Do you remember that feeling you used to get when you were a
kid just before leaving for camp? That excitement – so much so you became
nauseous? Well, that’s how I felt before my first EVER tri camp. A camp for a
team I’ve been trying to get on for years and I FINALLY earned a spot! What if
I forget something? What if I mess up and they make fun of me? What if my
teammates don’t like me? What if…
Before I even made it out my front door I got a message that
my flight was delayed. Good thing I had a direct flight!
I left the house plenty early, only to discover there was a
car accident and traffic was the worst I’ve seen it since being in San Antonio.
Of course! My luck! My anxiety was driving my hubby crazy! Good thing the
flight was delayed! I still cut it close and was squirming in the security line,
which probably didn’t look good to the security folks…
I arrived about an hour late to Tampa where I found a man in
a suit with an iPad, with MY name on it! I felt so important! He asked if I had
any luggage and I replied, “This is it!” referring to my 2 carry-on bags. He
asked, “Really?” looking quite confused which of course led me to doubt what I
decided to bring. Regardless, out to the black SUV we went!
My luck with drivers is AWESOME (sarcasm). As I sucked seat
up my rear while flinching and trying not to grab the dash board for fear of my
life, the driver asked if I minded if we stop at an Arby’s we were passing so
he could use the rest room. I quickly answered yes! I haven’t been in an Arby’s
in a really long time, so the smell of French fries was overwhelming. I
couldn’t help myself so I pigged out on a Reuben meal with their AWESOME curly
fries (definitely not good for my diet, but I was so hungry and haven’t had
them in a really long time).
When we finally made it to IMG Academy I was asked to have a
picture taken for an ID… uhhhh… tired and looking like doo-doo I asked if I
could make a face – they said YES!
After being dropped off at my apartment (2 bedroom with 2
twin beds in each room, shared by 4 teammates) I unpacked and went out to
explore! Winn Dixie grocery store was right around the corner so I got some
snacks which I didn’t end up needing since IMG fed us a TON plus the PowerBar
snacks! Scoped out a nail salon to get a pedicure since I got there a day early
J
Ann and Tim from Germany were the first teammates I met but
it was pretty late (for me = like 10PM HA!) when they arrived so we chatted a
little and crashed out! I learned that avocados are really expensive in Germany
which explained why Ann was chowing down on some guacamole! Love that stuff!
Too bad I can’t mail it from San Antonio where we have boat-loads of it!
I woke up early to eat with Ann, Tim and another teammate,
Per. Apparently Ben Greenfield got into town too but was still crashed out J The food we had at IMG
was delicious! All the fresh fruit, yogurt, eggs, potatoes, and oatmeal we
could eat and the coffee was pretty good too! We were able to get in about a 7
mile jog a few hours later while awaiting the official start of camp. It was
windy! No gator sightings though L
We had a little detour through a golf course and Per managed to leap a large
ditch, but eventually made our way back to the rooms just in time for lunch
(yes food is close to my #1 priority)!
Our first session included introductions in which we had to
share our name, where we’re from and an interesting fact about us before we
started tri’s. I quickly learned that this
team is a LOT of fun! From news casters to stock brokers and tennis players,
Timex Multisport Team represents an extremely diverse FAMILY of SPECTACULAR
athletes with very diverse backgrounds.
The session went on to include a keynote address by Victoria
Arlen. At 19 years old, she’s been through more than most adults. If you don’t
know her history, I strongly suggest you check it out: http://www.victoriaarlen.com.
At the end of the evening we got goodies from some of our
sponsors to include: Timex, Nathan, SBR, and PowerBar.
The next morning we had an early wake up call for a group
swim workout. Gotta love being woken up
by the beeping of a bus backing up!
Then quickly back to IMG for b-FAST (I knew they called it
that for a reason) and run over to the stadium for some lessons on what’s
coming out from Shimano, Blueseventy, Skins, Timex, and Trek. We also had a
chance to share what we like and don’t like about various products. It was nice
to see the companies truly caring about what athletes think about their
products and wanting to make them better for us. All I will say is that they
have some really sweet stuff about to be released! We proceeded right into our
Annual 5k (Florida Tourist Theme) – Looks like I fit right in with the Team!
I was so excited when we got to pick up our new Castelli
kits! They are so FREAKING awesome! I love the little hooks to keep from
getting a ‘tramp-stamp’ sunburn on the lower back! They are easy enough to
release to go to the bathroom real quick too! Unfortunately, I didn’t have time
to try them on because I finally got the paperwork to close on my old house in
Florida. FINALLY!
First problem – They misspelled my name. Nice!
Second problem – I have to get it notarized and shipped back
to them ASAP since it was Friday and closing is the next week!
Third problem – IMG’s notary is out and I don’t have a car
to get to the closest place that MIGHT notarize and ship my paperwork.
Supposedly, it was within walking distance though…
Fourth problem – It wasn’t within walking distance. I was
asking for help at a Walgreens and a really nice woman and her mother overheard
and offered me a ride… Being from the DC area originally, I hesitated but I
REALLY wanted to sell my house since we had already moved to Texas, so I
accepted the offer and hopped in.
Fifth problem – Banks do not notarize for you unless you
have an account with them. Luckily, an insurance company nearby did… but for
$20 cash only so I had to run back to the bank to get $ out of an ATM. Good
thing a FedEx was in the same shopping center.
Sixth problem – As I was packaging it up after making
photocopies I read that it was supposed to be accomplished in BLUE ink not
black! CRAP! So I ran back to the insurance company and they called the title
company and they said it would be okay. Phew! Finally! Able to ship it – return
receipt = Yes please!
Seventh problem – I’m about 20 minutes from the IMG and only
have 40 minutes until I have to be ready for the bus to take us to the Awards
Dinner and I’ve been running around in the Florida heat for over an hour... OH
CRAP! As we scramble back with the nice folks who picked me up and drove me
around for what seemed like forever I almost cried! I was so thankful that
there are still some VERY nice people in the world!
I felt I earned a few drinks so I indulged at the dinner and
had a great time learning more about my teammates and sponsors. Most memorable
was my teammate, Bo Parrish’s inspirational speech. Here’s the audio: http://boparrish.me/speaking/timex-camp/.
I cried a little… It just goes to show that someone s always listening so please
choose your words carefully. It could mean life or death. Afterwards I was so
tired, but glad that everything was finally coming together. Not surprisingly,
I didn’t make it to the swim the next morning… I slept in and it felt
WONDERFUL!
On the last day of camp, we had a ton of photos before
departing. We all hated to leave, but I know I look forward to staying in touch
with all the new friends I made. I wish that we all lived closer, but I guess
that would defeat the purpose of the Team. Until next year, Stay Silly Team
Timex!
