RACE REPORT: Kerr Lake Triathlon

Submitted by: Mary Whitwell

And now…the rest of the story. Don’t be fooled by Michael’s always courteous race reports into thinking I know what I am doing with this race stuff! I thought I had it reasonably together this time and was still feeling mostly “on top of things” as I entered Transition 2. I took my time so I wouldn’t feel all scattered as I went out for the run. The nice volunteer at transition exit waved and said, “Good job.” In hindsight, it was probably to flag me down and there was an unuttered “Idiot” at the end of her greeting.

50 yards or so into the run the course took a right turn and people were lining the sides waving and cheering. Right at that turn, the elevator finally finished its halting route up to the top floor and I realized I STILL HAD MY BIKE HELMET ON MY HEAD. There was a lovely family at the corner that burst into laughter at the clearly audible “Oh crap” that burst from my mouth. I looked over at them with an obviously pleading expression and called, “Would you mind taking this for me?” as I unbuckled and tossed the embarrassing pink sucker onto the ground at their feet.

Well, in true triathlete style, as these are the nicest, most supportive folks you can ever expect to meet, at the end of the race I found my bike helmet perched on my bike where they had obviously delivered it. My biggest race regret is not my own idiocy, I’m rather used to that, but that I never knew who they were to thank them.