2023 XTRI Canadaman - travel and course recon

 

I booked an early flight to Canada on Delta which had us leaving the house at 3am (waking up at 2:45am) on Wednesday June 28th. We would have left on Tuesday but Karel flew home from Bend, Oregon on Monday after completing the 5-stage Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder and I wanted to give him a full day to recover at home before flying again. Karel came home exhausted after riding 363 miles with 32,681 feet of climbing. He finished 5th in his AG (45-59) and had his best placing on day 5. While the scenery was stunning, the event was very hard and the wild weather (sun, rain, hail, cold) added to the adventure.
Karel had a nasty crash near the finish of stage 1 when he was having a bit too much fun descending and overshot a turn. From sleeping in tents to climbing, climbing and more climbing, I ‘think’ Karel had a good experience but I know he’s relieved it’s over.

We arrived to the GSP airport around 3:45am and had no issues checking in and going through security. At 4:30am the centurion lounge opened so we were able to get a small meal and coffee. We boarded the plane around 5:15am and our short flight to ATL left around 5:30am - we both slept during the flight. 

When we arrived to ATL we made our way to the international terminal and went to the Delta lounge (which opened at 6:30am). Our Amex plat business card gives us lounge access to most lounges which has really made our traveling experiences a lot better. We had another bite to eat and got some work done during our 2 hour layover. 

We boarded our flight around 8:15am and left a little before 9am. We were both still really tired so we slept during our 2 hr and 45 minute flight to Montreal. 

The point of entry/border control process went smooth and didn't take us more than ~20 minutes. There were kiosks to scan our passport and take our picture and then we showed our receipt to the officer which let us through. Our luggage came quick and so did our bikes. The biggest delay was the rental car process which took us over an hour as the Budget/Avis (we had Budget) staff was very slow with the 3 customers ahead of us. Finally, nearing 1:30pm we had our rental car (Jeep) and made our way to Lac Megantic. 

We stopped at the IGA grocery store in Sherbrooke which was ~1 hour outside of Lac Megantic. Since the town we are staying in is very small, we did a big shop before arriving. Although everyone speaks French in Quebec (and some English), everyone has been really nice. The drive took us ~3 hours and we had a bit of rain on and off. I was worried about the forest fires and smoke but the air quality was fine. The scenery reminded us a lot of Lake Placid as we were driving which gave us a great feeling that we would like this area. 

We had a little trouble finding our Airbnb in Val-Racine but around 5pm we found our home for the next few days. The house I booked looked older online but it is actually very new and modern. It's on the top of a gravel hill and is surrounded by trees. After unloading groceries and our luggage, we were both extremely tired but we knew we needed to move some blood after a long day of travel. We went for a jog for ~30 minutes and it felt good to move the body.

Karel made some eggs and veggies for dinner and we had that with some bread and then we went to bed around 9pm and slept in until 6:30am....we both needed it! 

On Thursday morning we worked on the computer for a bit and around 8am Karel put the bikes together (he has his gravel bike, which he didn't unpack after Oregon) and around 9:30am we drove ~20 minutes to Lac Megantic (race venue) for a swim. 

I was a bit worried that the water was going to be really cold but it was actually perfect in the upper 60's. Karel brought his wetsuit so we swam together for ~20 minutes and then I did a bit more as I wasn't ready to stop swimming and needed a bit more time to get a good feel for the water. I wore my buoyancy float as it's required during the race (along with a light since we start the race at 4:30am). As we were swimming they were setting up the transition area and putting out the buoys for the sprint race on Saturday. Everyone was very nice and thanked us for visiting the area for the race. 

After the swim we got our bike stuff on and went for a ride. The plan was to ride the big loop outside of the lake which was miles 30-69. But to get to mile 30, we had to bike 4 miles to the town of Lac Megantic and there was some construction so it was a big of an adventure to get to where we needed to get but eventually we were on the course. 

The course is hilly. I wouldn't call it rolling as the hills are long and can be very steep. It was also windy as we were riding. The road surface was smooth in some sections and really rough in other sections. The scenery was incredible as it was a mix of mountains, lakes, farms (and cows) and wide open roads. The course is pretty straightforward in that there aren't a lot of turns so you see the road ahead of you for miles and miles. 

Having said all of this, I feel this course really suits my strengths, style of riding and what I love in a course. Karel rode his gravel bike and his legs are still pretty smashed from his race (and the travel) but it was good for him to also see the course as he will be driving as my "crew" and providing my bottles at the aid station stops (there are 4 of them) throughout the bike. The cars were really respectful as we were biking. 

After 45 miles and 2:43 and 3500 feet of elevation gain, we were back at the car. My legs were a bit tired to start but opened up nicely and I felt good throughout the ride. There was one big kicker of a climb (long and steep) around 81km but the view behind us was incredible. 

As we drove back to our Airbnb we were able to see the bike course from mile 70 until 86. More looooong hills. 

Here are a few more pics from the bike course. 

If you are interested in following me on Sunday, the event starts at 4:30am EST (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26 mile run). To follow, here's a link to live tracking. 

Planning your race travel

Race-cations (as we like to call them) provide a special opportunity to travel to a destination, race somewhere new and (hopefully) enjoy a little sight-seeing and R&R after the race. Although traveling to a race should be exciting, racing outside of your home environment can be stressful, as there are many unknowns and potential logistical nightmares of racing in an unfamiliar venue. For many athletes, the normal anxiety, worries and fears that occur during race week can be doubled when racing outside of your home environment or in a new location.

While stories like lost luggage, a broken bike or a cancelled swim may have worried about a race-cation, some of your most memorable racing experiences will likely occur at a destination race.

Here are a few race travel tips to help you make the most of your traveling experience:

• Plan ahead - Although you can't control everything, you can reduce anxiety/stress by being meticulously prepared. Having an itinerary - detailing what may or will happen between x-date and race day during your travel - will help you feel more at ease. Don't wait until the last minute to plan your travel. Months before you race, research the best places to eat, park, sleep, etc. so that you know your race location as if it was in your local hometown. Remind yourself that part of traveling is knowing that things will not always go as planned - bring a positive and calm attitude and always have a plan B. If something does disrupt your plan, this doesn't mean that you are doomed to have a bad race.

Trimarni travel tip: Always review the airline requirements for your luggage and bike bag well in advance as every airline is different, especially when flying international. Make sure you review the amenities where you are staying, such as AC, washer/dryer, kitchen appliances, etc. Consider some of the obstacles you'll need to overcome when traveling to your race (and the race course).

• Stay relaxed - Every athlete has his/her own definition of being relaxed. For some athletes it may mean surrounding yourself with friends, family and staying busy with activities, whereas for others, it may mean isolating yourself from others (or away from the race venue) so you can stay in your zone. Recognize what works best for you and then communicate this with your travel companions. Take into account your needs when planning your travel.

Trimarni tip: Be sure to schedule downtown for yourself to relax and put your feet up and of course, eat! Focus on yourself and what makes you feel the best during your race-cation. If something stresses you out at home (ex. traffic, waiting in line, etc.) try your best to avoid those situations at your race-cation.

• Planning your travel - Be willing to spend a little extra money on lodging/travel to help you minimize stressful situations. If you can, get the necessary time off work so that you don't have to rush to and from your race. Instead of trying to save costs during the most important time of the year (race week), save money throughout the year so that you can spoil yourself during your race-cation. Consider the following travel tips when traveling across time zones for a half or full distance event:

-2-3 hour time difference - arrive at least 2 days before the event
-3-6 hour time difference - arrive at least 3-5 days before the event
-6+ hour time difference - arrive at least 6-7 days before the event
-For a half distance event, we suggest to arrive at least two days before the event. For a full distance event, we suggest to arrive at least 4-5 days before the event.

Trimarni tip: When it comes to traveling to a race, plan for more time than you really need to get settled. If you are wanting to drive or train on some of the race course, plan that into your trip so you aren't rushed. Save the sight-seeing and family fun activities for after the race. Consider spending a few dollars on a massage chair in the airport between flights. Start adjusting to the new time zone as soon as you arrive.

• Do your race research - Regardless where you race (another state or in another country), you need to do some research. Certainly, you will learn something new every time you travel but it's important to keep up with your race website/emails for any last minute changes and to ask for suggestions from others who have traveled to your upcoming race venue. Review course maps, race day itinerary/schedule, packet pick-up information, transition area layout, read forums to better understand logistics/timing of race week to-do's, review parking, things for your family to do on race day or where they can see you and any other details.

Trimarni travel tip: When traveling international for a race, make sure to call your airline (at least a month prior) to notify that you will be flying with a bike. If you have dietary requests (ex. Vegan, gluten-free), notify the airline at least a few weeks in advance. If traveling international, review the requirements for entry into your destination country (ex. Visa). Review water quality, language, currency, weather, time zone, internet access and anything else that will help you feel more prepared for your trip. When traveling, do you research and don't wait until last minute (or a few weeks before your race) to start making travel plans and learning about your upcoming race course. Learn about your race venue/lodging environment - is it safe/accessible for cycling or running? Can you swim before the race (pool or open water)?

• Check, re-check and double check - Review all travel arrangements in the months and weeks leading up the race, review race website and pack and re-pack. Avoid making plans very last minute. Regardless of when you make your plans or pack for a race, recheck to make sure that you have everything that you need. Double check your reservation (lodging, rental car, flight info, etc.).

Trimarni travel tip: Bring what you need, and a little more/extra. Consider anything and everything that could go wrong. As the saying goes, plan for the worst but hope for the best. Bring your must-have triathlon gear with you on the airplane (think about gear that you can use right away for workouts in case your bike/luggage doesn't arrive with you). Don't forget to pack medications and chargers.

• Get excited - It's a very special experience to travel to a new destination and this is often why athletes choose to invest into a race-cation over a local event. Regardless of the outcome of your race performance, you are gaining a new experience for your book of life. Don't take your race-cation for granted - you are lucky that you have the time, income, support from others and ability to take your hobby to another part of the world (or another state/city) in order to do what you love with your body.

Trimarni travel tip: Race-cations are costly but they often bring extra stress and anxiety that may make your family/friends feel unwelcomed. Consider arriving to your race before your family and then when your family arrives (the day/night before the race) to cheer you on, make sure to spend a few days after the race with your family, when you can relax and thank them for all their support. Prior to the race, make it all about you. Don't let the predicted weather or stress of traveling freak you out. Focus on what you can control and remind yourself that this is your hobby and a sport that makes you happy.

Hello from Chattanooga!

Travel
After an early morning bike/run workout (~90 minutes) and a massage, it was time to pack up the car and head off to Chatty!
We left on Tuesday morning to drive 4.5 hours up and over to Chattanooga (through Knoxville). For our first time to Chatty, the drive was scenic and we had little traffic. The only negative to our drive was the pouring rain that lasted the last 3 hours of our drive. Thankfully, we made it to our rental house safely, around 5pm. Campy is joining us for our trip because he does a great job of keeping us both calm and stress-free on race week.

Nutrition
To make it easy for us, I did some grocery shopping and a lot of meal prep on Monday before we left. Although we have a kitchen at our rental house, I wanted to avoid the hassle of grocery shopping when we arrived and then making food each day. Having a stocked fridge as soon as we arrived was a great thing and it made it easy to get to bed early for a good night of sleep on Tuesday evening. We won't be eating out during our time in Chatty before the race so all meals and snacks will be in our control and we will stick to our normal daily diet and pre-race diet as we both know what foods work best for us. We have lots of food for snacks (ex. fruit, yogurt, pita chips, raisins, chocolate) and meals (potatoes, eggs, chicken for Karel, tempeh for me, waffles, croissants, bread, soup, rice, cheese, OJ, milk, hardboiled eggs, eggs, pizza, Kefir, nut butter, syrup, etc.) so eating is familiar and easy to accomplish every day.

Wednesday
For our first official day in Chatty, we drove the 5.5 miles down to the race venue/village with our bike and swim gear for a longish morning workout. Our athlete Natalie met us at the swim. I really looked forward to getting in the water and experiencing the changing current. The water temperature felt great in my swimskin and I enjoyed the challenge of navigating the current, especially with it to my side or swimming against the current. After the swim, I was a little chilly (as the air temp was in the 60's) but I reminded myself that on race day, I would warm up fast. Plus, I wanted to practice in my same gear as race day (one piece tri suit and same sport bra) to feel comfortable swimming with sleeves and a swimskin, in the case that it is not wetsuit legal (which I am hoping for).
After the swim, we all got ready for a 2ish hour bike on the course. I was really looking forward to getting on the course and experiencing "the climb". Although I had a rough few weeks around the time I was racing Lake Logan half Ironman, my legs have really come around and I am itching to push hard and race. I took it rather easy on the climb to save my legs a bit for Saturday and wanted to soak in the view before I am laser focused on race day. After "the climb", there was another long section of rolling hills, with about 4 big kickers. I couldn't help but think "am I in Greenville?" as the terrain is very familiar to me and reminds me of our normal routes in Greenville (just with less farm animals but I did manage to say hi to a few horses and saved a baby turtle). We covered the first 18 miles of the course (and warmed up nicely) and then turned around to head back to the venue.
Natalie and I checked in and picked up our bag and we briefly checked out the expo as we were all ready for some food.
As for the rest of the day, it included eating, laying around and relaxing. Campy had a little playdate with Natalie's dog Kona which was fun to see Campy (who is 10) play with an 8-month puppy.
It was early to bed and we slept great (about 9 hours).

Thursday
After previewing the swim venue and some of the bike, I was anxious to get out on the run course. Around 8am, we parked near the village and met Natalie for an early morning spin. It was rather cold out (in the upper 50's) but it warmed up nicely as the morning went on. Like the bike course, the run was marked with arrows so it was easy to find our way around (although we did get turned around a few times). Like I was told, the course is hilly but once again, it reminded me of my terrain in Greenville and the type of run course that I love to run on in my races. As we covered the course, I couldn't help but think "this is going to be a tough run" and then I followed that thought with "I am so excited to run two loops on this!" Karel keeps telling me that this course could not be better designed for me as it is very challenging and requires great strength, smart skills and resilience over speed so Karel's confidence in me is getting me very excited to race. And the weather couldn't be more perfect for race day.
After we biked the run course, we went for a shake out run. Karel ran by himself and Natalie and I did 15 minutes out and 15 minutes back on the run course, just nice and easy, all conversational pace. The course, although very challenging, is also very pretty. I imagine that the course will be lined with spectators in certain areas of the course, which will be great for an energy boost on race day.
After the morning workout, Natalie and I strolled through the expo and merchandise tent as Karel checked in for the race. Around 11:30am, we left the venue, headed to Wholefoods for a few items and then made it back to our rental house around 12:30pm. The rest of the day included eating, a little work on the computer and in a few hours, I will enjoy my pre-race pizza and then we will head downtown for the mandatory pre-race athlete meeting at 8pm.

I am getting super excited to race and I can't help but think back to my previous training and all the hard work that went into the preparation for this race. Years of experience and a season of athletic development to get to where I am right now. No matter the outcome, I feel excited, healthy, fit and confident and I am looking forward to the opportunity to race my competition in the 35-39 age group and give my best, with what I am given on race day.

Here are some pictures from the last few days:

Karel's new Wacaco nanopresso. Now he can enjoy an espresso when we travel. 

Road trip from one mountain view to another. 

Snack for the car. 

Room with a view. 

Recovery coach says it's time for a nap. 

My go-to pre-workout meal. 

We have arrived!

Time to preview some of the bike course. 

Riding to "the climb"

Up I go! 

What a view of Rock City Waterfall near the top of the climb. 

Turtle saved. 

Potty stop - well hydrated and fueled after 2.5 hours of riding on Wednesday. 

Campy loves his new race tee. Thank you Natalie! 

All checked in! 

Love the race theme - An adventure for your soul. 

Hand written drawing from a local school kid. 

Two lap dogs. One is 12 lbs and the other is 40.

Yummy dinner. 

Thank you Hot Shot for our goodies!

Exploring the run course. 

View from the run course. 

Over the bridge on the run course. 

Over another bridge on the run course. 

Must stop for a high five. 

More from the run course. 

Conversational pace run makes it OK to stop for pictures (coach approved). 

Back to athlete check-in for Karel. 

Race week tradition - love Mojo bars (all flavors)!

It's official! 

So much signage around the city. 

Someone couldn't wait to eat. 

Post workout meal - Icelandic yogurt, french brioch bread (cinnamon and cheese) and lots of fruit. 

4 race travel tips

Traveling to a race is almost a necessity for athletes these days. With so many race options and so many beautiful and bucket-list venues, it's likely that you will travel more than 2 hours to a race course at least once in your racing season. For some athletes, all you know is traveling to races as you have limited options for racing in your city/town. 

Race-cations (as we call them) provide a special opportunity to travel to a destination, race somewhere new and (hopefully) enjoy a little sight-seeing and R&R after the race. Although traveling to a race can be exciting, racing is stressful and combining that fact with the many unknowns and potential logistical nightmares of racing in an unfamiliar venue, outside of your home environment, this can bring anxiety, worries and fears - especially if you are racing a new distance for the first time or you have specific goals and expectations for your race. 

I encourage you to not push away the thought of traveling to a race. Most of my most memorable racing experiences happened when I traveled to a race because traveling makes for great memories.
Focus on these 5 race travel tips to keep your mind at ease before and during your travel. 

1) Plan ahead - Although you can't control everything, you can still put your mind at ease by having plans for your trip. Although you don't have to have a plan for every minute of every day, you'll find that less unknowns will stress you out if you create an itinerary detailing what may or will happen between x-date and race day during your travel. Research the best places to eat, park, sleep, explore, etc. so that you know your race location as if it was your local hometown. Remind yourself that part of traveling is knowing that things will not always go as planned so be sure to bring a positive attitude and always have a plan B.
Keep in mind that even though your plan(s) may change or something comes up that disrupts your plan, this doesn't mean that you are doomed to have a bad race. I'm sure many athletes can share stories where something did not go well before or during the race and they still did amazingly well. I can share a few stories about bike mechanical issues pre race which had me stressing before race day! 

2) Stay relaxed - Every athlete has his/her own definition of being relaxed. For some athletes it may mean surrounding yourself with friends, family and other athletes and staying busy with activities, whereas for others, it may mean isolating yourself from others so you can stay in your zone. Whatever works best for you is just fine but always communicate this with your ravel companions so they don't expect you to be someone who you are not in the 48 hours before your race. Just like on race day morning, avoid being rushed with travel so plan extra time for everything. It's important to feel comfortable in your lodging arrangements so make sure you do your research before booking (ex. does your condo have AC, do you have a queen bed or twin bed to share with your spouse, how far is the race location from your housing, etc.). Be sure to schedule downtown fro yourself to relax and put your feet up when you can (or shut your eyes for a 15-20 min power nap) and of course, focus on yourself and what makes you feel the best. If something stresses you out at home (ex. traffic, waiting in line, etc.) try your best to avoid those situations at your race. Many times, you can but if not, bring coping skills for these uncomfortable situations. 

3) Do your race research - Regardless where you race (hometown or in another country), when you plan for something and it changes, this can throw you off your game. It's important to keep up with your race website/emails for any last minute changes so you are prepared. 

Review course maps, race day itinerary/schedule, packet pick-up information, transition area layout, read forums to better understand logistics/timing of race week to-do's, review parking, things for your family to do on race day or where they can see you and any other details.
If something is out of your control (ex. race course changes, weather, etc.) just remember that every athlete is dealing with the same uncomfortable situation as you - feel at ease that you and your competitors are all in the same situations. 

4) Check, re-check and double check - Review all travel arrangements in the months and weeks leading up the race, review race website and pack and re-pack. I find that most athletes who travel for a race make plans either way far in advance or very last minute. Regardless of when you make your plans or pack for a race, recheck to make sure that you have everything that you need. You prepared your body physically for your event so it's in your best interest to prepare yourself mentally so that you have everything you need to feel "at home" at your race venue.

And Bonus #5: Make memories
It's a very special experience to travel to a new destination and this is often why athletes choose race-cations. Regardless of the outcome of your race performance, you are bringing home a new experience, with new memories. Don't take your race-cation for granted - you are lucky that you have the time, income, support from others and ability to take your hobby (or profession) to another part of the world (or another state/city) in order to participate in a race. 

Moooo!!! Hello from Madison, Wisconsin!

Karel and I love to travel and we love to race.
In 2013, we planned a season of race-cations to celebrate our love of traveling and racing. 

It's been quite a season, with a lot of highs and some lows but well, that's all part of being an age-group triathlete. 

Just because you sign up for a race, it does't mean that life will be easy. If anything, life gets a bit more complicated. 

But in order to find success in both life and sports, you have to do the best you can to keep everything balanced with whatever you commit yourself to in life.

It's hard to believe but Ironman Wisconsin will be our last race-cation of the year and come Monday we will be enjoying our off-season!

We started our racing schedule in March with our first race, HITS OCALA HALF IRONMAN, as a tune-up race for the season. 

Then in May, in the end of packing up our townhome for our move to Greenville, we raced St. Croix 70.3. 

Then, just 6 weeks after moving to Greenville and sadly, just 3 weeks after my dad passed away from his 10-month fight with cancer, we raced Ironman Austria. 

So, here we are. Just 3 days away from Ironman Wisconsin. This will be my 9th Ironman and 2nd time racing IMWI and Karel's 3rd Ironman. Karel rode this course several times in the past when he was working for Trek and he would visit Trek HQ or go to Trek World. 

The hardest, most stressful part of any trip is saying see you later to our furry BFF. If I could only find a way to let him know that we WILL come back to him. Oh those 7-year old puppy eyes are so incredibly tough to leave. 

But lucky doggy (from sleeping on the streets to sleeping under comfy covers on a comfy mattress), Campy now gets to go to Charlotte every time we travel (we meet our friend half way, about an hour away). So now he is currently enjoying himself at his "camp" until we get back from Wisconsin. 

Tuesday morning I did a 90 minute ride and 10 min run with Campy and around 5:30pm I drove to Gaffney Outlets (1 hour away) to meet my friend to hand-off Campy (and all his toys). On Wednesday, I had a good 4-ish mile interval run (MS 2x's: 3 x 90sec at 7 min/mile w/ 30 sec break and then 3 min @ 8 min/mile recovery jog w/ 1 min break) and then a 1500 swim. 

After running a few last minute errands on Wed, I packed up our food bag (yum smashed fresh raspberries in my PB sandwich) and the car and we were off to the airport around 2pm (we always like to be early when it comes to checking in our bike case) for our 4:30pm flight to Madison, (planned to arrive at 8:30pm). 

After a smooth check-in with Delta, we went through our small airport of Greenville and had a good two-hours to relax before our flight. The weather looked perfect for a short flight to Atlanta, before heading to Madison.

We watched our bike case board the plane which was a good feeling. 

We have a bike case that holds both of our bikes and two wheels. Karel installed an extra front fork mount and with some expert mechanic skills, he puts both of our Trek Speed Concepts in the case. I will try to remember to take a pic before we head home to show you how he does it. We pay 1 bike fee (Delta $150) but in order to meet the weight regulations of $70 (to avoid overweight for a special item as the bike case is a special item, not regular baggage) we have to remove the seats from the case and put them in our checked luggage (which we share a luggage). Also, Karel and I both get 1 checked bag free and the bike case counts as 1 bag (even though a special item) so this is why we share a suitcase to avoid having to pay for a third piece of luggage. 

Well, a first happened for us as there was a major delay leaving Greenville. 

After boarding the plane (pictured above) with our suitcase and bike case on board, we were told there were some storms in ATL but that the pilot thought we would be fine to avoid them. When we rolled away from the gate, the pilot got word that the ATL airport shut down due to storms. With a schedule arrival of 5:30pm and a schedule depart from ATL at 7pm, we were now looking at a possible departure of 5:30pm which would have given us only 30 min for us AND our bike case to get to the next flight (if all went as planned). 

Well, after sitting on the plane for an hour, we were then told it would be 6pm that we would be leaving. By then I knew we had no chance to get to Madison that evening as I had called Delta while we were waiting to check on a possible "next flight". Sadly, we were on the only evening flight to Madison. 

Karel and I were not sure what would happen next as we had never been through this before. 

What hotel would we stay at?
Would we get our bag and bike in ATL?
How would we get to Madison the next day if the first flight out fills up?

Oh, so many questions and concerns from two athletes about to race an Ironman in 4 days!

Well, this is one of the reasons why we always try to arrive to a race venue (of an important race) with at least 4 days until the race. Traveling has it's share of unexpected events which often require time and patience. 

After spending 90 minutes on the airplane (thank goodness for the Trimarni bag of goodies!), the pilot finally drove us back to the gate so that we could depart if we wanted to. 

We departed the plane (but kept our carry on bags on board) so that we could stand in a long line to talk to the gate agent. 

I wasn't sure of our options but I knew there was a 9am flight from ATL on Thursday and a 6:05am flight from Greenville. Still not sure what would happen to our bike case and suitcase (the extremely important parts since both had our bike stuff in it even though we carried on our nutrition and race gear!) the gate agent told us we had two options.
Oh, let it be known that by 7pm (as we waited in line) we had been at the airport for 5 hours AND it was now storming in Greenville, SC.

Option 1: 

Fly to ATL (whenever the plane would leave) and spend the night in a hotel and take the first flight out in the AM to Madison. This flight arrives to Madison at 10:35am (1 hour behind EST)

Option 2:
Stay in Greenville and leave on the first flight out to Detroit, which then goes to Madison. This flight arrives to Madison at 9:05am. 

Because we would not have any access to our bike case/luggage, the easy answer was option 2 so that we could stay in our own bed and not have to deal with the craziness of the ATL airport (and pay for a hotel room). 

I got the car from the Economy lot ($4 to hang out in the airport for 6 hours) and then we made our 20 min drive home in the pouring rain. We were so exhausted that we were off to bed by 9pm for a 4:10am wake-up call. 

On a positive note, our cats were REALLY happy to see us! 

So, let's try this again. 

6:05am flight to Detroit. 

8:35 flight to Madison. 

Two smooth flights and 90 minutes to wait and hope that Delta checked the locked-up luggage for the night and made sure that our suitcase and bike case got on the first flight out of ATL to Madison. 

Well, at least we had a comfy area to wait and wait and wait. 

Thankfully, a friend of ours is a Delta Diamond member so he was able to check that our bike case was on the plane. But in this situation, it's kind of like getting a race t-shirt before you do the race and you don't want to wear it until you crossed the finish line. We didn't want to celebrate until we had visual contact with our belongings. 

Because we couldn't wait in anticipation at baggage, we stayed in the terminal area and waited by the Gate where the plane was departing people and luggage. We watched and watched and after just 5-8 suitcases, there was my Oakley suitcase!!! 

We waited a few more minutes and yippee......

We saw our bike case!!!

Oh, what a great feeling. Thank you DELTA for coming through for us and for also being so great at helping us out with all our questions. 

Funny enough, I ended up seeing one of my nutrition athletes at the airport who flew from ATL so I told her that it was a bummer we could not have flown together but she was on the same flight as our bike so it kind of counted :)

We are so incredibly lucky that we have a home away from home in Madison with one of my long-time nutrition athletes Ed P. who is not only a 2011 IMWI finisher but a prostate cancer survivor and all-around amazing guy. His wife picked us up at the airport (since Ed was volunteering at 2014 IMWI) and took us to her home where we quickly made ourselves at home. I was in the kitchen cooking up some lunch and Karel was out in the garage in his new Trimarni bike shop to assemble our bikes. 

Thankfully, no broken parts, Di2 was working and charged and in just 3 hours after making ourselves at home, we were out on our bikes to ride the course and stretch our legs (and to release some unwanted stress in our bodies). 

Oh the fun of race-cations!