Here are my thoughts and reflections on this amazing event.I made my way to the registration area after getting a lay of the land.I turned into the large registration room and quickly did a u-turn.I took a couple deep breaths as I stood there acting busy on my cell phone and turned around and waked to my assigned letter.The bell went off, smiles were had and surprisingly kept my composure.I got my stuff and made it out of the room with dry eyes.Next was dinner and the all important carbo loading.It had to be my 4th pasta meal in the past 3 days and the night before is just too close to the effort.Next time around in the days leading up, pasta yes, but a hearty meal the night before.The eve of my PR marathon I had a huge steak with nothing on it.
I made my way to a table and quickly made some friends.I ended up following them after dinner to the opening session.They were all on a team and many worked in the IT department at State Street bank so we had a lot to talk about.It was set to a live airing on New England Cable News so there was down time between commercials just like you see in a sporting event.For those reading from Planet Lotus this session was like a mini Lotusphere.When the live broadcast would break to prepared segments they projected them up on the big screen.Some of the extended interviews, really, really hit home bringing back some vivid memories of May 7th, 2007.
I told him in advance I was going right to bed but you know how that is.We had to print out a sign for my back that Johanna made up, get the tape, take a shower, prep all my bike seats , decide what I was taking on my bike and what I would pack, the important little things that in now way do you stress over for the next three hours as you try to go to bed.It was part stress part kid the night before Christmas excitement.We got to the starting area a little after 5 and it was an organized mad house.I spent the last of my nervous energy taking pictures, getting water and organizing things in my jersey pockets.He was a fellow team member that I had to sync up with to get the team tattoos and paper cranes for my bike.
