A relaxing day. Walked around town a little bit, visited my doctor at the ART tent, ate a lot of saltines, bananas, pretzels, wrote things all over my water bottles to stay focused on the plan. Checked my bags, once, twice, checked Chris’ bags, talked to coach, read e-mails, watched the ocean, drank water. These are things you do before race day.
We racked our bikes in mid-afternoon. Most of Alii Drive has been shutdown to traffic making it a freeway for bikes and pedestrians. People everywhere. More spectators than athletes just watching us athletes wait in line with our bags, bikes, helmets.
As I waited in line, three men spoke spanish while looking at my bike. I looked at them, smiled, and they asked “habla espanol?” Si, un poquito. And then one of them smiled, looked at me and said “suerte”. The spanish word for good luck. A word I will carry in both languages tomorrow throughout my day. Suerte. It seems like everything everyone says at you at this point is quoteworthy, epic, and blessed. You pick up little things in the bigger things that people say.
You wait in line and then a volunteer escorts you through transition. I racked my bike surprisingly in the same area as last year – at the end of the pier but also by the portapotties. Checked my bags again, hung them on the hooks. Walked by the changing tent, the hoses.
I waited for Chris – noticing his bike is racked right by mine. Afterwards we watched the other athletes checking in while waiting for Thomas to do a swim. Jessi Stensland was hanging around with some camera crew. Every time I see her she looks smaller and more ripped.
Around 5 pm it was dinner time. Chris’ parents came over bearing gifts of fruit – mangoes and rambuktan. I had to decline – fruit is not a friend on pre-race night – but tomorrow I promised my mother in law I would indulge in 20 mangoes with her in a fresh fruit feast.
And now it is just a short while before bed. My body and mind are ready to rest for a big day ahead. Tomorrow is race day. Tomorrow I will do everything in my abilities to have my best race. I hope everyone out there has their best race as well.
Suerte.
