Unsupervised Shopping Part 1

Just writing the title makes me giddy! As much as an inconvenience the Chicago Triathlon is, the Multisport Expo is the best. All 8000+ athletes must visit the expo to pick up their packet, and this provides another opportunity for some unsupervised shopping. Fortunate for me, I get to pick up even more goodies and end of season gotta have deals, more Spinervals DVDs, another pair of triathlon shorts I have to have. This is unfortunate for my pocket book, but hey! I've got all year to make money and only one opportunity a year to be amongst friends and vendors who've seen me at my best and worst. I have a belief that if I were to actually sign up and train for an Ironman I would bring our country out of a recession.

Here's what happens when you have a multisport expo and the average summer temps were in the 70s: very cool Lake Michigan temps and the need to try on neoprene swim caps too small because they're sold out. As you can tell, it's sucking the life out of me because I have a big melon. Please note, I'm wearing a fleece sweatshirt IN AUGUST. This was 2009. Brr! But the point is, we had fun at the expo.

Because there are 8000+ athletes visiting the multisport expo, there's limited space to try on the must have, most awesome clothes of all time (for this instant because in another few weeks said item will be replaced with a new must have, most awesome item of all time). This leaves me dressing down to my birthday suit to try on clothes with nothing but a nylon tent standing between me and all others. (It's especially fun when I try on a top and my shirts start flying over my head and all you can see is my head popped up over the tent. I think I've found a new genre for the adult film industry. "Triathletes Gone Wild.")




Bottom line, here's what I can't wait to do this Saturday:

• Pick up my bib (#1168! Track me by downloading the athlete tracking app)
• Participate in another round of #unsupervisedshopping (love you, Kevin!). Shopping list includes: Spinervals DVDs (for a less boring off-season training on my bike trainer), badass running socks, and the ever exciting must have, most awesome item of all time
• Be amongst other dedicated and passionate endurance athletes
• Plan my fall racing calendar
• Food and drink samples! (Think there'll be Twix bars there?)

I better get some rest, it's going to be a busy expo! (Oh yeah, I'm racing on Sunday, right? Until then...

I'm No Ironman, But I Still Tri