St Anfernee's

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Things have been heating up here in Boulder.  I submitted my thesis to my committee last Tuesday and now am preparing my PhD defense presentation. Superficially, I dont think I am stressed, but Ive noticed that my glucocorticoids must be spiking because I keep waking up in the middle of the night thinking about ways to improve my presentation.  I can feel the synapses flicking around up there--its running a few degrees hot I think.

So, with the pressure building, I went down to St Anthony's Tri.  I figured, since I am retiring this year from triathlon, I might as well try to hit the big races. Plus, I got to see my boy CHRIS B REAL, and my new coach Jen Hutchison.

Walking to the bus stop on Friday I was joking with a friend that it would be better if it were snowing and gale force winds just to make it tougher for me.  After all, adversity is the flame which sharpens a blade.

Well, be careful what you wish for kids.  As soon as I got to the airport, the hits started coming.  A delayed flight out set things back.  Finally got to FL, met Jen's husband David at the airport and got to bed.

CRASH #1:
The next day, Chris, David and I went out for a ride and had one of those moments where they knew where to turn and I didnt--we were talking and David turned in to me while I was going straight--we went down hard.  I shredded my left side, had a welt on my shin, smashed a rib, tore up my jersey and thought I broke my wrist--David separated his shoulder, tore up some skin, and just smashed his handlebars to pieces...well maybe it was me that did that with my ribs...

Anyway, we were in pieces.  I thought I would be ok, did an easy jog and a swim at the race site which felt ok, but the wrist was in bad shape.  Still it was a nice day and it was fun hanging out with Chris.

Pro Meeting:

Run prep REPPIN OTFM!

And of course IronClad Coaching as well (Jen's coaching business)

#selfies

I wrapped the wrist really well and decided to go for it on Sunday.

Chris and I on race morning (photo credit to coach Jen)

And a pretty cool snap of me by one of the photographers at the race start (Nils Nilsen):

As it turns out, swimming wasnt as easy as I had planned.  The wrap job made it tough to feel the water and when I hit people it hurt like crazy so I tried to get out of the middle of things.

I came out a little bit behind the lead group of a zillion guys with the usual fellows Kaleb VanOrt, Chris Foster, David Thompson.  All the usuals.

CRASH #2
We were riding well together when my inability to grip anything led me to drop my waterbottle...  At first I was like, "oh dang it, whatever" but then a official bike pulled up next to me.  "Do I have to go get that?" --"Your decision"  --(in my mind) "thanks jerk."  So, I started to slow down, but so did he, I guess to go back and make sure I picked it up, but he cut me off the road, I hit the curb and went down again.

It wasnt a hard fall this time, it was just the absurdity.  I lay there for a second or two and just laughed quietly to myself at how amazingly disastrous this all was.  Then I got back on, went back to the bottle, and rode the rest of the way by myself.  Yay.

I ran pretty well (the only thing I didnt need a wrist for), but who cares.  I havent seen results but I assume I was about 20th or so.

My BOY chris had a fine race and was 11th and Rudy VonBerg, another CU guy was 4th overall which is a very impressive result!

Anyway, after another delay on the way home due to tornados I was just fried. Now I am totally exhausted after working all day and am writing a race report to placate my mom.

My first practice defense is tomorrow morning.  We are in the snap count.  Defense in 1 week.

REV3 Knoxville next.  See you then.

Rudy



Throwback video of the week: