“Sweet Red” (my pal and Swim Bike Sell co-owner, Ansley) and I hit the road for Ann Arbor, Michigan on Friday last week for our second (annual?) trip to TRI GODDESS TRI – a fantastic sprint and super sprint race for women put on by Epic Races.
We were hoping for a fairly uneventful trip this time. No convertible rental car drama. No pregnant Sweet Red.
However, the first drama came in the form of my declaration, “We have to find a grocery store when we get there.”
“Why?”
“I need avocados.”
(This discussion turned into my recent tales of clean eating and further commitments about about how we were going to dine at the Common Grill again …but not eat the bread.)
I have been on a clean eating streak since before Gulf Coast 70.3.
Haven’t so much as ingested a piece of bread, a sliver of dairy, corn or soy. Just eating 98% whole foods. (Consequently, I am a very boring travel partner and party buddy.)
So instead of dwelling on my inability to be Party Boy (though I still had a slight Party Boy moment on the trip), Ansley just jumped on the bandwagon with me. We ate a healthy dinner at the Real Seafood Company after we landed, and hit the sack.
I woke up and enjoyed a fabulous 7ish mile run from the hotel to Michigan Stadium.
Had to get my photo op for my guy, Andy Potts. (Go blue! Okay, I’m a Georgia Bulldawg, but it doesn’t really matter in this case—apples and oranges, right?)
Headed back to the hotel and Ansley and I wasted entirely too much time enjoying the quiet kid-free zone that was the hotel room.
We realized that we needed to get moving, and rushed out of the hotel and headed to the grocery store–we needed healthy foodstuffs for the long day at the expo. (I was finally getting my avocados).
Once the tent was set up and everything was rolling at the expo, we began to have tons of Swim Bike Mom friends and new friends stop by to say hello, shop our “wares” and spend some fabulous time.
Our new Tri*Fe triathlon gear has landed and the moms and non-moms alike were snatching up the pieces. We nearly sold out of the Tri*Fe gear within a few hours.
I gave the Triathlon 101 Talk in transition and explained how important it is to wear helmet in right direction, and things like that.
The awesome spaghetti dinner took place after the Expo, but Ansley and I waited too long and were too tired at that point to snag the food. So we headed back to our old favorite—the Common Grill—with SBM team Ambassador, Cara, my athlete Nikki, and friend Beth. We were hongry!
After a fantastic meal, we dropped Cara off and went back to the hotel. After a few glasses of wine and (mildly unsuccessful, but not tragic) suppression of Party Boy, we hit the sack.
A huge shoutout to the SBM Ambassador Team members who came out: Cara, Laura, Kate and Ana… what amazing time to spend with these ladies. So many tales in such a short period of time.
On Sunday… 4:30AM came early. That is all.
We packed up and headed out. The weather was nothing but ominous… lightning and all driving back to Chelsea. I told Ansley that I always have good weather on race day, so it was going to be just fine.
(Too bad I wasn’t racing…)
At the start of the race, I glanced at the crowd and saw tons of Swim Bike Mom and Tri*Fe racing gear… loved seeing it all out there. So very cool.
At the last minute, I was issued a slight challenge from Bart, husband to SBM Melissa… “Why aren’t you racing?”
“Oh, I wish I was,” I said.
“You could swim, at least,” he said.
“Get me some goggles and a swim cap, and I will!”
The sprint racers were taking off.
I kicked off my shoes, and he ran off.
A few minutes later, I was getting into the water with the Super Sprint ladies, and the guy at the start screamed, “You’re late and you have no number!” I jumped in and did the 800 meter (ah-hem 1000 meter) swim… I apparently went on a swim detour.
I wasn’t thinking about how wet I would be after the swim and having to work the booth with Ansley… and… aw, hell.
Didn’t matter.
The second we were all out of the water, it was torrential downpour, and it continued the entire race.
Crazy rain.
I spent the rest of my time hanging out in the rain, throwing out the high fives and cheering on all the racers. I am an absolutely obnoxious crowd cheerer… I love it. High five! You don’t want to??? Too bad! You will! 🙂
Seriously.. everyone did fantastic!
Here’s what I know:
Everyone who became a first-time triathlete out there is a hero – what a tough day and conditions to race under.
Slick roads, muddy trails. These women were amazing!
So proud of all my new GODDESS friends. Met so many wonderful ladies and their kiddos and significant others. I learned about a very interesting festival that Ansley and I should attend. 🙂
Ansley and I headed back to the airport, but not before stopping for lunch at Whole Foods–where I promptly fell in the entrance onto the concrete floor. You know how most people pop up from embarrassment after falling? Yes? Well, not me. I just sat there and tried not to cry.
After a four hour flight delay, we landed back in Atlanta. What a great trip! See ya’ll next year! (We will definitely be back!)
*Since this isn’t actually a race report, since I didn’t race… those of you who DID, feel free to comment for the next round of ladies who are thinking of racing. Last year’s race report is here
Oh! I do have to share one of my favorite photos from the weekend that my athlete and friend posted on Instagram.
The photo on top is Nikki (left) and myself (right) from last year at Tri Goddess…
The bottom picture this year (me, left and Nikki, right).
Dang… I was thinking these two gals were looking much improved! With the exception of my whack-a-mole smile. LOL! Fist bumps! 🙂
it was great to meet you — what an inspiration you are! thanks for for bringing your fabulous items for sale, cheering us all on & being so supportive.
hope to see you next year! and, at that festival — will be looking for you!
I pink sparkly heart this race. I’ve done it 5 out of the 7 years it’s been around and I have absolutely no intention of stopping anytime soon. The positive energy, tri-spirit, and Goddessery (Eva made that word up, so now it’s an official thing…someone needs to contact Webster’s to have it added. 😉 ) of this event is something that can’t be duplicated and you can’t understand until you run this race.
Forget your goggles? Someone will lend you some. Accidentally left your helmet on the top of your car when you were packing at o’dark-thirty and drove off with out it? Someone will have a spare. Drop your chain out on the bike course? At least one person (and usually more than one) will offer to stop and help. Same with a flat! Need a little encouragement on the run? Just wait…someone will tell you good job while you are out there (even though you are in the middle of the woods).
Eva & the Epic Races crew has built a good thing with this race. If you are in driving distance, you should be considering it whether you are a first timer, or a seasoned racer who just wants to lift up and encourage some of those newer racers.
This sounds like a race full of positive energy and joy. I am curious if there is a specific “clean” eating set of guidelines you are following or did I somehow miss that in a previous post? All things are pointing in a positive direction for Lake Placid – which is awesome. Thanks for the post. I enjoy reading this blog and find it brings me some joy on days where there may be less than normal.
I want to join you next year! Keep us posted of the date! Love the pics and you are looking great! Thank you
OMG! There I am! As Melissa M said, “You look like you were being beat with a wet dog!” This is the part where I slowed down and started to be like, “What the hell are you doing?” and I hear Meredith cheering, and I am like “Oh no! I can’t walk! It’s Swim Bike Mom!” LOL. Which I know I totall could have, but it made me want to do the best I could, you know?
Thank you so much for being there and inspiring me and so many others. Your blog is one of the reasons I ever started triathlon, and this race was a reason I remembered during this race why I like it so much!
Thank you to Epic Races and Eva for making it all happen! Eva helped me A TON to raise money for Habitat in order to swim across the Strait of Mackinac this summer (should I thank her or curse her? LOL). She’s amazing and so is all the crew at Epic Races. We’re so glad you came and we hope you will come again! 🙂