A slight detour today to talk about a non-food related topic…
Next Sunday in Rye is the Westchester Triathlon, one of the premier triathlons in the Northeast and a race with a huge contingent of Team in Training participants. Team in Training (TNT) is an endurance sports training program that raises money and awareness for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society; I’ve been involved with TNT for the past two years as a participant and mentor, and I can’t say enough good things about the organization.
The Westchester chapter of TNT have trained together all summer in prep for the race. Some of my teammates have been personally affected by leukemia and lymphoma; others are challenging themselves to do something they never thought they could do. And everyone has been dedicated to the training — sacrificing family time, social lives (including restaurant time!), and sleep. (It’s amazing how waking up early doesn’t faze us anymore. 5:30 am on a Saturday? No problem! This mentality will change once the race is over.)
Last year we gathered on the beach the day before the race.
I wondered if the finish line was ever going to come.
All smiles at the post-race party. Must’ve been the hamburgers, hot dogs and beer.
Whether you know someone in the race or not, I encourage you to come out to Rye Town Park next Sunday. Volunteer, watch, cheer, laugh at us in our wetsuits… When you see someone in a purple/green Team in Training jersey, yell “Go Team!” Those two words will give us a huge and much needed energy boost. I guarantee you’ll be inspired by the athletes, and if you’ve been wanting to get in shape, watching the race might motivate you to jump-start your own fitness regimen. Besides, how often do you get to witness 1,400 sweaty triathletes stuffing their faces with oranges, bagels and pizza after crossing the finish line?
Oh, and Danielle, buy a bike already so we can do a half Ironman next year.