Less than 2 weeks to my 1/2 Ironman

I can't believe that the Timberman 1/2 Ironman is less than 2 weeks away. I'm getting very nervous!

I have done all of the training and wish that coach Sharon took tapering 1/2 as seriously as I typically do for a marathon.  Doesn't tapering mean quit working out all together for 3 weeks? Last Saturday, 2 weeks from race day, Sharon had me doing a 50 mile bike ride followed by a 12 mile run!

Week one I was extremely nervous about it.  I was all prepared the night before carefully laying out my Stinger Gels, my other fuel, and water bottles and figuring out how everything would fit nicely into my new pink Bento Box on my bike.  I had my route in my mind focusing on where I would stop to get fresh water and where I would plant my waters for the run afterwards.  It was a grueling workout  of 5+ hours, which I did the entire thing solo,  but I must admit that it gave me the confidence that I needed.

The second week I barely thought about my route and what to put in my Bento Box.  This week I had a fellow Trifurian, Terry Williams, do the ride with me. It was so nice to have someone to talk to and commiserate with. This will be Terry's 6th 1/2 Ironman and is a wealth of great information.  Unfortunately on race day it's completely solo.  Terry has an injury so couldn't do the run with me but she was great to have for the bike ride!

As I guess every triathalete knows, that first mile off the bike and running is truly a killer!  I've found if I hang in there and gut it out for the first mile it gets much better. At mile 5 I felt great and didn't feel like I had already done a 50 mile ride.

Maybe I'm ready after all...