small world

I'm sitting here at SFO waiting for a flight that doesn't leave for a few hours.  Yes, I'm very early.  Jeff dropped me and headed to work, and I had some work to do (it's downloading now, so no I'm not blowing it off) so I figured I'd head to the lounge and hang out.  Easier than taking a shuttle that would stop a million times.

So I thought I'd entertain you with a quick tale......

I'm walking into the terminal and I see a police officer stop at our car and can see he's talking to Jeff.  As I'm in line waiting, I drop Jeff a text to see what's up.  He doesn't respond, but calls me on the cell (hand free, of course) and tells me the story.

Evidently the PO pulled up and sort of blocked Jeff in, and rolls down his window.  He says "Penticton?"  Jeff says, "Yeah, that's where she's heading."  Evidently he had noticed my IM sticker on the back of my car.  And not only had he noticed, but he then asks "Did she lottery in?" because he had seen that it's actually a Kona IM sticker.  And because evidently his hyper-observational powers have already registered the fact that I'm not in shape enough to make it to Kona otherwise?  Maybe true...but still rude.  Then he tells Jeff that he's done Canada, and he even had his chance, about 20 yrs ago, to try his hand at Kona.  He didn't finish, evidently had a huge issue on the swim (no details to relate).  So there rude police officer....I may not be fit enough to qualify, but I'm fit enough to finish Kona.

Okay, I admit....I may be a bit taper-crazy at this point.  The first step to solving the problem is admitting you have one, right?

And with that....my data has downloaded.  I'll get some work done now.  If my taper-fried brain will just focus for a couple hours.  *sigh*  Are we there yet?

t minus 6

6 more days until IM Canada.  So here are 6 things currently in my head in no particular order.

1. Altho I feel ready to go, I've been having not so great dreams about race day.  Missing the swim start, flat tires, etc.  Just all kinds of things going wrong.  Maybe my brain is just trying to plan for anything and everything? Who knows.  But it's freaking me out a little.
2. High temp for race day is currently 82.  I can work with 82.  In fact, that may be the coolest long course race I've done in.....well....actually.....it may be the coolest long course race I've ever done. 
3. I dropped my bike and gear bag off this morning for it's own trip to Canada.  All my stuff is in that bag.  Shoes, wetsuits, nutrition.  I really, really hope it makes it.  No reason to think that it won't right? (see Item #1)
4. I have some time goals for Canada, of course.  But I also put some goals out there that aren't based on time.  There are many things I can work on in my race execution, one of the biggest being what goes on between my ears.  That won't happen overnight, but I'm working on it.
5. I am not entirely packed. I have started making piles of clothes tho.  Boy do I have piles of clothes. I can't possibly need it all, but better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, yes?
6. I think my legs are finally waking up and shaking off some of the IM fatigue that has been beat into them over the past.....months.  Nothing like waiting until the last minute!  But Coach Liz says they're showing up right on schedule, so it's all good.  

6 more days to showtime.  The work is done, now it's time for the party.  An all day party that hopefully ends in a big 'ol PR.  6 more days.

Oh, and Happy B'day to me!  Now give me cake.  Please.

two weeks

And somehow we now arrive at being only 2 weeks...okay, technically 13 days, from Ironman Canada.

On some level...damn, how did that happen?

And on so many other levels....it's about damn time.

The first week of taper is finished.  And although the training time didn't fall off quite as dramatically as I had hoped (or as my motivation to get the workouts done has), a 4 hour ride on Sunday as opposed to 112 or even 115 miles was a piece of cake.  Mmmm......cake.  Sadly, no, my appetite has not shrunk yet in response to the lessened training load.  Going to have to keep an eye on that so I don't pack on the pounds prior to race day.  No more cake.

Today Molly, her husband Jeff, George and I met up for a ride through Niles Canyon and up Calaveras.  I had a rough idea of where we'd go, but changed things up when the morning turned out a bit foggier than I had anticipated.  Not so great for riding out to the bay for a quick loop, but perfect for riding over to the warmer side of the east bay.  I didn't plan the finishing loop so well and wound up shorting Molly out of about 20 minutes of her ride.  She didn't look *too* upset by it tho. :)

Two great things about this ride?  1:  I was the only one who had ridden it before.  Kind of fun to introduce friends to a new route.  And as much as I whine about always riding Niles, also kind of fun to just plan on the fly.   Turn left here, right here, let's do this instead.  Easy peasy.  2:  It's nice to ride a route I haven't ridden in quite a while.  And to see how much easier it seems, relatively.  And if it seemed that easy of a climb on tired, trashed, Ironman trained legs, I must have indeed made some biking progress in the last year.  Nice.

Starting off into the canyon.

Yeah, too bad the route was so hideous.

Calaveras Reservoir....more awful scenery to admire.

Note to self....I need larger tri-friends.  Tiny people just
make me look bigger.

Moi, Molly, George (drafting...AGAIN... ;)

Thanks to Molly, Jeff, and George for all the fun group rides this year!  And of course to Molly for being the official photographer of this blog. ;)  Hopefully we can do some off season riding for fun.  Oh, I kind of remember riding a bike just for fun......

Now....the final week of TAPER.  Next week...race week.  The weather forecast is looking good for race day, she whispered so as not to jinx it.  My head and heart are ready to just get going.  My legs are asking for a few more days to gather strength.  Soon.......

randomness

• Three and a half weeks out from Canada.  So excited.  So freaked out.  So much to do!  The biggest question at the moment....will my last tub of Perform drink mix make it thru this last big bike ride and taper?  Inquiring minds want to know.
• I'm finally getting the hang of my new work situation.  And I have to ask....why didn't I do this sooner?!?!  Oh yeah...change is scary.
• I was *this* close to getting another dog.  And then realized how mad Bam would be.  So, no new dog right now.  Yes, she's spoiled rotten.  Yes, I made her that way.  And it's too late to change things now.
• I had no choice but to (finally) clean my pig stye of a house last weekend. Luckily it was a rest week. 
•  My stepson and three of his friends stopped over for a night on their road trip (hence the house cleaning).  Good kids all.
• Olympics obsession....I've got it.  But I've been pretty good about shutting the TV off at our regular bed time.  Especially since the results have typically been spoiled prior to actually watching.  
• Altho the husband gives me a hard time about looking "like a boy", I'm liking the short hair.  So freakin' easy.  Nothing to tuck into a swim cap.  Nothing hanging in my eyes.  Wash and wear (even more than before). 
• I'm starting to put my Canada race plan on "paper".  Some goals not based on time, like keeping up with nutrition on the bike so I'm set for the run, and also my time goals.  Which are going to be pretty loose, since I have no idea what the course is really like.  Or what the weather will be like.  So many variables.
• 4 days 'till taper!  And really only one more BIG day (Sunday, another century+ ride).  
• I got a protective skin for my new lap top. The one on the bottom is a HUGE Bam face. Awesome.