Update from Texas! Tomorrow is race day!!!

Now in Texas!

So we arrived in Conroe, TX (about 20minutes North of the Woodlands) early Saturday morning spent the night (or more like the rest of the morning) at the Baymont Inn & Suites checked out and then into Piney Shores Resort . Claudia had managed to book us at the Piney Shores Resort using our Time Share points from RCI. If you are ever up this way and looking for a nice relaxing place Piney Shores is great.

In terms of training for the week it was largely a continuation of a taper to get the body prepped for IM Texas on Saturday. I managed to get a cold on the drive down from Tucson and have yet to shake it…oh well!

Here are highlights for the week. (The best part of the week was however the reduced volume of training which allowed for lots of time with Claudia and the kids)

Saturday – Off

Sunday – went for a light 45 minute shake-out run in the morning and then for a 1.5hr ride in the afternoon with an old friend, Adam and his family, from Cold Lake.  The ladies looked after the kids while Adam and I had a nice ride and then our families had dinner together.

Just back from our ride!

Monday – 2:00 brick (Bike followed by run). Legs felt very responsive.

Ruth & James enjoyed a round of mini-golf at the Resort.

Tuesday – 1:00 swim at Conroe Aquatic Center

 

Family swim at the Resort!

Wednesday – 1:30 brick (bike followed by run). Then I did athlete check-in. It was a very efficient process down here in Texas. The expo was ok but definitely not the greatest.  Best part was of course snagging another Ironman Mug (my traditional souvenir from my Ironman branded races)

Argon 18 E-118 Ready to Rock IM Texas

Thursday – 0:35 swim at Conroe Aquatic Center. I also attended the athlete welcome dinner with Claudia and the kids. The meals are always pricey, but here in The Woodlands you definitely got your money’s worth. The Buffet put on at the Marriott was by far the best Ironman Welcome Dinner meal I have ever had.

Athlete Welcome Dinner - Claudia and the kids

Friday – Pre-race swim at the Woodlands. Water temperature was 76 F and swimming with a swim skin (Nineteen Rogue SS) felt very comfortable. I think the water will warm up the 0.1 degree such that the swim tomorrow is NOT wetsuit legal (I’m ready either way).  Following the swim I did a light 0:45 brick (bike/run) to get the legs going.  And finally I did bike and gear check-in. 

Me Post Pre-Race Swim

Feeling great and pumped going into tomorrow’s race. Excited to be racing Ironman again, and this one is going to be another inferno or that’s what the weather man is predicting.