are we there yet?

This will inevitably come out of one of the children’s mouths tomorrow on our way to my last race of the season in Fruita.  Of course, they will be talking about the pumpkin patch in Grand Junction that is a planned side trip of the weekend, not the actual Desert’s Edge Triathlon.  Even when you are traveling for a personal event, you know, such as the one you have worked toward all season, it’s never about you when you have kiddos.  And that’s OK.  Most of the time.  Except for the time when you are a little nervous and constipated and trying to explain to your 5 year-old why you just snapped at her about her missing blanket before bed.  Mostly because you’re constipated, but also because you’re organizing a group of 4 people to a triathlon which includes camping.  The process becomes a bit cumbersome.  Especially if you can’t print out your checklists because your printer has died.  Which is just so typical, since earlier this week, your heart rate monitor decided to call it quits, and your shoes feel like their last run might have been about 4 runs ago.

Not that any of that is happening tonight at this house.  No way.

But you know what?  These are all things I can’t control.  And all I can focus on is what I can control.  Like which of the delicious gels I have never tasted before will I use during my race, since nowhere in the Vail Valley have they continued carrying the ones I like?  Gel taste testing.  Yum.  (BTW, I don’t know why people feel chocolate tastes good in a gel.  Barf.  Heartburn City, people.)

Other things I can control include preparing all my stuff for the race and eating well.  Oh, and my attitude.  I almost forgot that one until the 5 year-old pointed at the goal time for this race that I have lipsticked on my bathroom mirror while she was having her hair dried tonight.  She said, “That’s the race we going to this weekend, isn’t it?”  To which I said yes.  And she said, “Well, I hope you have a really nice time during your race.”  At which point I planted a kiss on her lips and thanked her.  I am going to do my best to have a really nice time this weekend.  And of course, in the words of Coach Evil Genius, “Make yourself proud.”  I know I will.

Stay tuned for the race report!