So, let's hop in the time machine, go back 10 days and start this story on Tuesday, July 17th...
Tuesday, July 17th: (Packing)
It's tough to pack for a 1-week vacation...it becomes 10x tougher if you're traveling to participate in a triathlon. I laid out my clothes/gear/nutrition by sport & triple-checked to make sure I had everything. Forgetting necessary gear (i.e. helmet, bike shoes) can be extremely frustrating & expensive.
1. I've got to buy some new clothes for going out socially, as I've lost about 15lbs training for Ironman.(Although, do you really need "social" clothes if you don't have a "social" life??)
2. Approximately 82% of my wardrobe either wicks away sweat or compresses.
Wednesday, July 18th: (Travel to Lake Placid)
My wife Michele & I hit the road around 8:45am & set-off to pick up my friend & training partner: Dan McQuillan. We grabbed Dan, loaded up the Jeep with his gear/bike, and make our way up to Lake Placid.
After two quick stops for lunch & gas, we had arrived in Lake Placid. The house we rented was beautiful and would definitely serve as a good home base for this adventure. After we got settled, the three of us decided to go for an easy bike ride to loosen up the legs. If you haven't been here, I highly recommend it. The town has so much character & energy, & some truly spectacular views.
I woke up all sorts of giddy on Thursday, as I had planned to head up to the Olympic Speed-Skating Oval to check-in for the race. Check-in went smooth: sign waiver confirming I understand there is a chance I will die in this race (gulp), weigh-in (162lbs), pick-up timing chip (please don't malfunction), & grab "swag bag." Getting this backpack was so thrilling (sometimes it's the little things).
After lunch, Dan & I planned to go out for a 1:40 minute bike ride. Things did not go according to plan. Less than 5 minutes into the ride; less than 2 miles away from the house; I crashed on my bike. I had never crashed on a bike before & have always dreaded the day it would happen. I was coming down a steep hill (slow) and was approaching an intersection - there was traffic, so I hit the brakes...my front tire hit a patch of sand and the next thing I knew, I was flying over my handlebars into the street. Complete panic ensued: I began taking a full-body inventory, everything appeared to be working OK (head, arms, legs). Aside from some soreness/road rash on my shoulder & hips, I appeared to be OK. Phew, that could have been bad! But as I mounted my beautiful bike, I knew something was amiss: something was wrong with my derailleur - I wasn't able to shift into my easy gears (something I would definitely need to have a shot at taming this bike course). I had taken so many precautions with both my body & bike prior to the race and this was the thanks I get. THIS WASN'T PART OF THE PLAN! I was worried sick all night and even contemplated driving back home to my bike shop (Fit-Werx, Peabody, MA). Fortunately, Quintana Roo had a booth at the Expo & one of their reps was competent & kind enough to replace my broken components and fix the bike on the spot! Thank you Tres! Order in my universe had officially been restored.
Friday, July 20th: (Last Workout; Athlete Banquet)
After eight months of training, I had finally reached my last scheduled workout before Ironman. All those early morning swim workouts in the winter, all those long rides on Saturdays, all those long runs on Sundays had brought me to this point. I felt strong, rested, and ready to absolutely explode on Sunday. We started off with a light swim in Mirror Lake, which is the cleanest, most beautiful lake I've even been to. I could swim here everyday.
Dan wasn't feeling good, so Michele & I went out for an easy, accident-free bike ride & transition run. I couldn't believe it was my last workout before this day that I had been training so hard for.
After some stretching, foam-rolling, and a shower...we made our way to the Athlete banquet. We had a nice meal, watched some inspirational Ironman videos, and heard from several speakers including the "Voice of Ironman," Mike Reilly.
After dinner, we headed up to the Olympic Ski Jump for a post-banquet VIP event (thanks Timex!) The waters were going down like water, but I still managed to have a good time. The highlight for me was meeting Mike Reilly, I told him: "Mike, at the end of every training run, I've thought about you calling my name at the end of this thing & proclaiming me an Ironman." He said, "well then how about we meet at the finish line Sunday night & make that happen." #chillsonmygoosebumps
Saturday, July 21st: (The Day Before)
Early wake-up for the QT2 Systems Team Breakfast...the event was held at The Crowne Plaza and was sponsored by Kestrel Bicycles. Carbo-load time: pancakes, french toast, eggs, hash browns were stacked on my plate. Essentially the rules for carbo-loading are this: eat a ton of all the foods you normally should avoid.
After breakfast, I met up with my dad who made the trip up for the race. I was super-excited that he came, because it was important for me to have him see me doing what I love to do. He had never been to a triathlon before, so this was going to be a real treat. He helped me organize my gear bags & we brought my bike up for check-in.
I spent the rest of the afternoon eating pretzels, drinking fluids, and watching Kona Ironman videos with my friends & family.
For dinner, Michele made a feast fit for a king: pasta, chicken parm, turkey meatballs, garlic bread, & salad. We all sat around the table enjoying the meal & each other's company. My friend Adrianna from Timex (also making her Ironman debut), joined us and we chatted after dinner about the big day ahead.
I climbed into bed early, but had the feeling that this would not be a very restful night of sleep.
I laid in bed and stared up at the ceiling, thinking about all the planning, hard-work, expense, & sacrifice it had taken to get to this point of the journey. I knew I had done everything I could possibly do to prepare...all that was left was the actual execution.
