Tri-tips, and no not the steak cut.

The Duck Bill Thrill was a great little race that I did last Sunday.  Not to many frills.  But it had a good course, a friendly announcer, a nice food spread for the finishers and volunteers, and comfy atmosphere for newbies and seasoned pros alike.  But there were a few race faux-pas, oops-e-daisy, come-on-people things that I observed that aren't written anywhere in race rules that make the whole experience a little better.

1)  Have you ever gotten to a race, looked into your bag, and exclaimed, "Oh #$%*, I forgot my ____. "  Among the deal breakers: helmet, cycling shoes, running shoes, wetsuit... (Note: if you consider "my MP3 player" a deal breaker or the reason you didn't race well, it is time to get a life).  One of the people I rode down to the Thrill with made the unfortunate discovery that they had forgotten their cycling shoes at home.  Here's a tip: when you are packing the night before (and it should always be at least the night before any "travel" to the race, be it airplane or car or bicycle if it's a close one) go ahead and set up your transition in your living room.  Once you have completed you task: (1) pant-o-mime running in to transition from the swim, (2) pretend to strip off your wetsuit, goggles, and cap  (or if you are slightly more hardcore and have some time to kill: actually put on your wetsuit, cap and goggles in your living room, take a picture and send it to me), (3)  put on your biking stuff, (4) turn-around in a circle, (5) take a swig from your water bottle (6) remove your biking stuff, (7) put on your shoes, race belt, hat, etc.... (8) go eat some ice cream (9) and put your stuff immediately in your bag.  Not in a pile.  Not everything in the bag but your cycling shoes and helmet.  Everything in the bag (or bags).  Leave something out and it will get left on the floor for the dog to play with.

2) Before you leave transition to go down to the swim start... stand at the "swim in". Look to your transition area, and then run to it. Look down at it and see how it is arranged. Make sure that your bike isn't in the hardest gear. Make sure your helmet strap is unbuckled. I can't count how many times I have heard people say "I lost so much time in transition because I couldn't find/ didn't know/ forgot to". Visualization. Go through the motions. It works.

3)  On the race course, smile (or flash the peace sign) every time you see a camera... even if you are experiencing pain that would drive an ordinary mortal to screaming and abject despair (because let's face it.. triathletes aren't ordinary mortals).  We need to make this sport look good so more people will want to do it.  Plus, it's just more fun.

4)  Know the rules.  Know the course.  They put these nifty little things called "maps" up on almost every race website I have ever seen.  There were people at the Thrill — you know who you are — who didn't know that the swim was two loops.  Please, people, look at the maps.  Read the course description.

5)  Say "thank you" to the volunteers, course marshals, spectators, squirrels, even drivers of cars that cross all the way into the other lane or wait patiently at a left turn.  If you think they can't hear, you smile (see #3) or wave.  It's this crazy sign of universal appreciation.

Last, but not least) If it hurts... and I mean "really, really hurts", stop.  I committed this one.  I could have been smart and just done the swim/bike.  But, I had to run.  I had to win (barely) and I also now have to limp with a crutch because I reinjured my foot and possibly ended my running for another month.