Wave on Wave: 13 days to race day!

Just to prove I am not totally the creakiest skeleton in the wetsuit, I do happen to listen to music that was invented after say, the invention of the microwave oven. Pat Green is a greater rocker and guitar slinger IMO who manages to combine country and rock in a good way (sometimes, artists combine them--or try to--in bad ways. See, for example, Kenny Rogers and "Islands in the Stream"). Wave on Wave is a great jogging song.

Our swim waves were published last week. Like most large triathlons, we start in swim waves 5 minutes apart. The pros go first, and there are some big pros entered in Galveston and I hope some of them show up. I suspect many are training for the first Houston Ironman (TM) in May. Mirinda Carafree, who won the women's division in Kona, is entered. I hope she is not worried that I will pass her on the bike.

Then the age groups get divided up, and my group (old ladies 45+) is the first of the females to go off, after most of the males, at 8:20 a.m. The good news is that this gives me about 20 minutes more for my cutoff times (the cutoff times are based on the start of the last wave group). The bad news is, of course, that a giant battalion of younger and stronger chicks are going to be swimming right up my a$%&* very quickly. I figured at my pace, I have about 400 yards of peace before I will get plowed into by a lot of female rubber. Therefore, I will be sure to try to keep my position a bit outside in order for the Fasties to pass me by on the inside rail, so as to speak. And I am prepared to kick out or flail my arms like a maniac if someone should still try to run me over. I learned the last time to protect my space with my legs and arms. Meow!

Now, I ordered a new wetsuit from Quinta Roo and it arrived 7 days ago in its box. There it has sat for a week. I have not found the time nor the energy to try it on, and yet I knew it needed to happen pretty soon. Trying on a wetsuit, for me, is an experience alarmingly like a tough workout. Although I am not necessarily a Fat Chick, I carry 135 pounds on a 5'5" frame and no one is going to ask me to audition for America's Next Model anytime soon. Cramming those 135 pounds into a vise of rubber is not what I call a Fun Time.

Last night Patient Spouse left for a business trip and since there was no one to watch my antics, and laugh at them, I decided it was time to try on the batsuit. Because the manufacturers are very clear about NOT using bodyglide when you try on a wetsuit if you think you might return it, I had to go without any assistance from chemicals.

I am not going to describe in painful detail how long it took me to wiggle into the thing, or how frustrated I get when I can't find a purchase on my legs to pull up the wrinkles (don't use your fingernails! Righto, and just how am I supposed to get a grip on this tight rubber vise without using my fingers, huh?), and how I wondered if Aussies were all short in leg and long in arm. Finally--FINALLY I got the thing on, except for the back velcro flap which has an extra piece of fabric to tuck in which I simply could not do without assistance, not at 9:30 p.m. at night, anyway. But the dadgummed thing fit perfectly AND it was soooo much more comfortable than my other suit in the neck and shoulders that I was amazed. I can't wait to try it out this weekend on my practice open water swim. I hope it warms up before then, it's 50 degrees right now and that doesn't sound too appetizing for a dip in the lake.

This week and next week are easy weeks as I taper down for the race. I have a short run/walk tonight that I'm looking forward to after my last long brick this past Saturday (90 minute ride and 30 minute run). I am trying to continue to eat well, keep the pounds down (if I lose one more, hoory, but 135 is fine for race day, and I don't want to undereat), keep the hydration up, and get some sleep (as much as I can, anyway). I plan to try and change a fake flat tire one night this week for practice, and over the weekend I will slowly start to assemble my gear. It takes a lot of gear to go 70.3 miles!

It's been a year of training for this event, and I've not regretted one minute of it. Whether I get across the line or not, the journey was the destination. So many hours in the pool, on the bike, on the hoof, and it all comes down to the starting gun in 13 days.

Bring it on!