Ironman 70.3 World Championships

Reporting here from Las Vegas...Green Valley Ranch Resort- I can feel the base blasting from the pool in my hotel room.  Clearly not everyone here is racing tomorrow....

Race is actually in Henderson, just outside of LV proper.  This is the Kona for the 70.3 (or 1/2 Ironman for my normal friends)  Same deal..you have to qualify and the race is a big deal just 1/2 the distance.... and well you swim in a murky lake vs the beautiful pacific ocean, but I digress...

Super excited to be here- have qualified in years past but never "punched my ticket" so to speak as the race as been in Clearwater FL in November.  1- I strongly dislike FL, yes the whole state.  2- Nov is just too late ( I want my season to be done by then) 3- if I was fortunate enough to race in Kona, that is enough. 

Ironman made a big move and the race is now in Vegas- hot and hilly and early!  Some say perfect tune up for Kona others say bad idea.  Some of my friends racing Kona passed on Vegas as they want to focus on Kona prep....I decided to go for it.  When you have 2 races so close you have to pick A race and B race. For me...Kona is my A and Vegas my B.

What does that mean....I am a bit tired, did not taper much (rest for those normal peeps again) so I will not be as fresh as usual for a big race.   Why is that...tapering allows the body to freshen up and get ready to race, but one also loses fitness, which is great if you are racing and then taking a few weeks off. But to be ready to race Kona, a full Ironman in 4 weeks, I needed to keep training. 

So...we shall see. Is there ever the perfect race prep? not sure..... My worries 1- will my foot hold up? 2- Did I rest enough to lay down a good race 3- Will I survive the heat?  All will be told in less 24 hours...

I am excited.  The venue is great, the course challenging - which I like, and so many of my triathlon friends are here.  It is so fun to see so many familiar faces all over the hotel, at the race site etc.  It makes me realize how many special people I have met over the years and how comforting it is to see them all, know they are nervous and a bit anxious as well.   With a 70.3 we start in waves, vs all 2000 people at once as in an Ironman, so we will be spread out a bit.  

The bonus for me is I am the 1st wave after the Pro's.  Big, big deal...why? 1- I will have open water to swim in. 2- Will be cooler...thank you race director for letting the old ladies go off first and 3- so fun so see everyone out on the course.  The course has an out and back on the bike so will be great to see where everyone is. The run course is all out and backs so I suspect a lot of high 5's and good on ya's throughout the day as well are all running up or down the hills.  Not a lot of flat on the bike or run course.

In honor of the race I added a bit of color..... yes I died my bangs purple.  It's all fun....and will be gone in 4-6 weeks...

So my bike is checked in and my bags are dropped off.  Fridge is stocked from Whole Foods...T-1 to race day means okay to eat simple carbs....a treat I do not often enjoy anymore.  So I am getting my fill of Amy's Parmesan pita chips, spinach and artichoke hummus, grapes (had to cut myself off) and a bit of black licorice.  Staying off my feat and thoroughly enjoying the monster suite thanks to Green Valley Ranch, working in the hospitality business, does have it's perks at times. 

Considering I don't own a TV at home and rarely lay around.. this is heaven.  Flat screen, surround sound and eating in bed!!! See Ironman is really not that hard.

Always have a mantra for a race....why? Not if, but when it gets hard, you need one to fall back on.  Mine for tomorrow... "thank god this is not a full Ironman"  and for the more positive mantra " at least I CAN do this, make the most of it"   I am fortunate to have my health and wits (well many not my wits)....

Time to rest.....my fingers are cramping and I need them fresh to buckle my helmet on the fly tomorrow

Family....where is my family?  John hates Vegas and the heat - enough said there.  No husband far outweighs a cranky one.  JD taking ACT and Riley shopping for Homecoming dress.  I have my triathlon family out here.... Ian (bless him) is Noko and my sherpa and he has been awesome!   So many SD friends are racing and cheering... I wil be just fine!