What a difference a week makes. When the long-range forecasts started reaching this weekend, things looked bad. Cloudy and showers. I wasn't so concerned with the weather on race day. I train in crappy weather most of the time anyway, but I did want it to be nice for hanging out and relaxing during race week. Given this area hasn't had more than two consecutive days of nice weather since early May, I didn't have my hopes up. Fortunately, the forecasts were wrong. Today it's sunny and mid-70s. Shazam.
So here's how Ironman week usually goes.
You show up on Wednesday or Thursday.
Thursday morning they start having hosted swims. They set up some music and a tent where you can check your backpack or whatever. Usually you start seeing people you know and you go through the standard stuff. How've you been? How are you feeling? Gonna race well? It's a nice way to start the week.
We showed up at the swim this morning at 7:30. A little earlier than I wanted to, but Deb's coach was getting folks together, so she swam with that group. Some of my CpC buddies showed up later and we swam for about 30 minutes.
As I mentioned in my last post, people have been getting all freaked out about the water temperature. Guess what? It's a little chilly. Guess what? You'll live. Honestly, its not that much colder than what we've been swimming in back in Seattle. Hopefully people will stop yammering about it now.
Registration opens at 10 on Thursday, and is open on Friday as well. Today, since we swam so early, we got a bike ride in, then headed down to registration. Registration usually has a pretty long line but today was a snap - not sure why this race had less of a line than the two we did last year. Anyway, in registration, you get your race packet, sign a bunch of waivers, get weighed in, and get your athlete's bracelet. Along with your race packet are all your bags (swim to bike, bike to run, dry clothes, etc.), your bib numbers, and numbers for your bike and helmet.
After registration, you walk around the expo and see the various vendors tents. It's fun to peruse, but it's the same companies at most of the races.
Then you go into the swag tent that has all the outrageously expensive Ironman gear that you tell yourself you're not going to get any of, but you break down and get some anyway. At each race, I like to get a pair of pint glasses - something I'm guaranteed to get use out of. The swag tent is some kind of judgement-suspension zone where you're very tempted to do things you wouldn't do otherwise. I need to build some kind of a business based on emotional purchases.
After that gauntlet, things wind down quickly. I spent some time in the ART tent getting a knot worked out, one that I developed on the drive over yesterday.
My schedule for Friday before the race is free of workouts, and then you're just waiting for Saturday to check your bikes in. And the waiting isn't so bad, especially in this weather.
Come Sunday, if you're so inclined you'll be able to follow results on line at Ironman.com. I've got bib number 501, and Deb's rocking bib 1984.
Hmmm, nap time.