Ironman Louisville – The Day Before the Race

Quick note and some pictures from beautiful Louisville, Kentucky, the day before Ironman.

Since I’m not racing, I got up and took a 30 mile ride on the bike course for some 2-week out training for IMWI.  I have to say, the first 15 miles of this IML is a nice ride along the Ohio River with plenty of nice scenery.

Like the Dirty Girl 5K run for example, which was going on in a park about 4 miles from the Swim Exit.  If you’re like me and haven’t heard of the Dirty Girl 5K, it is essentially a bunch of women covered in mud, wearing pink tank tops and head bands, walking through a park outlined by pink caution tape all while their mildly aging and somewhat overweight baby-daddies walk along and take pictures with their flip phones.

The first 10 miles shucks and jives like the Louisville native, Muhammed Ali, and is basically a very tempting flat space.  I can imagine most of the athletes will be tempted to hammer it through here (see Wasky) but it’s probably best just to let your legs warm up because mile ten is waiting.

Mile 10 is both a wake-up call and a hallelujah moment.  On you’re way out, it will get the blood flowing those legs a steady climb.  On the way back it will be the beginning of the end and the hill was steep enough for me to ease into a 31 mph coast.

There will be a point shortly after where the beauitful skyline pops into view for about 30 seconds and you think, ahh, I’m home.  But, trust me, you are not.  The city scape seems close enough to touch, but it’s still about 5 miles.

Then you’ll see the swim entrance on your right and be like, did I really swim there today? Today?  Was that today?  Seems like last week, or at the very least yesterday.

So, that’s all I got.  The inside scoop on the first ten out and last ten back.  From what I hear it will be the most enjoyable part of the bike.

Now, here are a few sights without sound from todays walk-thru.