The ride that almost wasn't, part 2, and ... it's almost race day!!!

Just what I needed two days before race day.

It's been a wild few days! After errands and dropping the dogs off with my parents Friday morning, I wanted to fit in one last bike ride and easy brick run. I took my bike out to the park, went to pump up my tires, and found that all the air was hissing out immediately. I tried to take a closer look and the pump broke into two pieces in my hands.

Great timing, huh. Plus, this happened at the same park where I almost got rained out and then got a flat. I think it's cursed!

I drove around a bit looking for cyclists from whom I could borrow a pump, but no such luck. I had resigned myself to driving out to a bike shop and buying a new pump, but I remembered at the last minute that there was bike fix-it station at the next park up. Yes!

Thank you, fix-it station!

I got pumped up and headed back to the first park. After two laps without further incident, I decided to quit while I was ahead at 11 miles. A quick 0.5-mile run, with only a bit of back pain, and again I decided to quit while I was ahead and head home. I had just wanted to keep the legs warm, anyway.

After spending way too much time cleaning the condo, loading the car and trying to figure out how to put my bike rack on my new car, we were finally on the road to Grand Rapids. We're staying with a friend of the family again and very conveniently close to the race start and finish. We did a bit of bar hopping last night, and today I got up early-ish for the practice swim (I got totally lost in the lake and finally gave up and headed to shore. Hopefully this is not an omen), athlete meeting, the sporting goods store to buy a new bike pump, and bike drop off.

Sleep well, Cesar. I'll see you in the morning.

After that we drove the course -- lots of hills, eeeek! -- and headed to a cider mill where I ate way too much pizza for dinner and drank many delicious kinds of cider. Somehow, I managed to get all packed up and pretty much ready to go. I've got potatoes pre-microwaved and ready to be warmed up, the coffee pot set to brew, and notes reminding me to get my water bottles out of the freezer and wetsuit out of the shower.

My husband asked me yesterday which part of the race I'm most worried about. I'm "meh" about the swim; I know I'll do OK, especially after today's practice swim. I just want to go faster than last year. Same with the bike: I know the hills won't be fun, but I did them last year OK, and I'm in a bit better shape now. So I just want to go a bit faster. As far as the run, I am a bit worried about my back. It feels fine today, but will it hold up for 13.1 miles? I guess we'll find out tomorrow.

It's finally here! Now to try to get some sleep.