Triathletes are coming up with unique ways to keep competing despite being confined due to the coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, some are learning that virtual racing comes with a whole host of obstacles that don’t exist outdoors, including a dumb husband tripping over a power cord and eliminating you from a race.
This triathlete had her online race ruined by her cord-kicking husband
YOU HAD ONE JOB!
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Miranda Carfrae, an Australian triathlete, was competing over the weekend in the first Ironman Pro VR Challenge, which pitted top athletes in the sport to a virtual race on smart bikes. Carfrae was in second place during a 55-mile cycling stage when her husband, fellow triathlete Tim O’Donnell, entered the room, tripped over the power cord and turned off her bike.
Carfrae was immediately disqualified for disconnecting from the race, but elected to keep riding anyway while O’Donnell held up a sign that said “MY BAD” in front of her. Carfrae explained that while her husband had good intentions, it didn’t erase his clumsiness.
“He decided to bring my trophies in here as motivation and when he walked around the back he kicked out the plug,” the 39-year-old said. “What an idiot!”
It’s very sweet that O’Donnell wanted to try and keep his wife motivated, so let’s give him some props now. That said, when your significant other is racing in an online triathlon, you pretty much have one job for the length of the race: Don’t disconnect the power. That’s it. Everything else is a distant second to your primary job of not kicking the power out of the wall. That should go without saying, but in this case it warrants a reminder.
Carfrae noted on Instagram that O’Donnell is racing next weekend in a similar online event, but she vows not to take revenge. “Tim is racing next weekend and I won’t pull his cord out,” she said. Not that we’d necessarily blame her if she did. Fifty-five miles is a long way.
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