Knocking Back that Vitamin C

Why hello Tuesday (otherwise known as five-days-before-the-race)

So far, so good. My biking plan for the morning was aborted by a "Code Orange Air Day" in Washington, DC, which basically means, "don't go outside and breathe if you don't have to". Since part of my bike ride this morning involves trailing along I66 and then along three miles of brutal hills, I decided to swap the bike and the run plan for the cooler weather promised tomorrow. Tonight I hit the gym for my last run session.

In other unrelated news, I've decided that my body is falling into shock because I have refused to feed it anything but kale, blueberries and protein. The sudden steep drop-off from my usual diet of does-it-come-in-a-take-out-container is apparently sending my immune system into a tailspin. I went for a 45 minute swim last night (incidentally, the water was fricking cold in Marie Reed - which is an improvement over the foggy/lukewarm combo from two weeks ago - but still) and there was stuff in my lungs. I don't mean to gross people out - but there it is. Anyway, I've started throwing back Airbourne like it was my job. Pink Grapefruit. So not as delicious as it sounds.

This focused intensity is very weird for me. I was literally in bed at 9:40pm last night. That officially is the earliest I have gotten into bed to sleep in the last decade. I had ginger tea and an ice pack and a book and I turned off the lights at ten after ten. I'm sorry - WHAT?!!

My sister was great yesterday and talked me through a big chunk of nervousness about the transitions. I think I have it all laid out in my head - now I just need to practice it a few times so I can do it without thinking about it too hard. Because I realize when I climbed out of the pool last night and fumbled to get my sandals on - I'm going to need to rely on muscle memory to get me through stuff like that and I'm totally the person who would get disqualified by running out of the transition area forgetting something major - like a helmet. There are - incidentally - in case you haven't wondered before - a lot of ways to get disqualified in a triathlon. You can't be on your bike in the transition area. You have to have your number on all the time. You have to have your helmet on before you move your bike. You can't draft off any other riders. Etc etc etc. So many rules. Yawn.

Anyway, I'm off now for my final bike fit. Hopefully this will also involve new bike shoes (with velcro!). This is my favorite part of having races so far. It's like I get to spend whatever money I want because I'm nervous :) Here is what is on my shopping list today:

-- cliff shots
-- gummy power gel fish
-- sports drink powder mix
-- new bike shoes (yay!)
-- race belt (to avoid puttin safety pin holes in my pretty unisuit... or me)

Reports to follow.