Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Role Reversal


As my season winds down quickly I'm heading off into uncharted territory. After my race this weekend I will go from age group triathlete to IMFL race sherpa!
It feels a little weird I'm not going to lie. But with any relationship there is give and take. Scott has always been my biggest cheerleader.... from my first track meets in Connecticut....
to my first Ironman race last year.
It's crazy to think back to where we both started....
Anyway it is now my turn to return the favor for years of his years of rockstar support! I'm super excited to fulfill my new role as race sherpa/iron-wife extraordinaire but question that I really have what it takes? Sometimes I really wonder how other serious Ironman triathlete couples make this happen with both individuals competing? Things are crazy enough around the Austin household when we are just doing our 70.3 training or below. Does one person's triathlon training have to take a back seat to allow the other to succeed? Or do you just put life on the back-burner temporarily?

Regardless, I'm excited, nervous, and humbled to have this new opportunity and hope deep down that I have what it takes to help Scott become an Ironman:
Any advice is welcome :)And speaking off Scott... Don't miss his $100 Newton give-a-way!

P.S. Catching drafters with Chloe, cheering for so many fellow bloggers, and having a few adult beverages might be a little more fun than 140.6 miles this round anyways!



7 comments:

  1. My best to your hubby. I am sure he can do the big one. My wife and I are totally different, and it works for us, and you know what?? I really ain't that competitive. I like to get better, but not going to bust my balls if I don't feel like it. I will do my best though, and you know that really ain't all that great. I guess the best thing about me is I care, and we all cannot say that I guess. I'll be there through thick and thin I hope. :)

    xoxo to ya both. :)

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  2. Heidi, I have no doubt that you will be a great sherpa for Scott. Being a triathlete just gives you some great insight into what the athlete is doing and feeling. As such, just go with your gut on this one. It will tell you what to do at the right time.

    I hope you have a great time spectating!

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  3. You will be an awesome sherpa!!! I really like race spectating after a year of racing myself. Oscar is running a fall marathon so I can't wait to be the one cheering and eating whatever I want pre-race!! HAHA!! :) GOOOOO Scott! :)

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  4. Good luck to Scott and good luck to you on the Sherpa duties! Spectating can be harder than racing sometimes!

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  5. You're going to rock this! The hotel bar was great to us and even opened early while Dustin & Michael & yourself were out on the course last year... it'll help with nerves (especially when the athlete tracker goes down - happened with Dustin where he didn't update for 2 splits of the marathon)! My training didn't take a backseat as I was prepping for the Oly in Key West but I did get the hell outta the way when the nerves started hitting a little more closer to race day (training was a good 'get away'!!) Read my support team blog if you need any ideas or advice... I've been there but he's gonna rock it out there and you're gonna crank out the cheering section!!!

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  6. TONS of good luck to him! I always have such a blast spectating, you're going to have such a fun day!

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