Sticker Shock

OK- not really sticker shock- but body shock, venue shock, and an extremely funny reality check. People whom I have been asking questions of today keep telling me "oh, yes, but that'll be busy because of the Ironman people coming in...." and when I told my inquisitive waiter that I was going to walk down to the race transition venue- after I'd asked for directions- he asked, not if I was participating, but if I was going to take advantage of the nice day.

At the airport there was a tall blond guy that oozed athlete, and fast. (I'm pretty sure no one looked at me and thought that!) In fact I started to think, geez, does my butt look that big or do I look like I don't get messy? Wait til Sunday.

So needless to say there will need to be some inside the head action going on here the next few days. As I was walking along the lake - thinking it doesn't look all that cold! And thankful that the air temperature is a sunny 75-ish today- a group of German bikers came whizzing past looking like they knew what they were doing.

Tomorrow I'm to get on my bike- that is after hoping it has been 1. delivered 2. reassembled 3. to my fit! and ride in an area that boasts about 3 million people - while I'm used to rural Ames where no one bothers me as long as they're not texting. Always another growth opportunity!

I have to swim in a fish bowl on Friday, on the second floor of the hotel- not that several hundred other athletes don't have the same idea.

And I have the concierge finding out what orphan athletes who have no family or friends to help them do in case they can't pick up their bikes by midnight because they're still finishing or getting IVs! I could donate the bike I suppose. But then there's the wetsuit, the bike shoes and helmet and warm up shirt and shorts I'll have had on in the morning also.