Update from Lake Placid

We arrived on Wednesday evening, slowly the village is beginning to fill with zero percent body fat bodies and type A personalities training as if the race were a month away. The weather has been glorious, and being from upstate NY I fear too glorious. The rain will come, it’s inevitable. My preference is before Sunday but as the beautiful days pass, I’m worried.

My pre-race training could not be better. Yesterday I swam one loop of the two loop swim course. The water may be 66 degrees, significantly warmer then a month ago when we were here. I was strong in the water, passing 10 or so swimmers and setting a PR time for one lap. Granted I was able to swim right on the rowing line which outlines the course, Sunday the masses will have that advantage and I will try to be on the outside for the first half mile to minimize the inevitable contact of other swimmers. I also ran around the lake which is slightly less than 3 miles. I’m pleased to say the cortisone shot seems to be staving off the pain from my ITB injury—of course 23 minutes compared to 5 hours may not produce the same result.

Today, we took the bikes out to Haselton Road to ride the out and back. We fondly call this the finger as the course being fist shaped makes “the finger” an appropriate term. Moreover, the finger can kill you. It is full of false flats, high winds, two nasty hills to climb out of and plenty of rollers. Last year while training on the course, JB decided to pass me on the finger as I yelled, “best to conserve on this section” from behind. We had to call to get her a ride home shortly thereafter. The finger must be approached with humility.

The rest of the today I’ll spend packing my swim to bike, bike to run, and special needs bags. It requires concentration. Making sure the right gear is in the right bag. Planning for nutrition accidents that can be replenished at the mid-way special needs point. This is where being a wee bit OCD is a bonus.
The nerves still in check, the confidence remaining high, I like my chances on Sunday. Less than 48 hours from now I will know whether my long preparation will stand the test of 140.6 miles.