As many of you know, preparation doesn’t start the day of the race, even for the “pit crew”. The Schafer team meeting was held the night before the race (though general instruction had been taking place all week). The “team” filled the food bags, made sure bottles were prepared, put together “optional” food for satisfying urges throughout the race. Strict instruction was given to “make sure I eat”!
6:00 AM Race Day: The alarm clock goes off. This is earlier than I get out of bed for work and I am up getting ready to watch grown men race around in circles on a bike without a motor. Probably not the best decision I have ever made.
7:00 AM: We leave the house.
7:35 AM: We arrive at Avimor and start walking stuff to the pit. (Thankfully we run into Bryan Warnock and Andrew Gendler who help me carry the heavy table.)
8:30 AM: Last minute instructions were given on nutrition. I do believe he just told me the bottles were in the cooler. I must have IDIOT stamped across my forehead but I will let it pass as I was in the room when the bottles were being placed in the cooler. I ask others if they need help or have certain items which need to be handed up instead of stopping to grab on their own.
Bryan Warnock has bottles labeled “Base” and “Water” in his cooler and will yell out what he wants with a quick stop. To make a bottle of “Base” it is two scoops and one tab. I better start writing some of this stuff down. A paper plate and a red pen work perfect.
Andrew Gendler was well organized as well with bottles, food wrapped in foil and marked. He had bottles set up on a table but might need me to grab food and replace as requested.
Jeremy Frei had his system set up as well.
Cory knew exactly what he was doing and didn’t think he needed any help.
Beth was ready to go and would ask for help as she came into the pit. She was on the “two lap” plan. She used a camelback so she would stop every two laps to rest and fuel with a goal of six laps.
Zuber was all set and would yell if he needed anything.
Steve had what he needed.
9:00AM: Race time. Ahhh…peace and quiet with enough time before the racers come in to do a little reading.
9:35AM: Crap the lead racers are coming through already. After lap one I am supposed to hand up a perpetum bottle, I better be ready just in case….here is he, 9:38. He is going out too hot but there is no need to say anything.
Bryan hands me one of his bottles and tells me to refill it. Uh…you handed it to me full. Drink it next time then I will fill it.
Jeremy comes in and gets off his bike. It is a race, what are you doing? Get back on the bike and go. He isn’t feeling well. Sitting, standing, nothing is working right for him. Getting back on the bike wasn’t going to do it.
Everyone else comes through and heads back out.
10:10AM: Those finishing Lap 2 are now coming back in. I am prepared with my bottle of water with a Nunn tab in it. After last’s year debacle of being told that when he says he wants water it doesn’t really mean he wants water, I have figured out that a Nunn tab or similar MUST be included for this race. I also have the pack of food that he said he MUST eat every lap. As he comes in fast he yells…JUST WATER, NO FOOD. “You told me to make you eat.” “I don’t want it.” (At this point it is clear I will no longer be wasting my time with team meetings the night before a race.) Sigh…it will prove to be a challenging day.
Bryan Warnock stops briefly to switch out bottles.
Andrew Gendler switches out bottles and grabs a quick bite to eat and off he goes.
Zuber and Steve grab new bottles.
Cory asks how Beth is doing as he makes a quick stop. (She is doing great!! Only 65 minutes for her first lap!)
The laps are starting to get a little longer at this point. I seem to have a rhythm down for getting everyone what they want. Who knows what time it is.
Beth came in after lap two looking GREAT! She had a little food, something to drink, a little rest…then I kicked her out. She told me 10 minute breaks and that is what she gets. She had a goal, I am there to help her meet it.
As Mark comes in for his fourth lap he yells “No food. Need lube next lap.” Just a “water” bottle is handed up and off he goes. Mrs. Oppenheimer (Josh Oppenheimer’s mom) laughs. “He sure is direct. At least you won’t mix it up.”
Throughout the day the riders come and go. Wives and children come and go. I get to chat with Jeremy’s wife and twin boys. They drew wonderful pictures on paper plates.
Angela arrives to take care of Eric.
Bryan’s wife, Sarah and the girls stopped by and they were ready to help. As Bryan rolls in she asks what he needs and he says “Sarah and I have it worked out.” Ouch!! I grabbed bottles for him and prepped the next round. Luckily he took some fruit and the “good luck” kiss from her as he pulled out of the pit. I think that put him in a little better place with the wife. Bryan, just as a future note, let your wife help. It means a lot for us to do just the little things. It hurts when we are told someone else is there to take care of you. (Though by now everyone knows, I did not do a good job of taking care of Bryan. More about him at the end.)
After lap 6 Andy comes in. He says his feet are cramping and he can’t get back on the bike. He sits in Ron’s chair for a bit with his feet up and ice on his back then he is back to his chair…taking a nap!! Yep, middle of a race and we have a man taking a nap.
Kirsten and the girls show up with water guns and start spraying down the racers that are by this time wanting nothing more than to be off the bikes and cooled down. What a wonderful idea!
Cory comes in around lap 8 and starts chatting. Not much time left in the race but there is enough for him to get back on the bike and get another lap in. I ask if there is anything he needs. He says no, he is good. So I tell him “You know, this is the point in time were I would tell Mark to HTFU. Get back on the bike and get the next lap done.” Evidently Cory isn’t wired the same way as Mark because instead of firing him up to get back on the bike, he wanted to cry. He thought I was being mean. I will note this for the next race. Kind words work much better for Cory.
One of the best parts of the race for me happened between lap 9 and 10 when Mark came into the pit. He knew he was going to make his 10 lap goal so he took a couple of minutes to grab a few bits of food, some soda and chat. Before he pulled out of the pit I received a kiss and a thank you. The day was worth it. (Come to find out the next day, I should have told him to get back on the dang bike and pedal. He missed 3rd overall by 2 minutes…the time he used to thank me.)
Beth did an excellent job and met her race goal of 6 laps!!!
She even came in with time to spare. Beth you should be very proud.
Overall it was a wonderful race and everyone did really well. Heck, I didn’t even attempt to get on a bike so I am proud of everyone who did.
It wasn’t until we were all getting ready to hear the race results that Mark points out to me something is wrong with Bryan Warnock. I thought Bryan had left a long time ago so I start looking around to find he is hooked up to an IV. Dang. I walk over to find out what was wrong to hear that he is dehydrated. (It was that full bottle he handed to me!) After letting the EMT know what I had been putting in his bottle he says he is doing much better and not to worry.
All in all it was a pretty successful day. Only one took a nap, only one cried and only one ended up hooked up to an IV.
Excellent job Eastside. Thank you Broken Spoke for the beer and food.
Sarah
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