The Saga Continues

So, it's Friday. Normally, this is my rest day. However, to get into the pattern most triathlon training programs use (rest day on Monday), I decided to go out for a 20 mile ride, this morning. Around 6.5 miles out, the back tire seemed to be riding a bit rough. I stopped, and confirmed my fears. The rear tire was flat.

Being half-moron, I didn't have a CO2 inflator or mini-pump with me. And the smart half that had decided to bring the cell phone didn't want to call and wake Mrs. Pol up so early (5:30). So, for the second time in a week, I took of my shoes and socks and started toward the finish line barefoot.

I did eventually call home, and my wife packed up the kids, grabbed the bike rack, and headed out to pick me up. For the record, Toddler Pol loved that he was out without shoes. When I got in the car, he started telling me that I had to get a ride because my chain broke. "No," I told him, "This time it's a flat tire." So he started telling me a long, rather complex story about his bike being broke and him needing to fix it.

At this point, I don't know whether I will be more angry with myself (for not having an inflator) or with the manufacturer. Once I determine whether the tire is blown or simply flat, I'll direct my displeasure towards the correct party. Either way, I will be correcting those issues that are indicative of my short-sightedness immediately. I need to get a saddlepack, spare, and some type of inflation device, today. Apparently, the fact that the bike is pretty much brand new hasn't been a big factor in performance.

The one silver lining is that all of the issues have been with secondary components rather than anything related to the frame or other structural items. That's minor consulation, and I'll be talking with both Felt and the bike store regarding these failures.

For all of you in races, this weekend, have fun and finish strong. For both myself and Toddler Pol, it's running races. I have a 10K race, and Toddler Pol is running a 0.3 mile children's run.