Da Champs - Again!!

Ted, Paul, Mike and Josh - TTT Champions! Boys, you look EXCELLENT in stars and stripes!

* Sigh* I did not ride my bike today. Instead, I got to drive the support vehicle for my favorite masters time trial team for the FIAC 4 Person Team Time Trial. I did it last year and had a blast so I was flattered when I was asked to again be Directeur Sportif for the day. The guys were the defending champs and entered this edition of the 4 person looking to have another winning ride against 10 other teams in their category.

We rolled in the dark to lovely Utica, IL under cloudy but not threatening skies (listening to the soundtrack of my choosing, thankyouverymuch). As the sun came up the fog burned off and we were left with a nearly perfect day. I say nearly perfect only because there was a significant amount of wind that definitely had the ability to suck the life out of the legs on various stretches of the 50K course. The guys were all very well prepared and warm-up went without incident. I ran around pinning numbers, pumping tires, setting up trainers, motivating (take no prisoners!!) and getting the car ready for 'go time.'

In the start house

Things were running a little late but once we got going everything was moving right along - the guys passed the three teams that started before them well before the turnaround point. From my vantage point in the car it seemed that at times they had to work a bit after taking a pull to find the draft but otherwise they were relatively smooth. It all went pretty much without incident - Josh executed an impressive maneuver to avoid a snafu through one turn but other than that it was uneventful.

My view from the car - can't beat that with a stick, eh?

I pulled up next to them a few times along the way just to see how things were going - I must say that to witness how incredibly hard they were all working was pretty amazing. They were intensely focused and totally burying themselves and suffering - going as hard as they could. Shiver. Winning was so gratifying - they EARNED every bit of it. Overall their time was fourth fastest - pretty darn impressive when you're competing against teams with a current National Champion and one with a former USPS pro and a professional triathlete. Guys - you fascinate and impress me beyond words. I can't think of a better way to have spent the last part of my birthday weekend - thank you!!

What I'm reading right now: 'Gideon's Spies: The Secret History of the Mossad' by Gordon Thomas. Next up: 'Breakfast of Champions' by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. The latest grooves: Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon, Devil in Me by 22-20s, I Will Possess Your Heart by Deathcab for Cutie, and some random Goldfinger and Arctic Monkeys, among LOTS of other things that I don't have time to list right now.

Thanks for checking in....one last thing: CONGRATS to my friend Kurt McDonnell who finished his first ever Ironman in less than 13.5hr. Way to go Kurt!! Now, let's talk about that bike leg...