What a strange day. Yesterday I was so calm and, dare I say it, even a tad excited. Today the nerves have kicked in big time. I know I'm not alone. There are about 2300 people walking round Cozumel sporting the thousand mile Ironman stare. Doesn't matter who you are, the nerves get you in the end...with the exception perhaps of Phil at Giles and Sally's hotel who went out on the beers last night?!?!
Today I had to load up my 5 bags of kit and drop off my stuff and bike off at transition and get body marked. It's superbly organised and they're going to look after us, I'm sure so perhaps £300 entry fee is justified after all.
The rest of the day was spent chilling, eating and drinking electrolyte as well as a trip to the supermarket to load up on last minute supplies. Have no idea if I'll sleep tonight. Had a bad night last night having realised I'd forgotten the energy product I've been using all through training but that's how it goes. Just hope the stuff they give out agrees with me. So, am tired and have a belly full of carbs which will hopefully afford me a few hours shuteye before one of the biggest days of my life.
Do I feel ready? Not sure. Do I still want it? More than ever...........
Ok so it's Thurs 25th November. Only 3 more sleeps till the off!
Had a great flight out here. Dora was an absolute superstar and behaved impeccably for all of the 11 hour journey. Pretty tired when we finally got to the condo (which was lush) so crashed, only to wake up again at 2.30 with body clock weirdness going on.
This morning we headed from Playa del Carmen on the mainland to Cozumel on the ferry after a slightly hairy moment when the gang plank was being put away and my bike was still sitting on the quayside!! All was well though and the ferry was typically Mexican complete with 4-piece band knocking out 'La Bamba' numbers!!!!
At Cozumel, the World turned into Ironman City. Hardly a leg hair or body art-free human being to be seen. And the bike porn. Oh my word! Was also nice to see a pro (Emma Kate Lidbury) queuing up at the dock with the rest of the hoi-poloi.
After checking into the hotel, we headed down to registration and I am now sporting my athlete's band. So nice to be wearing it this time not just to get free entry to the pasta party! Bought ridiculous amounts of Ironman Cozumel merchandise as, even though it might be tempting fate, it was going like hotcakes and I don't want to miss out.
Put the bike back together and had my first lesson in using CO2 canisters (no, I'm not joking - my Schwalbe tyres were so awesome and their Continental replacements wanna be too) and had a swim in the sea (clear, warm, lots of fish) and now the waiting game continues. My brother and his wife have now arrived too so that'll be fun.
Have had so many encouraging and tearjerking cards and messages so with the support I'll have on the ground, as well as all those cheering me on at home, I know it will lift me in the bad patches.
The title of this blog is figures for a couple of reasons. 1. This week (Friday) marked the move on the countdown into singles! 2. Ironman budgeting (what budgeting?) went even further out the window (70 quid on tyres? Are you sure?) 3. Not sure it's quite ever the same figure after a baby but went on the scales at the gym this week and was the same weight as I was in the week of my wedding!
This week's been mad. Chris has been working away all week, work's been busy and the big girl has been carrying on the games. My X Factor Saturday night is currently being severely hampered by incessant trips upstairs. She got up at 6.45 this morning, only had a 15 min nap in the car and is still 100% awake. Wish I could transplant her energy levels to take with me round that course next week. Unbelievable. The day she asks for a wetsuit, look out tri circuit!
Not only did I get new tyres but also had bike serviced at the new Sigma shop (lush by the way). Bless Dave, Chris's friend and bike mechanic who used to work at 'our' shop. He wanted to do it personally and he's done a fine job. Took her for my final ride before packing today and she was purring and so sparkly clean.
So, the rest of the weekend is about packing, maybe another swim with Dora (who finally found her love for the water today) and a run with my dear friend, Jo, who I met in my 2nd week at Ranelagh Harriers in 2001 and who is now talking about doing a half ironman next year! We've both had quite a journey in those 9 and a bit years and it's going to be pretty special doing an Ironman on her birthday. Thinking back on my own journey since 2001, I joined a running club as I'd been good at cross country at school and was disgusted that I'd let it all go, become a smoker, drinker and take away eater and had piled on the lbs. That running club led me to health, fitness, triathlon, my husband, daughter and, now, in 8 days' time, one of the ultimate tests of human fitness. Know I've been pretty (too) philosophical in the last few posts but this is suddenly a big deal. Just wish I'd tallied all the miles I've swam, biked and run in the lead-up to this event as I'm sure it would give me confidence. All I know is, I only got my bike speedo in August and have ridden 1137 miles since then which I'm pretty pleased about considering I'll never call myself a cyclist.
Right, off to watch Wagner. Can't help thinking he'll be knocking about when we get back from Mexico. Groan.
Thought I'd update this while I play the Supernanny game AGAIN before I can get on the turbo. Somewhere in my infinite wisdom, I thought moving Dora to a junior bed in the lead-up to Ironman would be a sound idea. Big mistake. Aside from probably the first night some 5 weeks ago, she's been in and out more times than a fiddler's elbow. This has meant many a late start on the turbo and tonight is no exception. The key, Supernanny tells me, is to keep putting them back with no conversation and no eye contact until they get the message. But our daughter's a determined little thing (can't think where she gets it from). Anyway, so as relaxing and light-touch as I'd hoped and longed for the taper to be, really it hasn't at all. Firstly, the number of hours haven't reduced that significantly and, secondly, there was no chapter in Don Fink about important milestones in your child's life!!!! There was one exception and that was last Saturday's run. Dropping 3 to 2 hours made it suddenly seem like a breeze. Loved it and had a good pace going all the way round.
Breaking off for an hour. Don't like to speak too soon but I think I may have to concede that Supernanny is onto to something! 8.30. It's a record!!!!
Back again. Great session tonight. Really enjoyed it even though I thought I might not. So, back to tapering and pre-race update. It's certainly been a case of ups and downs this last week:
Ups (in no particular order): * my brother hand-delivering my Blueseventy WTC-legal swimskin during his whistlestop visit to the UK. They are so rare you can only buy them in the US at the moment. * trying out said skin in the pool during the 'family swim' hour at Virgin on Friday. Cut through those little cherubs with no lane discipline like a barracuda! * dear Liz looking after Dora at short notice so I could do the above * tri club awards dinner. Lots of fun with the Kingfishers and even won one of their comedy awards which made me feel really welcome * spending Saturday night with Alice and Paul talking about Ironman and lots of other lovely stuff. Paul also lent me his lush Evoc bike box so will endeavour to guard it with my life and Alice gave me a lovely good luck card with the words from a stamp I bought her in Austria after her race stamped inside. They're in German but translate as "no road is long with a friend at your side". I will be taking lots of people with me in my head next Sunday and Team Austria is no exception. * finally, a real highlight was a turbo session I did whilst Dora was watching 'Waybuloo'. Not ideal for either of us but it was literally the only opportunity to get a session in. Halfway through, Dora leaves Lau Lau, Yo Jo Jo and the rest and starts coaching me!! "faster, faster" she kept saying and then "ironman". Bless her! Not sure if this link will work but I recorded her
Downs: * reading too many Ironman Cozumel race reports and ending up in tears. Though all have had happy endings, they have all sounded brutal and unenjoyable and a far cry from the European ones I'm used to. The wind, which I knew about, sounds pretty bad but the humidity and swarms of mosquitoes and "bodies by the side of the road" (no, there was no further explanation?!) do not excite me in the least and far too many of the people were doing 6-hour run splits. * being a moody cow and horrible to my husband * finding or imagining niggles all over my body (tonight is my right foot) * negative head space and inner demons telling me I haven't done enough training and I don't deserve to be on that start line.
Good to get that all off my chest and Alice summed it up today by telling me not to worry and to remember that it's all supposed to be fun!!!! So from now on, it's looking forward with excitement. Aside from anything else, in a week's time, we're leaving foggy, chilly, gloomy UK to head to the Caribbean. That's worth getting excited about!!
On my rest day at the beginning of Week 28 and, therefore, Day 1 of the taper, I've been mulling over the training programme and have even dug out the Don Fink training book to go back over how things have been. With 3 weeks to go, Ironman never leaves my waking (or sleeping) thoughts and I'm swaying between being overcome with excitement and a desire to just get on with it and the other waves of sickness that wash around in my tummy every time I think about the task ahead.
I doubt anyone ever goes into a race feeling the preparation has been perfect. The one thing I can say is that I've been consistent and committed to what my training programme says week in, week out, with the slight exception of the swim which has been harder with all the lakes shut. Swimming 3500m in a pool on a regular basis, especially when your pool is an 18m one, is not exactly motivation fodder. But, otherwise I have generally felt pleased with what I've done. So, in my last peak week of the plan, I was gutted to not do a really long ride. It happened for reasons beyond my control and even though I know that 'life happens', it's thrown me into a bit of a spin about whether it's that that's going to make or break my race. Of course it isn't. 1 session out of 15 months is not end of the world and the day after a 3-hour run but I can't help now feeling I don't deserve the taper. What can I say - I'm too hard on myself about everything I do and Ironman was certainly never going to change that.
But, having got that off my chest, the next 3 weeks are now about looking forward, making plans, lists, sleeping, eating and hydrating well and keeping the fitness ticking over and sharp while also not risking any last-minute mishaps. I very nearly broke that rule on day 1 tonight by being tempted to swim but then I realised that I've not skipped a rest day all this time so why start now when I'm supposed to be easing back?! So, have a tummy full of fajitas (launching the Mexican theme), am serving myself a deadline of finishing this before 9.30 and then I'm off to rub Badger Balm on the temples and sleep before training early doors. Despite the taper, I still have to do 12 hours 45 this week so it's no picnic!
Before I sign off, wanted just to capture some stuff from Don Fink (loving re-reading all the motivational stuff in there) and his 4 phases of why Ironman?: 1. Non-belief and the first thought when you see IM on TV or learn the exact distances (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and a marathon back to back and within 17 hours) and you say "that's impossible". 2. Realisation when you see individual athletes and their heroic struggles to the finish and their sense of pride and accomplishment. Suddenly the impossible starts to become possible. 3. Curiosity. You start asking questions - why do people do this? What motivates them? How do they do it? How do they train? 4. The Dream. You start to ask yourself the question - I wonder if I could ever do it? I wonder if I could ever be an Ironman?
Once you ask yourself question 4, you are beyond the point of no return!
I know there are lots of variables on an Ironman - mechanical breakdown, brutal weather, nutrition mistakes, stomach rebellion to name but a few and I was gutted to hear about a Brit who pulled out of Ironman Florida last weekend due to unforeseen pelvic pain - but all I can do now is wait and hope that Lady Luck smiles on me a bit.
Right, have missed my 9.30 deadline. Eek! Goodnight!
Why did I decide to do the long ride on Sunday again? Saturday was beautiful and don't mind running in the rain and Sunday just lashed down all day. Debated whether to do long turbo but decided to suck it in and went out with the club. Started well, with one of the group getting a flat before we'd gone a mile. Then it chucked it down so much that I was in a world of pain as was getting grit in my contacts from all the backwash of the wheel in front. Anyhow, did a couple of hours with them and then pressed on on my own. Was supposed to do 5.5 hours but had to get back as my lovely friend, Liz, had Dora and had also looked after her the day before so with the puncture delay and everything, time was getting on. Did 70 miles in the end which ain't bad. Spent a lot of time calculating whether the bike cut-off is in my reach (as always) and hopefully it is - just! Got home and looked in the mirror and my face was literally caked in mud. Attractive.
Good weekend all told and am so lucky to have Liz, John and Cordelia (and Dennis the dog) to help me out. Chris was walking up Snowdon and so they massively came to my rescue.
Still not doing enough swimming but plan to rectify that in the next couple of weeks, starting in a few minutes.
I'm a mum of a little girl with a full-time job. In July 2009, I signed up for Ironman Austria 2010 in order to fulfil a long-term ambition. That didn't happen due to a bike accident 8 weeks from race day. But, on 28 November 2010, I made my dream happen at Ironman Cozumel. Without question, one of the best days of my life.
