It Has Begun!

The whole Ironman Experience kicked off today, and quite the experience it was. After working a quick couple of hours I ventured down to the Monona Terrace. I got there and I saw my friend Jon Alvarez who already got done with the practice swim. After talking with him for a bit I got ready, checked my stuff in and swam. I did a whole lap (half of an Ironman) and felt good and took it easy. I then realized that we start mid-water so I'll probably have to tread water for like 15 minutes before even starting the swim on Sunday! The magnitude started to hit me. Over 2000 people (roughly the amount of people in say Cumberland or Belleville) will be spread across a hundred yards, all swimming to get to the same spot at the same time! Awesome!

After getting some schwag from Gatorade and dropping off my wet stuff into the car it was time to get in line for registration. So I proceeded to walk for like 20 minutes straight looking for a line to no avail. Finally I stumble across a line that had formed in a place I walked by twice before and I ended up about 20th. I ran into Renee and also Zarun. It was good to talk to them and both said they'd be cheering. So mid registration (you have to go to like 5 different stations) I got distracted by this body composition place. They offered a free body composition analysis. Last two times I did this I was borderline between healthy and overweight. So I needed to try again; I've never been more fit.

Stats:
Weight: 196.6lbs (in clothes)
Body Fat %: 11.1% (means I am healthy)
% Total Body Water: 60.6% (means I am hydrated)
Muscle Mass: 166.2lbs (means I have more muscle mass than Jerry has mass)
Physique Rating: 6 (means High Muscle and Avg. Body Fat %- Athlete)
Bone Mass: 8.6lb (Means I am big boned)
BMR: 2322 calories (This is how many calories I can metabolize on a day of rest.)
Metabolic Age: 12 (Means I have the metabolism of a 12yo.)
Visceral Fat Rating: 3 (means I don't have that much fat surrounding my vital organs.)

I like the numbers...all of them. I was an 18.5% at 217lbs in the offseason.

Anyways, about 100 people passed me when I did this so I was deeper in the final line. After waiting for 10 minutes I was able to get my packet with all the info, race numbers, transition bags and all of that! I was officially registered. After that I was going to go home. But Alvarez was meeting fellow Schwinn Team member Rybarik (Ironman 2007?) for some coffee so I ended up tagging along. As soon as coffee was done, Zarun called and asked if I wanted to do lunch. We ended up hitting some Quiznos and it was a good time! I then walked through the Ironman tent city! Two Blocks of nothing but free samples and Ironman related stuff. I ate some samples, scored tons of fig newtons and just took it all in. It was awesome! I can't believe how big a deal this is.

I finally bit the bullet and went back to work. Of course I had a mess of e-mails needing my attention that kept me busy most of the afternoon. A little bike ride later and my Ironman training is now complete! I celebrated with some pizza and a coke and soon I'll be watching my boy Charlie Batch take down the Dolphins!

Today at work, quite a few people asked me what my split times are. So here is what I came up with:

Swim start: 7am
Out of the water: 8:15-8:30
On the bike 8:25-8:45
Enter the bike loop in Verona: 9:10-9:30
Back through Verona: 11:25-12:00
Last pass through Verona: 1:40-3:00
Back to the Terrace: 2:25-3:45
Start Run: 2:30pm-4:15pm
Run Finish: 6:35pm-11:59:59pm

If you are planning on watching at a certain point, e-mail me what point and I will give you my best estimate. Otherwise use the rough guidelines above.