System Reboot

I recently returned from Tuscaloosa, AL for the 2009 USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships. I made the 8-hr trip by myself in the Zipp minivan, which got a lot of double takes along the way and even a snapped picture from a passing car full of triathletes. I learned an important lesson during the drive down; Minivan suspension is sweet.

I worked the race expo as the sole representative from Zipp. It was my first time doing such, and on the whole it was pretty straight forward and enjoyable. The most common question asked - "You got any free wheels?!" ...So funny I forgot to laugh.

The race went fairly well, and I did a pretty good job trying to salmon my way up the current made when the upstream dam was opened just before the start. Oddly enough, I tied my bike split PR. The encouraging part is that I managed to equal my fastest bike time with minimal training. The discouraging part is that now my 3 fastest bike splits are 1:00:27 (2006), 1:00:27 (2007), and 1:00:27 (2009). My arms and legs remained attached to my torso during the run, bonus points for that... Really though, I had a pretty good run considering the small training volume I put in this year. My one and only goal for next year is to break 2hrs on a legitimate Olympic distance course. I will continue with a full training schedule through to next season with hopes of getting pretty fast.

The REAL highlight of the trip was the delicious southern sustenance I stuffed down my gullet after the race. Let me give you the blow-by-blow;

11am - Too hungry to wait for lunch, PB + J never tasted so good.

Noon - Five Guys burgers and fries, just greasy and meek enough to be considered fast food, but just substantial enough to impress you. 64oz of Coke is too much to drink with a bacon cheeseburger AND a sack of fries...

5pm - Watching the professional race worked up an appetite. The Krispy Kreme "HOT" sign was on. Those 5 tasty little round guys were too tasty and little and round for their own good. It was a merciful takedown.

6pm - After a 4 year leave, I was back at the parking lot of the legendary Dreamland BBQ. 2 new things were added to the menu, so I had to try one of everything; Wonderbread (i.e. edible napkins), ribs, smoked sausage (new!), and baked beans (new!). Did I mention they serve their baked beans with disposable plastic SPORKS!

7pm - To the Houndstooth! Don't ask for a white russian - they "don't do those kinds of drinks here." If you want milk with your alcohol, there's a convenience store down the street, boy!

9pm - WHAT?! Turn around! A Dippin' Dots drive through? The peanut butter chip did not have chocolate chips, and it tasted more like milk and cereal than peanut butter, but it was still awesomely cold and stank of the future.

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-SLEEP INTERMISSION-
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10am - The Waysider has room for 20, but you can fit 30 (+2 waitresses) if you can depend on a couple helpful patrons to pass orders across tables. Bacon, hash browns, and a short stack made the starting list, and the specialty home-made biscuits were either some super secret recipe slathered in butter, or they were popped out of a can and slathered in butter (it's deliciously irrelevant, either way).

I was having such a good time hanging with old friends and gorging that when we finished breakfast and walked outside, it was like a slap in the face when I suddenly realized I had to get directly in the car and drive 8-hrs back home. Oh well. At least my belly was full.