Take Homes From Volunteering at the Raleigh 70.3 Triathlon

I got a new perspective on the world of triathlon last weekend and it was a blast.  I got to captain a volunteer aid station on the run course.  It was a lot of work but not as much as what it took to be the race director of the Fiesta Biathlon.  This was a good way to be part of the triathlon action, help a couple thousand folks in desperate need of a sip of water, an ice cube, or a shout out, and it didn't come with the post-event anxiety of what I could have done better and where things went wrong in my epic day that everybody is supposed to really care about but are so screwed up in their priorities that they're probably busy fighting cancer, educating the young, catching terrorists, or savoring something with bacon in it.

Carl Bonner rocking the Superman socks at Run Aid Station 6, Raleigh 70.3.

For those of you that haven't experienced the glory that is running through the oasis that is the Tricredible aid station of the Raleigh 70.3 run course as you crest a whopper of a hill in the squelching sun and find the riches of ice, cold water and electrolyte yucky drink, bananas, pretzels, gels, rockin' music, hot men dancing a jig, and a shady downhill, here's a video of how this goes down from the racer's perspective:

So, back to the task at hand.  As I sip a nice glass of appropriately aged Burgundy out of a Box, here are a few take home thoughts I was left with after volunteering......

Carl Bonner is wayyyyyyy ahead of his time.  Word has it that Usher hired him to choreograph a video but had to let him go because he couldn't perform the moves Carl did.  But don't take it from me, see for yourself......

No caption necessary.

Greg Bennett has a twin brother.  I know this because Greg passed our aid station in first and second place.  This is the first Greg as he approached  our aid station.  I dunno, maybe the second.  As an aside, his wife Laura is hot.  Congrats to both on their wins.

I'm sure bras have come a long way since they were invented using coconuts 12 years ago, but seriously girls......you wear these things all day long?!?!  I give women mad props for typically being the smarter gender, but men rule when it comes to practicality.  Oh yeah, and the lifeguard enjoyed my tan line at the pool today.  Damn it.

Yours truly, in the flesh so to speak.  It is my wish that this is the last image in your head when you fall asleep tonight.

I know, I know, I know.  We needed Coke and sponges.  The Ironman officials designed the course and they decided ours was not the place for those precious items.  Maybe it was in poor taste that I was drinking an ice cold Coke while you guys were all begging for fluids with your "baby giraffe legs" impressions while I sat in the ice bucket smoking a fatty.  I'll try to do better.

Seriously, though, you guys that raced and those that helped out with our aid station were awesome.  It was a privilege to share the course with all of you.  Well done, and I hope to see you again next year!

A few other pics to share as I'm too lazy tonight to write more and the Bachelorette comes on soon......

Frank Fisher comes into Run Aid Station 6 to be greeted with a blast of cold water from his daughter's Supersoaker.

 

 Dave Mirra rocking the Raleigh 70.3.  He led the race in most fakey indian 720 can-can backflips.

CC Wilkins would NEVER allow Ironman to put on an event without gracing it with his presence.  Here he is at our aid station as he nears completing EVERY Raleigh 70.3 that has ever happened.

The death march that is the hill leading up to Run Aid Station 6.

 Richter out. In this case, the Official Ironman Branded Richter Kid.  Collect all the action figures at your nearest Toys R Us.

My apologies to any friends I didn't get a shot of at the race amongst my volunteer duties.  There were a ton of you and you all rocked it out there.  Tricredibles rock!