Team Monkey'Stache....because misery loves company.

So I convince a friend of mine to enter the world of triathlons with me.  Because, well....he's half crazy and agreed to do it, and I need the accountability factor when it comes to training.  We've both been working out since the start of the new year, but until recently he was out of town.  So we finally had the chance to get together for a little training.  Now you are all witness to the humble beginnings of the Monkey'Stache triathlon team.  He is the monkey.....and of course you all know the 'Stache.

Our first meet was for a "long" training ride.  I quoted long because if some of you reading this are serious triathletes you might roll your eyes but back off we're just getting into it.  Anyway it was a 22 mile ride that should have lasted about an hour and ten minutes or so.  I say should have, because in typical fashion nothing went quite as planned.

We meet up at the agreed upon spot.  Exchange pleasantries and off we go.  Taking off at an easy pace to shake the legs loose.  We move slowly over a few rolling hills and have a pretty good cadence going.  We're taking some back country roads to start.  Lots of nice scenery but not a lot of shoulder which will come into play later.  I get through the warm up and start to pick up the pace some to my typical training pace and notice the distance between me and my training partner starting to grow.  So I back the effort back down and get back with him.  He had been stationed in the colder climates and had been doing most of his bike work on stationary, or a trainer in his hotel room.  He was finding the inclines a little more difficult and was still learning how to gear his bike to deal with different terrain types.  No big deal really it was just going to help teach me patience and pacing.  Once he gets it figured out then we can really go for better speeds.

So we continue on these country roads and I look over my shoulder to see that he's a few yards back with a mini van sitting right on his rear wheel!  He's gesturing wildly for the guy to pass, but this guy won't budge he just sits there tailgating him.  This continues for about 2 miles before my friend finally pulls off the road and the guy flies by him.  I follow suit cause I don't want this guy on my ass and I gesture wildly too as he passes, just not the same gesture as my partner.  I don't think the driver liked it because he returned the gesture.  We gather ourselves and continue on.

We make it to the turnaround point and I'm getting excited cause now we're going to be on Interstate access roads which are much wider and better constructed.  We continue on when suddenly he asks "hey does my front tire look low".  Sure enough I glance down and notice the tell-tale bulge of a tire with a slow leak.

"Yeah it does, you have a repair kit?"

"Nope"

"Awesome, we've only got 6 or so miles left that's all"

"I know I know"

We continue on a ways more and finally have to pull over.  His tire is just about flat.

"Well you stay here and I'll getty up on back to the jeep and come back for you"

"Not much other choice"

So off I go stomping on the pedals to save the day.  4 uneventful miles and 1 wrong turn later I'm back at our start point and into my jeep.  Doesn't take me too long to get to him and get his bike loaded up, and headed back home.  We laugh at our unpreparedness.  Talk about the "next times".  And arrive back a few miles short of the goal for that day but a lot of lessons learned.

Me and the Monkey and one very flat tire.