Give Me Some SUNshine, Please!

I'm back in Florida this afternoon and taking full advantage of the sun that is shining in the sky by sitting outside on a picnic table to check emails and post this blog. I don’t think I experienced a minute of being warm since I got off the plane in Nashville on Friday morning! Nothing against Tennessee…but it just goes to show that I’m a very spoiled warm-weather athlete that gets to follow the high temperatures all year-round.
Of course, another aspect could have been that I didn’t pack much appropriate clothing for the weekend…not a surprise; I usually check the weather before I depart and it’s usually completely different by the time I get to my destination. There is obviously a pattern here and I’m sure that you are as tired of reading about my weather mishaps as I am tired of HAVING the actual mishap! I should just start packing a tiny bikini AND a full parka along with an umbrella AND sunscreen on every trip…that way, I can’t possibly be wrong when I arrive:).
As I mentioned in a hurried blog post last night, the Expo on Saturday was a success. I made the rounds, talked with and met a lot of great people, listened to Bob and Michael give great speeches, judged a Triathlon-wear modeling show, ate some yummy BBQ from a local joint for lunch, gave away some Speedo and Orca gear in a raffle, and spoke about my life’s journey for an hour.
I talked about the path that I took from a youth athlete to the professional ranks and why I think that I’m still racing and loving this lifestyle while 100s of other kids in my position are no longer competing. I spoke about some of my greatest race memories from this last season…especially how and why I was able to compete for the USA at the Pan American Games in Rio (must say THANKS here to Laura). I finished up by emphasizing how important it is that we rebuild the relationship between the amateur triathletes and the pros because we can get more out of this sport in America by supporting each other rather than by envying or disliking each other.
At the end of the event, I was completely exhausted but I was still looking forward to the REAL Nashville experience that I had been promised that evening. The Grand Ole Opry was so much fun and it really does embody all of what Nashville is about and what it is famous for: great country singers from all generations! We got Bluegrass, banjos, Vince Gill, square-dancing, electric guitars, honky-tonk, and some southern Cajun flare from about 50 different musicians, singers, and dancers. I can’t thank my hosts enough for an amazing weekend…John was my home-stay and pre-expo party host, Shelby provided the Opry tickets and yummy dinner reservations, Kathleen organized the whole darn expo, and Rod, Richard, Ashley, Matt and all the others provided a warm Tennessee welcome! Big thanks to everyone involved with the Southeast Triathlon Expo!