Tuesday 1 November 2011

Bike Panic/Florida Training

It’s Tuesday at 5:30am and I’m in the land of jetlag, by 9pm last night I needed matchsticks to hold me eyes open but now I’m WIDE awake. It’s not a worry though, I’ll need to be up earlier than this on Saturday, so if I can wake up fresh it’s a bonus. Not sure how I’ll feel about trying to get down to the Finish Line for the last hour though if I haven’t levelled out by then.

We’re all settled in the apartment at the same place we’ve stopped every year. It’s nice and tidy, but as always there are a few issues. I’m sure for example that an apartment that sleeps 6 people should have more than 2 knives!!!

The first day in PCB started well (other than a bit of an aching back). Of course we woke up stupidly early so I headed out of the door while it wasn’t too hot for a 4.5mile run. The run was great but I was still sweating like stuffed pig at the end of it even though the sun had hardly risen……… then the fun started.
It was time to build up my bike!!
First up I had to open my bike box up (it was half open after customs didn’t shut it properly) to find a nice chip/gouge out of my bike frame. Nothing structural (I don’t think) but damn annoying all the same. Then I started putting it all together, bit by bit it went together and then suddenly “AAAAAAAAARGH!!!!!” came the shout along with lots of swearing. Shelly came running in asking what was up, “I’m screwed, in deep shit” was the response. “My seatpost clamp is sitting on the dining table at home and it’s unique to my bike. Without it there’s no bike!!!”
For 15mins everything went mental. Shelly went into organisational overdrive trying to figure out how we could get this little wedge across the Atlantic while I tried to work out how the hell I could afford to hire a Cervelo from the Ironman Village. We called the neighbours, they went round our house and then we called them at our house. I tried to explain what they were looking for and they tried to find it………………… Then a lightbulb went off in my head, I looked in my bento box and THERE IT WAS, tucked away where I’d put it – safely where it “couldn’t get lost”.
I looked like an idiot, but the panic was over and I could finally finish putting my bike together. 15-20mins of panic, panic and more PANIC was over. Phew!! The rest of the day was spent walking around shops while my heart rate and blood pressure slowly came back down to earth after the mornings shock.

Today (Tuesday) started with a repeat of Mondays 4.75mile run, but at a steadier pace. The triathletes are starting to arrive as on Monday I saw nobody out running, today I saw 6 other runners only one of whom had the race week ego on him not to return my greeting. Then after a quick trip into town I went out with Shelly so that I could ride the far end of the new bike course. It was a tough ride, much tougher than I expected. There are some real good drags out there and there was a good breeze blowing which made the early sections feel real tough although of course it also helped the return sections fly by as I chased along trying to get my average speed up to something nearer what I’d like it to be on race day. If I have to work that hard on race day I’ll be in trouble when I’ve got to run after it.
Once the bike ride was over I changed and we popped into Pier Park for a walk around the shops and to people watch as people walked around there in bike gear, run gear and of course compression gear. For some reason I still can’t see myself like that, a race tee-shirt is about as much as I can muster the courage to wear.

Tomorrow it’ll all kick off in earnest. Race Village opens, registration opens and I fully expect the hoards will come to town. I’ll be shaved/waxed bodies and 4% body fat everywhere. How on earth are they all going to cope when this hairy 40 something with his muffin top kicks all their butts??? (Ok, I’m joking :-D).

2 comments:

Paintedrunner said...

Enjoy these next few days Iain then go kick butt xxx

Anonymous said...

You WILL kick there butts :)