China is ruining my plans

Ok, so the super excitedness of this morning - fizzled.

but not because I learned at the swim lesson that I swim wrong. NO... China ruined my plans. See, let me explain:

I have a work trip scheduled to China the last week of August. Great. Spend a week in China, come back, spend a week in Maine, adjusting to the time change and freaking out about the tri.

EXCEPT
I found out this morning, roughly 2 hours after mailing my registration and $75, that I will actually be spending 2 weeks in China, and will be flying home on September 9th, the day I would have been a pumpkinman.

so i emailed all the people I could find on the websites to let them know that I wouldn't be in the country, and please oh please could I have my $75 back.

I have to find another sprint tri mid to late september within a 4 hour drive of Maine. Any Ideas?

swimming lesson this morning- as it turns out, you are supposed to never put your head up, but merely to the side. there is so much water in my left ear, I'm walking all tilted like.

in somewhat related news
HOLY CRAP
2 WEEKS IN CHINA
WOOOO HOOOOOOOOO