Journey to Kona Day 124: Adjusting to Life

I always say that Ironman is a metaphor for life.  The weather for tomorrow is truly about being able to make adjustments on the fly.  When I got up this morning, the forecast for race day as essentially 46 degrees and cloudy until noon, and never getting above 50 degrees on the bike.  I have my GABBA cycling jersey in my transition bag, ready to put it on for the bike.  I also have full finger gloves (rather than my light aero gloves where the fingers are exposed).  So here I am a few hours later and the weather report is already changing.  On a very positive note, there is no forecast for rain during the bike ride.  The weather forecast is now showing 50 degrees at the start of the bike, but only going u to 52 degrees by the end of the bike.  That's right on the cusp of chilly, especially with cloud cover. If it was sunny, it might be another story.  There is also limited wind in the forecast, which is great.  I'll keep watching the forecast today, tonight, and first thing in the morning.  That will ultimately guide my decision on whether to put the GABBA top on.

That's life, as I always say.  During the entirety of an Ironman, we are making decisions on the fly that will have an impact on how the day goes.  If I let myself get too cold during the bike ride, I pretty much assure myself of a poor run.  So, I do think about these things in advance, so that I can make an informed decision on race day.  Initially, when the whether report called for temperatures in the mid 50's, I was inclined to just go with my trisuit.  If the temperatures are going to be below 55 for the entirety of the bike, the benefit of not getting too cold will far outweigh any risk of overheating on the bike.  In fact, knowing the course as I do, the warmest part of the ride will be the last hour, when I'll be mostly going downhill and having more wind at my face.  There's really no way that I can get overheated.

I'm a little nervous today, which is normal, but I feel a little better after getting in a short bike, run and swim.  I'm just going to hang out with my wife today and stay off my feet, with the exception of intermittent walks, which I'm finding to be quite helpful.  And, I'll keep monitoring the whether report.  I'll be ready tomorrow, no matter what the world throws at me.  That's what life is about, that's what Ironman is about!