This is how many wristbands you get if you’re doing the Triple Challenge (well, I had a couple of them before). From left to right:

• The orange band is the same one that relay athletes get and it means you can enter the transition area out of sequence—normally, after the setup time is closed very early in the morning, you can only come into transition when you’re coming out of the water or are on your bike.
• Livestrong. In the wake of Lance’s recent issues there’s been some criticism of the Livestrong Foundation for not spending enough on ‘cure’ research. That’s not what’s it for.
• Fuck Cancer.
• A nice touch of the Chicago Triathlon is that they pre-check IDs at the Expo/Packet Pickup, when you’re normally carrying your ID, and so you don’t have to tuck it into your swim trunks or something in order to get a beer at the post-race. And dangit, if I’m running two triathlons, I’m gonna get a beer.
• A different bib number for each triathlon (left to right: Spring, Full, SuperSprint).

There are ways to work it out to not have to wear so many wristbands all at once, but I didn’t mind showing off a little race-bling. Maybe I was showing off a little. Definitely.