How Long Does it Take to Put on Your Socks and Shoes?

How awesome is a sport where how long it takes to put on your socks and shoes can mean the difference between first and second place? It didn't make much difference at today's 2012 Ironman Panama 70.3, but it can make a difference.

A few times today I've watched the 2012 Ironman Panama 70.3 video of Chris Lieto and Lance Armstrong riding their bikes into T2 and each time I watched I imagined what must be going through Lance's mind. Well, I can't presume to know what goes on in Lance's mind, but I can tell you what would be going through my mind at that time.

Lance comes into T2 about 5 seconds behind Lieto. Lieto has a very smooth dismount. Lance's is a little choppy. Then the cameras don't show Lieto, but they do show Lance. He tosses down his helmet and something, I can't tell what but I think his bike glasses, fly off and land on the ground, and Lance shoves his bike onto the rack.

Lance picks up his sock to put it on and kind of wobbles. "Uhm, I better sit down before I fall over trying to put my sock on. I haven't been to enough Yoga classes this past month and my mountain pose is a little wobbly," is what I would be thinking. Lance sits down.

He pulls on his sock and his shoe. Picks up the other socks and pulls it on. Just then the announcer yells, "Lieto out the door!" Lance looks up briefly to see Lieto run by him.

"Crap, why am I still sitting here on my butt trying to put on my shoes and socks? How did he get so fast putting on his shoes and socks? Why didn't I practice putting my shoes and socks on faster? I have been wearing my flip-flops way too much. Why can't they make flip-flops we can run in? I could get flip-flops on really fast," is what I would be thinking.

Lance picks up his running shoe and kind of drops it, then picks it up again and shoves it on his foot while the announcer yells, "A very small lead for (sounds gobbled) about four seconds." Lance looks up and sees the runner run by.

"WTH? Wasn't that guy behind me when we came into T2? How did he get so fast putting on his shoes and socks? Where's my hat? Where's my glasses? Where's my water? Where's my race belt? Where's my mind? Why am I still standing here?" is what I would be thinking.

Lance puts his hat and glasses on and scoops up his race belt, water and nutrition and runs.

Lance is in and out of T2 in less than 12 seconds.

WOW!

My last T2 time was 1:17 and I was happy about that. I wonder if Lance would share with me his secret to getting his shoes and socks on so quickly.

Congratulations Lance Armstrong for your second place win at 2012 Ironman Panama 70.3.