Save the Date; No Turning Back Now

(Before you start reading either have a listen to THIS song or read the lyrics HERE.  I'm embracing this as my battle tune for the next year.  I'm a bit of a metal head, always have been, so if you're not really a fan of metal I suggest the lyrics.)

 

Ironman Lake Placid Logo

I hope you were able to read my last blog post about the weekend I spend in Lake Placid watching the Ironman and volunteering.  If not you can find the link here and I suggest you start with that entry.

After the weekend and the volunteering I stuck around for Monday morning.  My efforts as a volunteer earned me the reward of early registration for Lake Placid Ironman 2015.  Working the late shift from bike checkout earned a volunteer sport for early registration but it also earned me the right to a speed pass, so I was able to register before ANYONE else, volunteer, online or in person.  Speed pass registration was scheduled to take place at the office of the visitors bureau beginning at 7:30am.  I'm normally an early person.  I got up around 5am on Monday, finished packing, showering and putting all my stuff in the Jeep for the journey home.

After my chores I took off for downtown Lake Placid with a small stop by the McDonalds for a cup of coffee.  After my drive I found a parking lot on Main Street and payed my parking money.  Magically, rain began to fall - AGAIN!  A quick shower turned into drenching rain.  I was glad I'd worn my rain jacket again as a precaution.  I "mostly," stayed dry for my three block walk to registration.

When I found the visitors bureau the time was about 6:30am and I thought I'd have a good chance of being first in line!  My hopes were quickly destroyed as I bound the steps toward the third floor.  Much to my shock many other triathletes are also OCD early risers who like to stand in lines for an hour.  I was, by my quick count, 30th in line to register!

The wait to register

Fortunately, the registration process kicked off early and we began to register at 7am instead of 7:30am.  I inside and registered for 2015 in what seemed like instants.  The process was easy because Ironman had at least 25 volunteers registering people.  I was in the second wave of registrants and third in the door.  A quick look at my drivers license, the volunteer asked for my email address and I confirmed my info.  Next she asked for my credit card and $740ish dollars later I was an official Ironman Lake Placid 2015 participant!

My unofficial, official registration form
I still needed to complete online portions

After finalizing my race confirmation for 2015 I walked to the section of Main Street where the swim course of Mirror Lake is visible.  I pulled one last selfie with Mirror Lake to use as a reminder I have this race on my schedule.  I'll be back to Lake Placid to train, often, but its nice to carry a reminder!

Mirror Lake Looms

Quickly after registration I was on the road home.  When I got home I stopped by to show my coach my registration and talk Lake Placid.  We're both confident in my swim.  We'll get it faster and we know I can get through the two laps with little problem.  We also know I should be ok on the run.  I ran the first loop of the course last weekend and I'm confident I'll get through.  We both worry about my bike ride.  I need to have enough time, energy and climb left in my legs for the second loop.  My exact instructions for preparation and race day, "when you head out of T1 remember to take it easy on the first loop.  Everyone is going to speed out of T1 with excitement and fly up the first climb.  Trust your power meter and our numbers.  Let all the other assholes go, they're either going to blow up and you'll pass them or they were just better than you anyway."  My coach is the best!  I'm sure we'll tweak all this, play with it, train for it and eventually kill this race!  I have high expectations and I'm full of excitement.

When I get back from vacation this week we'll be full steam ahead into my races left this season but Ironman will be the major target on my calendar.  We'll see what improvements I can make for the rest of this season and I'm definitely not mailing anything in.  All my focus has just shifted to the future and the big A race circled on my calendar for next July!