The title sums up my race.  It was a great day for the NYC Triathlon (my 3rd with Team in Training).  There was no choppy water, just a dead fish or two (yes, really).  I had my fastest time on the swim and was having a great bike ride.  Then about 20 minutes from the transition I hear “PSHHHHHHHH”.  Flat tire!!  Since TNT makes us practice, I knew I could do it, it just wasn’t going to be pretty.  I pull over as bikers fly by me, and realize that I don’t have the right tube and used my OTHER spare for the flat before the race even started.

And out of nowhere, the Toga Bikes truck appears.  It was like someone was watching out for me because we are warned you might never get help because there is one truck over the course.  Two guys jump out, give me a new tube, fix up the sliced tire…hold the bike while I clip on and push me off back into the pack.  Below is the very start of the run as we head to the street and into Central Park.

And where we come up out of the river.

I still finished the bike in decent time, despite the 15 minute delay.  Good race, good story.  More than anything, I proved to myself I could deal with the unexpected.  And until next year…

NY Times article post race here.