Countdown to Triathlon – 150 Days, 21.42 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 76 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY – Egad! It’s getting closer isn’t it and I need to get training more.  We finally got the glasshouse cleaned and now I have access to my stationery bike and all my weight room equipment.  I’ll tell my self – “You go girl” or  in other words – “GET YOUR BUTT IN GEAR!”

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Shortly after arrival in Sacramento Thursday afternoon, the day before the bike ride, Lisa and I checked into our rooms.  Mini vans gave us all rides to a restaurant in Sacramento for dinner which was hosted by Focus on the Family.  It was held in a small restaurant in a rather small room.  I remember that we were all spread out at tables, quite crowded together and seated four to a table.  I glanced around the room wondering which of the people seated there would be riders and which were from Focus on the Family.  As I listened to the presentation about the upcoming ride, I was really amazed at the organization and support that would be provided.  We were told about the volunteers from each city that would be riding along with us and encouraging us.  It was explained to us that Focus on the Family had a semi truck with everything in the trailer that could possibly be needed for bike breakdowns.  They had a bike frame straightener, all the tools needed, tires, tubes and everything I didn’t even know one would need. We were told that we would be provided all the drinks and snacks we needed and that we were to avail ourselves of these provisions in order to keep ourselves hydrated and full of energy. 

 I had not realized until they told us at the dinner that the riding suits we had purchased from FOTF as part of our registration fee, (remember the $200 which my accountant gave me) contained a pocket on the back of the shirt which was to be used for snack food.  I had already worn the suit on a couple of occasions and didn’t know about the pocket. It was explained to us that if we became thirsty, we will have already become dehydrated and we must not let ourselves get to that point.  My thought at that moment was that if we drank so much we would need to go to the restroom often.  But then I thought back to the months of my training and I had only had to concern myself about that situation one time.  Because of the exercise and sweating from the exertion, evidentially it freed us from nature’s call. 

It was explained to us that the semi truck driver had gone ahead of us the day before on a motorcycle and had marked our path with neon colored spray paint at intervals on the edge of the roadway.  Those marks, in the shape of a cross were our directions for the entire journey.