A good reminder for the next race - remembering to sign up! Edmonton ITU recon trip

It happened. Your biggest race nightmare coming true. 

After a successful 2018 season. My tactic this year was to build upon it and be more consistent in training and racing: employing focused training blocks to target weaknesses, mastering ability to execute on race day to chase down every second, and improving some fitness and style points...blah blah blah. 

Okay I must admit, this is proof that you're still not immune from race day not being a successful endeavor. The funny thing there is still one very fundamental, albeit very controllable, step that is required for pretty much any race day - i.e. that is remembering to sign up!

Here comes the bag of excuses...

I did almost every other thing possible, imagineable.

- Book time off work. Check.
- Inform all your friends and family in Alberta that you're coming for the weekend and driving all the way from a beautiful west coast in BC. Cool cool. Cool. Check. 
- Convince a friend to do the trip with. Okay that deserves a bonus check. Kudos to David! 
- Make sure he signed up for the race in time before the deadline. Very important check. cue the drum roll please...and x-check HIS email receipt to ensure the appropriate tri can fee was deducted.
- Lend him my personal bike equipment and make sure his bike is working too. Check. 
- Basic equipment for swim, bike, run. Easy. Okay now we're just braggin. Boring. Check, check and check.
- Appropriate amount of nutrition for the weather. Check.
- Luxury items like power meter battery and computer, also check.
- Offer countless advice leading up to the race. Feverish embarrassing because I can't contain myself, check. 
- Studied the course map and number of laps and noticed the bike direction was Counter Clockwise instead this year. Check. 
- Even reluctantly pay the $20 Expression of Interest ("EOI") new for this year for hopes of qualifying a slot for Team Canada. 1 of the very coverted 20 Age Group slots in the country. There are only losers to this EOI lottery since everyone pays regardless of win or loose. Okay you win Tri Can! Check.
- Had morning pre-race meal 3 hours in advance. PRP. Helmet all strapped up with one finger to fit under.
- Showed ID. Side note: In BC, you don't normally need this step as usually the volunteer at the booth knows you and calls you by name to sneak you in a second or so quicker to pick up your race packet. I had it ready. DUN DUN DUN...

Celebration wasn't happy with me.

The volunteer said my name wasn't on the list. Checked some other distances and format. Checked my middle name. My last name. My Chinese names that I have trouble remembering (oh crap this going down a slippery no return slope). And no luck. I told my friend to go to transition without me. The volunteer called in back-up for the race designated organizer lady to come assist. 

She was super friendly, almost too friendly. It was impossible to get mad at her. Said I had nothing to worry about. While she was checking the possible errors in the system. I had a uh-huh moment, not the eureka kind that you see at a science fair experiment, the UGH - HA moment, - Older Brownlee brother telling his younger Brownlee brother - you silly idiot! Did I sign up super early or did I just plain forgotten? I was excited for a Wendy's burger at this point of time for the record.

T-minus race time was ticking down. The lady said she would wait 1-hour until 7am for me to produce an email receipt. I checked my phone but alas a hopeless search. I was super embarrassed. An old man volunteer felt pity and offered me a sweet swag bag for my troubles. Funny that I felt instantly better, and slowly switch gears and realizing I get to watch my friend race his entire race. 

I got videos of all the important milestones. Start. Lap 1 swim run out. T1. Bike. T2. Run. and Finish. It was neat to be a coach. I was so close to the action, well actually 2 meters and totally safe observing distance at T1. One of the very well trained volunteers (Edmonton must has one of the best volunteer force) told me to not stand on the concrete curb. I bet not for structural reasons because he's an engineer, but more for his distaste for me being a touch too close to the mount line. He said kindly, "Sir, step away from the curb! Please." I was afraid he might shoot so I calmly moved one step back.

I got in my long run in, since I needed to probably long run instead of race anyways. I timed it so I get to watch my friend do 6 loops of the bike while I ran 2 loops around to spectate. While this was happening, my ears popped open and overhead one official telling another official that a particular boyfriend and girlfriend are blatantly drafting. Had this been yesterday's draft legal race, this would had been no big deal. Good teamwork guys or girls (but please gender separate yourselves because otherwise that's also against the rule). But this was sunday draft illegal race. The gap was less than the specified 10 meters. 

I was impressed with the crackdown of the no draft rule. But I see it from both sides since this has happened to me. One strong rider travels at the same speed as a cluster of say 3 riders riding too closely together. When the cluster wrap and traps the stronger rider, from the official eyes, all 4 are assigned 2 minute penalities which is definitely on the harsh side since we they were doing 6 little loops with multiple race heats only compounding the drafting issue. The normal route is normally 4 laps and more real estate. This year I think there's also more people since it's a qualifying race for next year's grand final. From the official eyes, they are just doing one job and I respect that too. Rules are rules for the good, bad, or ugly. I feel for both sides. 

Lots of drafting penalties after hearing some others finish. I took a picture of the gang of motorcyclists taking a picture after all the officiating. There was at least 8 of them circling the route. Take notes for next year. Everyone may just get a penalty with the 6 loop system. I hope it gets reverted back to the 4 loop course down Grout road again. I heard next year the volunteer force would need to double to support the field size potentially 4x the size of this year's event. The olympians will also race the standard distance.  

I counted 8 motor bikes

The swim was wetsuit optional this year at 19.1 degrees Celsius. Next year being in August, this likely will become wetsuit illegal as it normally is. My friend David braving it in invisible wetsuit style just like the pros.

The run was too fast as David was clock'in a sub 39 minute 10k split fastest in his age group and likely one of the fastest for the day. He would had made me moved backwards, I was thankful maybe I sat this one out on hindsight. 

The elastic bands was used by most of the top age groupers. I definitely will have to give this some serious practice. No more sloppy shoes dangling on the clip pedals. 

Okay final take home tip. x-check, double-check, triple-check that email confirmation for race registration. I wasn't completely bummed. Friendships, road trips and healthy lifestyle was my last instagram post message. The funny thing is I got everything I wanted and more. I learned from others and watched zee olympians. 

Mario Mola watching with the fans! So cool!

We stood next to our favourite Mario Mola while we watched the Mixed relay. We also found Jacob Birtwhistle spying on the water park at west ed mall, just like us. We didn't want to blow our covers operations so we left quietly. ;)

Overall I had a fun trip, I missed Jen but still a blast with David. Good news also came early last week. I luckily managed to secure a coveted spot for Edmonton next year from my last race at Kelowna Apple Nationals (+provincials). You never know with the age adjustment rankings. Consistency and learning from your mistakes is key to good fortunes. I'm fortunate to escape this one and qualified for next year! :)

Thanks to Jon, Alex and Jen's dad for hosting us. Onto the next race!

Thanks for reading. Cheers.