Pre Race Week

I'm behind on my log, I had every good intention of detailing my pre-race week but never got to it. My goal now is to slowly rebuild the week and prepare a good race report.

So many things happened in the last 7 days! And some of it was a blur that just moved from one moment to another so fast that I'd lose track of time. I just reveled in the experience, hopefully I can get it all in here. After a year of planning and tracking, I'd hate to lose that last week!

Pre Race Week:
My training plan had only 4 hours of training--a few minutes here an hour there. The goal was to stay loose, focused, and relaxed. I didn't get in much of that 4 hours, and I don't think it cost me anything. In fact, going by feel was a good idea.

I got in one last ride on the bike Tuesday or Weds morning, can't remember which now! Must have been Wednesday before we left town. I just wanted to run the chain through the new gear cassette and see if I could drop the chain by shifting hard. Nope. Good to go.

Thursday morning we finished the drive to Madison. The first stop was registration and the expo. As expected, registration was a well-managed chain of events. IM organizers have this down. USAT verification, waiver pickup, weigh-in, waiver drop-off. Then off to get swim cap, arm band, timing chip, race numbers, gear bags, and timing strap. Just go from one table to another, with incredibly helpful volunteers to help you get there.

So this was Thursday, and I still had Friday and Saturday to wait out!

Friday morning was my first practice swim. There was wind in the area and a front moving in, so the water had large swells. No chop, just swells. Temp was high 60's, so comfortable in a wetsuit--yea!! I planned to swim only 20 mins, so this wasn't supposed to be a tiring morning or a big deal. But swimming in swells is hard work. The flow of the water pushed me westward along the first leg of the course and I was surprised to stop and one point and realize I far I'd gone! Yikes! And double-yikes to see Madison rescue crews pulling 2 swimmers out of the water along the Terrace building. I found out later that they fatigued or cramped and needed to be pulled out. Great way to start your race weekend--rescued out of the lake!

The swim back was tough but doable. I could feel myself being lifted and dropped in the swells, it gave a slight motion sickness feeling. But not once did I inhale water or have trouble breathing. I stayed surprisingly calm for someone who fears rough waters. What I did hate was the lift of a swell followed by the drop--SMACK--right in the face of the next swell. I swam back to the boat ramp, waved to the husband to reassure him, then went out for more. My goal was to swim in all 4 directions to feel all the ways the water could flow over me.

I got out of the water feeling very confident! I've swum in Lake Michigan at 64F with those rolling and breaking waves. And now I've swim in Lake Monona at 68F-ish with swells. Success both times, I was very happy with today's swim!!!

That night was a welcome dinner and athlete briefing. The welcome dinner had a 1hr inspirational show. Mike Reilly (the guy who will say "YOU are an IRONMAN!) ran a great show. Movies, stories, jokes, special athletes, and more. The oldest athlete (72 years), youngest athlete (18 years), who had the most kids (48 years, 5 kids), who lost the most weight (167 lbs), and much more. The race meeting was the standard fair: rules, guidelines, and more.

The rest of the day was meant to be calm. I worked on some computer files, watched some TV, unpacked some gear and put my piles together. My gear had to be sorted into 5 gear bags, and working on this caused some anxiety. But otherwise, prerace week went both slow and fast, calm and crazy. I felt great, strong, and READY.