|
October 8,
2007:
Things started out pretty
good. Got bumped to business class.
Danny Bonaduce is fast asleep
in the seat next to me.
In a few hours I’ll touch
down in LA where a few things will happen.
First, I’ll have a four and a
half hour wait for my connecting flight and
secondly I’ll find out if Pete will be joining
me this year. Yesterday he was feeling under
the weather and questioned his ability to fly.
He was going to wait and see how he felt today.
I hope he gets back on his
game and makes the flight. Without PR it
certainly won’t be as much fun but it’ll still
be Kona in October. It’ll still be Ironman
week!
Sam McGlone and her
partner/coach Cliff English will be sharing the
digs with me (us?) and they’re both a lot of
fun. Of course, Sam is racing this year. She
tells me she’s feeling good.
With them in the house I’m
pretty well assured a good time. Cliff shares
my love of a cold pint and Sam shares my love of
horror movies.
This year I have an added
responsibility to carry while I’m here. Cam
Elford, managing editor of Triathlete, has asked
me to put together a daily column for the
website this week – the bi-line “Inside the Pro
Scene.”
Now I know how that guy who
jumped into the bear pit at Stanley park a
number of years ago must have felt as soon as he
landed and the first bear came over to take a
sniff.
What the hell have I gotten
myself into.
He thought the bears looked
cuddly. When the first one took a swat I’m sure
he quickly regretted his decision.
I’ve certainly spent a fair
bit of time in the company of profession
triathletes. My best friend, a number of my
good friends, even more acquaintances and a
score of nodders (one with whom you know well
enough to make eye contact and nod to but not
well enough to engage in conversation) are
professional triathletes. But all of these
relationships might be seriously compromised if
I start blabbing off about their “scene”.
It’s going to be a week of
walking a fine line between professional
responsibility and personal loyalty. Oh well, I
always enjoy a challenge.
And one thing is for certain
– it’s going to be an interesting week.
Oh – and the dumb ass who
jumped in the bear pit? That’s right, got
eaten. |
