Here’s how two consecutive evenings unfolded last week in our household. Typically, athletes are strong minded, controlled and very focused; however when an unplanned mishap interferes with their training schedule they have what I have named an athlete suck attack. It reminds me of the same genre of suck attack children often pull when they do not get their way, only the athlete version occurs when they realize that they may not get the training done. This is what happened last week, and as usual it made me laugh really hard and gave me a great post idea.
Recently, Brent has been riding the trainer and one day last week he finally decided to put his training tire on after getting multiple flats while riding the trainer. So one night after dinner i’m watching TV and Brent is in the other room at first silent however as time goes on he begins to curse and bang things around loudly. So I go check it out and he’s definitely frustrated, he has two broken tire levers and a screw driver beside him. So, I do the obvious and ask if I can help him put the trainer tire on he says no right away, so I leave and go back to watch my show. Minutes later out comes Brent with the tire and wheel asking for my help. I smile and agree as long as we can continue to watch my show. After 30 additional minutes of working with our four hands, the two more broken tire levers, and two screwdrivers we finally get the trainer tire on.
Immediately Brent puts a new tube in. Well the valve on the tube isn’t long enough so for the next 30 minutes, as I try to hold the pump on the valve and Brent pumps we try to pump up the tube but do not succeed. Brent comments that he has a tube with a long valve in the truck that only has a slow leak in it so off he goes to get it. When Brent arrives from the truck we put a little air in the tube and inspect it for holes and it seems to be holding the air well, so we both agree the problem is solved. Brent quickly puts the tube in, replaces the wheel on the bike and sets the trainer back up in front of the TV. All is good, for now at least.
The next day Brent is set to start his trainer ride at 5pm and i’m at the gym already. On my short walk home from the gym, I see this mad man with a touque and shorts hauling butt towards me. As I get closer I see it’s Brent. I approach him he doesn’t say a word, the suck attack is already in full force. Finally after pulling teeth I get out of him that he had two flats in the first 5 minutes of his ride, and right now all he needs to do is get the workout done so he’s settling for a spin bike at the gym. Obviously bitter, I walk with him to the gym, he’s stressing over not making it to the bike store on time for his next ride tomorrow morning and taking a suck attack that now he has to use a spin bike and is no longer able to measure power and cadence with the same accuracy for his workout. He’s difficult to speak to during this athlete suck attack. I think to myself I can’t deal with this athlete suck attack all night, so I tell Brent I will go to the bike store and get the trainer tire on for him. Immediately that brings the athlete suck attack level down by at least 50% and to me that means that remainder of the night will be bearable.
So off to the bike store I run with the tire. I tell all the guys at the bike store about the athlete suck attack. They heckle us for using a screwdriver on the wheel, which they notice right away.
Anyways, after Brent finishes his ride on the spin bike and comes home to a trainer tire on the wheel he’s already over his athlete suck attack.
All is good for Brent’s trainer ride that day. The next day I come home and find this in our coat closet. It’s the trainer tire! After all that work, he’s already taken it off cause he’s getting ready to ride outside!
You know you’re living with a triathlete when:
-you play bike mechanic in the evenings while watching TV
-due to equipment malfunction and the possibility of a not as accurate workout you’ve witnessed an athlete suck attack
Happy Trainer Rides,
Carley
6 comments:
Great read. It is funny to watch them panic about workouts...
i dont even know what to say. its gotta be the hulking gun show that managed to break the tire levers. and the poor wheel must be all scratched :( but flats on trainers are one of the two worst training mishaps. but at least he got to ride outside!
hahah It was really funny to watch! In the moment I was a little panicked, thinking wow is he going to be like this all night, however once I figured it all out, the fact that it was an athlete suck attack over the workout I knew I could find a solution!
Thanks for reading,
Carley
I have been there and done that. The worst is flats on the road. I have been known to get a flat 5 miles into a ride and pull over and call my wife to come get me. She does not love being called the SAG Wagon...
i had those days when a couple of summers ago it was flat after flat, then not last summer I broke my zipp bars twice. That sucked!!!! Talk about a suck attack.
This is a hilarious story because the exact same thing happened to me and my bf with the same training wheel...I asked if I could help and he huffed "no" then came down with bloody and blistered fingers asking for help 2minutes later. I actually laugh out loud at all your posts cause I always have a story almost identical. Hope the boys are are enjoying their time in Victoria; I know its nice sleeping in while he's gone!!
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