Less than 24 hours….

Yep, tomorrow at this time I should be on my second loop of the swim! Hopefully the butterflies will be gone and I will be “Long, Lean and In Control” (Thanks Tod Ondell, mantra from 2000 that has been with me on every tri swim for 11 years).

Yesterday was a serious of queues!!! We started the morning with a swim. Unfortunately the swim buoys were not yet in place but we know the course pretty well and were able to get an approximate swim of one loop. Water was a little choppy on the back side of the rectangle but not too bad. Just a few snout-fills! (not sure if that is a word but describes how it felt!).

We then got in line to sign our lives away, gain our new identity (#736) and receive all of our ID tags (numbers). We then had to step on the scale for our Official Weigh In. I guess that is in case we “go down” they know how much weight we have lost over the course of the day. In my experience, my weight will be EXACTLY the same!!! Either I am good are re-hydrating during a race or my body holds every ounce it can and refuses to let it leave!!

After receiving all numbers, instructions and necessary gear. We ventured into the Ironman Store, where I located my second “Good Omen”. Being a cheapo I wasn’t planning on buying much IM gear, but I found the Deal of the Day. Last years Ironman Wisconsin running jacket for $29.99 ($120 regular price)!!! Score!!! Then I had to weight in the check-out line! OMG 45 minutes later I paid for the jacket! I did notice the group of guys in front of me in line started off with one or two items each. By the time we reached the cash register, they each had shopping baskets OVERFLOWING with Ironman gear!!! It was really quite entertaining watching them “talk” each other into new items. Actually one would say “Look at this!” and they would all go get one! The frustrating part was that everyone was waiting for me so we could go ride our bikes around the run course.

We rode our bikes around one loop of the run, lots of construction on the course and we are running on lots of bike paths. Couple of good climbs and potentially could be hot as there isn’t a ton of shade out there. Oh well with the heat we have trained in all summer, it should be okay, especially when I plan on being out there after 4pm.

Every thing I need for tomorrow! I hope!!!!

Came back to the hotel and woofed down a yummy Chipotle burrito and started sorting my gear into the appropriate bags. Kind of reminds me of a Christmas list. Checking it twice, three times and then again this morning with Maggie! Today I have to turn in my T1 (Swim to Bike) Bag and my T2 (Bike to Run) and my trusty bike. Tomorrow morning I will turn in the last 3 bags Special Needs for Bike and Run that will be located at the halfway point on each point and then my dry clothes bag so I have warm dry clothes both at the start line and finish.

Finally last night, we attended the Pre Race Dinner Banquet. Food was pretty good considering they served over 3,000 people. Speakers were good but the highlight was the Cold Stone Creamery ice cream after!!! When I got back to the hotel, my family had all arrived so we sat in Maggie’s and my room had a few glasses of wine and chatted. So happy that my parents are here as well as my brother, Jeff and his wife, Stacey. They drove from North Carolina just to be here for the race!!! Thanks Jeff and Stacey!

Well as I sit and enjoy a cup of coffee and typing I am getting nervous AGAIN. I have been pretty good most of the time but the waves of nausea and tears are coming more frequently as the start time gets closer. I have done many triathlons, running and bike races of various lengths and always have nerves but never this early or this intense. I am not sure if it is the amount of prep that has gone into this particular race, the amount of hype around this race or just the cumulative fatigue and emotional stress of the journey. I can’t even imagine how emotional I will be tomorrow. As my friend and experienced Ironman, Kristina Friesem said in her message to me on Facebook this morning:

Enjoy everything about the day. You will visit some of the darkest places in your mind and just remember all of the hard training days that are behind you and you came out stronger. Stay in the moment as much as you can because the day will pass much faster than you can imagine. and don’t forget….DANCE ACROSS THAT FINISH LINE!!!!!

I think that probably sums it up best!! Thanks Kristina!

Card from Pam S.

I also have to share a card I received from my friend Pam Starcher. This is a copy of an email I sent her 7 years ago before her first triathlon. Thanks to all of my friends for all the motivating and encouraging emails, posts on Facebook and phone messages you have sent me in the last week. You will never know how appreciated they are. It has definitely been a tough journey for me and one that many of you know I have not always enjoyed and almost quit a few times. The past year has been stressful and full of changes for me with my work and starting a new/second job in the midst of Ironman training has been tough but I have not only received a ton of support from my family and friends but also from my clients and my new colleagues and even my students! Thanks everyone!!! You will all get me to that finish line tomorrow. This has not been a solo journey at all!

Thanks everyone for being part of my journey!!!! I will post my Race Plan later today! Don’t hold me to it tho…..