Four days, 19 hours to go, but I'm not counting. Yikes! It's almost here - the most gruelling day of my year - Ironman. Be afraid, be very afraid. I'm feelin' it. It's going to be a great day.
There are 3,011 athletes registered in the race, and 162 of those are women in my age group that I will be competing against to qualify for the world championships. It's actually a good thing that I'm not serious about qualifying, because my odds are low that I'll make it to Hawaii.
I have heard that, despite the forest fires in B.C., the air quality in Penticton is good. That's good news. I hope it stays that way.
I'm leaving for Penticton tomorrow morning. When I arrive, the town will be flooded with athletes and their families, and there will be an excitement in the air that can be cut with a knife. You can't help but be drawn into it. This is how Penticton butters its bread. I'm excited, but excitement quickly turns to nerves and 'Oh my Gawd, Sunday's going to be a long day', but it's a fun day. Oh, sure, you mock my idea of fun, but pain is temporary - pride is forever! I'll be up at 4am on race day to eat breakfast, get to transition and mentally prepare myself for the long day ahead. The race starts at 7 am local time.
More Ironman escapades will come, so stay tuned.
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