Yesterday we continued with our Tour de Lubbock – which you can complete in about 24 hours.
Lubbock is a strange town. There are over 200,000 living here but it still seems unpopulated and desolate. You’ll find pockets of stores and homes but then – nothing.
Speaking of nothingness we drove the race course. It reminded me of rides at home in between cornfields and not much else. No cornfields here but there are barren open fields with those oil pumps scattered throughout. You can feel the heat pulsing from the ground. It rises up in squiggly lines from the pavement – for miles down the road.
The course is much more challenging than I remember – and that’s a good thing. That means that once I get out there maybe it won’t feel like that much. Basically you ride along the flat roads and then dip in and out of the canyon about 8 times. Lubbock actually sits at 3250 feet elevation so there are canyons carved out and right now filled with green from recent rains. There are two significant climbs up what looks like a spiral staircase of twistyness. Other than that, long gradual climbs that oddly enough remind me of what you find in Hawaii. The run course does not relent. And I’m damn excited about that. Flat courses are great for rhythm and speed for hills are pure strength. There are two significant climbs – one shorter/steep and one long. The swim is in a spring-fed lake with nothing unusual to note. It’s quite warm right now making it a pro nonwetsuit swim.
I’m getting race ready.
The best thing about being a triathlete – you know that if packet pick up opens at 5 pm and you’re there at 4:59 – you won’t be the only one. In fact, you are guaranteed there will be a long line of antsy, driven athletes waiting to do the same.
We’re all definitely not one of a kind.
Packets picked up – check. At the expo we ran into Melissa Schwartz, Kim Schwabenbauer and Kristin Moore. It’s good to catch up and visit with old friends. Had some dinner afterwards then it was off to bed.
The sun sets here at 9 pm and doesn’t rise until 6:30 am. At home the sun has been rising around 5 am.
It’s unusual to go to sleep when it’s light and wake up to darkness. We woke up early this morning to get our workouts done under conditions similar to race day. Headed out to Dunbar Lake again for a short run and spin. The temperature was already 78 degrees. Before 7 am. Today it’s going to be 99!
I’ve got to admit I’m getting excited. For two reasons; first reason: last night I found my missing race shorts at the bottom of my race bag. I was so disappointed that I might have lost them. These are my all time favorite most comfortable shorts. I have serious sensory issues with shorts. I don’t like to “feel” them. These race shorts are made by Louis Garneau and they are perfect. Of course they didn’t smell so good and I can’t remember when or where I last wore them – but I’m glad they are back. Second reason for said excitement is that tomorrow I get to race. Yes, the forecast calls for 88 degrees and 15 – 25 mph winds but you know what…so what. That’s what makes racing good.
My bike is ready and so is all of my stuff. Actually got it ready last night. Thought about wearing my timing chip for the next day but realized that wearing a bright pink plastic bracelet that says TRIATHLETE is dorky enough.
Anyways, good luck to all racing! As Mike S. said to me, stay relaxed and focus. Coulnd’t have said it better myself.
