From the start of May to the end of September - 5 months, 5 races. It's been a LOOOOONG season of relatively few races, but it's over! Time to reflect a little. I could talk about how Nationals went (GREAT, despite missing the pro qualifying mark by just over a minute...), and how I'm loving (LOOOOVING) all of the deliciously unhealthy foods I've been eating over the last two or three days... but instead, I'd like to take some time to reflect on one of my most favoritest aspects of this season. My "fan club".
The New England Season Opener
The Philadelphia Triathlon
Holy guacamole, we got a lot of support at this one. Meet...well... my whole freakin' family! (Not quite, but a lot of 'em...) From left to right you've got my dad, (me), Uncle Lenny, Aunt Anna, my cousins, Rich and Jaime (hiding behind Rich), and their kids, Isabella (not shown), Rich, and Vinnie. Vinnie gets his own picture below with my mom. Also, sorry I was unable to show my sister, the Dunne clan, the wives (of course) and Gered's Father-in-law (who even came out for some cheese steaks afterward!) As they managed to avoid any pictures I have.
In any case, this crew also got up before the sun, and showed up in fine form (with the exception of my sister, who was still just a little drunk from the night before) to cheer like scrappy maniacs. Thanks so much to all of you for coming, it was a crappy race, but I still loved the day, just because you were all there!
The Lake Dunmore Triathlon
The regular crew was all that could for this race, but they cheered especially boisterously (Emily will hate me for putting those two words together like that) for new team scrappy member, Josh Michaud (who still needs to write his bio!). In this remote (albeit be-a-utiful) setting, most of you fans out there showed your love remotely, checking in with my before and after the race to see how things went. We felt the love, really... we did. Special thanks though to my parents who paid for their second hotel room this summer just to see me race, on top of driving 6+ hours to get there!The Cranberry County Trifest
Nate and Danielle get two pictures for several reasons. (1) This first picture is too funny not to put in, but I don't want to mislead you - these people are a good time. (2) Nate put his professional grade photography skills to use, and documented this race better than any other prior. (3) Nate and Danielle stayed hours after the race finished just to drive Emily and I home afterward!
Gered's sister Kara also made it out to the race and tested her own fitness against a deep field of 10 year olds in a race up stairs and down a slide. She unfortunately, narrowly missed the $100 prize purse.Age Group National Championships
So many people to thank for support on this one. My parents (for FLYING TO ALABAMA), my sister for coming out and putting us up the night after in her own bed, and the twenty or thirty people that posted/emailed/called with words of encouragement and congratulations - especially Marge and Dan, the in-laws who despite fighting off the flu rallied my wife's extended family to send words of love and encouragement from Ohio! And of course, our friends Jen and Rob for hosting us in Atlanta on our way to Alabama.You were all wonderful, thank you so much, but I have give a special seperate thank you to team scrappy co-founder Gered, who left work mid morning to drive down from Vermont on the day of my flight to share his fancy Zipp wheels, and drive me to the airport. I couldn't ask for a better training and competition partner. I only wish you could have made it down there too buddy!
The Long Haul
Emily. Baby - you not only came to all of my races, and endured the management of all stressful pre-race logistical support, you put up with a husband that's rarely home, always hungry, always tired, always farting, and always spending your money on silly triathlons! Thank you so much, I love you!Everyone else, thank you all - this season was great. But 3 wins and an awesome race at nationals is not what made this season - it was the unprecedented interest and support from those I care about most. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!