traveling

On deck is the last tempo long(ish)bike and run. Then it's time. The cake has been baked, the proverbial cake of endurance. The icing had been spread (that's the tempo work)

It's almost time to sit tight.

Yesterday was one of those weird days. Tempo bike and 6 X 1 mile repeats at specified heart rates. I got on the bike and I just wanted to fly, I got on the run and I wanted to just soar. The sessions were filled with thoughts of "Hold back, slow down, stick to the heart rates. No need to be a hero today."

Save it I kept hearing the wizard say. Save it.

The checklist has been listed, what I need to remember to bring. My checklist is not that big.

The past few years I have preferred travel races over local races for some reason. Actually for the reason of getting out there, learning to be a small fish in a big pond, meeting friends all over the country. While I am traveling to Clearwater alone I know a ridiculous amount of people who will be there, none of whom are from where I live.

My goal in traveling more nationally was to meet the world. And meet the world I have. It was my goal to overcome the fear of flying that previously has held me back. Check that off the list. My goal was to see new places and make new friends. I now proudly have friends in New Orleans, Florida, Texas, Germany, every where I have gone I have found people to connect with.

When I travel I actually travel lightly. I prefer to fly AirTran because they have a $79 bike fee as compared to Delta's $230 each way policy. I pack my bike box so it is about 50 pounds, all of my race gear goes into it.

Then I bring one carry on bag. One. I am a very light traveler. Suffice to say on the way home you might not want to open my bag through security, but if you don't mind race gear that is a bit stinky..... be my guest.

Now Curt tends to ship his bike via UPS. If that's your route call the hotel you are staying in and ask if they don't mind receiving and holding the bike for you. The cheapest route is to ship via a UPS shipping center, as opposed to a UPS store. We ship from the UPS shipping center in Henrietta on Lehigh Station Road. I have shipped to Texas, Portland, and Alabama and have never paid more than $50. At UPS stores... they have to still take it to a shipping center. At a shipping center they pop it right on the truck. Ship it a week in advance. I am not shipping to Clearwater because I am being lazy.

Now..... I recommend shipping to the hotel if they will hold it for you. Last year we did a shipping package through a bike shop in Texas, and ended up paying a boatload of money for the service. So save yourself the hassle, ship it to your hotel. When you do drop the bike off at the UPS shipping Center to be sent, arrange for a pick up from your hotel. This was after the race, pack it up, leave it at your hotel, give UPS a call and they will come and grab the box for you.

When it comes to bike assembly I am a dictator on my athletes knowing how to take care of their own bike. On my team it is mandatory you know how to take it apart and put it together. Why? Because in 1999 I flew to Florida for a race and Curt flew earlier. He flew with the bikes and I arrived at midnight for a 6am race.

I got on my bike and the headset was loose. He was in such a rush and so tired he didn't tighten it all the way. When I bitched at him for it he taught me a very important lesson:

Always be responsible for your own bike.

This way I assume absolute responsibility for the safety of my ride. If I tighten the headset I know it's tight. Never give control of your race to someone else. Never assume anything is tight until you tighten it yourself.

Sometimes I rent a car, but nowadays I tend not to. I don't because I get a hotel that's close to the site and a grocery store. It seems silly to pay for a car that will sit in a hotel parking lot for 4 days when I can grab a cab to and from the airport. Make sure that's a van cab for the bike box.

Not to worry, I will post some pictures! Maybe I will get crazy and post a video.

I absolutely love to travel now. It wasn't always that was but it's allowed me growth like I can't even explain. I now love the feel of the airplane hitting turbo as we are beginning the jaunt down the runway.

Traveling to races can actually be affordable and it can be fun. Take the stress out of it by preparing yourself. Streamline what you bring, don't make it complicated. Then open your eyes wide and enjoy the ride. There is so much to see!