Base Camp!
Look closely, you can see the grid roller came along for the weekend.
Don't leave home without it!
I arrived early on Friday, in fact even before the beach opened so I opted to get the Bike, Run out of the way.
Then on to the river to check out the swim.
Later, to the campground to set up and quick trip into Santa Rosa to get a couple more bike tubes.
That was the excitement of Friday.
With all that had been going on in my life lately, spending the evening just hanging around the tent and relaxing was great. I didn't even start a campfire.
Saturday was packet pickup and T2 setup, but first I wanted to drive the bike course.
It was in the high 50's when I woke up. Quickly I realized that I had not planned for weather this cold.
I know,
"this cold",
apparently I've lived in Vegas far too long that I think 58 degrees is cold.
The scenery was beautiful and the marine layer burnt off early.
I miss seeing greenery!
I was not impressed by the roadways. In many spots it was less than idealic. In other places, it's flat and perfect. Chalk hill doesn't scare me. It's no worse than the climb at Pumpkinman in Boulder City, and definately shorter. I do realize I will need to be more cautious than I planned on the bike.
Packet pickup and Expo next on the agenda.
Just had to buy the Cool Bike Jersey,
T-shirt, and Visor.
But couldn't find the one thing I really wanted, a 70.3 sticker for when I finished.
Back to the tent to relax, but that's when the nerves really hit.
I packed and repacked my gear for morning, made all my water/nutrition bottles, and even set up a wake up transition area in the tent.
Really,
who takes pictures of their water bottles sitting in the cooler ???
And NO, I was not planning on eating all 4 of those bagels prerace!
Finally I decide to just crawl in the sleeping bag and rest, sleep if I can, but rest and try to relax.
I ponder my "Windmills" and realize how far outside my comfort zone this whole journey has been
Finish in 6 hours and 30 minutes.
I think, for some reason, it will be a 6:37 finish.
If I take my times from the Olympic distance race in April and extrapolate (that's just the coolest word) them into a 70.3, my finish will be right around 7 hrs 30 minutes.
Tomorrow, I plan to double the bike distance (plus 8 miles), double the run distance, and add a little to the swim, and drop just under an hour off that "extrapolated" time.
I call my Mom, text my coach, who is competing in Racine 70.3 tomorrow, wish him luck, turn on some music, and kick back.
Oh crap...don't forget to set the alarm.
I drift off, thinking.....
The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark. --Michelangelo
