Thoughts on Race Eve

I'm sitting back in the hotel while the family is over at the Magic Kingdom having dinner. I'd planned to go with them, but today's pre race activities were WAY more involved than I ever could have imagined they would be, and I opted to lay low and hang back in the room getting things squared away for tomorrow.

I like to make lists when it comes to packing things up for anything. Every trip I take starts with a list of what to pack. Races definitely have lists on what to bring. I guess in my mind, it removes stress on race morning. This race has had 3 lists due to how complex an undertaking it is. So with all of this preparation, you might find it shocking that with 12 hours until I'll depart for the race site, I still have no idea how I'm going to get there.

The beauty of Disney is that you don't need your own transportation. Buses, shuttles, monorails, water taxis, etc. But no transportation to the race site. The concierge looked at me cross eyed when I asked how I was supposed to get to the race. You'd think they'd know, there are only ~2500 of us in this thing.

I guess I'm going to try to take a taxi. Hopefully I'm not waiting long for it.

The race site was a flipping zoo. This is my first NAS run race, and I've got to tell you, I miss the personal touches and family focus of Keith Jordan's Endorfun sports races. This thing is a freaking money making machine, and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't apparent that that was the top priority. I stood in line for 20 minutes to buy a visor, and they had 4 cash registers running full tilt.

I still have no idea if they think the swim will be wetsuit legal or not, but I didn't even bring mine, so it doesn't impact my list. I just wondered whether the other guys in my wave would have them.

The race starts at 6:20am, but I'm in the very last wave, and start at 7:24am. Plenty of time to let it heat up on the run, and based on my last 70.3 in Austin when I was one of the last waves, it means I'll have to swim over about 500 slower athletes and probably ride by another 1000-1200. It will be like riding in the MS 150, passing people pretty much every 7-9 seconds. It makes it very dangerous.

My bike made it to Florida with no set backs. I got it all squared away, took it for a short spin and it is now racked and getting rained on every now and then with the Florida afternoon showers. Awesome!

So let me gripe a little more about transition. It isn't an ideal spot. Long and narrow, and wouldn't you know, my bike is about as far as you could be from the swim entrance and the bike exit. I couldn't even see the water from where I left my bike, and from my best guess, I'll have to run a little over a qtr mile from the water to my bike, then I get to turn around and run about 200 yards with my bike to get out of transition, and another 200 yards or so when I get back in. The good news, I only have about 15 yards to get to the run exit, but who cares, I'll have running shoes on and no bike with me. I expect my S/B transition to take at least 7-10 minutes, and I promise, I'll be moving to keep it from being longer.

The other thing that has me pretty concerned is the heat. When you're in the sun, it is brutal. It seems worst in the mornings when the humidity seems to be highest. I definitely haven't adjusted yet, as I pretty much start sweating profusely the moment I get in the sun, even when standing still. I'm going to have to focus on staying hydrated, settle for a couple of porto-john stops, and perhaps a pee break on the bike just to be sure I'm topping off before the run starts.

I'm trying to pick up a positive before I end this post... Still thinking...Hmm. Maybe this. The run appears to be partially on paved trails through a tall pine forest. Maybe there will be some shade?

After this race, I'm going to enjoy the rest of my Disney vacation with my family. I'm already making lists of what I'm going to eat/drink. We're having dinner tomorrow night at a brew house, so I hope to put down 3-4 pale ales, have some ice cream, a bloody marry on Monday morning. I'm taking a few weeks off after this race, at least 1-2 with zero training, and I'm really looking forward to it.

But first, I'm going to take myself to school tomorrow and teach myself a little more about my limits, my thoughts at dark moments, and how I handle extreme discomfort, all for extreme adulation. And to cross another milestone off of my life to-do list.