8 Quick Things Regarding the LTF Tri

• 1: ROAD RASH UPDATE:
I'm doing fine. I really don't know how I landed on a curb at 22 mph and didn't do MORE damage! Pharmie has always said she's never seen a bruise on me, and she's pretty sure I never bruise. My shoulder and elbow are just a little scraped and sore, and I found out that I also scraped up my hip a little too! (I brushed against a chair and winced a little - then I found a few marks on my hip.)

You've seen the initial road rash photos from during the race in my race report, so here are 2 updates on my leg (the other areas are less dramatic). Here's how it looked just after showering about 6 hours after the race:

And here's how it looked yesterday - 2 days after the race:

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I found 2 big pieces of grass in my armpit hair when I was showering post-race. It was as if a family of bunnies was getting ready to move in.


• 2: THE SHORTS MADE IT THROUGH THE CRASH UNHARMED:
Someone FINALLY asked about them on Facebook yesterday. Patrick Parish (local rockstar) asked if they were OK. Yes, the shorts are fine. I washed them, and there's HARDLY a sign of any scrape on them - just a slight mark (but no tears or holes) on the left leg.


• 3: BEST COMMENT FROM MY RACE REPORT:
The award (if there WERE an award) for the best comment on my race report would have to go to local distance runner SteveQ. He said this: "No Port-a-potty shot? No stopping-your-watch-at-the-finish shot? Being a parent's changed you, man." It's true. I forgot to take a porta-potty shot! But maybe one of the race photographers got a photo of me stopping my watch. We'll have to wait and see....


• 4: TO SPANK OR NOT TO SPANK:
Remember Anne from my race report and from the speed workout in my garage? Here she is waving at Pharmie while heading out on the bike:

It's become tradition in my circle of friends (since IM NOLA 2009) to give a SPANK as you pass them or as they pass you. I told Anne about that, and she was OK with it. I figured based on our start times that I'd be passing her later in the bike or early on the run. Sure enough, just after that sharp turn by St. Thomas on the bike, I caught myself coming up behind her. I didn't know if I should try to spank her, because I didn't want to crash AGAIN! Or make HER crash! So I just snuck in a little "love tap" and a smile. She laughed and said "Heeeyyyyy!!!" as I pulled away.


• 5: DIAPERS ARE KIND OF LIKE PRIZES:
As we were hanging out for the awards ceremony post-race, I had to take care of Henry:

• 6: AWESOME SPEEDO:
Just look at this guy:

Yep. Awesome. He did the whole race in just that Speedo.

I snapped a photo of him when I spotted him post-race:

His friends caught me snapping that photo, and they made him turn around and show me his butt. Marta (one of MY friends I was chatting with who does NOT know this guy) jumped right in and started adjusting his race number. I think she gently caressed his bum while she was at it:

Marta's always willing to help a man in a Speedo! ;)

I don't know what the front says, but it must be about George Washington:

You're welcome, ladies (and certain men)

• 7: EVOTRI PEEPS IN TOWN FOR THE RACE:
A few of our friends (and my wife's teammates) from Team Evotri were in town for the race. They all had a great time in Mpls / St. Paul!

TriSaraTops, Sweet, Rural Girl, Robby B, and Pharmie (along with Henry)

Sweet decided to race in the Elite wave, and he did really well!! He finished near the middle of all of the Elites in 2:13.

Sweet heading out of T1


Ready to hit the finisher's chute

Rural Girl felt GREAT all race, and rocked her way to a convincing age group win!

Smiling near the finish!


On the podium (she's in the second place spot, but there was a
mix-up and she's now credited with the AG win)

TriSaraTops had a big smile on all day. Here she is ROCKIN the start of her second lap:

Nearing the finish (with local buddy Denny right behind her!)

Robby had a solid race until the last 400 meters or so. Here's Robby leaving T1:

But he looked much MUCH worse as he was nearing the finish line:

Ye-ouch

He overheated in the closing meters, and had to walk TWICE nearing the chute. In the med tent, he found out he had a temp of 104!! It's funny because they had to take his temperature twice. Well, I guess THAT'S not funny, but guess HOW they took his temp..... ;)

This is funny to everyone BUT Robby.... But seriously ("Butt" seriously), I'm glad you're OK!


• 8: EVERYONE HAS HEARD OF CHEESE CURDS:
Finally, please answer this question for me: Have you heard of cheese curds? No, you don't have to have EATEN cheese curds, but you've at least HEARD of them, right? Well, when Pharmie and I took her teammates to The Chatterbox Pub post-race, we ordered some deep-fried cheese curds. TriSaraTops had NEVER heard of cheese curds! Here's TriSaraTops defending her stance of "I've never heard of these things," while Rural Girl is barraging her with "How have you never heard of cheese curds?!"

What a great day (except for my crash and Robby's anal probing) and a great time with friends (except for the great cheese curd fight of 2011)!

If you haven't read my Examiner articles about the race, CLICK HERE for my interviews with the pros 2 nights before the race, and CLICK HERE for my write-up on the pro and elite race along with results and photos. Thanks everyone!