Held Together by Screws: Ironman 70.3 Florida: Ironman Village

After a few days in Florida the time had come. The time when as they say, "Shit was about to get real." I had to go to Ironman Village. I had to check-in. I had to seemingly sign my life away, or at least for race day. I had to go to a course talk. And after 2pm I was able to rack my bike. Then basically ... there was no going back. Not a single bit of going back. Well sure, I could have not showed up on race day, but that wasn't an option.

The days leading up to the race I had just short of become obsessed with racing stripes for my hair. I wanted something fun, something to set me apart from the others. Something special for me. And so, I got pink racing stripes the morning before I headed to Ironman Village. Would the other athletes care? Probably not. Would it make me faster? Doubtful. Did I do it for me, for the experience? Absolutely.

As the miles ticked away and I got closer to Ironman Village there was no nerves. I was so dang excited. All I wanted to do was finish the race. I had trained for almost 5 months for the race and I really just wanted to finish. Experience it. And then look back and say "Huh, I did that."*

As soon as my parents and I got to Ironman Village I checked out Lake Eva and what was in store for the 1.2 mile swim in the morning. The weather had been 'cold' by Florida standards, but being from Illinois I was pretty immune to the 'coldness' Florida was experiencing. In fact the water was said to be 74 degrees which by any standard of mine is not cold. Then again I swim in 60 degree Lake Michigan in Chicago, so I digress. The water wasn't as clear as I had read about on line, then again, Lake Michigan.

I went straight to check in. Confident. Brave. Repeating 925 over and over, you know in case I forgot my race number. I checked in. My race band was put on. I was branded. It was official.

I spent some time going around to different vendors looking and killing time before the course talk I needed to attend took place. I wandered aimlessly and a little lost-like for a while. I was truly in awe of everything going on around me. All the people. All sizes, shapes, levels. I was among them.

About 45 minutes prior to course talk I went and got my bike from the car and put my stickers on it so I could rack it in transition before I left for the day. And for record, my dad still had the bike lock key. Cause you know, Ironman Brain.

The OCR all tagged and ready to be racked.

With my bike in hand, or rather with me I went to the course talk. I felt myself getting sunburnt. My fair Illinois skin wasn't quite ready for the Florida sun.** The course talk was informative. They discussed the unique swim shape of the M, the two levels of transition, the bike course, the three loop run course. They explained penalties on the bike if they occurred how they'd go down.

Listening to Course Talk.

My mom photographed me baking in the sun at the course talk.

I felt as informed and ready as I could be, and with that I set the OCR up for it's overnight camping trip in Haines City, Florida and headed out.

While riding back to Orlando, Florida I still wasn't feeling nervous. I played with my Ironman 70.3 bracelet and spun it around my arm. I mentally went over what I saw. What I heard. I thought about what I was going to do the following day. And I was so excited.

That night I laid out all of my belongings one last time. I had to sticker my helmet, pack up my race nutrition, fill my water bottles and freeze them. And try on my swim cap. Yes, try on my swim cap. I needed to make sure it fit and I truly didn't care how ridiculous I looked doing it. And yes, I needed all of that stuff (plus my bike) to race 70.3 miles.