WHAT TO DOOOOOO?!?!?!

So this sprint triathlon in June is in Naperville, a suburb of Chicago. From my front door to transition is 33miles. There is no race-day packet pick up, meaning I will have to venture out there Saturday between 10am and 4pm to get my packet.

DILEMMA: I have no idea how I'm going to get there on race day, much less the day before the race, too! Here are my options:

1) Ride my bike.
Pro's
-Cheap
-Good exercise
Con's
-A long ride the day before the race...
-Have to fit all my stuff into one backpack, which CAN be done, but it'd be heavy.
-The ride back
-Where to stay on Saturday night because no way would I bike there and back Saturday, then return via bike in the wee hours of the morning on Sunday.

2) Take the train
Pro's
-Cheaper than renting a car
-Will get me within 5 miles of transition
-Can take my bike on train
Cons
-Still have to find somewhere to stay Saturday night, b/c train doesn't run early enough
Sunday AM to get me there on time (and we all know how I like to be on time).
-No way to travel to packet pick up or the race site except my bike.

3) Rent a car
Pro's
-SO MUCH EASIER
Con's
-SO expensive


BAAAH. So I have an equal dilemma in finding somewhere to crash on Saturday night as finding a way to even get there in the first place. Usually I think these things through PRIOR to registration. My co-worker is doing this race, too, but will be driving out on Friday to do wedding planning stuff with her family who lives 30 minutes from this suburb. She offered to let me stay at her parent's house Saturday night. I hate imposing. I just hate hate hate imposing. UGGGGGGGGHHH I get so stressed out about stuff like this. I like it when everything falls into place perfectly and cheaply. For the love of all humanity.
I've looked at hotels. There is one that is sponsoring the race and will give participants the 'triathlon rate' of $92/night. ?!?!? That's a discount?! Sounds an awful lot like the 'discounted' bike fit at $150. There is a shuttle from the train to the hotel, but the hotel is 6 miles from the race site. All this makes my stomach knot! This morning I was leaning toward doing a hotel. Then I leaned toward quitting. Then I leaned toward renting a car. Then I leaned toward taking my coworker up on her offer. Then I just fell over. Geez louise I need to get a grip ... stat. VOMIT VOMIT VOMIT.

In other news:

*My team will NOT be advancing to the playoffs. =( Please be disappointed in this fact, as they wanted it very badly and fought hard to earn a spot. Apparently we were tied for second place with a team that barely beat us, then ended up losing to teams we smoked. Unfair? Yes.
*I went on a glorious bike ride the other day. The never ending trail really doesn't end! I went a total of 42 miles and was exhausted by the end of it. I woke up this morning and every muscle in my body was screaming at me. It was awesome. And I am happy to report-- no falls! Woohoo!
*I wasn't sleepy the other night (back on the drugs-- yes please) and was checking my email around midnight. I received on that said "save $20 on the Chicago Half Marathon." I'm such a sucker for a sale. If anything says it's on sale, or is a 'buy one get one free' or any half way enticing offer, I latch on to it. All this is to say that I'm now registered for the Chicago Half Marathon on September 13th, a mere two weeks after the Chicago Tri. I woke up the next morning and saw the confirmation email and had a painful 'What did you do?!' experience.
*Night shift tomorrow. Get on your knees and pray, my friends. It'll be brutal.

(PS-- there is a tornado warning for all of Chicago right now and it's thundering and lightening outside-- there were like 200 lightenings in the past 10 minutes or something crazy like that... weather seriously freaks me out. I'm going to go 'do laundry' in the basement for a while... slash hide out from the tornado.)