Day 324: Anxiety Dreams

My pre-dawn hours were spent half-waking with the thought: Oh no! It's race day and I'm already late! And then realizing that race day was still one day off, and drifting back into anxious dreams, all revolving around the triathlon.

My favourite funny dream was where I was in an absolute state of fury when informed by race organizers that the swim portion of the race would not be held in the lake, but instead on these strange roller devices set in tracks going down a hill with just a little water running over them--like a bizarre ride at an amusement park. I was positively seething, threatening to put on my wetsuit and do the swim portion in the lake even if it disqualified me: "The swim is the most important part! I already know I can do everything else!" (It's always nice when anxiety dreams are patently improbable).

Woke with today's to-do list on my mind:
- organize and check gear: towel, shoes, socks, shorts and shirt, wetsuit and body glide, goggles, food/drink, ID, sunscreen (I don't have a cap for the run if it's sunny)
- mentally plan transitions and food/water
- practice changing bike tire (though not on my road bike, which I had tuned up yesterday)
- go to yoga class to clear my mind and focus some of this nervous energy
- get bike rack which we're borrowing from a friend
- eat freely, but no dairy (to cut down on mucus, apparently)
- review race rules and guidelines for beginners
- what am I forgetting???

Funny question (and warning: may contain too much information): Should I wear underwear under my tri-gear? I'll be wearing tri-shorts and a top under the wetsuit for the swim, and then taking off the wetsuit and biking and running in the same, so as not to have to change during the race.

I might check in here later, if I feel the urge. Meanwhile, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by the length of the race: all added up together, it's a lot; I hope to complete the race in under three hours; that's my goal. I'm trying not to think about it too much, just trust I'll be able to do it as it comes at me. I'll follow Tricia's advice and do each leg pushing as hard as I can, without worrying about the next leg coming up. I did discover that I will be in the second-slowest swim group for the race, the 33-35 minute group. (The fastest group should finish in 23 minutes!!!!!). But I was relieved to see that the cut-off time for the swim is 1 hour and 15 minutes. I know I can do it faster than that!

I want to say thanks for all of your good wishes!!!! I feel buoyed by the support. It will float me all the way through the swim, be the wind at my back on the bike, and carry me across the finish line on the run. And my faithful training partner, Nath, just stopped by with a good-luck surprise: a gift certificate for a post-race massage (free babysitting included!). Verklempt I was.

So let's get this race underway, with underwear or without!

Ah, the before. It's like waiting on a baby to be born. You know it's going to happen, but you just don't know how it's all going to go.