Pre race Weekend

Disclaimer:  This blog is a documentation of my now second Ironman Journey for AZ Ironman 2013. I’m doing this race for a former patient, Sunny, who recently passed away this summer from a brain tumor. I hope that I can honor her well as I take her on my journey.   Format will be random, i.e. quick journal format, random thoughts, motivational quotes, pictures of random moments and memories along my journey. For the most part, it’s documentation for me and may not be to exciting for anyone else to read, but for those of you brave enough to ever wonder…could I do an Ironman or even just a triathlon?  I then offer you a firsthand account of what goes on in the mind of an Ironman age group triathlete including all the highs, lows, emotions, fears, rants, etc, etc.   Please forgive any spelling mistakes as I’m sure I am just happy to get everything written down, just chalk it up to fatigue from lots of training! 

After spending my last few days off of work resting and relaxing, I woke late on Friday morning. I finished getting all packed up in the Escape and was ready to go and headed on down to Tempe  and the race site. 

  Once there, I parked and headed over to Ironman Village to register. I got checked in, signed my death waiver, got my bib number, wrist band, back pack, and my timing chip. I briefly stopped in at the Ironman store, and checked out the Ironman goodies. Walked the expo booths and then headed to the athlete meeting at 2 pm, met up with Mike, Michelle, her brother and a group from Team FC. 

After the meeting was finished, we agreed to meet up at the athlete dinner and I headed over to get a coffee at Starbucks, and ran in to some Ironman athletes, who I then ran into again at the cupcake shop next door, as we were talking, I was eyeballing a delicious salted caramel cupcake, the guy in front of me saw me doing this and bought the last two!  Then he proceeded to give me one of them!! How sweet of him, if I hadn’t been on a time schedule and due to meet people, I would of stayed and chatted with him, instead he got a big hug and thank you. One more reason I love the triathlon community, random acts of buying complete strangers carbo loading cupcakes!! 

I headed over to the hotel, checked in with my multiple loads of gear, and was just finished in time to head back over and meet with my group for dinner at the athlete dinner. Met up with Jason and Joe, and Louisa (my Ironman Stripper Crew from last year), and my TEAM FC members, Erika, Mark and Mike. We all hung out and ate, chatted about race etc.  and listened to Mike Reilly talk to the crowd about Ironman.  After, I headed out for a couple beers with some FC Teammates and then back to the hotel to setup my special needs bags and gear bags. I hung up my sign that I planned to have on the run of the course.  I taped it to the back of the door so I saw it every time I left the room.  And off to bed I went.

Saturday, I opted out of the practice swim (good thing), and I met up with one of my FC Team members for a quick bike ride and gear check and then headed over to the Team FC meeting.  I finally got to meet the rest of my teammates that I’ve been talking to since June on Face book.  It was like I already knew them all, and it was just so good to hang out and talk face to face with everyone, and I even felt like I was part of a family, even with being the lone AZ team member.  After our race review and team photo, I went and checked in my bike, and then headed over to have lunch with more of the Team FC members at Z Taja’s.  I ate a good turkey burger, and then, thru a teammate, found out that the cupcake store had an Ironman cupcake!! SO of course I had to get one of those. Then it was time to go back to the hotel and relax.

I was surprised how the time was flying by. I didn’t expect that. So I was able to relax and watch the Kona Race on the television, and then catch up with some emails and texts. Talked with Nicole and how she loved being a new mom. Had a bit of a headache so I just vegged out at the hotel rather than go out to dinner.  I got the rest of my gear all setup and ready to go for the morning and relaxed. My Ironman Sherpa Stacy got to the hotel later that night and arrived with my pre race meal of Olive Garden.

It was tough falling asleep. I was in a state of focused calm, but nervous and excited. I think I managed three hours?  Note to self, when getting a new phone just days before a big race…learn all the features first. Especially when the Amber Alert goes off full volume next to your ear JUST as you are finally dozing off. Needless to say, I was then wide awake for another ½ hr before I was able to relax. And yes, I shut that feature off just in case it went off again that night. As I finally dozed off, I thought…this time tomorrow night, I will be an Ironman x 2.