Tuesday, August 27, 2013

The art of not racing

Last weekend was my local tri, the Runner's Edge TOBAY (Town of Oyster Bay) sprint. I sign up for this race every year but haven't done it for various reasons for a few years. This year the various reason was that I have done close to no training except getting fat. My 17 yo daughter has had good history here. She won the all female relay division with 2 friends 2 years ago along then last year did the whole tri herself and came in 4th AG. She actually trained this year so we were going to the race site, spectating and cheering her on.

The day before the race I had a silly idea. My workout that day was supposed to be a swim. What would happen, I thought, if I swam with my wave and then call it a day? It wasn't technically banditing because I paid the registration fee. My coach thought it a good idea so I packed up my wetsuit and goggles as we left at 5:30AM.

I found it is hard to get into transition the morning of a tri (athletes only) without a bike. I quickly said that I was part of a relay and they let me in. I got my packet and got body marked. I went to where my daughter was setting up her transition and she shooed me away. Her game face was on.

Since I had a number and was body marked, I could go anywhere. I went down to the water and this was the first tri that I ever felt the buoys looked short. I looked out at the bay and realized that I wasn't ready for this swim. I decided then and there to bail.

I helped my daughter get into her wetsuit and walked down to the water with her inside the ropes. The waves were going off and I had a tinge of a second thought but realized only bad things could happen to me. In retrospect, I made the right choice.

My daughter crushed this race. She took time off her swim and bike from last year. Her Garmin said the run was long but even so she took 3rd AG! We had to wait around for hardware. I found that my body markings got me free food from the barbecue and free beer from the beer truck. This is the true art of not racing.

When we got home she was asking about signing up and doing an Oly in a few weeks. She has 2 sprints under her belt so I tried to talk her down from the tri addiction. I was successful with her but then started looking for an end of year sprint, perhaps Cedar Beach, for me to race. It might be a reach as I may not be ready but it is something to keep in mind. She won't be able to race it because XC season invitationals will be that weekend.

Maybe I could transition the art of not racing into the art of racing. Wouldn't that be interesting?


4 comments:

Ransick said...

Congrats on the podium for your daughter!

That was an expensive way to get up close to the racers and get free food and beer :-).

Kate Geisen said...

Very cool that your daughter is doing so well!

Mike's comment made me laugh. :)

ONEHOURIRONMAN said...

Come on Dad... you can do it..
Toe the starting line with your daughter. It has been a dream of mine ever since doing Escape from Alcatraz in the early 90s to race all three of my sons in San Fran bay when they became old enough. Well, they are old enough but not interested in tri...(bummer since I could take them)

Don't be my family in reverse... All the "heart" in your family is aligned correctly. Step it up, Dad, and race with your daughter.. A 2 year plan for IM would be sweet, eh?

TriMOEngr said...

Congrats to your daughter. I know that "bitten" feeling, but didn't have the fitness to back it up. Maybe have her try a dry run of the Oly distance and see how she feels. She probably has the fitness to finish - just has to decide if she will be disappointed if she doesn't place well.

As for you - your art of non-racing is definitely one for the books. Try to find the "spark" to get motivated to move on and race.