I named my dog Murphy for a reason... Murphy's law... For the most part, I believe you create your own destiny and such... but sometimes, I just know the "universe" is watching, and when you give it an opportunity to get you - it will take it.
My most recent example was just before the start of the Huntington Sprint Triathlon. 300+ of my good friends in a fun local race. I hadn't done a sprint tri in a few years.
I ALWAYS carry my tools/spares/etc on my bike, and have defended doing such even in races to people with the old addage - Better to have it and not need it... than to need it and not have it.
Well, today, in trying to go for the overall win, I decided to remove my tools/spares before the race. Even thinking - this is going to guarantee a flat!
Well, I don't have to tell you what happened next...
The only good thing was that this was during my warm-up ride - not during the race - which would have ended my day.
I was riding and bunny-hopped some really bad stuff, and when I landed, the back wheel blew out in pretty dramatic fashion. DAMN! You got me universe...
3 mile walk/jog back to the transition area to get my tools and spares and change it. Running out of time before the start of the race, I started a mild panic - but nothing too serious. I can change a tube pretty quickly and that just means I will forego my run warm-up before the race... and hot as it is today - that's probably not the worst thing that could happen.
When I started the change - I found that my new $75 racing tire was totally SPLIT! Like 1-1/2 inches - right through the meat of the tire. Oh crap! I have spare tubes - but no spare tires! Panic is starting to grow! What am I going to do? Where can I get a spare wheel or tire? Am I going to be able to race today? Man... Murphy got me good!!
Luckliy, one of our team sponsors, Bike Authority, had a tent and a mechanic on site, and had tires. WHEW! Mike Vanucci happily took my mess and took care of it while I finished organizing myself for the start of the race. That saved my day! THANKS MIKE!
I've had other problems - mostly at work - caused by people saying things like: "What else could go wrong?"...
No good deed goes unpunished, is another expression I like to use...
I'm a pretty demanding boss - I know this. I helped a department manager turn around a huge problem of "break-outs" in the steelmaking area (in the steel industry - no one ever says the "B" word unless it is happening!). At the time I took over the Steelmkaing Division, that department was averaging 1 per month... and each one cost in excess of $250,000... so it was a really big problem. Well, long story short, we worked together and fixed the problem and went 13 months without a single event! One day I was pushing him on another subject... and he came back at me that I always demand more, and I don't say "THANKS" enough. Fair enough... that night, in my daily letter to the plant (3 shifts, 5 departments)... I congratulated the team for setting a new record and going 13 months without a breakout! yes... I said it... You know what happened that very night!! I called that manager, and told him he had to go in and clean that one up... that was all his!
Final example - having our Japanese colleagues insist to discuss a topic (casting breakouts)... We had gone a long time without a single casting breakout, and they wanted to know how. My boss repeatedly explained to them that we don't say the word, and prefer not to discuss the topic because of superstition... then he had to explain what that meant to them in Japanese - didn't work... black cats and all have no meaning to them like it does to us... so we ended up having the discussion with them - and - seriously, no kidding... we had 3 breakouts during casting during the time of the meeting that shut the plant down. We forced the Japanese guys to stay the night with us in the plant with torches and pry-bars to help clean up the mess. It was their fault!
So - I will always and forever leave my tools and spares on my bike... and suffer with the additional 8 ounces of extra equipment... just to avoid the nasty little Murphy's Law situation from happening again!
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