Race Report: Fairhill Classic 2005
what it means to race as a husband and father
the day before the race was spent doing some of the classic pre-race things
not just collecting and packing cycling gear
not just getting the bike cleaned, tunned up, and running its best
not just getting race fuel and fluids set aside
but more vital stuff.... husband and father stuff
knowing that I would be gone all Sunday much of Saturday was spent trying to free up the day for my wife... transparently trying to balance the scales
we each started our day with a little Ashtanga Yoga
Lisa went to the 8AM session while I got the boys dressed, fed, then the three of us hiked the dogs
even in the early am it was brutally humid
a displeasure for all
the hike was short and no one complained about the hike being short... not even the dogs
we returned the dogs to the sanctuary of our air conditioned home, gathered basic kid gear; diapers, wipes, juice boxes, snacks, favorite toy of the day, and loaded up the car for the Saturday Morning Yoga Swap
the Yoga Swap is where Lisa comes out of her class with Yoga mat in hand... passes off the keys and a kiss... points to her car... and I go in for my Yoga Class (an Ashtanga Open Class... a little less intense than a straight Ashtanga Session)
after Yoga I had to swing by work to grab a few things... clothing that was stacking up from my commutes and some paintings I purchased from a street vendor
(an old Asian gentleman paints children's names in animal characters in a quasi-Chinese style
had one made for each of "the cousins" in Pittsburgh)
once home I made a rash decision
I asked Dean and Grant if they wanted to go to the museum with me
Lisa lit up like child on Christmas morning and so did Dean... Grant simply said "yes" as he is only 19 months old and a man of few words
The boys got a quick spin through the Air and Space Museum and the dinosaur section of the Museum of Natural history
(well not that quick, the event absorbed roughly four and a half hours including travel)
on our walk back to the car we dodge intermident summer showers
we planned our travel home such that we would roll past the house.... grab mommy... and head to grandpa's for dinner and a swim
we swam and splashed and then ate some carry out Chinese
as we ate the skys grew dark... and not just from the setting sun
the summer storm grew to be more serious
by the onset of night the storms were brewing pretty seriously
my thoughts of racing grew to be doubts
in the end the rain did not effect the race being held
as much as I had wished the race was not canceled
DC got the soaked with the race site got sprayed or maybe misted
after the race I returned home to an empty house
made a few calls and located my wife
logic said one thing.... hot hot hot and humid.... they are swimming at the pool
exhausted I went and joined Lisa and the boys at my dad's house
fun in the sun
splashing in the pool
wanted to nap
but the boys wanted to play
and well
I did not want abandon Lisa with the kids for the whole day
so I tried to entertain the boys.... or at least one of the boys while lisa entertained the other
Monday night I had to bypass a post work ride as lisa wanted to do another Yoga Class
tough to balance the scales
but we try
certainly I ride my bike more than lisa does Yoga
but I try to give her the opportunities
just as she tries to give me my opportunities
in the end the kids come before either of our personal interests
I have said it before and will say it again
in my cycling pursuits it is far more important for me to be an Expert Dad and a Sport Mountainbiker than to be an Expert Mountainbiker and a Sport Dad!
it was a great weekend
oh
while Lisa went to Yoga on Monday night I had my hands full
we again went to my dad's for dinner and a swim
19 month old Grant going off the diving board with a lifejacket
and
four year old Dean going off the diving board without a lifejacket
Dean can not swim.... but that does not stop him from going off the diving board!
it is awesome
scary.... but awesome
results
7th out of 22 in the Sport Vet II
what it means to race as a husband and father
the day before the race was spent doing some of the classic pre-race things
not just collecting and packing cycling gear
not just getting the bike cleaned, tunned up, and running its best
not just getting race fuel and fluids set aside
but more vital stuff.... husband and father stuff
knowing that I would be gone all Sunday much of Saturday was spent trying to free up the day for my wife... transparently trying to balance the scales
we each started our day with a little Ashtanga Yoga
Lisa went to the 8AM session while I got the boys dressed, fed, then the three of us hiked the dogs
even in the early am it was brutally humid
a displeasure for all
the hike was short and no one complained about the hike being short... not even the dogs
we returned the dogs to the sanctuary of our air conditioned home, gathered basic kid gear; diapers, wipes, juice boxes, snacks, favorite toy of the day, and loaded up the car for the Saturday Morning Yoga Swap
the Yoga Swap is where Lisa comes out of her class with Yoga mat in hand... passes off the keys and a kiss... points to her car... and I go in for my Yoga Class (an Ashtanga Open Class... a little less intense than a straight Ashtanga Session)
after Yoga I had to swing by work to grab a few things... clothing that was stacking up from my commutes and some paintings I purchased from a street vendor
(an old Asian gentleman paints children's names in animal characters in a quasi-Chinese style
had one made for each of "the cousins" in Pittsburgh)
once home I made a rash decision
I asked Dean and Grant if they wanted to go to the museum with me
Lisa lit up like child on Christmas morning and so did Dean... Grant simply said "yes" as he is only 19 months old and a man of few words
The boys got a quick spin through the Air and Space Museum and the dinosaur section of the Museum of Natural history
(well not that quick, the event absorbed roughly four and a half hours including travel)
on our walk back to the car we dodge intermident summer showers
we planned our travel home such that we would roll past the house.... grab mommy... and head to grandpa's for dinner and a swim
we swam and splashed and then ate some carry out Chinese
as we ate the skys grew dark... and not just from the setting sun
the summer storm grew to be more serious
by the onset of night the storms were brewing pretty seriously
my thoughts of racing grew to be doubts
in the end the rain did not effect the race being held
as much as I had wished the race was not canceled
DC got the soaked with the race site got sprayed or maybe misted
after the race I returned home to an empty house
made a few calls and located my wife
logic said one thing.... hot hot hot and humid.... they are swimming at the pool
exhausted I went and joined Lisa and the boys at my dad's house
fun in the sun
splashing in the pool
wanted to nap
but the boys wanted to play
and well
I did not want abandon Lisa with the kids for the whole day
so I tried to entertain the boys.... or at least one of the boys while lisa entertained the other
Monday night I had to bypass a post work ride as lisa wanted to do another Yoga Class
tough to balance the scales
but we try
certainly I ride my bike more than lisa does Yoga
but I try to give her the opportunities
just as she tries to give me my opportunities
in the end the kids come before either of our personal interests
I have said it before and will say it again
in my cycling pursuits it is far more important for me to be an Expert Dad and a Sport Mountainbiker than to be an Expert Mountainbiker and a Sport Dad!
it was a great weekend
oh
while Lisa went to Yoga on Monday night I had my hands full
we again went to my dad's for dinner and a swim
19 month old Grant going off the diving board with a lifejacket
and
four year old Dean going off the diving board without a lifejacket
Dean can not swim.... but that does not stop him from going off the diving board!
it is awesome
scary.... but awesome
results
7th out of 22 in the Sport Vet II