So the email simply says "Congratulations, you are now part of history! This note serves as confirmation of your entry into IRONMAN New Zealand 2014."
Yes, I have officially entered Ironman!
Will back up slightly... Have had an awesome year to date training, race and support wise. Training has been ticking along (aside from a small ankle twist that I won't dwell on as it is only a blip on my radar). I loved watching fellow triathletes and a dear friend cross the finish line of Ironman 2013, what a day... I have also managed to add another sprint tri in along the way too which has only added to my excitement of the year ahead!
Things I have learnt this year so far:
1. Concentrate when you are running in the forest.
2. Ironman is a really LONG way and a really LONG day.
3. 'Recovery' with children is a joke! I'm working on how this is going to pan out in the long term.
4. Being support crew is a hard job. Thank those who help you regularly (Thanks Greg and Georja!) and invest in support for the supporters!
5. Sponsorship is a huge weight off your shoulders when it comes to the $835 payout! THANKS PORSE.
6. The house aint gonna clean itself.
7. Invest in good advice/coaching if able to. Thanks Hugh Bootten for agreeing to coach me!
8. Brand new shoes, that have been fitted correctly, rock!
9. Don't drink too much when you get an entry into Ironman, it gives you a headache.
10. Train well, train wise, train with a smile.
Back to Ironman entry day. The process of entry was hilarious when I look back now. The lead up was a mind numbingly long and arduous week. I thumb twiddled all day to wait till 12 noon on the 14th March 2013. I had organised to work that morning so that my mind was taken away from it all, but then this work got cancelled first thing in the morning. So I mucked around a bit in town and then returned home to clean the house top to bottom. At 11.57 - The entry page on the IM NZ site turned from 'information' to 'actual entry'. It was then game on. Never have I been so nervous. My hands shook and I was squealing with delight so much, the neighbours must have thought I was mad. The dawning realization struck about 2 minutes after I had clicked all of the correct buttons and I read the above sentence 'Congratulations, you are now part of history'.
Let the fun begin!
