Paparazzi at the Hansen Dam Triathlon

It never ceases to amaze me that I should feel so exhausted after watching a triathlon. Especially when you consider the fact that all I did was to take pictures of one athlete! I felt like a member of the paparazzi! Of course, to be quite honest with you, I don't know how they do it. How could any of the paparazzi survive with their work conditions!
I took pictures of my sister in the Hansen Dam triathlon today, and I believe that I may have received a small taste of paparazzi life. First of all, you must consider that a good paparazzi is in the right place at the right time to capture the right moment in still life form.

In the triathlon sense, that translates into running from the swim platform to the biking area. From there you must hurry to the running path and then be at the finish line. Of course, these events include both the beginning and ending of each portion. Given the nature of the competition, one must rush to each location in order to beat the athlete there. By the time I had finished, I felt as though I had participated in the triathlon myself.
I'm glad that I did though, especially when you consider the importance of each moment. After all, it's not as though I could have her do it again. Hence, the notion of being in the right place at the right time.
Of course, if the running around doesn't wear you out, the boredom might. Not knowing how long each portion of the course will take, you must anxiously, watchfully wait for your athlete to come in. Do you have any idea how stressful that can be?

Have you ever tried to identify one athlete out of one thousand? Sure you can watch for a certain color helmet or cap. Naturally, you know what color the bicycle is, and what clothing they are wearing. Don't forget though...there are fewer than 1000 base colors. After a while, they all start to look the same, and you find yourself questioning your eye sight! Still, how do the paparazzi stand the waiting game? I could never be continually on my guard. Always watching, waiting anxiously for that photo opportunity of a lifetime.

How do they handle each other too? I had people pushing me and getting in the way of my photographs, and it was incredibly annoying! In fact, if I weren't so exhausted, I might have allowed some of that road rage to explode (don't worry I didn't...remember, I was too tired from all the running that I did).
Anyway, after much deliberation, I have come to the conclusion that I will never be qualified for the paparazzi. However, I will continue to photograph sporting events (my sister will see to that). I will also continue to lobby for a longer lens (for purely selfless reasons of course).