Ironman Race Week - Planning & Making Lists

It is less than one week to race day. I’m anxious, ready, excited, emotional, panicky. Despite all this, I’m making lists and checking of race week tasks as completed.

Here is the checklist

1. Bike – bike was dropped off at TriSports. Thank you TriBike Transport for adding TriSports as a drop off location. It was a pain to drive to Tempe to drop off for my last race. One less thing to worry about while traveling; my bike will be at The Woodlands in a few days.
2. Haircut – it’s my Ironman ritual to chop off my hair right before race day. Mentally it helps me to think I’m lighter with less hair. The day before Ironman Arizona I got a really bad haircut from a salon in Tempe but I PR’d on my race - so here’s hoping!
3. Packing List – I made a list of things to pack and will pre-pack today to make sure everything fits. I’m not checking any luggage, everything is a carry on.
4. Nutrition – It’s all Hammer Nutrition this year. I’ve been training the last four months with it and picked up last minute Gels and Bars from TriSports since my latest order won’t be here in time (poor planning on my part). I plan to race with Perpetuem, gels and bars.
5. Tapering – this race season has been different for me in the sense that I actually will taper. Past races I never got my volume up enough to do a true taper. This past week I completed 10 hours of training. This week will be about 6 hours leading up to the race. I feel fit, energized, and ready for race day – Imagine That!
6. Weather Check – I’m been checking obsessing about the weather in Houston and The Woodlands. Today was the first day the weather on race day showed a sun. I’m sure it will change daily but I’m prepared physically and mentally for rain and humidity on race day. Here’s hoping for a cloudy, 65 degree race day.
7. Hydrate – continuing to hydrate.
8. Trying Not To Do Anything Stupid – I haven’t done anything stupid this week. This will hopefully continue. Two weeks ago I stepped on a thorny branch that stuck in my foot OUCH but since then incident free. Praying for calm, injury free days. This is also a mantra I say towards the end of the bike in Ironman. Kristen, don't do anything stupid you are almost done the race. 
9. Mental Prep – I keep going back to triathlon books and reading the race day prep sections that are dog-eared and highlighted. I keep googling keywords like “race day checklist” and “race day prep” and reading pages and pages of advice.
10. Race Plan Review – Memorizing my race plan by re-reading it hourly and bringing with me everywhere I go.

All of these are either checked off or being done on a daily basis.

Yeeaaa Ironman - can't wait to get in the water and start my race.