Visualizing Ironman

So, I have been visualizing Ironman for the past couple of weeks. Here is how it goes:

Swim: I get into the swim start area and breathe deeply and settle down for about 10 minutes. Calm is how I will feel. The cannon will sound and off the main field will go but not me. I will continue to breathe and wait 2 to 3 minutes until it thins out and then find my space and start swimming. I will get hit but it will be fine, and I will remain calm. The first loop will consist of me breathing and enjoying the water (it is just me, the bouys, the water, and Kate smiling at me telling me that I am doing well). I will finish the first loop in 44 to 47 minutes which will be fast enough for me not to get passed by a group of people (maybe the elite women but they are such a small group that I will just enjoy the pull). I will get out, wave to the crowd, breathe deeply and head back in for the second loop where I will cruise along on the line comfortably for another 44 to 47 minutes. Then I will get out of the swim smiling because the Ironman is 1/3 of the way done. I will be roughed up by a wetsuit stripper and told to go to transition. (What a great day when you get to meet and be stripped by a wetsuit stripper)

Bike: I will go into transition, change my shorts, have a volunteer put on some sunscreen, and head out on my bike by 8:50 am. I will head off slowly, taking my time to make sure that I do not go out too fast (Remember Joe: don't go out to fast, don't go out to fast or you will not last). I will repeat to myself up the first hills out of Lake Placid that I love this race, enjoy the mountains, watch the buffalo, and then scream down the hills into Keene where there will be crowds yelling for us to do well. I will get down in aero and feel confident in my ability to finish the race while on Rt 9 and enjoy the river and the scenery while not pushing too hard. I will just keep spinning when we turn left onto Rt 86 up the hill to Hazelton Road. On Hazelton Road, I will sit back and wait and enjoy the road and watching all of the people biking on it. Maybe I will even see my husband and wish him luck. We will head back into Lake Placid just spinning on the hills in front of Whiteface while thinking how beautiful the mountain is. We will hit River Road and I will know that I will be almost back to my family so that they aren't worried too much about me. This first loop and my stop at the special needs area will take about 4 hours. I will then head out again not pushing too hard on the first hills and at this point know that I can do this. I will not push too hard and remember my mantra that the breathe leaving my body is taking the pain with it. I will hear Melinda telling me to just breathe. I will keep telling myself that I CAN do this. I will hit the hills outside of Whiteface again feeling like I will become an Ironman and just keep spinning until River Road where I will realize that I am going to finish the race by just making it back to the transition before 5:30. This second loop will take about 4 hours and 10 minutes and getting back into transition between 5 and 5:10 pm. I will want to cry because getting off the bike I know I will be an Ironman today. Ironman is 2/3 of the way done! During this entire time I will be hydrating appropriately and eating PB and J and pretzels and enjoying my Infinit nutrition.

Run: In transition, I will change my shorts, get some fluids, eat a powerbar gel cap, have a volunteer put on more sunscreen and take off to find my family on the run course. I will run down the hill allowing my muscles to stretch out and waving and smiling to my family because now they know that I will be an Ironman too. I will reach River Road feeling good and walking through the aid stations to make sure I am getting enough calories and fluids. I will head back up the hill to the Horse Show Grounds and then find it easy to run back into Lake Placid. I will walk the hill that leads back to Lake Placid and will keep moving. I will see my family again and have a boost of energy from seeing them. I will run up Mirror Lake Drive feeling excited that I just have 13.1 miles left to go. I will run down the hills back to River Road when I will run for 5 minutes then walk 1 minutes and walk through the aid stations. It will be getting dark there but I will be motivated by the motivational mile telling me "I got a feeling, that tonights gonna be a good night!" I will picture my husband, family and friends, at the finish line waiting for me. It will be tough but the adrenaline will keep me moving. I will walk the hill again into Lake Placid and then be joined by friends running with me telling me to keep moving and it will all be over soon. I will do the out and back hearing the announcer tell people that they are Ironmen and I will know it will be me soon. I will enter the olympic oval excited with a second/third/fourth wind and run around and then see the finish line and smile because I am an Ironman. I will hear the cheers and know that I worked hard to get here and harder today than I have ever worked today. I will be done with the marathon in 6 hours 10 minutes (about) which will leave me becoming an Ironman at around 11:30 pm!!!

I am going to be an Ironman in 12 days!