Time's up...

For those playing along or who haven't been here from the beginning, let's recap...

I signed up in 2019 for an Ironman (a.k.a. Big Hairy Audacious Goal or BHAG) to race in 2020.

Said Ironman was postponed until 2021.

Then said Ironman was cancelled.

While training for said Ironman, I raced a Half Ironman, and Did Not Finish (DNF).

So what to do...sign up for another Half Ironman.

Ok, all caught up. Nice.

Here we are a couple of days before the race--REV3 New England.

I am taking a slightly different approach to this race than others.

First, my family will not be there. The race is only an hour and a half away, and they could in theory, drive over and watch me finish, which would be lovely, but not required, nor expected.

Second, I have to work the day before the race, so I won't be able to pick up my race packet the day before. I'm not too worried about it. I can get it before the race.

Third, I booked myself a hotel room 20 minutes away from the race, and I will be there all by myself the night before. I'm driving from home, I'm not worrying about kids, and dinners, and waking up my husband in the middle of the night. I have a room and bed all to myself!

I can tell I am nervous, because the closer I get to race day, the snippier I get with people. I lose my temper a little easier. Also, I am "tapering" (easing up on the training, which can freak out your body). Plus, I am "old" and have lost "my filter", which can be problematic.

But it also means, I'm ready.

I previewed the bike course last weekend, and it will be hillier than any other Half I have done. But, it isn't any worse than anything I've trained on over the past 15 years since I started riding a bicycle as an adult.

I need to finish packing, the bike is all tuned up, and I feel good.

I have a short run and bike to do, and hopefully swim in the lake the night before the swim.

I can't wait!

The run will be a little boring, looking at the route. It is 2 loops, out and back, so basically seeing the same scenery 4 times. A fellow racer commented that there isn't much shade, busy roads before heading into the neighborhoods, and you can't really see the lake.

Oh well...I'm not there to see the lake. I'm there to complete with 4th Half Ironman distance race.

I am a little nervous. A little about not having my packet ahead of time, but mostly about my nutrition.

Will I cramp up again?

I feel like I've adjusted it, and everything seems to be ok during training, but still you gotta wonder.

Last week, was my last big training week before tapering. And I decided to make it count!

One of my runs was to go do some hills. It was an hour run, and I decided to go hit the big hill in town while B was at karate practice for an hour.

Everyone in town knows of Pinnacle. That's the name of the road.

I decided it was time to tackle the Mountain.

It is not an easy climb, although it does have a flat section about 1/2 way up. It averages almost 5%, with a couple times hitting 15%!

I ran it with no problem. And I didn't even feel like I was pushing myself.

As a friend of mine (who is a coach) said, "That's good coaching."

For the first time, I know truly about pacing, and how it feels to start of slowly, and slowly build so by the end you are running strong and are not so tired, that you can't run. But still hard enough that you finish strong.

Thank you Coach!

Now, I truly know I am ready.

So, in a few hours, I will begin double checking all my gear again, and making sure I have everything I need...even though I still have a couple of days. I have read the Athlete's Guide 3 times, and watched the Athlete Briefing video twice.

I'll probably do it all again one more time, and again the night before the race.

I know what Bib# I am (166), so people can track me, and hopefully we will have good weather to race (aka, no rain).

Deep breaths, meditation, repeat my mantra (you got this!)...

Ready, Set, Go!