364 days down, 1 to go

Well the day has almost arrived, 364 days down, 1 to go. I arrived on Thursday noon to enter a circus. The atmosphere is electric and, with apologies to the ladies who are racing and those who might read this blog, not a little charged with testosterone.  Two thirds of participants are male and a lot of the younger ones are walking around with all sorts of Ironman gear on; my cynical side says so that others can see who they are. Of course, I won’t begrudge someone being proud of participating in, or finishing, an Ironman. I’d be proud too. It just seems that parading it around is unbecoming.

 

Everywhere you look are athletes and bicycles, usually together. People are out running, some riding their bikes, as if training for a year or more wasn’t enough that they have to get in one more session before the big day. Me, I opted for rest and recovery and I think that was the right decision because I feel the best I have felt in a long time. Very good and with lots of pent up energy. Most of the sore spots have settled down nicely on a regimen of Icy Hot patches and Ibuprofen.

 As you might imagine, there aren’t a lot of fat people walking around. On the other hand, I have seen a lot of participants- you know who they are by the blue wristbands that all of us have to wear to get into areas restricted to athletes only- that you would not look at and say, “oh, that’s definitely an Ironman.” Some are downright “pudgy”. Just goes to show you can’t judge a book……

 

The bikes are amazing. About 2/3 to ¾  are “tri” bikes, flat handle bars with gear shifters on the ends of the aero bars, ultra-aerodynamic, and with carbon aero wheels. Some of these cost upwards of $10,000. Supposedly, they make you faster. I have heard that they are twitchy to handle, especially in crosswinds, and that the aero shaping really kicks in above 20 mph. Since my planned speed is going to be 15+ mph (I would love to average 16 mph or more), I didn’t think that all the aero stuff would be that helpful. Besides, I don’t plan to do a lot of triathlons and a road bike makes more sense for me. The other ¼- 1/3 are bikes like mine: road bikes with aero bars added as an option. This has worked well in training and I expect it will suit me just fine tomorrow.

 

      Of course, Mother Nature had to have her little fun. I arrived to blowing winds from the south, 10-20 mph with gusts quite a bit higher, kicking up a perfect surf for surfers, but more than a little scary for swimmers having to swim 2.4, twice through a raging surfline. It was even worse today and I could envision the swim being cut short, or eliminated, which would have really been a bummer. This afternoon, it rained cats and dogs, and maybe a few barnyard animals, but after that was over the wind shifted direction and died down, and tomorrow’s forecast calls for a sunny day with winds of around 5 mph. Perfect. A little Ironman miracle. After a year of training, no one wants to lose the opportunity to actually do the whole Ironman. Anything else would leave a distasteful (*) after the “finisher” designation. It just wouldn’t be the same.

 

There are 64 entrants in the 60-64 year old age group- mine. I wonder how many will kick my butt. More power to them. At this point competitiveness largely gives way to simply finishing for most of my peers. The last finisher gets the same medal as the first, and may have a better story.

 

Today was perfect: breakfast in my room of my usual cereal- I’m not changing up a thing that has worked for me all year. Lunch at Subway- a foot long veggie sub with water for anyone who cares. Dinner was perfect: Carrrabbas. A big plate of fried zucchini, great salad of arula, a big bowl of penne pasta in garlic and oil with mushrooms, artichokes, and sun dried tomatoes, and, desert of course- tiramisu. I feel primed and ready. 

 

In the morning all I have to do is have my bagel with peanut butter and honey, a glass of OJ and a glass of Ovaltine with Nescafe; drop off my “special needs” bags (these are given out  midway through the bike and run portions and include whatever you think you might need at the point); dress for the swim; and head out to the beach, hopefully to a vista of relatively calm water.

 

I am as nervous as the proverbial cat in a room full of rocking chairs but, hopefully, once I get going, I can just focus on the process and enjoy this crazy ride. Toodle-loo until after midnight tomorrow.