RACE DAY…. FINALLY…
Not suprisingly, I don’t get all that much sleep, mostly
tossing and turning… actually I’m surprised that I sleep at all. I have 3 alarms set between 4 and 4:15
just to be sure, but I wake up relatively clearheaded for this time of
morning. Hop in shower to wake up, then
walk down the hill to the HoJo’s restaurant which has opened early to provide
us and other athletes staying there with a buffet. It’s good to eat with my teammates; people seem upbeat and calmer
than I expect. Breakfast sounds good
even at this hour, and I fill up on some pancakes, fruit, cereal, and coffee…
there’s plenty of time to start digesting before we start. Many of my teammates here are ironman
veterans, and so there’s good energy from them… calm and focused.
Back to the room to grab the things I need to take with me,
and mix up my Sustained
Energy (a liquid carbohydrate &
protein fuel… you sure wouldn’t drink it for the taste even if you give it a
little flavor with a gel, but it works well for me and many other long-distance
athletes, it’s easier to get enough calories in on the bike this way), and put
on a good luck Hercules temporary tattoo from Sandra. Head out with Martha.
We’re getting a ride down to the start with Sandra, Marc, Sara, and
Dave, and there is a brief moment of panic when the car keys go missing, but
soon we are on our way.
Martha goes to meet up with my family, and my final preps
include pumping up bike tires (teammate Kurt Reiner—who is racing in Canada,
not today-- appears mysteriously with a pump… only athletes and a select group
with special passes are supposed to be in the transition area, but Kurt has
somehow managed.) Load the food onto my
bike. Put the wetsuit halfway on, walk
out a surprisingly long distance with Bella and Marcy to drop off my special
needs bags, find my family & friends group for a last set of pictures and
good luck wishes on my way back to the swim start. Have a couple of friends help me zip up the wetsuit, and find
teammates Ed Juarez & Denise Top
just before we get in the water.
In transition area, pumping
up tires Heading for the
swim start Craig zips
up my wetsuit
