Gulp.

Well, tomorrow is it.  The day I have been training for since March ... and really, since I started this long journey that is triathlon. Tomorrow is my half ironman distance triathlon -- the Quakerman Half in Quakertown, PA.  It's the first time I have attempted this distance: 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike (actually, Quakerman has a 58 mile bike argh!), and half-marathon distance (i.e., 13.1 mile) run.  

Now, I've come close to this distance in races.  My Devilman tri in May had a .9 mile swim, a 40 mile bike and a 9 mile run.  I've done far longer than each of these legs in training: I've swum 1.75 miles; I've biked 60; I've raced marathons and done countless halfs.  But putting it all together all in one race ... this is a big deal.  I did the Olympic-Plus distance at this same race last year and was surprised by how hilly the bike and run were.  I've been training hard on hills to account for the course, and I feel prepared this year (and I remind myself that if I can bike 56 miles in the Adirondack Mountains in Lake Placid, I can surely do these hills).  Here's the course:

I am excited and anxious at the same time.  The feeling reminds me a lot of the last few weeks of pregnancy:  you are nervous, but you are just OVER the waiting and ready to face the anxiety and get the show on the road.  I'm ready.  I've poured countless hours into training.  

My goals for this race: (1) relax and enjoy; (2) have a smooth strong swim; (3) eat and fuel properly on the bike; (4) finish somewhere between 6 and 6 1/2 hours.  I don't really have a time goal but I'd love to do the swim in 40 minutes, the bike in 3 1/2 hours and the run in 2 hours.  

See you on the other side of 70.3!

See you swoon,