Welcome to RACE WEEK - 6 days to go...

I just ran out of Nunn (the electrolite I put in my water), so off to my
local bike shop, "Bike Bling" today for my final pre-race purchase.

I received a "Welcome to Race Week" email from Ironman yesterday.  That was it.  I thought the instant rush of nerves was going to blow me right out of my chair!  I often say that the sport of triathlon has (4) parts... swim, bike, run, mental.  Now the mental is not "you've got to be mental to want to do a race like this"... the mental is the emotional toughness you have to practice, and have ready to call on, for race day.  The confidence that you have properly trained and you can do it.  The inner coach that will tell your legs to keep going after they gave up 10 miles ago.  Repeating your favorite mantra louder and louder when the voice in your head tells you to give up so the pain will stop, your lungs will stop burning, and the spot you have rubbed raw under your arm will stop bleeding.  Mental toughness is a must to get out of bed at 4:45AM (6) days a week to train... to make your body do things that it has never done before... and again the next day... and again the next day... and again the next day.  The mental part of this sport is what the elite athletes give credit to for their success... the difference between those that get it done, and those that stop when they can't push through the pain.

Today is t-minus (6) days until my first half Ironman.  I'm doing my best to turn those feelings of fear and nerves to feelings of excitement and pride... and I'm not going to let this last week... taper week... RACE WEEK... be the hardest part of my training journey.  The work has been done.  It is time to pack my transition bag, do one last check of my bike (who am I kidding... have Jeff do one last check of my bike), and get ready for the party that is coming on Saturday!