IM St. Croix

[BryanU]

So far, nothing about the past week has been conducive to a good race - I had a sleep deficit the night before we left, flew out at 11:30pm to arrive in Chicago for 3 hours then on to Puerto Rico where we had to gather baggage, walk it half a mile to check in again and fly on to St. Croix, arriving around 4:30pm yesterday. Very little so far has gone smoothly - almost not being given seats on the last flight, the bike and some bags arriving on a later flight to St. Croix and then the accomodations. I'm currently sitting outside the resort office waiting for a room. We got in yesterday evening, got our keys and dragged our bags and bikes up to our 3rd floor room - it was great! Nice big open kitchen connected to a spacious living room with stereo and DVD player, glass doors opening up to an ocean view, and a loft with king size bed. Sarah opened the closet to find someones clothes. The only other room available was a bright green and neon yellow first floor studio so we settled into that for the night, got some dinner at the neighboring restaurant and finally got to bed around 11pm. Not a great arrival.

Day 2: After getting up and getting our bags re-packed (just the thing you want to do each day) we talked to reception and they gave us another room - we checked it out and it was a smoking room. We left it for them to sort out and just hoped for the best when we got back later. We walked into town (about 2 miles) for the 11am harbor swim and swam the course. The salt water defintely adds a new element to the swim and the "breeze" had me thinking about CdA 2007 (it wasn't quite that bad but it wasn't great). Visibility is about 30 feet and you can see the bottom most of the time - sand, tropical fish, sea plants, and the occasion tire or bottle or metal rod. After lunch, I went through registration and then a 30 minute run (at which point I was dehydrated more than any 90 minute run at home) and now I'm waiting for a room again - at 3:46pm. They have one but it's being cleaned and its nice, but not nearly as nice as the first one, which makes it seem much worse than it is.

So far, the weather has been 75-85 degrees (and that's the forecast - 75 at night, 85 in the day) but it feels much warmer because the humidity hits you.

Tonight is the Carb party and Jump Up festival in the main part of town. But it's also my last chance to get some good rest and try to switch my clock to 3 hours off yours.

...

[andrew]

Good luck with the race Bryan, eat them up on the bike like you do with us
85 deg sounds fantastic, though not for a marathon!

Bryan,

I know you'll make us proud down there, just give it everything you've got. I am sure all of that "man-work" around your house has made you
"strong-like-bull" so you'll be fine in the hills there. Plus the cheater rings, pardon me, Q-rings on your bike should helps propel you up those hills. I say just get in contact with Crowie on the bike and then rest up to unleash the fury on the run

Good luck, I'm anxiously waiting to hear the results!

Michael

[benbiggles]

Bryan,

Your journey makes Cindy and I missing our 2:45 ferry seem not so bad afterall! At least we know we have a room in a very nice four star hotel waiting for us

Kick ass and do as Michael says, but don't run like Andrew, otherwise you have gone twice as far as you need to

Our energy is with you, god knows i'm not racing this year so have plenty to spare

Good luck Bryan! Remember to have fun, too. Isn't that what it is all about?
Catrena

[BryanU]

Things have (thankfully) slowed down a bit now. Last night's Jump Up festival was fun, with streets full of people, steel drum bands, food and artisans but we didn't spend much time there - after a long wait for dinner, we were ready to turn in. We have moved into a good room and allowed our bags to explode across the place. My bike is assembled and inflated and I spent a little time riding part of the run course today. They paved about 400 yards of the bike/run course yesterday but nearly every inch of the rest of the course (from what I've seen) is worse than the worst pavement I've seen around seattle. On my ride, I lost 3 bottles in the first 3 miles - one of them, litterally disappearing in front of my eyes, when it rolled into a hole in the road as a car passed over it. I was less about 30 feet away and couldn't figure out how it could've just vanished like that until I got right next to it and saw it standing up in the hole. After the ride, I stopped by the makeshift bike shop and asked for a flat tube, bought some scissors and got out the electrical tape. 15 MacGyver minutes later and I now have rubber coated carbon fiber bottle cages with security straps.

I'm hoping to be in bed by 8 tonight, up around 3:30am, getting ready to leave the hotel around 4:30am for the 2 mile ride/drive to town - transition opens at 5am and my wave starts at 6:39am (that's 3:39am to you) - 6 minutes after the pro women and 9 minutes after the pro men (so, Michael, I'm hoping to catch Crowie around mile 15 of the bike - wouldn't that be nice). I'm really looking forward to this race.

OK, enough blabbering for this day - I'm sure I'll have plenty to say after tomorrow. The only question is whether I'll have the energy to say it, or the time - we've already booked jetski and sailing tours for early next week.

[MikePritch]

Bryan, no "jogging" out there. have a great race. looking forward to hearing about it.

[benbiggles]

Following Bryan on Ironman Live - Swim 34:55 (1:50/100m), Bike 2:46.18 (20.2mph).

He is still running but seems to he hurting out there, first 6.55 miles at 8:26 pace. I know he will hang tough and I am sure negative split the run, think the back half of the course is a little easier.

Come on Bryan

Here is the link to his stats - http://ironman.com//events/ironman70...x70.3/&bib=268

[benbiggles]

He came off the bike in 10th in his AG, think he is now 17th - Here is the link to the 35-39 AG - http://ironman.com//events/ironman70...x70.3/&bib=268

[Heidi]

Are you back from your "vacation" ? Race Report?