Susiej

There’s no way to describe the feeling that comes when I crawl into bed with my husband, and I feel those silky, yet muscular, legs between the sheets. This is the part I dislike the most when he’s training for an Ironman Race. The race that is a swim 2.4 miles, 112 miles on the bike, and then to run a marathon, 26.2 miles.

People assume the reason triathletes shave their legs is because it makes them more aerodynamic. This is not true. The real reason for the shave is that not having hair makes it less painful when they have an injury (their average speed on the bike is 25-30 mph) and the lack of hair makes the injury easier to clean.

The absence of hair means that race day is getting precariously close. My heart and stomach are take a leap whenever I think of this. This time, he’ll be sitting on the airplane by himself as he travels to Idaho. There will be no little boy climbing all over the airplane seats, looking out the window, and when he sees the city, saying “Look at that GOTHAM city,” when it sounds like God Damn city, as we bury our heads, and the passenger erupts in giggles, while his brothers say, “Say that again!” And the little boy DOES say it again… and again… and again.

The impending date of this race is causing me to think and to remember. Last time, there was lots of heat. Ninety-seven degrees. Very hot for Idaho. Racers were collapsing on their bikes out of exhaustion, and crashing.

I’m remembering now all the little things that we did for him… not that I don’t think he can’t do the race without us. He will finish, but will it won’t be the same. Things like having someone to eat his oatmeal with at 5 in the morning. Tucking little boys in bed while you’re too nervous and jittery to sleep. Hearing little boys yell “Go Daddy!” Putting sunscreen on his back. Still, of course, he’ll have the team there with him.

The boys were so clever last time, as we tried to manuever our way around the race as novices. We found it impossible to find our Daddy/Husband in the crowd when they all came out of the water from the swim. I frantically searched the crowed of wetsuits climbing out of the lake, dripping, running to transition to the bike, peeling off their suits. I realized there, sadly, that we probably wouldn’t see him for the rest of the day. He would be a blur in this wet suit crowd, a blur on the bike, and maybe, we’d see him briefly on the run. No chance to cheer, “Go Daddy!”

My son had a flash of insight — a brilliant idea. The night before, we had stood along the fence to see his bike and gear — standing, waiting and ready to go. Guarded, by watchful volunteers, all night long. And his bike was close to the end, right by the path for spectators. So, following my son’s great idea, we rushed as quickly as a Mom can when she’s pushing a stroller with three other boys behind, through the crowd, and found the spot and waited. I hoped we weren’t too late. Nope. Bike still there. So, we waited with the crowd and watched other swimmers file in to jump on their bike.

Then, he appeared. Of course, the boys saw him first. We called out his name, knowing, and rightly so, that this would probably be the only cheer he would hear from us for the rest of the day. We startled him. He didn’t expect to see us here, in this “perfect spot.” Not only would we see him, but while he was putting on his shoes, we could spend at least 1.52 minutes with him. Still, the excitement of seeing us flubbed him up a bit, and he forgot which row his back was in, as he stared at us. My son, of course, directed him to the right bike. “Dad, you’re bike’s right there,” he says on the video, while the crowd laughs.

So, I’m crawling into bed with my husband tonight. Hairless legs. While I think about his big race, what happened before, and not yet knowing what’s going to happen this time.

I’m at the lake, enjoy yourselves this weekend. Yesterday was our 15th year anniversary. And check out my review on a great game, that we’re probably actually playing right now, here.

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Related posts:

1. Does sleeping with him count?
2. There were thousands of signs
3. First Race
4. Remedies for Restless Legs
5. Processing

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