Building

Things are starting to get a little bit nervous out there.

The count down to Busso is most definitely on around town now. I had a chance to talk to a few triathletes over the weekend and there were a few nervous laughs going on. I will be seeing more athletes tomorrow and Thursday and so I am expecting to see a bit more wide eyed panic on display between now and race day.

When you chat to the athletes you usually get one of a few different responses:

The most common response, particularly from experienced athletes doing the 70.3 is a sigh, and a "you know, going okay" type response. These folks have done it all before and they know exactly what race day is about. They know it won't be easy, but they also know they will finish the day. It may not be pretty, but it will get done for better or worse.

Whilst a lot of athletes respond with quiet resignation of what is to come, occasionally though you will hit the jackpot and get somebody who is brimming with excitement and is really fired up. This excitement is usually either backed up by some great training, or inexperience, either way it always great to see. Ready to race and keen to get on with it. You unfortunately don't get this sort of response that often.

A step back from the fired up jumping bean above is the quietly confident athlete. With these guys you can tell they are playing their cards close to their chest, but at the same time you know they are traveling well. From these guys you won't get quiet resignation, but you won't get motivational motto's quoted at you either, just confident determination. You often see this response from experienced athletes who have trained well and are doing the Ironman. They know what they have to do to execute and they know they can get it done. Often these are the ones you need to watch come race day.

That brings me to the last group, and the one that I probably spoke to the most over the weekend. The deer in the headlights. These slightly bewildered responses most often come from athletes doing an Ironman for the first time. By this stage of the preparation athletes have either done the training or they haven't, they are either ready or they are not. Either way though, what is before them is rapidly approaching and they are mildly freaking out about it. They may have done the training, they may have a good plan and be capable of executing it, but still, the enormity of what they are about to attempt is dawning on them and there is a wee bit of panic building, which you see in the eyes when you chat to them. You know most of these guys will be fine once the gun goes, the training will kick in, they will follow the plan and make it through. You know it, and deep down they probably know it too, but knowing and believing can be different things sometimes. Always fun for a chat though.

Always a fun to be talking to athletes around town at this time of year, particularly if you aren't racing and you can sit back and enjoy the excitement without feeling the panic yourself. Should be an great week, albeit a slightly nervous one for people.