We have less than 5 days until RACE DAY!!! A week from today, I will be an IRONMAN!
As of the time of this writing, I have been packing for race weekend. I think that is more stressful than thinking about the race!
There are 5 different bags that have to be filled with various things for the race, including pre/post-race things, bike gear bag, bike special needs bag, run gear bag, run special needs bag, each having a color. You have to turn these bags in prior to the race and they magically appear at various places during and after the race (kind of like your bags when you got to Disney, except you don't get a few of these bags and their contents back after the race). The special needs bags are given to you at the halfway point of the bike and run. It is for things that you might need or think you might need, including band-aids, CO2 cartridge and bike tube, potato chips, chamois butter for your bike pants, etc.
You have to plan all of this before race day and have it ready.
I remember seeing blogs and Facebook posts last year with IM participants who posted pictures of all of the food and gear...I thought it was crazy...not so crazy now.
I am nervous and excited for the race. I have been visualizing doing the race and completing it, going over all of the things that I will be experiencing. I am sure the atmosphere will be electric!
I have been receiving emails, phone calls, and texts this week from friends and family, including friends who have completed and Ironman race. I appreciate all of the love and support...keep it coming!
We are in taper mode right now, as we have been for the past few weeks. While the length of my training has gone down, the intensity has still been there.
Taper is needed for the body to rest and recover and get ready for what lies ahead on race day. The hardest part for me is the mental aspect...I am having a hard time concentrating on anything and feel my mind is going all over the place.
I am glad I am able to share my feelings with my teammates and coach, as they are going through it with me.
Since we last spoke, I completed a 2.4-mile swim in the Ohio River with my Personal Best teammates on Saturday, August 11. It was great experience for the swim portion of the race, as that is the river where we will do our Ironman swim. Half of the course was against the current, while the other half was with the current. I successfully completed the swim in less than 2 hours! Yeah! That gave me confidence that I will take with me to race day.
I need to get going, as I need to get as much rest as I can this week. I am hydrating, carbo-loading, resting, and visualizing (and packing).
I am excited to be going down to Louisville to complete the Ironman with my teammates Ginger, Mark, Joe, Raj, Polly, and Coach Sean (and coach Whitney, who is also doing the race).
Thank you also goes out to Jackie Dikos, who has been a great help in helping me dial in my nutrition for race day! Wish you could be there to see us race.
I have heard from various friends that they will be there on race day to cheer us on. That will be awesome!!
My journey began on January 2, when I started training for Ironman Louisville. Now, it is less than 5 days from race day.
I look forward to celebrating the completion of my journey on Sunday, when I swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run a marathon.
A HUGE thank you to my wife Ellen for supporting me in all aspects of my journey. Without her support, this would not have happened. I love you! She will get to experience the journey with me on race day, as she sees me cross the finish line and become an Ironman!
Has it been worth it?! Absolutely!
140.6, here we come!
