Friday - Two Days Before The Dance

Friday was spent goofing around.  I took the bike for a short spin half way up the hill to Lake Superior and then followed by a short run.  Afterwards, I headed over to the NRG team meeting.  Not much new info but good to hear again.  I ran into Cathy S and we headed over to registration after the meeting.  We got there about 20 minutes before the doors opened and before I knew it, there was a massive line up behind us.  

Registration was the usual except this time they weighed me.  With my clothes and shoes on, I weighted 176 pounds.  Holy oink, oink!!  So much for wanting to race at 167 pounds.  This three week taper was a little too long.  I feel very fat and out of shape.  I also ran into Mandy as I was leaving.  We talked for 10 minutes and it was cool to meet a blogger in real life.  She mentioned she was meeting a bunch of other bloggers so  maybe I'll run into them as well.

The day seemed to slip by as it was rainy and cool.  Better it be today than race day.  We headed into town for some grocery shopping and I picked up some beer at the grocery store.  A real treat!!  In Ontario, we have to buy beer and liquor at a designated government run store.

For dinner, there is the athlete banquet followed by the mandatory briefing.  We hemmed and hawed about Tammy and the kids going to the dinner but eventually we were too late as it was sold out.  Good thing as the food was really gross.  No way any of the kids would have eaten anything.  Well maybe the bun and at $25 per person, that would have been a real waste of money.  I sat with Nigel and Brandon from NRG as the place was packed and couldn't find anything.  They were amused that the speaker who got the biggest cheer was Mike Reilly, The Voice Of Ironman.  Of course they had the usual speakers but what made it longer was the fact that each speech was in English and French - being in Quebec which is French speaking after all.  After dinner, those guys left and I hung around for the "mandatory meeting" which was more of the same stuff.

I met up with Tammy and the kids in the pedestrian village which was packed with people and athletes.  Ironman clothing was everywhere!!  The excitement and buzz was rippling through the crowd.  They had a free concert and afterwards they had about 20 minutes of fireworks.

I also ran into a whole bunch of people from Markham Tri Club that I ride with.  Rom and Ed came up from New York and are going to hang out here for race day.  Both did IMNYC.  It was like a big reunion. 

I have to admit, the province of Quebec, Mont-Tremblant and Ironman have put on a pretty good show so far.  I'd be willing to come back for this race.  The fact that it is centered right in the Mont-Tremblant and there are so many things for the kids to do makes this a guarantee winner

Stolen from Gareth Scobie