Bike intact.. Confidence – not so sure!

Well as Irondad has proved today – sport is always a bit of a gamble.

I’m sure we can come up with a million different examples of the Gods of Luck having a field day  – and no matter how much prep you put into a race.. sometimes.. it’s just not your day.

But of course, as the much-wiser-than-I would argue – the more you prepare, the less variables you have to worry about. I am only guessing that my dad is not losing sleep tonight about his ability to finish the race because of his training preparations. I – on the otherhand – am starting to sweat a bit as I review my training numbers over the past 12+ weeks that I have been ‘seriously’ training. Not that they’re anything to shake a stick at – on any one weekend I was riding 4+ hours, swimming 75+ minutes and running 2+ hours………..plus or minus. But then I remember how long that course actually is. If you haven’t done it before – it’s long. Very. Very. Long. Longer than you think. And if you have done it before – then you realize that its even longer than you probably remember.

Not impossible. Just long. Especially at my speed!

I was out on my last long run on Sunday thinking – this is MY speed. If I can just `settle in` to this speed for 42.2K.. and just keep moving.. it would be a grand success. No desire to push it. If I`m running faster than planned, then I`ll just walk longer on my walk breaks. Then I`ll finish without the visit to the hospital – maybe I`ll be downgraded to the finish-line medical tent… a win-win! But the psychology of knowing that even after 3 hours of running in training.. there would still be more on race day (preceded by a bike and swim).. it starts to make one question their preparations.

So yes – I gambled a bit more than Irondad on training (OK, a lot more).. but it sounds like race-day is going to play-out in an equally exciting way. Now of course – with Irondad`s `jesting`about the bike situation.. I know there`s a plan B.. and C and D. And even if he was on the Walmart special he would still school me. Because it really isn`t all about the bike.

Trust your training, hope for the best, prepare for the worst, but most importantly – enjoy the journey!!