no hard feelings

Did I mention I applied to Specialized for sponsorship?

I did. No matter how remote the possibility, I figure if you don't ask, you don't get.

I asked.

I didn't get.

I don't feel bad. They at least wrote me a very nice rejection letter, saying they were "impressed with my athletic achievements". And they have a really cool christmas card I thought I would share with you all.

NPR also did a story on it.

In the meantime, we leave for Bonnie Scotland tomorrow. I'm so busy packing I don't have time to take possession of la Seduza. We'll have plenty of time together in the new year, I'm sure. Perhaps by then I'll feel a teeny bit less frightened about the prospect of riding her.

I just called the bike shop to tell them to give her a kiss and take good care of her while I'm gone. They said they'd take her out for dinner and a movie, and make her breakfast.

I said woah there, mister, she's mine.

They opened the registration for the Edinburgh New Year's Day Triathlon about 4 days after I broke my arm. I totally dropped the ball. At that time, I could have cared less about racing. That race wasn't even on the radar. When I came to my senses, I registered by about the 15th of October, and got on a waiting list. I was number 50 on the wait list.

In my experience, these things can be mixed - often times, you'll get 400 enthusiastic people sign up, and then a large number of them will back out, or they won't show up on the day, or whatever. It happens a lot.

The good races over here will find a spot for you, if you really want to do it. La Luz, for example, is capped at 400. The entries are by lottery, the procedure is documented. They pick the first 400, you have 2 weeks to respond and confirm, then they go through it again (and again), until they get 400 confirmed entries. Even with this, on the day, only 360-something showed up, due to the weather. Everyone I know who wanted to do it got in.

No where on any website could I find any information on how the wait list spots would be allocated. No where could I find a contact number for anyone who could maybe answer a question or two.

So I wrote to the race director a few weeks ago to get some information. It's not his problem, but I have to pack now - I need to know if there's a chance I'll get to do this thing.

No response.

I wrote again, an even shorter note. Maybe he's not big on words? Maybe he doesn't read well?

No response.

Maybe he's busy? Maybe he has a day job? I wrote to the local governing body (Triathlon Scotland) to see if they had any info.

Finally I got a terse two-sentence response last week (cc'd to the president of Triathlon Scotland), which says the spots will be allocated up to the 18th of December, after which he will close the race.

OK, that's good to know. I wrote back thanking him, and asked what he thought my chances were (given his experience).

He wrote back with what is possibly the bitchiest response I've ever seen from a dude:
"in reality zero"

Wow. I think the lack of sun is really getting to some people over there.

So no triathlon for me - just lots of running, getting ready to Rock and Roll.

I'll check in, I may even blog.

If I don't, I'll see you next year.

Merry Christmas!