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October 11,
2007:
Friday
- The Day Before
This morning I decided to head back to the pier
and get in a little swim. It was pretty crowded
yesterday and I figured the day before the race
there’d be a little more elbow room. I was
wrong, as I usually am.
The place was jammed.
Caron was down there with Paulo and the three of
us decided we’d swim to the coffee boat about
400 meters out.
That’s right. You read that right. Some
intrepid soul put an espresso bar on a catamaran
out in the bay.
Rhodes was back at the pier with his Blue
Seventy speed suits. He slipped me a demo one
to test. I popped that bad boy on and was ready
to rip it up.
I got on Caron’s feet and worked as hard as I’ve
worked swimming in a very long time – at least
since the day previous when I was on Ficker’s
feet.
Caron, one of the stronger swimmers in the game,
was taking it pretty leisurely but I was
redlining all the way out there. We arrived at
the coffee boat seconds apart. I tried really
hard to pretend like I was just chillin’.
He looked worried. “Either I should think you
are swimming really good, or maybe I am not
swimming so well.” I let him wonder.
After a hit of espresso it was back to shore and
then over to Lava Java for a cup o’ joe. I
waited the longest I’d ever waited for a cup of
coffee but I had no where to go so it was no
problem.
Stadler’s Dresdner Kleinwort entourage had
reserved fully a third of the place and set up
Normann’s bike for people to have a look.
Normann wasn’t there. There was no place to
sit. My barista gave me a coupon for a free
t-shirt from a Saucony. So I chugged my coffee
and headed up the street to a running shoe store
where they’d give you your t-shirt. They had
the same deal going last year. Two days after
the race, with the town dead, Pete and I
wondered into the place to see what the gimmick
was. No gimmick. You turn in the card and you
get a really nice T-shirt. This year, Saucony
had set up a tent and a few of their reps were
there. Ended up chatting with a couple guys who
scored me a few pairs of Wigwam. Give me socks
and I’m your friend for life.
After that it was a nice little run along Alii
drive. Again, I thought I’d be alone but the
roadway was packed with runners – doing their
pre-comp I guess.
Tonight the tension in the town will be thick.
But it’s good in this house.
Sam is ready and she’s relaxed.
Can’t wait to watch her race! |
