Everything is set up. The bike is checked in. The nerves are high. Ironman Timberman 70.3 is finally here and tomorrow, my wave goes off at 8:10 am. My race BIB number is 258 and you can track my progress by going to this link and typing in either my name or race BIB number. Ironman does a really good job with this. It even updates my ranking in my age group as well as overall place. In the bike and run, it tracks my speed and pace.
It's always interesting gearing up for a race when some decent travel time is involved. You never know about traffic, gear hiccups, forgetting items, and anything else that may come up so it's always entertaining in a odd way. Here is how we got to this point in good ole New Hampshire.
Friday
Lindsay and I left right at the target time of 3:30 pm to try and avoid as much traffic as possible.
Theoretically, I thought once we got into New York and off the Garden State Parkway, it would be smooth sailing.
I was wrong...dead wrong.
Can people in Connecticut learn how to drive over the speed limit?
I am convinced that some mythical creature looms around the state and waits until a resident drives 1 MPH over the speed limit. Then, that individual gets thwarted with Helen Keller syndrome. I just don't get it. They all drive exactly speed limit as if their lives truly depend on it.
And my dear lord, merging, yielding, or changing lanes has miraculously turned into Quantum Physics in this state.
As you can probably tell by this fruitless rant, driving in Connecticut was terrible.
Stop and Go
Stop and Go
For a good thirty miles, that what it was.... stop and go.
Besides that, traffic was pretty good.
It also helped that I purchased some new CD's before the trip.
Here is the playlist (In Order Played):
Phantogram--"Voices"
Taking Back Sunday--"Louder Now"
Seiichi Daimo--"In the Between"
Grouplove--"Spreading Rumours"
Taking Back Sunday--"Where You Want to Be"
Foster the People--"Supermodel"
Lindsay hates half the bands played (1) so she just listened to her music on the IPhone when I played those bands.
(1) Don't worry Seiichi, she loves your music.
Nevertheless, after the incompetence of driving in The Constitution State, we ended making good time. It took us five hours and twenty five minutes. According to Google Maps, the trip was planned to last five hours exactly, so not bad considering.
We got to the hotel, ordered delicious nearby sushi and then fell asleep to Bruce Almighty on Comedy Central.
Saturday
I woke up at 6:00 am without the use of an alarm. I am so use to my work schedule that I can barely sleep in anymore. It's pretty frustrating when you're trying to sleep in and just can't, but I got 7 hours of sleep and can't really complain.
So to pass the time and to let Lindsay sleep in, I continued reading "Michael Jordan: The Life" (2).
(2) I am only 1/4 the way through the book and it is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Michael Jordan ripped my heart out continuously when I was a child as a Knicks fan and I always hated him for it. But as I have aged, I have come to greatly respect his competitive desire, determination, and discipline. Actually, Jordan and Lance Armstrong are eerily similar and I have read almost every Lance Armstrong (who am I kidding, I have read them all) piece, including documentaries and interviews, so it would be only fitting to start reading about Jordan.
Lindsay woke up a little past 8:00 and then went for a little run (I am so proud...2.2 miles baby).
When Lindsay got back, something from Dessert Ladies came up and she had to take care of it. It took nearly two hours but the matter was quarrelled.
We drove to the registration center to pick up the race packet at Gunstock Mountain (3) and window shop at the vendors' respective tents. Timberman is the most organized race I have ever done. Registration at a few past events have been a nightmare but the event planners for this race are top notch. It is refreshing to witness. It also helps the relaxation process so you can concentrate on the big task...the race. You are in and out. You get a bunch of free stuff. It is all gravy.
(3) Awesome Ski Resort and Adventure Park. People were literally zip lining over our head. It was intense.
Red Bull is a major sponsor this year, which is huge since that drink is a life saver in big endurance races like this one. I was actually going to buy a few for the race but they gave me ample supply so I am stoked. You have to celebrate the small victories in life.
I tried a new toy called the Computrainer. It's pretty much an advanced indoor bike training system that measures everything and can simulate any race/ride in the world by simply downloading the route to the program. It costs $1600 but is proven to improve your bike time and performance by at least 10%. If not, you can return it. No questions asked. I think Lindsay and I can push back our wedding another year so I can purchase it.
I can't even type that last sentence without laughing.
We left Gunstock and went to Elacoya State Park to check my bike in but first I had to swim for a few lengths, bike a few miles, and run part of the course to get the blood flowing and ready to go for tomorrow. Everything went smoothly and actually met a few people from around the US along the way, which is always a staple at these events since everyone is so nice and polite due to the constant dopamine and endorphin fix we get on a regular basis.
After checking in the bike, Lindsay and I ate in a nice restaurant called The Barley House, then went back to the hotel.
Now, I just have to set up the rest of my gear for tomorrow morning and get some sleep.
I am super excited and nervous in the same breath. It's weird but after 6 years of doing races, I still get the same feeling. Sometimes, it's really hard to get sleep but now I accept that. It's just part of the process. I will probably end up with only 4-5 hours tops but it doesn't matter. When the gun goes off, the adrenaline kicks in and I'm off.
Hopefully, when I write the race report, I have some good news.
I have a feeling I will.
Good night and thanks for reading.
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