Showdown

I don't tweet. I don't get it. But I do know that a crap ton of people do. Lance Armstrong is one of them, as is Chris Lieto. Lance does things called Twitter Rides where he posts where he's going to ride and anyone can join him. He's done it a few times (once in LA, once in Dublin I think). A crazy amount of people come out. Lance has said that it's totally unsafe and that he rides out front so that he doesn't get caught up in a wreck between people who don't ride often or are too consumed with seeing him and taking pictures. I digress..

I guess the other day, this went down via twitter (I've seen this posted on a few blogs including Kim's,and Steve's and actually braved twitter to see the actual posts which were kind of foreign to me, but whatever. That's why I don't do it):

• Lance wrote on his twitter page (are they called twitter pages?) Just passed @chrislieto going the other way. He was hammerin. Hey Chris, a little TT showdown on the Queen K tomorrow? You, me, and whoever.
• Chris came back with: @lancearmstrong see u on the Queen-K! Will have to be after 8am cause I have to swim first. Flying out mid day. Give me a call.
• Lance Armstrong sent out the invite for anyone, including Chris: Queen K Hwy TT Challenge. Tomorrow 9:30am. Start – Waikeloa Beach Dr to Kukio Nui Dr. 14 miles. Full gas. Take it easy on me @chrislieto. This won’t be a twitter ride. First ever “twitter time trial” Love it.
• Lance wrote: Start times 4today. @lancearmstrong @ 9:30, @chrislieto @ 9:31. Others every min. Honor system! No starting ur clock late/stopping it early! (I think that Chris started before he was supposed to though!!!)
• Lance posted the results first: http://twitpic.com/13t6bo - My time 4 the 1st ever twitter TT. @chrislieto 2nd - 15 secs back. Post ur times here. Thx for coming out! (he averaged about 35mph, but they did have a tail wind! - still it's not right!)
• Chris then posted his time: Official time for @chrislieto is 18:44. Thanks @lancearmstrong (think his time was 18:35) for a great TT.

Then there were two videos on you tube:

Before the race: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhvMhDKXj8k

After the race: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4fa7CE-Daw

So while I still don't get twitter and I'm not following the fad (what's the "@chrislieto" or "@lancearmstrong" all about?) I thought it was great! :) Good competition, good fun! Gotta love when the road biker and the triathele go head to head cause God knows how different our worlds are. And I liked that Lance threw in the old "maybe we duel again on the Queen K with a swim before it and a run after it".

Do it Lance... Do it!