Yesterday, after getting registered and getting the requisite souvenirs from the ironman store, we went out and drove the bike and run courses. Various reports had raved about how scenic the bike course is and they weren't wrong. The road surface is smooth and you are on a four lane highway out of Cairns before it narrows to two lanes along the coastline up to Port Douglas. Along the coast there are a few rollers and one semi-decent climb, that we will do twice, but the highest part of the course is 58m so it should be just enough to keep things interesting rather than a slog.
Pretty impressive is the fact that the highway is being closed down for the race, so it's looking like it will be a really nice ride.
Once we get to Port Douglas we turn around and retrace our tracks back towards Cairns, do another turnaround and head back to Port Douglas for a second time before heading back South to T2, located about 10km north of Cairns.
Out of T2 we run a loop out to Yorkeys Knob before heading back to Cairns.
Once we get past the airport we will be on the Esplanade in Cairns and we will head towards the finish line. Once we get to the finish line, though, there will be about 16km still to run so there are two more laps to do of the Esplanade and hopefully during those last stages of the race there will be LOTS of crowd support!
The run is flat and looks really scenic as well, except for the middle section between Yorkeys Knob and the Esplanade where we will be running along the highway with only cane fields and resident snakes for company.
The snakes can stay away!
Last night was the Welcome Dinner and race briefing. The USM team did a great job with the evening, with complimentary cans of soft drinks and dishes served at the tables rather than the buffet bun fight we are accustomed to in Taupo.
The dessert, tropical trifle with coconut custard and passion fruit sounded to die for but it hadn't been served by the time the race briefing was over and so I mustered all my resolve and suggested to St Pete that we leave before temptation got put in front of me. Coach Dave would have been so proud ... and I'll make up for it on Monday night!
During the speeches we heard from Macca that he wouldn't be going to the Olympic Games and while it would have been really disappointing for him, I can't help but be excited about the three-way race that is now lining up for Kona this year - Crowie, Macca and Lance. Should be epic.
This morning was the one and only official practice swim we could do on the course. Because of the possibility of crocs (yes, really!) our entry into the water was closely supervised. Before we were allowed in a couple of boats and about four jet skis spent a couple of minutes doing donuts around the course - evidently to scare away any wildlife ... Crocs much prefer still water you see. We were then counted in, in groups, and counted out again and the numbers in the water at any one time were restricted.
The water temperature was really good but the visibility was nil. It was like swimming in green murk and you literally couldn't see your hands in front of you. A couple of times I got knocked while swimming but instinctively realised that it was another swimmer rather something with big jaws. Whew!
The rest of the morning was then taken up with racking the bike and dropping the bags off at each transition area. By lunchtime all of that had been ticked off and I am now happily reclined on the couch and going nowhere anytime soon.
Tomorrow the adventure begins in earnest and I am feeling relaxed, calm and ready. A big change from last year! Whatever happens out on the course I will adapt and deal with it and I am ready to do the best that I can and enjoy the atmosphere that is Ironman.
There's nothing quite like it!
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