It’s 9.30 p.m. on Saturday night and I’m in a resort room writing down something that this involves thoughts.
The second has arrived. I’m in Klagenfurt prepared for tomorrow’s race! I’ve left my bike and baggage within the altering zone after checking every little thing was in good order. My vitality bars and gels are the place they’re presupposed to be, my garments, chip and skinsuit are resting on the again of a chair, in order that when the alarm goes off at 3.50 a.m. tomorrow morning I do know I can’t overlook something! The whole lot is prepared… however what about me?
A lot of individuals have requested me the identical query over the previous couple of days: “How are you feeling?”. And I’ve mentioned the identical factor to everyone: “Good, I feel!”. However the final month – the time when you ought to be taking it straightforward and beginning to get pleasure from your bodily health as you start to lighten your coaching as a part of your pre-race taper, when you ought to be shaking with pleasure as you prepare to depart for the race – has been one of many worst intervals in my total life.
Initially of June, proper in the midst of the final two weeks of heavy coaching for the race, my dad and mom had a foul accident on a scooter and my father needed to bear surgical procedure, which saved him in hospital for over 20 days! It was a really hectic and worrying interval and, though I attempted to maintain to my coaching plan, I didn’t actually give the race a lot thought, since my thoughts was on extra critical issues! I used to be anxious and actually anxious.
As if that was not sufficient, the resort booked eight months in the past determined to make issues much more hectic! I occurred to name the resort a number of days earlier than setting off to ask whether or not I may keep an additional night time and… shock shock, my reserving had been cancelled by mistake and there have been no extra rooms obtainable! HELP!!!!! Inform me you might be joking! Discovering a vacant room in Klagenfurt per week earlier than the Ironman is nearly inconceivable! However then, happily, the resort supervisor discovered me elsewhere to remain in a a lot nicer resort proper within the metropolis centre, so ultimately I used to be fortunate! And eventually issues began to go my approach!
My dad and mom lastly got here dwelling a number of days earlier than I set off and my dad began to really feel a lot better. After that I felt a bit extra “relaxed” ……. or relatively I started to fret in regards to the race and nothing else!
I nonetheless had so many issues to do and I didn’t know the place to start! To begin with, I needed to take my bike to the mechanics and get it checked out to verify every little thing was in working order. Then I had to purchase these previous couple of necessities for the journey and pack my suitcase ensuring I didn’t overlook something! I couldn’t wait to set off, as a result of it was as if all the burden of every little thing dangerous that had occurred not too long ago was being lifted off my shoulders! And that’s precisely the way it felt! I actually crashed out and slept for nearly all the journey, which isn’t like me in any respect!
The very best second was Thursday afternoon after I went to choose up my race pack. Going again to the Expo and wandering across the numerous stands, shopping for devices and mixing with the opposite athletes, having fun with the adrenaline, rigidity and nice vibe within the air, made me overlook about all of the dangerous ideas I had had not too long ago and gave me the increase I’ll want tomorrow if my nice dream is to come back true!
However my happiness was short-lived. After selecting up my begin quantity, I learn what number of slots can be up for grabs for participating within the Ironman in Kona.
Dangerous luck appears to be following me! I came upon that there would solely be one slot for every of the ladies’s classes. Simply ONE, for the winner solely! In earlier years there had all the time been a minimum of two, all the time! And that solely meant one factor: I should come first or bid farewell to Hawaii. Will probably be actually, actually robust this time. Virtually inconceivable. However I’m right here now and I’ve skilled exhausting for nearly 9 months for this race and I’m actually not going to really feel sorry for myself, I’m going to push myself to my very limits and do every little thing I can to attain my aim!
It feels unusual this time. Totally different from different races. Bodily I’ve skilled more durable than ever; however mentally it’s totally different. I really feel much less assured, a bit drained and scared, and with plenty of query marks in my thoughts….. one above all others: “How a lot do you really need it?” I’ve requested myself that so many instances and I nonetheless have no idea the reply.
However now it’s too late to be eager about all that and I need to get to mattress or I’ll get up late for tomorrow’s race!
All I do know is that typically life is filled with a lot pleasure and emotion that we can not actually soak up and course of every little thing on the identical time, so the one factor we are able to do is cease and take a look at what’s going on. Destiny, God or no matter else is up there above us will resolve how issues prove.
And that’s simply the way in which it’s. So, with out eager about it an excessive amount of…… let’s simply see what occurs.
