Spectator Report!

Went down to Annapolis to cheer on a friend, ES, who signed up for the Annapolis TriRock Sprint. Waking up earlier is much easier when you're the one racing!

Aside from convincing ES that she could totally rock a tri...not sure we imparted much wisdom other than "rent a wetsuit - they're magical!" and our new race strategy: "swim, bike, run, smile!" You can find her name on our Athletic Supporter page.

Some random observations:
* TriRock provided TriTats. Pretty cool and look sharp. They seem to stick best if you accidentally put them on so that you can read them. Luckily, we were able to get them on properly, but it was touch and go for a little while. Sadly, they negate the joy that the sharpie aroma causes.
* Honey Stinger Waffles + mocha = great breakfast for a spectator! (ps-if you haven't tried the waffles, give 'em a go...much joy. And if the HSW folks happen to read this...as I plan to eat my own body weight in HSW over the next few months...please send samples!)
* People at tris need to cheer more. There's really no point standing in the drizzle silently waiting for your person to bike/run by. Just yell or cowbell or clap. The folks out there are totally busting their butts and you can afford the energy loss from cheering...trust me, you'll get more out of it than you think - esp since some folks smile back. Causing a triathlete who is sucking to smile is a *good* thing, so don't just cheer for your athlete, cheer for 'em all.  More Cowbell!!!!
* Adults see limits while kids see possibilities. I talked to a bunch of folks while standing around. The kids I talked to all said it looked awesome and that they would like to do one. The adults - had either done one and were cheering someone else on or thought it was crazy and something they couldn't do. I think I'll stay a kid for a little while longer. Age, after all, is just a number you put on the back of your leg.
* If you are playing electric guitar for the National Anthem while standing in the shadow of the US Naval Academy, and your name is not Jimi Hendrix...just play it straight. Anything amazing you might be doing musically will get lost as people try to figure out what's going on. We will all cheer for your music later when you're rocking out.
* The TriRock setup was well done. The expo was solid for a sprint tri, the announcers kept things lively, transition area had designated spaces, and it seemed well organized. I have to question the bike course - a 2 loop bike course for a 12-mile route with over 800 folks still seems like a sketchy idea, but am guessing they didn't have much of a vote. The overall race atmosphere almost makes me ponder checking out their Gettysburg offering. It wasn't on the radar prior, even considering it's basically in the backyard. It may be now.
* There really is something magical about crossing that finish line - watching folks' faces light up was awesome. If you haven't gone out and watched and cheered in a while, it's a very fun experience.  If you really want the full "athletic supporter" experience, then volunteer for a race.  You'll feel great about it and the athletes will appreciate you being there even more.
* And ES rocked it! Yay!