Yesterday the earth decided to fight back yet again. Japan was rocked by an 8.9 mag quake and then Tsunami - which put most of the pacific on alert, except for Australia. In Melbourne we had nothing to worry about, but NZ was issuing warnings left, right and centre. Hawaii was hit by waves of a couple of metres, with Maui and Hilo bearing the brunt. I've got friends in Nagoya and Haneda, both near Tokyo - I think they're fine, I'm sure I would have heard otherwise, and besides they are some 300km + from the epicentre.
I found the blue triangle on my run on Thursday. It's on the pavement on the run course for my club races. I was nearing the end of the run and saw it on the ground, ran around it, then ran past it thinking, "yay, I've found the blue triangle". The significance of said blue triangle is unknown but I think when I reach it on Monday morning it will be time to run if I have been walking. It's near(ish) the finish line, so it would be a good time to start upping the pace again in preparation for finishing my race.
I've had another look at the course maps and it doesn't look too bad. It's all flat, and my biggest worry is once again my stupid cleats and pedals. I need to go ride on a field and test unclipping with standard brakes before the race. I have a 40 min ride to do tomorrow morning before work, so I guess I'll be up and at 'em around 6.30am. My train to work is at 7.40am and in between I have to shower and eat. I may drop my saddle slightly, I may not. I'll see how cleats and shoes and pedals feel tomorrow but basically I just need to HTFU and get on with racing.
I picked up my bike this arvo from the shop, where they removed the interrupter brakes and re-cabled and re-jigged and re-wound everything. They've moved my bike computer, which I wasn't very happy about but can live with. I've now got some snazzy front and back lights for it, because I couldn't find mine yesterday when I needed them, and I bought some porno patches for repairs on the go. I will not use THAT "P" word, so let's just say you stick them to the tube when it runs out of air under less than ideal circumstances!
On the subject of porno patches, here's a description:"A lab test revealed that if you give these kinky self-adhesive patches to girls they'll fix their bike *<"P" word>* quick smart and ride away with a bike as sexy on the inside as the outside, and that if you give them to boys they'll stick them on their nipples. Nuff said."
After collecting my bike, I rode over to Jewel station to get the train home. I had thought about riding home but the traffic was feral and it was 29 degrees so gave that up as a bad job. I managed to survive riding on Alexander Parade, Nicholson Street, Brunswick Street and Sydney Road. I think the fact that I was riding in trainers and not in bike shoes probably helped a bit, as I didn't feel like I was going to fall off every time I slowed down. It was about 5km of riding, because I went the long way round (fail) and had never rode in that part of town before (let alone been in that part of town full stop). But it was fun, and I might do it again - after my race on Monday that is. It's cotton wool from now until race day.
I missed swim training this morning through lack of transport (couldn't get a flexicar anywhere in Melbourne, and my bike was in the shop), so I had to swim this afternoon. It was awful - hot, I had stacks of gear with me and the sun was scorching. I had to go on an emergency sunscreen mission and just wasn't in the mood - I was tired, sore, and over it. But I got it done.
I am pretty nervous about Monday's race. It's my first race in Aussie, my first race at my club, my first sprint distance race EVER and a good indicator for how I'll go in Sydney in four week's time. And, my coach will be there. I think that is making more nervous than anything else. The support will be good, seeing as I'm on my own here, but sometimes you just want to be left alone. I'll probably come last, but I don't give a sh*t, I just want to finish and it's half of my Sydney distance and roughly a quarter of Yeppoon (so about an eighth of NZ next March). Crikey.
I will be fine, I'm just stressing. At least driving to the race is not an issue - it's just down the road and I don't have a car, so I can leave just on 6am. That way I can register, get my wettie on, do a swim warm up and setup transition with plenty of time for briefings etc.
Right, off for diet lemon cheesecake, more water, more electrolytes and some Hell's Kitchen on Foxtel.
Ciao.
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