Race Week!
Well, folks. We’ve finally made it and race week is upon us. At this time next week, the cannon will have gone off in Madison and we’ll be a few minutes into our swim. Monona Terrace will be filled with spectators lining the helix and the upper level. A helicopter may even being doing circles overhead watching how the events of the day are going to unfold. I’m getting all psyched and jittery just thinking about the race start!
I’m still feeling pretty good here. I know that I haven’t posted that much over the past week or two, but life has been rather plain and ordinary here these past few weeks. My taper has had me bouncing off the walls at times, but I’ve been doing what I can to stay occupied without wearing myself out. I feel good an am cautiously confident about the race next Sunday. My body is telling me its ready. I still have that inner conflict of not feeling deserving of the fitness I think I have since I’ve suffered in training less this year than in years prior. But we’ll see. It could be that I’m not as fit as I think I am, and that will certainly be plainly obvious race day if that’s the case!
I think it’s pretty healthy at this stage to doubt. Well, to have doubts so long as you believe. Wil did a great piece on her blog on that subject. If you roll into Ironman with nothing but doubts, eventually those doubts will get the better of you and your mind will give up far before your body will. On the other hand, I’ve known too many athletes rolling into an Ironman with nothing but confidence and buckling once something doesn’t go their way. They have a picture perfect race in their mind and when something doesn’t go quite like they expect it to, their confidence goes out the window because they certainly didn’t plan for this. Some coaches may disagree with my sentiments here, but I think a good combination of nerves and confidence are healthy here so long as there is a good balance of the two. You’ve got to respect the distance. The course has this way of sensing arrogance and it’ll be ready to chew up and spit out those folks that don’t give it its deserved respect.
So… I’m leaving for Madison on Friday morning! I psyched to meet so many of you that I’ve known only virtually for the past few months. It’s going to be great to put faces to names and to hang out with many of you. I’m psyched to see Ironman Village again and to walk through the expo. Heck, even the idea of walking through registration has me all smiles. Life has largely revolved around this one day for the the past few months. Be sure to bask in the Ironman atmosphere and take it all in. It’s going to be a great weekend!