'Twas the night before race day....

'Twas the night before race day...and all through the house our triathlete was getting ready to race. 

 (If I had time and little more creativity I would have come up with a new poem.  Maybe I can start working on that before Augusta!)  

After almost a week off of his training schedule Jerry was back at it at the end of this week.  Swim, Bike, Run, repeat!  Tomorrow is his first triathlon (tri) of the year. He will be racing in the Capital of Dream Triathlon.  It will consist of a 400 meter swim, 20K (12.4 miles) bike and 5k (3.1 miles) run. Think that sounds like a lot wait until you see what he is doing in September, but we won't talk about that yet.  So you might be wondering what does someone do the night before a race?  Great question.  Here is what is going on in my house right now and what went on last night (yes he started prepping last night!  Isn't he cute!)  Last night he started with his bag and his bike.  His bike has been on the trainer (I'll explain this in a later blog) this week due to all the rain.  So he got his bike off the trainer and took all the "extra stuff" off his bike that he won't need for race day.  He also got his bag ready for race morning.  In his bag he has "a bunch of stuff, a lot of it will come out" (that's what he just told me way to go into details).  I see a towel, race bib, bike pump, shoes (running shoes not to be confused with the bike shoes on his bike), and I don't know what else. But I took this picture last night: 

Bag ready to go!

Getting the bike ready!

Tonight prep is: 

 Soaking the wet suit, and now we are hanging the suit to dry.  Not sure if it will be worn or not.  We will wait and see

.

Getting the race number on the bike and helmet. (What you don't keep a bike in your dining room?  You might if you were an ironmate!)

Jerry is ready to go!!!  

The alarm will go off in the morning around 4:00 (Jerry's) and 4:45 (mine, I hate getting up that early.  But, I'll do it for him!)  Oh those are AM times!  So what do I do the night before a race?  I get my stuff together too.  Tomorrow will be a short race only a couple of hours so that means I'll take make camera, a hat, umbrella, extra batteries, my water bottle, and gum!  So in short that is what happens in our house the night before a race.  Of course each race is different, but for a sprint tri in our area this has been the routine.  Good luck to all our friends racing!  Can't wait to see you at the finish line!  I'll write a post race wrap up as well!  

Word of the day: PR although it is not really a word, it is something you need to learn for sure if you are going to hang around triathletes, runners, bikers, swimmers, etc.  PR stands for Personal Record.  Once you know what this stands for it makes sense.  This is when an athlete beats their previous best time in the same distance.  

Until next time!

Introduction...

Hello world! My name is Brooke, and I am an Ironmate. You are probably asking, "What is an Ironmate?" An Ironmate is the spouse/significant other of a triathlete who has completed or training for an Ironman race. Let me introduce you to my guy!

This is who I cheer for! 

This is my husband, Jerry.  He started the Couch 2 5K program back in 2010.  Since then he has completed numerous 5ks, a half marathon, a full marathon, multiple sprint triathlons and a 70.3 half iron distance.  Wow are you tired?  Me too!  In the last 5 years I have been at every one of his races (but one) most of the time at the finish, but sometimes on the course volunteering.  Jerry is currently training for Ironman Augusta.  This is a 70.3 mile race, yes it is all completed in one day.  The race will consist of 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run.  This will be Jerry's 2nd 70.3 distance, but his first Ironman race.  Last year we drove all the way to Titusville, Florida for the Rocketman Florida 70.3.  This was a dream come true for my space guy!  Jerry also has a love for anything space!  The cool thing about this race was they were able to ride on NASA grounds.  Read Jerry's recap of that race.  One day I plan to do a recap of my day that day as well.  Race Recap  

Jerry and I have joked about me writing a blog about the spouses point of view of the training process and race day.  Many people who do not have a loved one training or racing have no idea how much the support system is involved.  When your spouse, child, family member, etc decides they want to do an Ironman (or any other event or sport like this), you better get on board as well.  If not, your life is going to be lonely, frustrating, and difficult.  While Jerry is not a full Ironman YET, only a half.  :)  The support system has to be a FULL IRONMATE!  There is no half way on this point.  It doesn't help you or trainee.  

Jerry is currently on week two of his training plan for Augusta.  EXCEPT, that he hasn't been in the pool, on his bike or ran in a week.  Monday he found an abscess on his leg (that's all we are saying about that).  Tuesday it was getting worse.  Wednesday he finally went to the doctor.  He had to have it drained and packed.  Enter IRONMATE.  Someone has to change the dressings, put the medicine on it, remind patient to take his medicine.  That is what we do.  We help with the yuck factor.  Good news is Jerry is feeling so much better and really itching to get back on his bike and back to his training.  Next Saturday he will be racing in the Capital of Dreams tri.  He will be doing the sprint distance.  

One of my big roles during the training process is: MEALS.  I try my hardest to cook healthy but filling meals for my trainee.  I hear many of our friends who have boys talk about how their boys eat them out of house and home.  Well, my trainee is the same way.  But when you are waking up at 4-4:30 to get a swim and run in or a bike ride in before work in the morning, you are hungry by the time you have dinner that night.  So any of you how have meals that would work into our meal plan send them my way.  I am always looking for new ideas.  

One thing I want to do to end each blog, for those of you who are not in the triathlon world, is help you understand the lingo.  They have special words.  So you don't get caught off guard in a conversation with a triathlete I am here to help you out! 

WORD OF THE DAY:  Transition, T1 or T2  Transition or T1 or T2 is when a racer is changing from one discipline to another.  T1 is when you finish the swim and start the bike.  T2 is when you finish the bike and start the run.  We normally set up a transition area in our driveway before race day, so Jerry can practice putting his bike gear or run gear on.  

Until next time!