6 days to IMAZ

My ear seems to be responding to the drops. It's not getting worse, slightly better actually. So hopefully this will be a non-issue in a couple of days. Beyond that, I am mentally beginning to plan my trip. Read through all the pre-race instructions and athletes guide on the subway on my way home from work. Though not much new information was in there, my stomach is starting to get a bit queasy.

7 days to IMAZ

Ouch, Ouch, my left ear started to hurt really bad yesterday. Almost by the hour it had gotten progressively worse. That's all I needed, a painful ear infection only a week before the big race. I know this will not get better without treatment, only much worse. Rummaging through my bathroom luckily I found some ear drops from about a year ago. A quick check on the label, not expired yet. After a treatment last night they already seem to be working. I am definitely keeping my fingers crossed. Still, Ouch though.

This morning the temperature dropped about 20 degrees here in New York. It is cold and windy. With my messed up ear this is definitely no time to head out on the bike. So, the gym it was instead. 40 minutes in a spin class followed by 25 minutes on the treadmill. I was not really planning on such a little brick workout, but I feel good. Just wanted to do a fairly light workout but still get a bit of intensity in there.

8 days to IMAZ

It is a warm, rainy Saturday here in Park Slope. Last night I went for a nice TNYA swim workout and then walked to the Metropolitan Opera for an evening of cultural bliss. Well, the parts I stayed awake for at least. I have no idea why I felt to dead tired after the swim, but I decided to take the day off today and plan an hour bike ride for tomorrow instead.

While relaxing, I am beginning to fill my head with more and more Ironman war stories, taper advice, race day preparations etc. Reading through all that advice, gets me thinking more and more: I am ready, or at least at ready as I will be. So, I am shutting off this computer now, heading to a coffeehouse and think bout something else.

9 Days to IMAZ

Just another Friday at the office so far. Been busy enough not to think too much about the race, but I am about to head out the door for a swim workout and then directly to the Metropolitan Opera. Definitely looking forward to this evening.

10 days to IMAZ

10 days left before Ironman Arizona. After spending the first part of this week mostly in work meetings and filling up on work dinner, luncheons and a few martinis, last night I got through a 3000+ yeard swim workout without trouble. Today, an hour of running on the treadmill (it was raining today in New York). I am trying to relax as much as I can, reading Ironman blogs and race reports and slowly getting my brain focused on the task at hand.

My bike is off to Arizona

This morning I took my bike to Cadence Cycling in Tribeca and sent it off on its way to Tempe AZ. Guess this means its only days before my very first attempt to become an Ironman. Not quite sure how I feel about all this these days. Clearly I have mixed emotions. Am I prepared? Did I train enough? What if its hot and windy? Blah Blah Blah.

On the other hand, my last few workouts were all pretty solid. While I never rode the full 112 mile distance on the bike, my last few bike rides felt good, at times almost effortless and comfortable. My runs are slowly evolving into a slower but steady trot. For the most part I have been injury free, just a slight harmstring pull. With only twelve days to go, this is not the time to worry about my training or any lack of it. Now it is simply time to taper, to start resting up.

Over the past days, I have feverishly read up on race reports from IMAZ veterans. Most of them left me worried, disturbed as they talked about high winds, excessive heat, horrible conditions. Then I try to calm myself down, arguing in my head that the weather in later November should be ok, much cooler than the traditional April race date.

So, in short this is my state of mind right now. For one minute worried, scared, the next, confident and eager to get the race going. What fun the next 12 days will be.

45 and less than a month to go till IMAZ

OK, just two days ago I turned 45. So, I am officially my age group. I don't know what I feel about this, probaly not much at all. True, when I look in the mirror in the morning I see a man clearly in his middle age, but, nothing wrong with that. Life has been very good to me the last few years, no need to wish back the days of youth and unfocused confusion.

So, 45 and only four weeks away from my biggest physical challenge thus far, my first Ironman. The weather in New York is now colder, a headcold is slowing me down, my bike was in repair for some days, and I am not close to training enough. My regimen seems more in line with preparations for an Olympic distance event. Whenever I tell other triathletes about my training volume, I almost sense pity and fear, for my sake. And still I feel an odd sense of confidence creeping up. Hopefully not unfounded. I will try to make this week count one more time with a few mid distance runs and a long bike ride. Lets hope it'll be enough.