Ironman USA Lake Placid (Page 17)

I'm with you on this!  On a good day I'm mop so I am in this for the experience.  For me this includes all the pre-race activities.  I am looking forward to Thursday through Saturday almost as much as the race!  The race is the icing on the cake for me! 

I'm with you guys - the energy of race week is different than at local races, or the anxiety of race morning itself. Sunday is a big party to celebrate how everyone worked their tails off for the last year. A big, long, occasionally painful party, but a party nonetheless .

PennState - 2008-07-13 11:39 AM In the end I will go, but without family probably. I really want to meet up with my fellow BTers.... just don't really want the food/general athlete anxiety

I hope to meet you guys by the lake either friday or saturday. I''m just not up for the dinner or the meeting. Planning a nice quiet dinner outside of town w/ the family.

So, I just got my bike back yesterday from a tune up and a zillion other things. Today on my ride, the chain sounded weird and shifting wasn't totally smooth, although not that bad either. Anyway, I just took the bike into the shop and my derailleur hanger was bent, so they bent it back. I asked if I should just replace it (they know how paranoid I am at this stage of the game), and they said NO and that I would be fine with them just bending it back. But now, I am freaking out that I should replace it. It's going to be hard to get back into the shop before I leave. I am riding again tomorrow and don't see me being able to get in tomorrow before I ride. I could just go right back over there now, but they were PACKED, I feel awful. And, none of my usual mechanics are today, so I am dealing with the guys who sort of know me, but don't really know me. Do you think I should replace it?

I was just gonna let it go, but then I called a friend when I got home and he said, "REPLACE IT!" I never even heard the term before today .

I will still have a ways to go on the bike a week from today...probably out in Hazelton someplace.

I'm mostly good then a weird what the heck do I think I'm doing moment comes over me and soon that passes.  Lots of organizing and gathering today. It is all the tri stuff can't quite get packed yet with workouts on Monday and Tuesday.

We hope to get my husband's new car Monday and get a hitch put on Tuesday so we can drive it up Wed. We've been waiting about 12 weeks for his new company car. Paperwork came through that it was shipped..should it take 3 weeks to get to the dealer?

Lauren,

Mine has been bent and straightened a couple times. I'm not going to worry about it. Trust your bike shop. It will be okay.

Thanks! Because I worry just as much about replacing it as I do bending it back. Because if it's replaced, I'll be worried that maybe it wasn't installed properly or something. I won't be riding enough between now and Sunday to really put it through the test.

I guess the reason they make a tool that's used for bending derailleur hangers is because they're made to be bent back in place since they bend so easily.

Lauren - I've had rear derailleurs bent back into place many times, no problem.

Monty - Yeah, I've been doing that all day - I was just sitting outside on my deck thinking that this time next week I'll hopefully be off the bike and heading out on the run.

Ok, so I think it's time to start firming up some of the discussed BT meetup plans for next weekend:

I will be at the beach to swim at 8:30 on Friday morning. I'll wear my BT t-shirt if that helps.

I will be at the dinner Friday night. Does someone want to make/bring some kind of BT sign?

I'm wide open as far as plans for Monday - awards dinner, mexican dinner at Despos (notice me using the local lingo, thanks aquinn ), BT happy hour at The Cottage or the LP Brewery, whatever...

Oh, and for those racing in my AG, there will also be the tequila drinking contest Saturday night - I'll provide the bottles, and trust me, that's not plain water in my bottle .

At some point someone had also suggested posting pictures of ourselves to make it easier for people to spot us, so here's a racing picture (same dark green trizilla jersey as I'll be wearing next Sunday) and a non-racing picture of me with my bike...

I'll be swimming on Friday morning as well. I'm usually a very early riser, so I might be done by 8:30, but I'll try to be on the beach at that time to meet up with people.

I'm not yet sure what I am doing about Friday night, but if I attend the dinner, I'll look for a BT sign.

Is Despos closed on Monday? I thought I read that. In any case, I liked the idea of choosing a place to meet up and giving a several-hour window of time to sort of meet there. At this point in time, I'll probably be showing up at any social function alone, so it'll be good to know someone's around. My parents know some people in the area and I might be required to socialize with them on Monday, but I am hoping they'll just let me do my own thing.

Here's a pic of what I'll be wearing on race day. I've never worn it in a race before, so I don't have a pic of me wearing it (no worries, the shorts were tested on a 7-hr brick and the top was tested on a long run).

EDIT: Grr - the pic is too big. I am on my way out. I'll try to attach it later .

I think they said despos is closed for lunch, but dinner could be an option...

Shouldn't be hard to find everyone on Monday - I'll just look for the people wearing finisher's t-shirts .

My kids will make a sign and I'll bring it to the beach...

My plan is to be at the beach 8:30 Thursday, Friday and Saturday....Thursday full loop swim other two about 20' plus hopefully lots of visiting and chatting.

Anyone interested in meeting for Mexican for lunch on Thursday or Friday since they are closed Monday?

For those of you going to the athlete dinner should we meet up and try to share a table. Anyone want to get there early?

This is what my bike (but it will have Zipp 404s on it) and I look like....plan to wear tri team jersey I'm wearing race day as well. Real easy way to spot me and my family is our 3 daughters are Chinese so we are a unique family.

(DSCN4892.JPG)

(DSCN4733.JPG)

It is closed Mondays...so if we want to meet Monday need another option.

I'll be doing the Gatorade swim on Friday and will try to be there right around 8:30.  I'll also wear my BT tech shirt.  Our place is only a block or two away from the swim, so it is an easy walk.

I'm going to drive the course Friday afternoon after lunch and will be happy to take a few people with me in the Pilot as it seats a max. of 7.  Probably have to bring one or two of the kids along ... but we'll see ....... Most of you have seen me in some form of pic, but here I am again ......

(Chessieman Bodymarking.jpg)

I will be swimming thurs and fri morning. I will wear a BT shirt as well. Pre-race I am good for any get together, and would enjoy having a group table at the dinner. Post race Monday our plans are still a bit up in the air. I kind of have a deal with the wife, pre race is mine, post race is her time. (only fair since she has put up with this deal for almost a year now).

Here is a picture of me after the Chicago Long walk on a hot day Marathon. Its the only one I have shrunk down on the computer right now. I'm in the red on the left.

Keep the pictures coming..really helpful!

John Brennan the founder of athlete tracking system shared this with me:

I did my first in 2003 and MyAthlete grew out of sharing that journey, which it truly is. At LP just remember to keep pushing forward and to enjoy every aspect of the journey be it during the week to the hours of the race; every person you meet, every step you take, to the athletes meeting. Just take it all in and remember every piece. You are about to enter a realm that most cannot even fathom. Almost a week from now you will become a minority by pushing yourself to the limits that you have dreamed of yet to a level that the vast majority cannot comprehend. This is what excites me – to have the courage to start down the path. Just enjoy it all.

I want that to be my experience and have the vibe of the pre-race time to be special too. I have this habit of being intimidated by other 4%ers I call them (folks with 4% body fat).  

I want to go to all the events that works well for my family. It will be an amazing few days. One I think we will all have memories of for many years to come. 

Hello-

 Just to be clear- in case anyone wanted to go to Desperados, it is

OPEN every day for dinner

OPEN for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Saturday

 so, essentially no lunch SUNDAY AND MONDAY.

 I am not trying to force anyone into eating at our restaurant, just putting the facts out there to avoid confusion

 Today is a steady drizzle here in Placid- getting it out of the way for NEXT Sunday!!!!