired every year and at every event that I cheer on to start running or something, I yearn to be part of this band of committed atheletes. I am encouraged that I could maybe even accopmish something - this is not Mr. Universe, this is every day joe coming out to compete. I am filled with reverence for the weekend warrior. They aren't there to be perfect, they are there to challenge themselves and try their best. I need to make a note to self here, I tend to think black and white, if I can't be good at something, I don't want to do it. But then I see these super heros walking among us and know I need to check myself.

On the knit front, I was able to work a little on my Roza on the way down and a bit on the course. This year I was graced with company. My brother-in-law and his wife-to-be did the sprint triathalon on Saturday and hung out with us to the bitter end of the event yesterday. It was so nice when I started to worry about dh not being back to the bike transition that he would have had to maintain over 20 miles an hour and realistically shouldn't be back for another 15-20 minutes - doh! thank you BIL for that reality check - relief. As much as I sometimes think I am a quiet observer, it was nice to have someone to hang out with and talk to - not to mention they brought me food. Now, if I can just initiate said SIL to the world of knitting...did I note a glimmer of interest or am I just wishful? Really, those long nights on call - socks make a nice portable project. *grin*



In any case, Roza is such an easy peasy sock. I found the two row repeat easy to commit to memory and mistakes were obvious immediately, not rows later. I think unknitting a sock is hazardous, so seeing errors quickly is a bonus. I am still inches from the turning the heel, but as I blatantly play hooky today, I may have some time to work on it between naps:) *hooky update - someone is laughing at me because since I called in feeling "headachy", my daughter has come home sick from daycare with a fever and I have pinched something so badly in back that I can barely walk, have pain that makes me cry involuntarily and am medically off work until Thursday - now that is karma. No hooky for you! Back to the ice pack and some naproxen, just couldn't leave you thinking I was being a slacker when my day is turing out like this....

My husband is already rethinking his race docket for '08, I'm hoping for a similar event somewhere slightly more spectaculor. I mean, this kind of training deserves a race in say, Colorado, the East Coast or even Arizona, right? I don't know the individulized hurdles that these places may present - heat, humidity, altitude - but I suggest we kill two bids with one stone and get a vacation out of this. Suggestions welcome!