Onward

The half marathon is approaching fast. Thank you volunteers that are still trickling in (Jim Li is the latest. :-) I believe we are probably still a few course marshals shy of a full crew. Please email Jean if you can help out. You get a FREE bright yellow T-shirt for your efforts. And our undying gratitude of course. Things are happening fast and furious with my little responsibilities ... food and the medical tent are the biggies. I've got HyVee bringing all the food to the start line at 6:30 Saturday, Culligan delivering a truck full of water, and leaving me the keys, on Friday night. Bread Baker Company making hundreds and hundreds of rolls to be picked up Friday. I've got about 800 bags of salty snacks in my dining room. And I think I need to round up a bunch of coolers of ice for the last few water stops in the event the morning gets warm. Last year I did the prerace announcements and might this year too. Heck, maybe I'll even fire the gun. :-) And of course, I'll be taking pictures. I have to take pictures of the fully-decorated Gatorade water stops to ensure continued sponsorships. But it should be a great day. We've already got plans to hit some restaurant patio after all is said and done Saturday noon.

I'm attending a surprise birthday lunch for a friend this week. I won't say which day or where in case she reads this ... :-) But she doesn't know I'm involved. Should be fun.

From Mike Ewen (My comment: I did this tri last year and it's a nice one. I totally blew the swim but smoked the bike and run :-): I have a knee injury and cannot race this weekend at the Lakes Country Triathlon. The RD will allow me to transfer my entry to someone else. He needs transfer info by 7pm Thursday. Please contact me if you are interested in racing at Baxter on 8/29. Included below is an email they sent with race info. I did the race last year. Nice race, good location, fun time. I will be there as a spectator cheering on my son.


Mike Ewen
mike@trirochester.com
507-254-5534 (c)

Greetings from the beautiful Brainerd Lakes Area. You are receiving this email because you are registered to be in the Lakes Country Triathlon next Sunday, August 29, 2010. Packet Pickup will be Saturday evening from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm at the Holiday Inn Express which is on the east side of Hwy 371 about 2 miles north of Fleet Farm. http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Holiday+Inn+near+Baxter,+MN&hl=en&cd=1&ei=3ZZwTLTHBZ-sNe707NMG&sll=46.380185,-94.25128&sspn=0.085721,0.068495&ie=UTF8&view=map&cid=9990501492263999804&ved=0CIcBEKUG&hq=Holiday+Inn+near+Baxter,+MN&hnear=&z=16&iwloc=A

Race Day Check-in and marking will be 6:30am to 8:00 am Sunday. Our website is http://www.lakescountrytriathlon.com/  and maps of the courses are available there. Remember: All cyclists must observe Minnesota traffic laws. Bike certified hard-shelled helmets are required. Drafting is prohibited. Please ride safely. Water stations will be in two locations on the running course. Pre-race meeting is mandatory and will be at 8:00 am on Sunday morning at Whipple Beach park. Race will begin at 8:30 am.

Toe update: It's getting better I think. Still bubbling/draining a little (I know ... yuck!) and the nail is looking yellow. But it's definitely no where near as puffy or painful as it was. I went for a 5-mile walk this morning. I decided not to ride this afternoon to give my body some (relative) rest. I baked banana bread instead. But I plan to ride tomorrow.

Made a quick little run up highway 52 today. Went to the quilt shop in Cannon Falls to get backing for a quilt. Had heard about the shop but hadn't been in it. It is very nicely appointed. It's in a historic building right on a corner downtown.

It's time for some much-needed beauty sleep. Carry on. G'night ...