Day One in Tempe

We should totally be in bed. But instead, we're cleaning our bikes and packing our transition and special needs bags. Our hotel suite has exploded; we've got bike degreaser in a coffee mug, Gu packets all over the kitchen counter and water bottles absolutely everywhere.

Race day is sooooo close now.

We drove down to the race site this morning for a training swim and Ironman check-in. Let me just tell you, Tempe Town "Lake" looks like one wide river. The water didn't taste that bad, but it was darn cold. And somehow I came out of the water with dirt on my face and in my nose. Slimy dirt. But I think slime reduces drag, so this could bode well for Sunday's 2.4-miler.

After swimming, we waited in line for a while to check in. Ironman makes you sign a two-page waiver that says, in essence, "If you die during this event, please don't sue us." I signed it. And then I picked up my race numbers and goody bag, which was full of other bags: morning clothes bag, swim-to-run bag, bike-to-run bag, bike special needs bag and run special needs bag. Let's hope I can keep all these bags straight...

Tonight we ate dinner with the 2,400 other competitors racing on Sunday. We hail from all 50 states and 32 countries. The oldest triathlete is 77 ("My peers are either dead or in assisted living homes" - God bless him) and the youngest is 18 (from Anchorage, AK).

But you know what the best part about tonight was? I found Mike Reilly, the Voice of Ironman [see earlier posts about finding Mike...clearly, I was unsuccessful]. The one and only Mike Reilly was tonight's emcee!

Actually, I have to take that back. Mike was the second best part of tonight's dinner. The best part was Rudy Garcia-Tolson, the young double amputee and an amazing athlete. Rudy will be racing IMAZ with the rest of us able-bodied athletes. "I'll motivate you out there and you give me motivation back." Rudy, you got it. I can't wait to see you out there. Just put those miles away and get to that finish line. You will do this.