Bike -O-Rama

Coach T Calls is Big Bike, but he also says every coach has their trademark names. He can call it Big Bike and I shall call it Bike -o- Rama. Either way you look it is a big week of cycling 'round here. That's like handing me a great big piece of chocolate cake :-) With a lot of frosting.

I spent Monday in Buffalo as Jim Costello combed through the bike with a fine tooth comb. And cleaned the old gels off of it :-) While Jim was hard at work Luc and I were at the Zoo! But upon my return my Garuda (just a little name we came up with for the bike when I got it last year) was clean, tuned and ready. Race wheels were on and my heart skipped a beat.

I like to do this kind of final tune up a few weeks before a big race like an IM, because then it gives me some "wear time". I can put new cables to the test, and add a few miles. I never ride brand new equipment on race day. It's like breaking in a new pair of shoes. Speaking of shoes, running shoe replacement day is today.

Before I head into the Hospice 10 miler on Saturday I will have ridden about 15 hours. With normal swim and run frequency as well, the goal at Hospice is pace. 7:50-8:00 miles no slower and no faster. The course is flat and the weather should be chilly, but I am ready.

These final 2 weeks of big preparation will go fast and I am feeling very excited to be at Ironman Florida. I was asked yesterday if I get nervous before races, do I sleep? Do I toss and turn?

Believe it or not.... I do not get nervous before races. That is the god's honest truth.

I credit my yoga practice for that. I lay in bed, find my breath, and I visualize the race as I fall asleep. I even take myself through flat tires, etc. I have been able to sleep very well before an Ironman.

If you think about it, what is to be nervous about before an Ironman? It's too long a day to waste energy bringing up your heart rate the night before. I use that time to sleep, there will be plenty of heart raising the next day.

What I do feel though is an awesome calm excitement. Especially before an Ironman. Especially Ironman morning. People often ask me how I am smiling race morning. I remind them that we worked long and hard for this. Ironman Day is the party.

So as we sit here in Bike-o- Rama week, you can bet that fall will finally arrive, I will ride through Bristol and see the colors of the leaves. I will find that place in my head and in my body that allows me to only be present to the task at hand.

And I shall relish every moment.

:-) mary