Domestique Diaries- Triathlete’s Race Season and Update!

It’s been a while since the last edition of Domestique diaries, and for that I apologize, we have been crazy busy with race season now in full force! Race season while living a triathlete is very hectic, and consists of loads of laundry and nutrition, long road trips, nervous attitudes and early bedtimes!! Below are some highlights of the past 1.5 months in the life of a domestique!

PACKING FOR A ROADY--- Packing for Brent starts the week before the race. He starts to empty out all of this training drawers while sorting through the stuff he needs. Then he piles all the stuff he needs for the race on the floor in the corner of the living room and throws everything else back into any drawer or even the laundry (although it’s all clean). The night before we leave he starts to line things up on the counter. One day I came home and even his racing flats were on the counter, nasty!!

Road trips with a triathlete- TO THE RACE- The trip down is filled with nervous air, and the conversation is usually difficult to maintain mainly because Lil’ Wayne is blaring the entire way. We also make more than frequent restroom stops (like every hour or less) because Brent is attempting to stay hydrated and likes to get out of the car to stretch frequently. Brent does all the driving stating that I will have to more than likely drive home. We eat routine snacks the entire way from the cooler, and we play road trip games in an attempt to keep his mind off the race.

--HOME FROM THE RACE-- The way home is the opposite. One way to describe this is to “Hammer it out”. I have to beg Brent to stop for the restroom, he drives the entire way, and I usually am starving to death. The conversation is always about the race or training and it never stops even when I try to sleep, we analyze and over analyze everything for the last month of training and the race in extreme detail. We just drove home 8 hours from Kansas I think I got to stop twice, even my legs were cramped, and Brent spent most of the drive in the TT position. I offer to drive all the time, but he just can’t sit in the passenger seat for more than 5 minutes, even if he just raced for 4 hours while I sat around!

TRAINING-- Training is intense during this time and recovery is key. I run many, many ice baths, hook Brent up to electrical stimulation most nights, and don’t mind too much when he lays on the carpet with his legs elevated while I finish the chores.

I also bought a new road bike. Getting used the clips was quite an ordeal. The first ride Brent takes me on is an easy spin for him, and I fall twice. Little did I know, Brent was taking me on a 2 hours 45 minutes ride, in which I think I saw Brent twice the whole ride. I’m getting better and wiser on the bike now. I only go with Brent when he’s running. I’m now the motor pacing, lead bike, water carrier and have even mastered riding a road bike on a dirt path while taking pictures. I also like to go on frequent tanning rides.

CHALLENGES--- When you live with a triathlete the word challenge takes on a whole new meaning. Just say the word and it’s on! In May I mentioned a Dine In Challenge with friends, co-workers and training partners. We were not allowed to eat anything from a restaurant the entire month. Give a challenge to a triathlete that has the potential to improve performance and let me tell you he will not cheat. I had to cheat once while my mom was in town, Brent came and sat with us until our meal came and then he left to go home and eat dinner on his own! That’s determination! Now we have monthly challenges in our household because Brent was immediately hooked. Also, shout out to Cam for nailing the Dine In Challenge!!

I got to pick June’s Challenge and it’s the Core Challenge. We have to do core everyday no matter what. We (Brent) drove 8 hours home from Kansas and got home just in time to complete our core exercises before midnight.

MISC-- Over the month Brent won a fish at swim race, we named him Lance. We went out and bought a tank and a friend (Floyd). Lance ate Floyd. We went away for the weekend and left a food block for Lance. When we got home his tank was filthy. I cleaned it and Lance died. No more fish for us!

Summer is here and it is hot!

Next up is Buffalo Springs 70.3 in none other than Lubbock TX. At least we don’t have to drive North two states!

Happy Training,

Carley