final countdown

After all my triathlon talk, the time has finally come. I'm in week 16 of my 16-week training plan. On Sunday I'm going to put the swim bike run all together in my first triathlon. And not just any triathlon, but a half ironman. (Well, 70.3 miles which is the half ironman distance but it won't actually be an Ironman race.) I made "America's Toughest Road Marathon" my first marathon so I thought why not make a half iron my first triathlon?

Saturday was my last long ride. I was in Richmond hanging out with family but drove 35 miles away that morning to Montpelier, then rode 47 miles which included a few views of Lake Anna.

After the ride I immediately ran for fifteen minutes, and then I rushed back to the house in Richmond to get cleaned up and go to lunch with Grandpa.

Sunday I got up early again and headed out for a fourteen-mile run. That was followed by 2400 meters in the pool. Then once again it was time to rush back to go to lunch with Grandpa. Later that afternoon I returned to Charlottesville and met up with a friend to go practice open water swimming at Walnut Creek Park. I practiced sighting, and then I tried on his wetsuit, which I'm going to borrow for my race (assuming wetsuits are allowed, which is determined the day of the race based on the water temp).

I still have a few more workouts before Sunday, but the bulk of the work is done. I'm nervous about how the race is going to go though.

For one, I'm not fast in the water. And I'm used to getting an extra breath or two every 25 meters in the pool. My biggest fear for my race is not swimming the 1.2 miles fast enough and getting cut off from continuing the race. I'll be in the last wave, and I'll have 1:10 to complete the swim. I should be fine, and am estimating I'll do it between 45 minutes and an hour, but we're also swimming up stream and it could be choppy. I could also be bad at sighting and waste time weaving around. We'll see. Eek.

For two, I haven't been as good about eating during my workouts as I should. I eat the GUs and chews and stuff, just not enough. I will need to eat on the bike a lot. This will be especially important because I have to have enough fuel left for the run.

For three, running a half marathon is one thing, but running a half marathon after swimming 1.2 miles and biking 56 is another. I've followed a training plan, but the most it ever had me run right off the bike was twenty minutes. I don't really know how running two hours (and likely more) will go. Not completing the swim in time may be my biggest fear, but I think how the run will go is my biggest mystery.

Wish me luck.