uncertainty

the problem with a big event for me has always been the fear of the unknown. in the first competitions in high school sports i never quite knew what to expect. after the first event things got better, i settled into a pattern and felt much more comfortable for the second race. i thought i knew what to expect for the ironman, now everything is confused.

have i trained enough? or more importantly have i done the right type of training...were my long rides long enough, or too short? did i do enough long runs or was the last one too early? did i do enough bricks? have i done an adequate job of testing my nutrition plan before the race? will my body hold up for an entire marathon after the 8 hours of swimming and biking before? will i be able to eat enough on the bike? will i get the crap kicked out of me during the swim, or will i escape unscathed? will i get to the start line feeling relaxed and ready?

i'm sure the majority of these concerns are born out of uncertainty. after seeing the race, i know it is possible to do. i have a mental image of the swim, transitions, and bike. i have watched video of the run, and seen parts of the course. it can be done. i just hope it can be done in a relatively tolerable fashion and that all of my preparation was adequate.

2 weeks from now i will be somewhere on the bike course, the day will have just begun, let's keep our fingers crossed for good weather and a start just like last year...