Iron Prayer

Ironman must be close. Last night I had the dream where I wake up an hour late for the swim start! Luckily my Timex watch alarm went off and I was on time for my easy swim at the YMCA. Most of the stress for me leading up to a race involves forgetting something. I have a checklist and I’ve been lucky so far with only one slip that occurred at the Rock and Roll half Ironman distance triathlon in Georgia.

I had my normal swim and made a quick exit with the bike onto the roads of Macon, GA. Within the first mile I looked down at my long shadow from the rising sun and low and behold I forgot my seat bag with tube, CO2 and tools! Worse yet is knowing I left it on the ground in transition! Knowing I had 55 miles to go I started the “Race Prayer.”

Dear Lord…I know I’m not one to ask for favors from you but I do need a little help here. It seems in my haste I forgot my seat bag (in transition no less!!!) and need 55 miles of debris free roads so I can keep the air in my tires. Yes, yes, yes I know I yelled at the guy who gave away my hotel room last night but it was late and I did fly 1300 miles to get to the race. Sure I could have been a little more patient with the age grouper floating on his back in the middle of the lake but I was in a hurry and a little push never hurt anyone…right? I’m really a good guy Lord…I don’t cut corners at races and don’t littler gel packets when I train. When I pass people on training rides I always wave and when someone has a flat tire I always ask if they are OK…sure I might not stop when I am racing but it is a race after all.

OK…how about a trade? You can have my shoelaces come untied during the run if I can just get back to transition without a flat. C’mon big guy…I’m already half way through the 56 mile bike…why waste a good thing? Is that glass in the road?! Are you toying with me? I know you have a sense of humor; you allowed recumbent bikes to be created.

OK we are only 5 miles from the finish. Just a little more sunshine sent my way please. How embarrassing would it be for me to flat 5-miles from my AWOL seat bag? It just wouldn’t be right…you know?

All right! We are in the home stretch! We did it! I mean…you did it! Thanks, thanks for letting me get away with one today. I appreciate the love. Is it too much to ask for flat-free racing for the rest of the year? What is that noise? Is that thunder?