So here we are again, race eve. The end of the day before the Bintan 70.3. All things are done, the bike is tucked away, the gear is all packed up ready for the morning. All I have to do now is spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing, have a stretch and settle into my pre-race evening routine which is an early dinner, warm shower, in bed with a warm drink and a book by 7:00.
My pre-race routine unfortunately means that I won't be able to make it to the Pasta night tonight, which is a real pity because I love those things. But with a 6:00pm start this evening, a 15 minute drive between here and the venue, shuttles back only being available at 6:50 and 7:30 and a pre 4:00am start in the morning, everything simply won't fit. Something has to give and unfortunately the pasta night is it. Staying in means that I can control my evening, eat early and keep on relaxing. Not as much fun, but it is the right thing to do from a racing perspective.
It may sound silly, after all it is just a Pasta Night, but missing it is not a decision I take lightly. I don't tend to run around often, saying 'look at me, I am a pro'. In fact I much prefer it when people don't know, they tend to be more willing to have a chat. But at the same time I am very aware that as a pro I have certain obligations to event organisers. Given that I am not a top pro, those obligations are usually pretty minor, but I take them seriously. I think it is part of what being a pro means. So giving it a miss was a decision that took some consideration. Having said that I did chat to the organisers about it and they said it was fine, so that makes me feel a lot better.
The day today has gone quite well. It was a day in which a lot bit to get done, with a swim on the course, registration, racking and a briefing on the agenda. All to be worked in with shuttle timetables etc. It is an agenda that I gave quite a bit of thought to, trying to minimise running around time and maximise relaxation time. Given the thought that went into it, it was very nice to have off without a hitch. Yesterday I said that I try and keep myself busy pre-race and that is certainly true, but less so the day before a race. The day before I try and give myself as much time as possible to just kick back and chill. Usually the day before a race is busy enough without you trying to make it busier.
Given all the above, I am very happy with how today has gone. Everything that has had to happen has, with a minimum of stressful running around. Really everything is now done, with plenty of time to spare. Just what I was after.
The swim this morning was quite lovely and a good chance to check out the swim course, walk the transitions etc again. The start and finish of the swim is quite shallow, shallow enough that in the briefing they said they will walk us 100m out before starting us. Could make for an interesting finish, with a fair chunk of porpoising being needed I expect. All the other activities went just as smoothly. I am a bit of a stresshead when it comes to racing, so it is great getting to this point and knowing that all the Ts are crossed and all the Is are dotted.
Whatever happens tomorrow will happen, but I can go to bed comfortable in the knowledge that I have done everything I can to be prepared.
Speaking of tomorrow, I am really not sure what the day will contain. It is going to be tough, no two ways around that. I have a sneaking suspicion that it may end up being one of the tougher races that I have done for a while. Depending on what the weather brings, the run could be brutal. I think racing within myself might be an important key, but that is easier said than done. In the end I have my race plan and this is a race where sticking to it will be an important part of making it through the run. Still I have done the work and the work has gone well, I can put a lot of trust in that.
Anyway, I think that is me done. A movie that I haven't seen has just come on and that is a perfect accompaniment to some stretching and relaxing.
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