I train with a group of individuals that Husband stumbled upon at work. He is the hero in this group, and I am the wife of the hero which is not that bad, but often times irritates me, because I like to be the hero. Why he's the hero is any ones guess. Mostly, I think its because he is very outgoing with these people and becomes The Mayor of triathlonville when he's around them. He's always busy slapping everyone on the back and kissing babies. For some reason when someone close to me becomes Mayor-like I become wallflower-like. This is a phenomenon that has happened to me since lower school. I guess I feel like if you need to talk really loud I should probably be quiet, cause two people talking really loud always annoys me.
So this year I will be going to all the training sessions, instead of starting later like we did last year. I guess I'm really excited about this, because ever since the first training day I have been feeling really stoked. It kind of surprised me. I like this group of people and even though I'm the Mayors wife, I still enjoy the scene and don't mind so much having to hold the kings scepter while he's busy kissing babies.
For both Husband and I to be able to go to the training we would have to have a babysitter. This of course causes problems. Not because we don't have a babysitter, but because Husband is on hiatus from work right now and babysitters are expensive. So each week we will argue about who gets to go. Last week I got to go cause it was the first one, and The Mayor figures I need it more, since he is a more advanced Triathlete. There is a hierarchy in the triathlon world. You think doing one would make you awesome, and at the office it does cause everyone thinks you are amazing just for wearing yoga pants, but in the Triathlon world the very second you have finished your first race everyone is already talking about the next one. Its kinda like having kids- You go through this intensive experience of giving birth and the first thing people say to you when they see your sweaty face is: "so when are you gonna gave another one?". My answer to that is: "fuck you".
Training day #1- 15 mile bike ride
I get up bright and early, forgoing the second glass of wine the night before so as to be chipper and energized. I eat my oatmeal as advised to do by The Mayor and put my bike into the back of the truck. There is no graceful way to do this. I really wish I was one of those women that drove a truck with style and grace like I belonged behind the wheel, but honestly I just find myself worrying about breaking my nails when I have to haul that stupid bike over the truck bed while looking like I'm doing it with ease. Note: if you ever see me doing this, whatever it appears, there is no ease happening here- I am struggling.
I drive to the park, easy. I get there early. I eat the "nutrition" everyone is always blabbing about when you do things like runs and triathlons. This is basically just energizing liquids in the shape of jelly beans or slimy goo in packets. I then pretend to look busy. Here's the thing: I'm a really organized person. I don't really need to fiddle with things like my bike or my bag or any of my "gear". I however, loathe and detest small talk with people I don't know very well and will most times avoid it at all costs. Therefore, I will start to fiddle with things that are organized and don't really need to be fiddled with.
In the middle of all this fiddling and re-organizing things that have already been organized, one of The Mayors friends who I actually really like approaches me and we chat. She is really nice and very helpful and experienced. This passes some time while we all stand around in the parking lot waiting and looking busy. I'm finding though as I talk to her that the nutrition I have eaten like The Mayor told me to do before the ride, is really taking effect-its packed with vitamins, electrolytes and caffeine and I am feeling PUMPED! Which is kind of a problem since we probably aren't going to ride for another 15 minutes at least. If you have ever done a 'line' of any kind, you will understand what I mean when I say I was ready to GO!!! LIKE RIGHT THAT SECOND! LIKE WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?! Foot tapping, dancing around kind of jazzed to the limits. I found myself fidgeting my way through the conversation and talking really fast and being really distracted. I kept looking over this woman's should thinking to myself "I NEED TO RUN. RIGHT NOW!' I almost started running during the middle of the conversation. I have eaten power block chews and excelorade drinks in the middle of a long bike ride before, when I was tired and needed some fuel, but not having done any exercise yet, I was feeling like my feet could lift off the ground, I was ready to power it up to the heavens! I occupied myself with finding a bathroom and then putting air in my tires (which I actually didn't know how to do) and by the time I had done all that, I was starting to feel more normal again.
The coach of the team separated us into groups: beginners, intermediate and advanced. Some advanced riders would go off on their own to ride a longer ride, some would stay and pair up with the intermediates and the beginners. Now, I have done a Triathlon once before, so I fancied myself an 'advanced' person. So I sauntered on over to the advanced group. I stood there while the coach then pointed to me and said "OK all intermediate people stand here with her". Right, I knew that, intermediate.
I was then paired up with two other women from my group and a woman from the advanced group who would be leading our ride. we all introduced ourselves and then immediately agreed that before riding we should pee first. I liked this group already. The women were friendly and real. right out of the gate we had a whole tampon discussion while waiting for one of the ladies in the restroom. They all seemed pleasant enough. I thought to myself: Husband can suck it, there's a new Mayor in town! Later Husband would ask when I told him about a conversation i had with one of the women: "so you knew her from last year?". "Nope, just met her for the first time." "huh". he said annoyingly, as if surprised by my ability to talk to other humans.
We began our ride at the opening of the bike path. To get to the bike path you had to cross a reasonably quiet side street. I don't personally like riding with cars, they don't see bikers, and it's scary. Usually I avoid it, so only riding across one main street to get to the bike path where there would be no cars was right up my alley... Until of course, one of the women in my group cut in front of me while we crossed the street, right when a car was coming straight at us. She then proceeded to loose her footing on her bike, not being able to clip her bike shoe into the pedal fast enough and swerved right into me. Luckily, I was high as balls on energy beans and had cat like reflexes. I swerved out of her way before she could hit me and push me into the oncoming car.
I quickly decided two things: 1. I was not going to get stuck behind this woman EVER again. 2. I was not going to get stuck anywhere near this woman. I realized since the second we had started riding, to the second we stopped riding she never stopped talking. It was a one sided monologue directed at whomever was in her vicinity. I can't exercise and chat, I'm not that person. I barely have enough brain space to walk and chew gum, let alone carry on a full conversation about the inner workings of my knitting circle while simultaneously riding a bike.
Due to my avoidance of The Talker I rode fast to catch up with our group leader and was quickly right behind her. After about 3 miles of this, she turned to me and said "how fast do you normally ride?". since it did seem kind of slow to me, and I wasn't working that hard I said "I guess 20 miles per hour on flat like this?". we were currently riding at about 15 miles an hour. "yeah, ok I usually go 18, we can go faster if you want". I later relayed the conversation to The Mayor who exclaimed: "20?! I don't even ride at 20, you probably don't ride at 20". "Um yes I do, I look at my speedometer". He quickly recounted like I knew he would if I threw a 'fact' at him."Oh, ok well then that's great babe". I realized later that maybe he was right, and that maybe I don't ride at a 20. Honestly, I have no idea what pace I normally ride at, I had just thrown out a number when she had originally asked me, but I felt like I could ride at a 20 and that's all that mattered.
So with my awesome 20 mile per hour ride under my belt, I am ready for my next Tri practice adventure!
