I learned a very important lessen this last week.  A couple of them actually.  Actually it's not that I learned a lessen, it's more that the value of the a few basic concepts was simply reinforced. 

The race I did last weekend, the inaugural Rockman Triathlon, was put on by a member of an internet forum I participate in Slowtwitch.  The reason I signed up for the race was because the race director promoted that the fastest swimmer out of the water would win a set of race wheels.  I was instantly stoked for this race and added an extra swim to my weekly plan to add in some yardage to help give me every advantage I could. 

Race day comes, and having heard no more about the prime for the swim since the original annoucement, I asked the race director abot it that morning, and was told that the sponsorship for the wheels had fallen through.  Although I was disappointed, I was in a way relieved because I could swim my "normal" race swim, and race for a fast overall time.  Between some unorganized chaos (that's like a double negative isn't it?), me misunderstanding where we were supposed to make a turn for the beach on the last lap, and not feeling an urgent pressure to be the first one onto the beach, I was the second swimmer out of the water.  Offically it was by 3 seconds.  As I wrote in my race report, I went on to have an awesome race, with a 4 minute PR.

Monday I find out from a member of the Planet-X team, that PX was under the impression the deal was still on.  To skip some drama, the wheels were awarded (1 set for Ruben Figueres the fastest male swimmer, and 1 for Nicole Horst the fastest female).   I fully support the decision made by the RD, and PX, to do anything other then what they did would have been very bad PR for both organizations. Needless to say I am disappointed with the outcome.  I had been looking forward to hooking up with some sweet wheels at this race for a long time, but to be honest I have no one to blame but myself.

Long story short it was a good reminder to not count your eggs before thy're hatched, and a lessen in remembering about how to deal with disappointment.

Final word – Ruben you are going down in Kona.  Chip – I'm going to rock your course next year – just tell me when I can register (I want bib #3).  I am exceedingly happy that the sponsorship did not fall through the cracks and the people that earned their primes got them.