It’s clear that the powers on high have smiled upon me…last night whilst trying to get to sleep at around 11:30 before today’s race (an oly in connecticutt called the healthnet mossman; anyone else here do it?) I remembered, oh dear, I left my bike shoes at school. What followed was a swift progression through a spectrum of emotional reaction. First, anger…how could I have been so foolish! Why don’t I have a checklist?! Why couldn’t I have forgotten something inconsequential…like my wallet or something. Then, hope. Ah yes, maybe I can stop at a bike shop in the morning…but what bike shop would be open at that hour? or maybe there is a bike shop being represented at the race, and maybe they just happen to have shoes and pedals, and maybe they just happen to be willing to let me borrow them or something or use them…then acceptance. Whats the use. I’ll just duct tape my stinking tennis shoes to the pedals…but then what happens if I have to stop. Finally, stoicism rears its taciturn head and I accept that I cannot change this. The next morning when we arrive at the race, I start to ask volunteers if they have any ideas…and the second person I asks says why yes I do have some shoes. What are the chances they fit my feet AND my pedals…lo and behold and holy steamed clams, they do! My race is saved. Turns out he was the Sao Paulo (state in Brasil) triathlon champion multiple times, and was going to be racing but had crashed the week before. I let loose with my decently fluent portuguese and I make some new friends as well. Is this sport awesome or what? Anyone have any other stories of miraculously getting needed equipment on race day? I’m just happy that I got some shoes and had a great race as well.
not so much from your perspective but I am usually the guy coming to the rescue of people who forget their stuff…almost always bring two of everything (sometimes I bring my wifes bike and gear as well…bailed more than a few out with it too) for just such an emergency. On todays schedule was replacing an inner tube with a trashed stem, loaning my road bike with Pyro platforms to someone doing the duathlon, pinning a race number on the jersey of someone who arrived too late before their race start while they headed to the swim, resetting the front der (it was rubbing when the chain was in the big ring) for someone who had just got a new Cervelo, and (most satisfying) was dialing in the brakes and shifters for a 12yr old who was doing his first Kids of Steel triathlon (seems the store he bought it from didn’t pay much attention to detail on this one). Hopefully those deeds will keep my kharma fully loaded for when I race tomorrow. Kind of like an offering to keep the bad away. Seems to be working pretty well for me so far.