I started tri in 99 and was hooked by 2000. I dug pro racing (as a fan) even when my goals were age group focused (chased kona). There weren’t blogs or twitter really and the life and training of the pros was kinda secrete. A decade later and the giants of the sport from that era are mostly gone. Ried, Lessing, Hellrieggle. I am aware of this more and more when I look around at the pro meeting and see less and less of the old gaurd and more and more new faces. But one of my early favorits was Ms. Jones. Tall, thin, pretty, and really really really fast she was my fav pro woman. Plus I have a love for Aussies, mostly because everytime I am doing something insane there always seemed to be an Aussie making the adventure even more insane.
So when I went to get my bike out of transition I was kinda surprised that she started chatting with me. Here is the exchange:
Jones: “I am so ready for the off-season.
Me:”yes. For sure.”
Jones: “how long do you think the bike will stay in the case before I even bother to unpack it.”
Me: “um till christmass?” Jones: “at least. Let’s get fat!”
Me: “yeah. I hear that. I am gonna eat my disapointment of today away.”
(Then she put 1 arm around me and said)
Jones: “I had the same thing happen in Kona. Its just the way it goes sometimes.” Then she laughed, and I laughed and as we left the pro racks and transition she got mobbed. Yep, she is pretty cool-awesome.
(Pic of the stupid tube that did my race in) Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
I met her once as well. really down to earth and quite nice. what was the culprit on the tube? road debris, sharp spot on the rim?
glass.
ughh…
Man, we gotta hang out more. You nab all the hotties before I even have a chance to be in the same area!!! First Chrissie, my No. 1 fav. female pro, checks you out at Timberman, then my No. 2 fav female pro, puts her arm around you!!! I feel so small right now…
John, you should have gone around the glass!!!
Pike, LL Cool J[ohn]
ladies love cool john.
hahahah.
around the glass matt! damn you should coach. I though it was hit the glass and then if you dont flat eat it.
the most frustrating thing in sports is when yr gear goes south on you and it screws you up…..in fact most sports gear i try to have two / double of in case it goes south……
biking is SOOOOOO gear oriented…you are now a complete gear-head….in fact you are literally a hurricane of gear. when you are on block island , when you walk thru your yard you leave behind a yard sale trail of gear….the irony is, that you used to make fun of me when i was a kid that when i surfed i always came to the beach with a huge duffel bag of gear (which is true by the way, and now i literally need an XTERRA to haul my gear)….and you used to say.. “all i need is my board”
james
James,
You know it. I HATE having so much gear. My next sport will be so simple, like it was back in the day 1 surf board + 1 pair surf trunks + 1 dog. No shoes, no shirt, no bike, or goggles or uniforms and my only nutritional suppliment will be a mango I pick off a tree.
Dude lets go surfing. NOW.
Nice exchange with one of the Sport’s greats.
I like your anti-complication perspective on gear John.
And yes, it would be nice to surf NOW, but maybe just throw in a wetsuit, too.
rooney
hah!! love it.. James don’t forget your skim board and that huhg hat! Thats all you need. Hey…Matt and I wil be in NYC Thurs-Sunday.. you around? we will call you
kate and matt : ya i’m in city all weekend john has my number
John: yr job at the Beachcomber on block island was yr lowest gear requiring job as you could go barefoot, no wallet, no keys, no shirt
james