Arizona 2007 - Day 5

First, let me thank everyone for the emails of support and encouragement. They mean a lot to me. My support crew, only arrived last night, and although the "Ironman Family" is great ... you spend a lot of time alone in your hotel room on these trips.

Now, today's report.

Last night was wild. There was a wind storm that kicked up so much dust that the air port was closed for a few hours. The wind was upwards of 50 miles, yes miles, an hour, with gusts faster than that. Following the wind, a line of thunder storms rolled through the valley that greater Phoenix is in completely soaking everything ... all-in-all BIG weather. The forecast for Sunday - WINDY! The day will be, what the day will be. Note to self, bring a bandanna or face mask for the bike.

With the closing of the airport, my parents arrived 3 hours late. Needless to say, it was a late night for all of us ... and a well deserved sleep-in this morning.

Training today was light with a few bursts of intensity: A short 20 minute swim in a somewhat murky Tempe Town Lake, a 30 minute bike along the Rio Salado, and a 15 minute run along the lake shore.

After a quick shower, my parents and I spent the afternoon having lunch and shopping in Scottsdale. Old Town was kind of cool ... very much capitalizing on the Old West. Lots of touristy stores and some amazing art galleries.

The Welcome Banquet here in Tempe is held outdoors, under the stars as it were. The usual assortment of pasta, chicken, veggies, and Gatorade. No Fig Newtons at this race! "Bakers Breakfast Cookies" are the cookie sponsor, and we all received a box of double chocolate chunk cookies - I'll report on those later. A little noisy ... Tempe is right under the glide path for the Phoenix airport.

The banquets at these races can be a little more than tedious, but there is always something worthwhile, and after the debacle of last year (a course change that Jean Lacroix and I missed) I always go to them. This year I learned, or re-learned that the USAT drafting regulation is FOUR bike lengths. On the human side of things, the 'biggest looser' was a man who lost 170 pounds in 13 months training for the race.

This sport and the people in it are truly amazing.