The end of A Long Road?

I can hardly believe we are at the eve of IMFL.  Seems like the lapse of sanity occurred only yesterday - you know - the moment you sign up for an IM?  The journey to this day has been like anything else in life worth the wait - full of sacrifice: professional, family, personal, etc.  While you gain so much on the road to Ironman, you are certainly opening yourself up to potential losses as well.  The balance of becoming an Ironman isn't a daily balance, really, it's an overall balance.  While I had many goals along this road, one was to not tip the scales too far in any one direction.  I remember becoming obsessed with training, nutrition management, and shaving seconds during the summer time.  Then I developed this chronic hip problem that sidelined me for 6 weeks and caused me to miss Muskoka 70.3.  And now, a couple months later, I've gained weight on taper (ate anything not nailed down!), still have a hip problem, but learned something pretty important: for most of us in the AG that have careers, young families, or whatever, we have to focus on walking a middle road.  It, too, is a long one, but it's ok to indulge once and awhile, miss a training session or two, etc.  Pushing too hard sometimes sets you back, and in some cases, behind where you were previously.  Equally frightening, being off balance with priorities, which are dependent on each individual and their situation, can end up costing us a lot more than six weeks on a sideline.

Despite the sacrifice, long hours, pain, and all things that come with IM training, I'm glad to have chosen this road and most importantly, my family is too!  OK, so it got me out of their hair many hours a week, but I believe they are very proud of their dad for setting a goal and doing the work it takes to accomplish it.  This has been a one year journey, and tomorrow, it will, with lot's of luck and determination, be 140.6 miles long.

Kinda windy

24 hours door to door, straight.  2,356 km

No explanation necessary

My race plan:

• Don't get seasick during the swim (like this week during practice).  Don't swallow water, keep mouth closed.
• Muscle relaxant before bike and run, if needed.
• Consume 6 servings of Infinite on bike (6x278 cal = 1,668) and 6 gels (600 cals) = 2,268 cal on bike.  Water to wash everything down, will add IM Perform from aid stations if needed.
• Keep HR around 140 bpm.  If my hip holds up, I should be about 6 hours on the bike.
• Run easy to start, walk every aid station.  If my hip holds up, I'll be happy.  Ecstatic, actually.  Heart rate approx 150, max.
• Run / walk / shuffle / whatever 1 mile at a time.  Think about the sacrifices my family made to get me here.  Don't let them down.
• Believe I can do it and get it done.