Quote Originally Posted by maillotpois
Make the LBS walk you through the process. Don't just give them the wheel and walk away. Ask them to explain it to you. Bring your OWN Pump to make sure you are using it right.

You are not a moron. You are learning. We are all learning.
I will, Sarah, thanks for your kind words. I thought I knew how to change a bike tube. It's really not a big deal, but I felt like--"those real riders know how to do this, it's easy for them"--and, "who are you kidding, Lise? You can never do a 1/2 IM! You couldn't even change a tire if you flatted!"

Whoa.

That's when I knew I had to stop. I can handle pain a lot better than embarrassment. Well, we'll refer all newbies to this thread, eh? They'll feel better.