Try Memphre

So, the TA went for a little ride today to get a little me-time. We started off by hauling our sorry carcass over the bridge to Two If By Sea, the same guys who provided the butterlicious croissants and pain au chocolate at the Du It For Shelter and Cyslesmith Duathlons. We didn't have any baked goods, in deference to the equation

TIBS Croissant + bike ride = baked goods reversal (1)

I'm sure there's a physiological explanation, something to do with shunting blood-flows etc because we're sure it has nothing to do with the quality of the croissant per se. They really are yummy. And if you don't believe us, believe The Coast. Anyway, we were perusing the Chronic whilst enjoying an excellent pre-rode 'spro when we saw a picture of Taylor Doucette on p3 long-boarding his way down Point Pleasant Drive.

I'm sure all HRM based athletes will agree that longboarding down Point Pleasant Drive sure beats the pants off running up it. All going to show the Juniors/U23 have a lot more sense than the rest of us.

Speaking of seeing people in unlikely places, the TA just returned from Long Course Nationals in Magog, QC. We saw Yarmouth RD Cindy Robicheau there for the Long Course event. We bumped into one another while she was looking for someone to tell her the water temperature en anglais. She did a 6:15 and won her age-group (but we're too much of a gentleman to tell you what age-group that is). Katherine McKinnon from New Glasgow did a 7:07 and was third in her age-group. We also saw Brent Limbeek who had a series of strong results here in the 2008 and 2009 seasons, including a 2nd at Navy Tridents '08. He intentionally DNF'd the LC after the bike, having to get a flight back to Victoria. By our reckoning he was comfortably in the top 20, maybe the top 15 when he stopped and there are some guys who should be thankful he had a plane to catch.

Whilst doing the swim-start for the Olympic someone popped out of the line-up to shake our hand with a grin and say "hi, what did you do to get here?" but we had great trouble in recognizing at first Trevor Davies, second at 2004 Provincials in Port Hood behind Colin Edwards but in front of the likes of Mathias Jaepel and this year's PH winner Chris Milburn. He's posted to Kingston now but still going great guns by posting a 2:13 for 22nd overall (including elites) and won his age-group too. We also bumped into Denys Oulette, former Bluenose RD who also did some races with us a few years ago. He's now in Bromont and popped over for the Du which he unfortunately DNFd.

To add to the usual concerns about a swim; weeds etc, the Magog triathlon adds a new dimension. Lake Memphremagog is known to cryptozoologists as the home of Memphre, an (alledged) sauropterygian relict of the Mesozoaic.

Now at TNS I'm sure we're all good, hard-headed rationalists who regard such tales as inflated legends that started when someone saw a half-submerged log or a duck in the fog but when you're nearly half a mile off shore, who's to say that tickling on your feet isn't the person behind you but an inquisitive and perhaps slightly peckish Memphre out for a morning's constitutional.

Besides, the swim practically starts under this sign;

...but of course, creatures lacustres non indentifiees could just be a triathlete who lost their chip.

To be honest, you should be more worried about a slightly smaller beastie;

See you in Bridgetown this weekend. Environment Canada is saying 26 and sunny; should be a good day...

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