A Smurfing Affair - Day 1 (Alexa and Turbo)

And so it begins. It is as close to being officially race week as it gets without being race week. Tomorrow will be the Sunday before Ironman Lake Placid. What does that mean? It means that race days is a scant 6 whole days away. That's two full work days of work, 1 day of travel to plaid with Cusetri, 1 day to welcome friends to placid and enjoy a team party/dinner, 1 day to register, go to athlete meetings, buy stuff at the expo and eat carbs, 1 day to lay in bed, stay cool, keep the feet up, continue to eat carbs, and finally 1 day to have the best day of 2010...just playing the water, spinning on the bike, and running a cushy 26.2 miles to top it all off..this will be done with about 3000 friends, and more importantly with my awesome team by my side. For the most part I did not know anyone on my team at this time last year. I honestly think I knew one person (Joe Crispino). I had completed 3 triathlons (Keuka, Quakerman, and Musselman) and was just getting my feet wet, and oh yeah I had no clue what a training plan or a tri bike looked like. Oh what a difference a year can make. Their has been ups and downs, a TON of new friendships, injuries, triumphs, let-downs, horrible jobs, NEW & EXCITING JOBS..it just goes to show you that with each new day a new opportunity is born. Each time I get on the bike, go out to run, or jump in the lake is a chance for me to enjoy the sport of triathlon, get better at it, and usually have a fun day with my friends. And with that I will segway into what I had intended this post to be about...my team...who are my friends. One of the...wait I must re-state that...THE BEST thing about this sport is the community...the people that are involved. I will gladly train with someone any day of the week rather than go vision questing along. Going Solo does have its merits since on race day your out there on your own, no chatting to a buddy when your in tempo..yet your not really solo, usually there is between 500-3000 other people out hammering beside you. So yeah, this sport I am into is great and the people around me are as well. So without further ado I bring you the 2010 Train This Smurfing. Which Smurf are you?

To follow along please continue to check my blog as well as checking my Coach (Mary Eggers) blog @ www.ironmomma.com

First up is Alexa Harding "Just Keep Swimming"



I am confident that the smurf that best suits Ms. Harding is none other than Sassette Smurfling. Sassette Smurfling is a little freckled redhead girl with pigtails, and pink overalls. She calls Papa Smurf "Pappy" and Grandpa Smurf "Grandpy". Alexa like Sassette exudes an attitude that of a tomboy in that she loves to do all the things that the Smurf boys (Train This boys..or Kim Hase) do (i.e. cuss like a sailor, talk about obscene and/or inappropriate situations/topics, exchange stories of bowl movements as if it was a normal type of conversation that two elderly women would have at coffee hour just after church ended, as well as kicking numerous mens butts on the bike...and the run for that matter. However, just like Sassette who has a girly side as well (she likes dressing up and playing with her doll Smurfy Lou), Alexa enjoys throwing on her snuggie and having some snuggle time with both her cat and sleeping partners (3 stuffed horses...that's all I will say on that subject).
Like Sassette, some that do not know Alexa might consider her a bit blunt...similarly, Sassette actually got her name when Hefty pointed out how "Sassy" she was and than Painter called her a "Sassette". The Smurflings had a hard time warming up to her, but they have now found her to be like a sister. Smurfette and Papa Smurf treat her like a sister/daughter too. I think this fits in quite well with Ms. Harding as she has settled in quite nicely with the Train This crew, and who fosters either a Mother/Daughter or Older Sister/Younger Sister relationship (I just can't decide which I think it depends on the day) with Coach Mary. And so there you have it. Smurfing #1 is complete. I hope you all enjoyed that little tid-bit and I hope I did not make a new enemy or as they call them in the smurf world "villain". :)

Next up..ME..aka TURBO CURBEAU. I take on this nickname with great pleasure since it was not one that was created by myself. Yes, growing up the nickname of Turbo had been tossed around by my childhood schoolmates however it never stuck, it was more of an insult or joke than anything else considering that in my younger years I wasn't quite "Turbo". However, I do believe that in the recent past I have leaned out a bit and with the onset of this triathlon thing my "turbo-ness" has increased. I know only have to continue to become faster in the sport of triathlon to maintain this nickname. This is a challenge that I most certainly will enjoy. Anywho..I am not positive on who I would give the naming rights too..maybe Scott Likly over at Towpath who seemed to call me that from day one and who now has a signed bike shoe in his shop by none other than Turbo Curbeau (Me). Its funny...its a persona...its becoming bigger than myself..hahah..

With that little intro I must go about the task of naming myself. I would rather have someone else do this but since I have chosen to take on the dutiful task of smurfing my fellow teammates I will smurf myself as well. My knee jerk reaction is to just name myself Baby Smurf.
I say this because it is simply the most logical choice. I am the baby of the team and exude many newbie qualities. However, you could also call me Finance Smurf, who is a relatively unknown smurf from the Smurf comics who is known for introducing the currency to his peers, after being fascinated by its use in the human world. It was abandoned after a while since using currency created poverty and corruption among them. Alas these would be to easy...after much thought I have settled on smurfing myself as Vanity Smurf. Vanity Smurf is the epitome of a Narcissist. He has a flower in his hat, and he often holds a hand mirror, staring into his own reflection, which he kisses often. In the Hanna-Barbera cartoon, Vanity speaks in an effeminate voice.
I'll admit it, I enjoy being the life of the party. I get a kick out of a being a bit different from the usual. I enjoy racing the occasional triathlon in nothing but my speedo...i mean who wouldn't want to show off the banana hammock? Is staring at yourself in the mirror while sitting on your bike in a speedo and aero helmet weird?.....(that's for you to decide) If I had to mock myself I would go right after the fact that for a color blind dude most every piece of triathlon/biking apparel has some sort of matching scheme. I mean my bike is green, my tri kit is green, my oakleys were customized to be green, my most recent pair of cycling shoes were special ordered from a store in Virginia BECAUSE THEY WERE GREEN. See a theme here people? oh yeah..staring at myself in the mirror while blowing kisses is pretty much the standard saturday night event before I head off to bed at 8pm so I am well rested for my long ride Sundays with Cusetri. Just ask him...he'll probably agree with me on this. None the less I enjoy rocking the flamboyant apparel, I enjoy going a little bit beyond the realm of "normal"...and just all your Lake Placid people wait..I have some killer new pants on the way JUST FOR LAKE PLACID (Ironman USA)...your gonna love em! So with that I am very pleased with the smurfing of myself. And just like Vanity if you or a friend sports a dude decked out in all green on a green bike with a flower stuck in his Aero Helmet...well you know who it will be...it will be your old pal TURBO CURBEAU! Just make sure to give him a nod as you pass...and if you are the type of person who is mean or is an "unhappy triathlete" and passes me on the bike...well you can count on me remembering you and when I jog on by you at the ski jumps you will have ample time to think about just how great I match!



HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA SMURFING IS THE MOST FUNNEST THING IN THE WORLD!