This is the week I get payback for the stress my family goes through when I’m kayaking in a WaterTribe Everglades Challenge. For the past 3 years, Alan has raced in the Tybee 500, a 500 mile staged extreme ocean catamaran race, starting in the Florida Keys, and finishing in Tybee Georgia. This year one of Trey and Alan's big sponsors includes Sailing Anarchy, along with the other 5 boats under the Team Velocity logo. There is a great article about the race and Team Velocity on today's Sailing Anarchy website.
Paul and I always go down to see the last 2 exciting legs of the race, but, during the week, we are forced to follow along on the blogs and SPOT trackers. I'm not enjoying the role of "arm chair spectator".
The Tybee 500 is a distance endurance race, with all the dangers, pain, and discomfort that goes along with it. A sailor who raced the event a few years ago, described a day in the race as:
Paul and I always go down to see the last 2 exciting legs of the race, but, during the week, we are forced to follow along on the blogs and SPOT trackers. I'm not enjoying the role of "arm chair spectator".
The Tybee 500 is a distance endurance race, with all the dangers, pain, and discomfort that goes along with it. A sailor who raced the event a few years ago, described a day in the race as:
“Nobody was designed to hang in a harness for hours on end pulling on sheets and ropes until they had holes in their fingers. Equally they were not designed to do stomach crunches for 6 hours a day while a salt water fire hose blasts into your face. Yes any romantic notions you may have about this race turf them to one side – is about pain and endurance”.
Yup, a little chip off the old block :)
3 comments:
oops...
our little alan is all growed up!!
From another arm-chair observer: In endurances races (and our crazy lives) I recall all those occasions when you (or your chips) have been beaten and battered --all but done for-- one day, but back on track the next day. I recall those times when you missed a deadline, were lost and hopeless, but eventually decided not to give up. Finished the race happy only recalling that it was really tough.
Tracy Bonham put it this way...
"Whether it's the sunshine whether it's the rain
Doesn't make a difference 'til you complain
Whether it's the water coming in from the roof
Does it piss you off that you're not water proof?
Whether you fall
means nothing at all
It's whether you get up
It's whether you get up
Maybe all eyes are on you as you finish the race,
And the world sees you struggling for last place
Whether you fall
means nothing at all
It's whether you get up
It's whether you get up"
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