Ok, i've just had chance to get on here to update my blog. Well I am now an official Ironman but If I can risk not boring you to death I'll come to the race a bit later. I think it's important for me to be able to look back at the few days lead up to the race.
At Stanstead airport Tucker, Al, Malc and myself met up with 2 more (athletes)lads who lived not far from us. Andy, a member of Barracuda Tri was, like Tucker and I, doing his first Ironman. Tony from Grimsby Tri was like Malc and Al had a few Ironman events under his belt. Both lads had races and friends in common with us all so our quartet became a sextet, or whatever it's called but basically our gang became 6 for the remainder of the trip.
As boring as it was now becoming we all ordered pasta from the airport restaurant. This was our last meal until 23:00 that night when we all had to go a bit naughty and have pizzas as that's all they were serving.
The complex was superb it was very much Center Parcs(but real) with villas in the forests and a huge lake. We headed into Klagenfurt early Friday morning for the expo and to soak up the Ironman village atmosphere. There were thousands of the fittest people I had ever seen, on the best bikes I'd ever seen, wearing all the best gear I'd ever seen. The village was buzzing, everyone buying gear they'd forgotton (or like Al had confiscated at the airport) in a last minute panic.
What was most noticeable was the stifling heat of 30 degrees. We soon dived into the most scenic lake I'd ever seen and cooled off whilst trying to imagine the route we'll have to take.
The Friday night was pasta party time. I've attended one of these before at the Great North Run and it was a pretty drab affair offering a small bowl of raviolli. This was nothing of the sort. We were introduced to the pros and a procession of all 50 odd countries participating. Gymnasts put on a display as we tucked into bowls upon bowls of pasta. Just the job, the only downside was the free beer teasing us as partners of the athletes took advantage of the small beer queues.
The Saturday saw us go for a steady ride whilst checking out our bikes after assembling them from their boxes. A bus trip also took us for a lap around the bike course which turned out to be a wasted couple of hours as the driver went the wrong way missing out the big climbs which was the only reason we'd decided to go!!
More pasta that night before setting the alarm clock for 04:00 for the big day. Pre race nerves and trying to imagine the race meant I didn't get to sleep until 01:00-ish but I'd expected this. That's it then, the big day awaits after almost a year's worth of training and preparation...bring it on.
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