She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain

...we made it over the river and through the woods...alas, we ended up in Coeur d'Alene and not grandma's house.  After a lovely drive (Washington is sooooo beautiful, I miss it) we made it to the destination where it will all go down!  

Mom, Meghan and I met up with my dad and hit the town for a little dinner (a lot of dinner for me) and then dad showed us his recon skillz of where bikes will be stashed.  You can definitely feel the buzz around town.  It kills me (with laughter) watching all the athletes wearing their latest 70.3 race shirt, or m-dot hat or compression socks to go to dinner.  I kept a low profile opting for jeans and a sweater, athlete in disguise...if they don't know you are racing they won't ask and it helps to keep the nerves at bay.  We sat outside on Lake Coeur d'Alene and had a nice meal of food...we watched multiple people fly by on their bikes in aero position, looking tough and fast...that's when things start creeping into my mind.  Should I be out there trying to look tough?...is it possible for me to look fast?...I know it says rest today, but should I be putting in one last two hour run?...argh, silly thoughts, get out of my dome!

Nashville Tilghman is back...I awoke at 5am on the dot this morning and struggled to get back to sleep.  I decided to get up, grab some coffee, and do my short ride/run before everyone else starts stirring.  I will then make them watch me suffer in the water for my short swim (not the prescribed order on my plan...but logistically it's easier)...all of this of course, after a little bloggy bloggin'! ;)  Then it's off to officially check in (pooping my pants thinking about that) and then drive the course...then sloth around.  Oh yeah, and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate...

Ready to go!  Have you ever seen so much stuff for three people?

Oh crap, it's a reality!

I had to test the waters of Lake Coeur d'Alene.  It didn't seem too bad (shiver, shiver)...I guess I'll find out for sure later today.

I was trying to give hIM a little hug but it looks like I'm wringing his neck...which I may be doing in my head come Sunday towards the end of the run!

#177

That's me, #177...I officially have an Ironman race number!  I have given this to my friends and family to track me, however, I'm always a little weary about tracking people with their chips because I followed my friend at the Chicago Marathon and two days later I received an email saying "Justin just crossed the 5k mark in 21ish minutes"...uh, Justin finished the race two days ago!  So call Katie if you want a real up to date status.

Anyhoo, we are finishing up the final race prep.  Lots of lists and such.  Mom and I did a grocery run to get the essentials that I didn't pack with me...lots o' Gatorade, PB sammich makings, bagels, newtons, potatoes, the whole she-bang.  Gassing up the Suburban and putting air in the tires...you know all the travel essentials.  I also realized that it's not as hot in the northwest as it is in the south.  Funny that I grew up here but didn't quite register this as I was packing...so we headed off to REI to buy some arm warmers for me to wear on the bike (should I need them)...apparently I somewhat remembered this phenomenon of it being colder in the mountains, because I packed my leg warmers...go figure, I'm going insane...shocking, I know.  

I am also still in the "calm before the storm" mode.  I haven't really been too jacked up about the race...it's like I've been bit by the Tsetse fly and all I care to do is sleep.  I did a 25 minute swim and a 30 minute run today and it was like I was struggling to get it done.  This is what I HATE about tapering.  I know that this is what it feels like, but I just loathe it...I feel like fatty fatterson trying to run three miles and it's hard to justify carb loading when you are sitting on your butt all day long...absolutely hate it (I have managed to watch 5 movies already).  However, I did have my best marathon after really sticking to the taper, so I know inside my head that it's right, but it's just so difficult.  I have a massage tomorrow before we hit the road...hopefully that will get me feeling good and I know that once I get to Coeur d'Alene the adrenaline will start pumpin'!  

As we hopped in the car yesterday my mom handed me these little motivational rock thingies...she saw them the other day and thought of me...exactly what I need as some sort of mantra...she jokingly said "put them in your shoe for the run!"....hahahahahaha!  

See...I am going insane...I am seeing things...Cash?!  Jokes...my parents and I have "matching" dogs! (doesn't Zach look like he's missing a leg...don't worry, it's tucked up under his belly).

Isolated Thunderstorms...

Om!

What a bullsh*t way to predict the weather...I think that's a cop out for the weather man to say, I have no idea what's going to happen.  Well, figure it out, would ya?  Looking at the weather and seeing sunny and 70 on Saturday and isolated t-storms on Sunday is not putting my mind at ease.  Luckily I have had enough rainy weather riding prep, but the thought of dodging storms all day is not cool...especially when I'm sitting in a pretzel pose trying to zen myself out imagining a smooth easy race day.  How can you reach nirvana when there are lightning bolts flashing in your mind?

My dad called from Spokane last night (he's over there for work this week) and took a quick drive over to Couer d'Alene to "check it all out."  He gave me a full report..."yup, it's still here, Coeur d'Alene is still here (it didn't blow away or anything)...waiting for you!...the water is right there and the starting line is right there...there will be a place for you to stash your bike while you swim and run...and the town is ready."  Uh, thanks dad...he cracks me up...so cute that he drove over there on a recon mission, even cuter that he thinks I don't know there's a "place to 'stash' my bike" while I swim and run!  Rookie! ;)  

I have been sleeping a SOLID 9 hours a night...I don't even rustle until 8am, totally abnormal for Nashville Tilghman, but it always happens when I come home...I immediately revert back to high school days of sleeping 'til noon.  What happened to my 5:00 automatic alarm clock?  I'm not complaining...good for the ol' body...plus the 2 hour nap yesterday didn't hurt either...zzzzzz.  Ironman?, what Ironman?...someone hit snooze!

All The King's Horses...

...and all the King's men...went and put Orby together again!

Hmmm, traveling across the country and need to bring my bike...how does this work?  Luckily Coach saved me about $500 dollars in packaging and shipping and let me borrow his bike box for the airplane.  I went to the local bike shop and had them disassemble and pack it for me.  I watched them like a hawk and had them teach me everything they were doing since I am going to have to take it apart on Monday night once back in Seattle to fly out Tuesday...yikes.  There were lots of parts being taken off and strewn around and I thought I was going to vomit at one point...please be careful with Orby!  I was having visions of wheels falling off and handles bars flying off mid race...ahhh!!  As soon as I touched down in Seattle my mom and I went to the local bike shop back home and had them put it back together...I snapped a pic of what it looked like tucked away in the box so I can hopefully simulate it!  

Poor Orby...all scrunched up...how the hell am I going to do this...I see bickering with my mom in the near future..."no, it goes there, not there!!!" ;)

Once Orby was reassembled I took her out for a spin (don't worry it was on my schedule).  It was a gorgeous day in Seattle...sunny, low 70's...not your typical June weather (gasp, no rain!)  I rode this piece of bike trail that has apparently been there for 25 years, but my parents had just discovered...what?!  It is right by our house and takes you along highway 520 to Marymoor Park.  Marymoor is where we always took our bikes as kids...you can hit the Sammamish River and Burke-Gilman trails...now, you have to have strong will power while riding these trails, because the Chateau Ste Michelle winery and Red Hook Brewery happen to be situated along the route.  Growing up we would ride our bikes to the winery and have picnic lunches with the fam...good times...and lots of reminiscing while I was riding.  

The trails were super crowded...people come out of the woodwork here when it's a sunny Saturday!

Nice view from the bike path...

Home Again, Home Again Jiggidy Jig!

Always good to be home!

I landed in Seattle on Friday and came home to find the home base Team Tilly coordinator hard at work.  Mom has been busy making signage and hatage for everyone to wear along with their super sweet t-shirts.  Now I will surely see them while out there racing.  It is always nice to be home...have breakfast made for you, clothes cleaned and no worries...perfect way to spend my pre-race week.  I had my 10 year (ahhh, 10 years!) high school reunion this past weekend and it was a blast...it was so fun to see my old friends and teachers.  My high school track and cross country coach was there and he couldn't believe I was doing an Ironman...told him he had started an obsession!  It was a great time and there were definitely a few beers...so now that it's over I have an IV of water and gatorade in my arm to keep me hydrated for this race!

Mom, hard at work making posters/signs for everyone to carry during the race.

Super cute, huh?  So creative with the m-dot in there!

Yeah, the spelling is wrong...we have learned to make it easier for others to read, thus more cheering and less Til-ga...no, Tilj-...no, Tilg-haman...!

I like how well she captured my ass in the runner! ;)  

That's What Friends Are For

I will beat anyone in a "my friends are better than your friends" contest.  My friends literally are the best you could ask for!  I was thrown a Good Luck shin-dig on Wednesday, and they all came to see me off before I left for Coeur d'Alene via Seattle.  Not only did they put together this par-tay, but they had gifts, cake and fabulous decorations...I mean, seriously, the BEST friends!  

The party started at 8:00 and I was nervous that I would fall asleep before showing up to my own event, but all this tapering has me jumping out of my skin...who needs an 8:30 bedtime?  I can swing it 'til 8:45 now! ;)  It was originally supposed to be a surprise, but they all figured I was too stubborn and would try to go to swim practice and then be too tired to meet up...they know me too well!

I felt like a celebrity and can't thank my besties enough!  

The gift they gave me...a picture from Gulf Coast 70.3 with well wishes written by everyone all around it...so fun!

These are the besties...don't even think about trying to steal them...I will hunt you down and kick you in the shin!  Thank you Katie, Amy and Lisa for organizing and getting everyone together!!

I mean, for the love, they got me a picture cake...these ladies rock!  I didn't want to cut it...it was so glorious!

Lisa and me...thanks for all your hard work on this Lisa, it was such a fun surprise!!

Head Gear

Can anyone possibly look cool in this?  What is "this?" you ask...it's my super sweet neoprene hood that I may, if I'm lucky, get to wear in the swim.  The water has been around 61 degrees in Lake Coeur d'Alene, so a ear/head warmer may be necessary.  Not only do I get to sport this puppy, but I will also put my swim cap on over it...double the fun!  I'm thinking I may start donning my new chapeau in the winter months, or get some further use out of it during my Mt. Rainier climb...the possibilities with this are endless.  I have a feeling it could be seen in a future "Cash's Christmas Card"...he's been known to wear worse!

This almost makes me jealous of my friends doing IMKY...no hoodies will be used there!  Nah, I'll stick with the races that aren't in the 90+ degree heat/humidity!