Iron Buddies

So much happening today! Donna left for three weeks in Austin for a temporary job that came up 48 hours ago. (Scramble!) We've coordinated all the Father's Day things that complicated families do who share custody across 500 miles. (i.e. Scramble!) AND... I'm wearing out the refresh button on my computer as I check the IMCDA site for news of RBR, Formulaic, and Sage!!

RBR had me a wee bit panicked on her swim - first because I didn't realize at first that Coeur D'Alene is up in the part of Idaho that is on Pacific Time, an hour behind Mountain Time which I thought she was on. And then, even with that calculation in place, she cut it close. Three-ish minutes to spare - eeek! But now she's on the bike. Phew. She's been a hill riding fool for months now. Go RBR go! (#74)

I was cool as a cucumber about Formulaic (who if you didn't know is a brand new dad as of three weeks ago!) Then I hear from Stef that he lost his wetsuit last night. (I'm sure he'll give us the details of that when he gets back!) It was too late to get one at the expo so apparently he was set to swim without one - eeek! Thank heavens that someone returned it to him at the last minute. Phew. His numbers look great. Go Formulaic go! (#546)

Sage - having sliced the hell out of her hand a few weeks ago - used up her "eeek!" from me before she got to Ironman. She's a coach, the one I will hire in a NY minute if a pile of money should come my way, so even though she'll surely do absolutely great, I'm tracking her obsessively to cheer her on. Go Sage go! (#2274)

I'm so excited for my friends. Today is a remarkable milestone. I have truckloads of respect and admiration for all the work they've put into getting themselves to today. Really, I am in awe. GO BUDDIES GO!

TODAY I LOVE: two of the coolest fathers on the planet (my own father and my fabulous partner John) and my soon-to-be IRON pals

**Edited to add - Live tracking is great but agonizing too! It was wonderful to see the numbers keep pouring in for Sage and Formulaic but when RBR's stopped after the first bike split and 5:30 (Pacific Time!) came and went, I was torn. I wanted it to be a website issue or a chip malfunction. I desperately wanted my friend who had worked so hard not to be disappointed. And then the worry monster got me. Maybe she'd had a crash or mechanical or worse. I began to hope after a while that it was "only" an issue of being pulled from the course for missing the cutoff. I sent her some text message love to let her know how much we cared and how proud of her we were. She wrote back that she'd finished the BRUTAL swim and the bike but been missed the cutoff. She was headed to watch Formulaic finish. I heard via Stef and her other connections that the swim was windy and awful. It totally sucks that RBR missed the cutoff but I am impressed beyond belief by her effort and courage. That goes for all of them. Way to go pals!! **