Triatheltes in OKC...and My Home

This weekend in OKC is quite unique and exciting. The Boathouse International Triathlon is featuring the 2009 Pan-American Triathlon Confederation Championship for Juniors and Elites. The races take place on Saturday, May 16th and Sunday May 17th at what most of us know as the Chesapeake Boathouse or Regatta Park in Downtown OKC near the Oklahoma River.

This event is great for OKC. There are many Junior and Elite athletes in town, some in OKC for the first time ever. Many of these atheletes are on track to make the 2012 Olympic Team and we should show our support. I have been somewhat disappointed with the lack of advertisement for this event. Many people I have spoken to about this triathlon haven't heard anything about this big event going on this weekend and I know I would never have known it was going on if Sparky and I hadn't been asked to host one of the athletes by a friend who is also a local triathlete... and I believe on some triathlete committee (don't quote me.)

So, Sparky and I got our spare room finally kind of put together at the last minute in hopes to provide a somewhat decent place for our athlete to stay. Sparky picked her up from the airport yesterday and she will be staying with us through Sunday. It's definitely interesting hosting someone for a weekend, or at least it's interesting to me since I've never let a stranger stay in the bedroom next to me. But, from my one evening of hosting so far, it wasn't bad at all. We may be lucky in that we are hosting someone who seems nice and appreciative. Plus, we know her focus is on her competition this weekend so I don't think she will require much attention or entertainment. I did offer up some dinner last night since Sparky and I were obviously going to need to eat as well and it was obviously the least I could do. Except for the fact that I really only know how to cook rice and salmon and I got lucky that she likes rice and seemed totally stoked that I had my own real rice cooker. Just sayin.

For the most part, we talked a little and then she kind of did her own thing. I don't ask people a lot of questions about their personal lives for some reason...I guess I don't feel the need to pry too much in people's lives. I figure if they want to tell me, they will. I'm probably wrong but I'm ok with that. I did gather that our athlete is intelligent, well educated, and has trained and lived in Australia for the last 6 or 7 months. I am also under the assumption that she is pretty good at what she does. It's definitely exciting to have her in our home and we might try to take her out to dinner tonight if her schedule permits...since all she's really seen of OKC is the airport, our home, and I think the race location...including the OKC river.

Don't get me started on the OKC river. Let's just say that it's pretty murky anyway (in my opinion) and there was a big storm the night before last. Our athlete swam in the river yesterday and I am going to go with the idea that she might be a pretty tough chick. I hope she doesn't mind that I just refered to her as being a pretty tough chick.

So, if you're looking for something unique and interesting to do this weekend in OKC, check out the triathlon. Here is a blurb about it pulled from the USA Triathlon website:

Elite athletes from the Americas and Caribbean nations will gather in the heartland of the United States for the 2009 ITU Pan American Triathlon Confederation Championships in Oklahoma City, Okla., on May 16.

The elite draft-legal Olympic distance championship races are part of the weekend of activities at the Boathouse International Triathlon. Sprint distance junior and age group races are also on the schedule. A total prize purse of $30,000 will be awarded in the elite division.

The race also kicks off the five-race 2009 USA Triathlon Twenty-12 Elite Series, the first year in a build up to the 2012 London Olympic Games.

The race begins off the docks of Chesapeake Boathouse with a one lap, 1.5k swim in the Oklahoma Rivers. Athletes will then bike 40k, four laps north and south up Lincoln Boulevard circling the Oklahoma State Capitol. The race ends with a 10k, four lap run along the River Trails west of the Boathouse.

Oh, and the athlete we're hosting is Jenna Shoemaker. She also has her own blog.

Keep on Keepin on.