2 weeks ago I began thinking about going to IMFL. I have been swamped at work with a million things to get done for my clients before the Holidays. I continued to remind myself that on my long-term goals is the IMFL in 2008. Finally I bit the bullet and chose to go. After leaving Shreveport Louisiana at 3:00 PM Thursday afternoon I arrive in Panama City FL at 6:25 AM to see the sun come up. I had an animal I had to take into the 24 hours Vet. inside that drive, she is ok now so my vet tells me, we'll pick he rup today.
Needless to say, when I awoke at noon Friday I was regretting my travels.Walked around the race venue, man was it awesome. I spent too much on hats and other crap. watched as people dropped their gear off. The looks on their faces . . . very difficult to determine whether it was anxiety, fear, or hostility? Some were smiling and kidding around and the other 3,000 were oe of the above.
After dinner at Pineapple Willies and one too many "pineapple willies" Drinks we went to Wally World and bought out their poster board, paint, and wooden dowel sticks. I began at around 10:30 PM with a mound of creative juices flowing as I created my master pieces such as:
Fly FITBIRD Fly!
Run Doggie Run!
Geaux Timbeaux Geaux!
As 1:30 AM was approaching I settled with a simple:
RUSTY!
At one point Amanda woke up and asked why I was still up and made some comment like, "they will understand if you need sleep ad can't make all those signs."I explained that in each race I did, one of these guys (and gals) was there for me. Doggie at Yam City hollering RoadDog as I swam. Special K at the Disco tri making me feel better for my DNF, Susan at ULL giving props to my bike, Vanilla at Meat Pie waiting around for my finish, so on and so on, no way was I stopping.
I was beat. Did I mention the place Amanda and I stayed was nice but the bed was a full and then it was on rollers!
I move a lot in my sleep. We would wake up and the bed would be half way across the room.
I drove out and hammered about 15 signs out along the course and kept one for each racer to go along with us the next day. We painted my excursion with BTtri on one side and the IM logo on the back, we'll see how that comes off today.I was really feeling bad when I got back to our condo around 3:15 am.
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!!!!!!!
5:45 AM . . . time to roll!
I roll out of the bed which has made it into the kitchen and take a shower, eat a bagel, grab the rest of the posters, wake-up, and head to the truck.
After loading the truck with Gatorade, signs, dowels, rubber mallet (I left the sidewalk paint in the room) I was off to watch the race.
Amanda and I were right on the beach next to the race start hotel, great place to stay for the race. We watched the start and then went back to the tents with the hats and crap, we and when I say we, I mean I, I bought more crap. We looked around saw some really cool stuff I can't wait to get when I can fit into them in about 125 LBS.
I called GW to see where they were , but couldn't ever get to them, it was crazy.
I was walking up on the race hotel just as a guy came out of the breezeway running to his bike. hit feet went out from under him and he crashed, I MEAN CRASHED onto his left side so hard that my shoulder began to hurt. He just laid there in pain as the medics attended to him.
One woman as she was entering the breezeway to change into her bike gear saw her husband who was standing right next to me. She ran up to him and they made out for a good 2 minutes! I don't mean hugging or a little peck on the cheek, I mean full french action a little groping going on by him, the whole 9 yards! I believe if I hadn't yelled out of the side of my mouth "get a room" they might still be there.
On a Chris Boggs note, I saw many formerly large folk doing the race as well as a few still larger folk (none chris boggs sized but . . ) doing the race. Kudos and I was pumped.
I saw out of the corner of my eye and person coming out of the water and it freaked me out at first just because of the "different" factor. There was a woman racing with a prosthetic leg. I saw her again on the run and I teared up a little. Man! Inspiration is such a small non-descriptive word when trying to put into words what she did for me.
Vanilla and Doggie came out of the swim one behind the other and looking good to me. Susan was smiling, I couldn't find Special K, she probably slipped through where the bushes were about 3 feet tall or something??????
I wasn't feeling too hot so I ran back to our room and grabbed a Gatorade. UMMMMM.
Amanda and I met NippsKonaboyBrianna, GW, PatO at the local Waffle House. Gotta love the Waffle House. I think a party at GW's is in order for one two things:
1. Celebrate the racers of Kona and IMFL
2. Watch the interviews that PatO and NippsKonaboyBrianna were doing of all the local and race fans. Classic.
As I walked in they were attempting an incredible interview with Rachel, the waffle house waitress about pre race nutrition. So many of us are looking to answers on this crucial subject and only they knew where to go for the answers!
After a lovely meal at the Waffle House it was to put on our game face and go cheer cheer cheer!!!!!!!!!!!In my vehicle the starting line-up was:
In the driver seat #76 CHRIS BOOOOOOOOOOOGS!
In the passenger seat #24 Amanda BOOOOOOOGS!
In the second row # 1 GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!
Also in the second row #2341 NNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIPS!
In the back puling up the rear # 8 head - PAT OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
and last but not least # 50 cent - CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!
We were ready to ball baby!
I had plotted out three places to see them pass and I was so wrong.
As we headed to spot # 1 I was informed they would be well past that spot so after a U-Turn (SORRY TO THE VANILLA FAMILY FOR HAVING TO PUT UP WITH MY DRIVING) we headed to spot #2.
On our way to the #2 spot we passed Doggie and Vanilla. Doggie was crushing it on the bike. I must say I was excited and impressed. We screamed at him and all that jazz and powered ahead in the diesel .
Then we saw Vanilla. After almost scaring him and the three guys drafting him off the road, with the horn and screaming by the "CREW" all he was doing was smiling. HE said he felt good and wanted to know where Doggie was. He looked really strong at that point. That was at about mile 55.
We got to mile 70 where we set up camp. Posters ready, thank you MANDA for putting the dowels and duct tape on the posters. We hammered the signs in and awaited the racers.Vanilla and Doggie were literally in one another’s jocks. They made the turn almost together. Where we were, we were able to see them pass twice (great planning Chris Boggs!) so as they made the turn we would wait for them to come back which is where we would accost them and chase them holding up signs with their names on them. WOOO HOOOO!
One by one we watched them power on.
Timbeaux scared PAT O at one point. We didn't even see him, then as he was passing by Pat O he said "Pat Obrien" very matter of factly, it was quite funny, to me at least.
Susan looked strong and pissed at the same time. I am not sure if she was having a very good time, but she was hammering it. Special K was charging ahead, I think a little embarrassed when we were hollering and screaming her name! WOOO HOOOO! I needed a few beers at this point.
The one thing that really sucked at this intersection was the police officers. They really needed a crash course on directing traffic. They would literally send a vehicle on as a pack of riders were approaching, then they would yell at the driver for not going fast enough on their command. There were several moments I thought it was going to be bad.
After everyone had passed us at this point it was off to meet them at the run!
BUT NOT BEFORE WE CHASED THEM DOWN ON THE BIKE ROUTE AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!
We caught everyone but Vanilla and Doggie on our chase. We would pull up beside them and hoot and holler. Give some words of encouragement, offer them a ride, and then move on to the the next racer.We saw Jonnie and their CREW at one of the turns, they were doing it up!!!!!!
I think the BR tri club had the bestest support crews of IMFL.
We selected as spot to camp out for the run and JUST AS WE ARRIVED THERE Vanilla goes running by as we cheered and chatted. He said he felt good at that point.
We had a blast at our new campsite. We pulled out the chairs and began our ROAD PAINTING endeavour.
Thanks to Amanda for driving back to our condo to get the sidewalk paint set that I forgot.
We set out painting the road for our racers. Pat O and I created the picasso and everyone else added to it with names etc. I think we should put that picture on the wesite, but that's just me . . .
After about 2 hours and seeing all of our folks run by the first time on the loop I decided we needed nutrition so I called up DOMINOS and ordered a couple large pizzas and way too many 2 litters . . . In 35 minutes Dominos delivered and we were happy.
Nipps and Pat O were interviewing the loacls and the mullets were out in full force!
At one point I had the Gatorade EMPTY bottle throwing challenge. This is where there was a garbage can aproximatley 30 yards from us and with the wid behind us the challege was to get the EMPTY bottle into the garbage. Many doubted even getting close with such distance, but I would not be denied.
After lining up and taking the slight turn in the wind in account I lofted the bottle high! I came down 3 feet to the left but distance was right on target!
As I went to pick the bottle up and put it into the garbage can a local female WITH MULLET!
The women in Panama had mullets too!
Said to me, "you better be glad you didn't hit my truck."
I informed her that while my friends that I was cheering on were master Ironman compertitors, I was a master Gatorade chunking king and had won national competitions doing so.
She didn't find this funny.
As I walked back to the "CREW" I thought to myself, what if the EMPTY bottle that weighed in at possibly 2 ounces had hit her truck??? The damage it would have caused!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then Brianna made an excellent point that she had plenty reason to be protective of her fine automobile, the 76 GMC!!!!!!!
Oh we had fun!
After filling our tummy’s and cheering a lot more for everyone most of the crew headed to the finish line. They were getting ready to maul the BR tri finishers!
Amanda and I hung back to root on the few remaining BR tri members one their first loop.
After seeing Special K and FitBird heading back out on the last loop it was time for me to head back to the CONDO.
Sorry to all for not meeting you at the finish.
As we were getting ready to leave and go to the finish line my body gave out on me. I hadn't slept in many a day and all the driving had taken its toll.
We went back to the condo to change and I became violently ill. It was puke fest in the Boggs Condo and continued throughout the night until I didn't have the strength to get out of the bed and puke. No I didn't drink anything, except Gatorade and a couple sprites.
Sorry I wasn't there. You guys rocked and I am so so so so so proud of you.I had a lot of fun hanging with DA Crew!!!!!
I can't wait till next year!
CHRIS BOGGS IMFL 2008
