From the first day that I started this whole swimbikerun thing, I’ve been mentally building a list of the “You know you are a triathlete when…” moments.

Until last night, the list looked something like this:

• It is strange when your shower doesn’t smell like either chlorine or pond water
• You don’t blink when yet ANOTHER driver yells “Run Forrest, RUN” from their car
• You regularly start workouts before the sun comes up
• You master the art of bike ride snot rockets (without blasting a goober all over your shoulder)
• You plan vacations around your racing/training schedule (not the other way around)

Last night, there was an unfortunate addition to the list:

• Getting hit in the gut by a snowball thrown from a passing car

WTF! I was just moseying along, only about half a mile left until I’m back at my doorstep when… THUD! A big ol’ hunk of snowball whacks me in the gut as a car passes me by. All I catch is the suspicious arm slide back into the window. I turned around and had some choice words to share, but they were already long gone by the time I figured out what had just happened.

And this wasn’t one of those powdery soft cotton-ball-like snowballs. This was one of those ice-snow blocks from when it snowed six days ago and had all week to melt and refreeze into a hardened block of pain.

To be clear, it wasn’t so much the unwarranted smack to the stomach that pissed me off. I was more upset by how much I let it get to me. I was having an awesome easy run around the neighborhood, soaking up holiday spirit and all the well lit houses, dripping with Christmas lights and decorations when I let it really get to me and ruin my run.

Namaste…

Serenity now…

Damn punk kids…

Let’s be clear. I’m no scrooge and am ALWAYS down for a fair snowball fight. If I was running through some fresh powder and got ambushed from some kids hiding behind a snow bank, THAT is fair game and I would be prepared to defend myself.

Throwing an ice ball from a moving car is just being a coward.

I’ve got mad snowball making skills, just like Buddy the Elf. Just try me. ;-)

Categories: Running, Training, Triathlons