I am just hoping to finish!!! 7 hours would be awesome but finishing while still jogging and not crawling will be enough for me.

Anyone interested in an after party the next day? NTR and kids and I will be having a little get together at the place we are staying. BBQ, drinks, pool etc. Nothing fancy but should be fun. PM me if you are interested

I have my last program open on my laptop - 4 weeks then its all on. Jeeezus.... What was I thinking???

Amen sister.

After my smash fest this morning I will second that

I'm off for a little nana nap.

wt/kb

Hi All,

Thinking of doing this one next year as my validation to Port. I know you are all probably in race mode but if I could ask a question or two??

Where abouts is everyone staying and what are the prices like. I will have Mrs Ewoksta and 2 X little woks in tow so need something kid friendly.

Looking forward to ready your race reports.

Cheers
Andrew

We are staying at Windsurfer apartments on Broadbeach - I think this is about 30 mins drive away.

It is costing about $110 per night for a 1 bedroom apartment.

I understand there is not much accommodation right near the course.

I am fully in taper now and am getting excited/nervous/terrified a million times every minute - it's exhausting.

Only 8 days to go.

wt/kb

Hang in there wildthing

slowmo

Go Wildthing & Mouse!!

Hopefully this time in 8 days I will have completed my first Triathlon event and be sitting around cheering others on or lost in a beer somewhere
I did my squad transition session today and didn't drown in the swim (500m, waddle back to start, 500m), so I'm confident I'll make it around, barring accidents.
My swim wave is at 5:52! (No, I'm not over 40) I should be all finished by 8:30.
Someone really needs to tell the USM webmaster that "Female > 35" doesn't mean females under 35 though...
I'm a bit excited.

What was the water temp like for this race last year? I am contemplating getting a wetsuit but looking at the cost of them and considering this is my first tri (Sprintman), I don't want to fork out for something I may not get to use. Do you really get such a big bouyancy advantage with one? Maybe you can hire them somewhere?

The Wild Mouse (Wildthing & Mouse) are set to do themselves and CoolRunning proud.

It's going to be their 1st Half Ironman.

Please send them your good wishes.

Go you good thing. As Roy & HG would say.

I'm pretty sure they had a temp for last year as 23.9 - just under the 24 for non-wetty.
The current page says it was 21 - 2 weeks ago.
I was swimming at Suttons Beach - Redcliffe at 6:00 am on Saturday, it's a bit fresh initially, but it's fine once you're going.
I don't think you'll need a wetty.
If the current Brissie weather keeps up, being cold is going to be the least of your problems.

Thanks Thomo.

Talking to Mouse last week at swim squad I know we are both pretty nervous.

My run training hasn't been so consistent over the last few weeks thanks to a few niggles that crept in. I went for another wet suit swim yesterday in my new sleeveless wet suit and all seems good to go. And of course my new bike is a dream to ride.

While I am relatively happy with my training my weight loss has been disappointing (read none) - but them's the breaks.

I can't belive the race is almost here. As the world's slowest triathlete I will be happy to home home in under 8 hours (1/4/3) to the adoring cheers of my biggest fans - hubby and parents.

Yippeeeee.

wt/kb

Plus some big cheers from adoring fans like me who can't be there, but will be with you in thought and heart

slowmo

All the best to Wildthing & Mouse. You will both do very well on Sunday.

I have to also send a very big hug to my wonderful training partner 'Prima Donna'... she is on fire at the moment & i'm sure is going to have a wonderful first IM. This is part of her journey to IMOZ and I look forward to training over summer with her.

Helmet - don't forget the updates over the day.

GO GIRLS!!!!

AK

Thanks Aunty K and Thomo!! I have been laying low for the last few weeks, feeling very nervous.

WT - I hear you about the weight loss, I am very disappointed in mine (none) also! Looking forward to Sunday, just want to get out there now and enjoy it. Whatever will be, will be. 7 hours would be lovely but just finishing in whatever time comes will not disappoint me!!

NTR and I are having some drinks and a BBQ at the holiday park we are staying at on the Monday as a celebration. BYO fancy drinks and food (some beer, wine, sausages, bread, sauce etc provided). PM me if you are interested in coming along for some fun and relaxtion

See you all up there... gulp.

And thank you Jen!! NTR will let you guys know how it all goes!

Just wanted to add our best wishes to Wildthing and Mouse. You girls will do yourselves very proud and we will look forward to the reports.

I had breakfast with WT yesterday and she is quite the cool customer at this stage.

Enjoy that after party girls and bore those blokes silly with your war stories.

Good luck to Mouse and Wildthing, and all other CRs taking on GCHIM this weekend.

I would love to be there again, but - too many races and not enough disposable income!

We will want a detailed race report from everybody.

M

Hi Guys, This is my first post (bit nervous!) but I really wanted to say 'Good Luck and Enjoy' to Wildthing, Mouse and all the other CR's out there at Goldie. We will be thinking of you and looking forward to hearing your stories upon your return. Mouse you may think you don't know me but I am from Swim Squad!
Cheers, Winky

Best of luck girls! Special thoughts to my buddy WT.... you will kick ass. Am totally in awe of you, you little

Yay. Wink's first post. Don't be nervous. We are all friendly here. Watch out for Shot'is though - he can be a bit strange.

I am busy packing at the moment. I feel strangely calm at the moment and ready to get on with the job at hand on Sunday.

Thankyou all so much for your best wishes. It means an enormous amount to me. I just hope that my race report is shorter than my race!

Gee those beers are going to taste fine on Sunday afternoon.

wt/kb

Here goes, - doubling my posts already. Yes I agree WT - beer always tastes so much better after totally exhausting yourself. I think that is why I do it actually...
Thanks for the tip too, I will look out for that Shot'is character! Happy packing and have a safe trip up. (Better work now this could become a dangerous habit.)
Winks

YAY!! The beautiful Winks has now joined us at CR .

Yep, watch out for Shotis... he is a strange character at times and I try to avoid him .

Safe trip WT & take all those positive vibes with you.

AK

HIJAK!
What on earth has little old me done to offend you three upstanding athletes then eh?

WT and Mouse you will enjoy ever minute on course. Remeber to relax, drink, eat and have one for me at the bar when you are finished.

Looking forward to the race reports next week!

Missed you at coffee this morning Dr Shot'is.

We saved you a chair and you didn't show - I was very sad

kb

Good Luck WT for this weekend.

Jo

Winky and Shotis - I know who you both are now!! Took me a while

Thanks for the wishes all, TA thanks for your message. Thanks goodness I am busy at work, I haven't had to think about the weekend. I am sure nerves will hit in pretty soon.

WT we will have earned LOTS of beers by the time we finish

Good luck to Mouse and Wildthing in the HIM!!

don't worry we replaced him with Coach Koppo

AK

Good luck to Mouse and Wildthing

You've done the work. Now there's just this final training session called a race that you have to get out of the way before you start sucking back those beers

wt, good luck, swim well, ride hard and run happy.
You will do excellent.

I've been a bit slack this week, no swims since Sunday. Oh well.
I'm getting a bit nervous now.
Last night, lying in bed, not sleeping, I was picturing myself finishing the run with my hands in the air.
Today I bought some "clip on" aero bars - profile century. Have to go for a quick blat tomorrow to check position.
Only problem now is trying to fit my bike computer on somewhere.
Did I mention my nerves?

Tyno I am sure you will be just fine. I have not done much this week either - call it tapering.

Funnily enough I feel ok at the moment.

I am just about to leave Coffs Harbour for the final leg of my journey to the Gold Coast. I think maybe it will start to seem real when I go to collect my race kit tomorrow and check in my bike.

Momma and Poppa Bear arrive Saturday afternoon - they are both very excited and can't wait to see how I go. They love their sport.

Helmet is pretty excited too.

Anyway I'm off to find myself some high carbohydrate breakfast - I love carbo loading.

wt/kb

Go Wildthing, Mouse, TynoMite and Plazbot.

Also any other CoolRunners who haven't outed themselves good luck

I am running for a team. Should be a ball considering I will start about 9.30 or 10am and 32 degrees is forecast...

I am now at lovely Biggera Waters - happily settled in to my little apartment. I even have water glimpses from my bed!

I collected Helmet from the train station this afternoon and he is still way more excited than me. I am just a bit scared.

It is warm and windy here at the moment - also much more humid than I am used to.

I have drank so much water today I am sloshing around.

Not long now...

kb/wt

I am under doctors orders to STOP if my chest starts hurting, so I might be walking the 7 k sprintman run leg, but I'm going to finish damnit!

Best of luck to all the Coolrunners in the tri, i'm assuming the northern end of the coast has had similar weather conditions as my end so i'm hoping the windy conditions won't be too much a hindrance. Windiest couple of weeks i can remember up here, maybe i'm too acclimatised now but personally have found the humidity to be lacking because of the wind.
Think you'll all be finishing similar time to us running Tamborine a few miles inland, have a good one,
Kelvin

all the best everyone - hope you have a good race!

I'm all checked in.
They didn't have my timing band when I first checked in, so I had to go back for that.
I'm 1411.
Saw 2 CRs. WildThing and someone else
Am starting to get more nervous.
Spaghetti, powerade, cheesecake and sleep are the only items on my agenda for the evening.
13.25 hours to go!

I am all checked in too. Nice to finally meet TynoMite. I saw Mouse for a few minutes too and she looks ready to rock and roll.

The forecast is for 30+ tomorrow out there at Calypso Bay. The wind continues to blow and might be a pain in the behind out on the course. Rob thinks it is a northerly which will mean a cross wind on the course - not good for those with disc wheels.

The only issue for me was discovering that the bottles they hand out on the course are the 750ml size which are too big to fit in my bottle cages. Plan B has come into effect - more of that if you buy me a beer.

Well that's all from me until after the race.

wt
(race number 553)

Good luck WT/KB! I know you're probably tucked up in bed by now preparing for the big day but just wanted to let you know I'm excited for you and wishing you all the best! You're a legend!

I got an SMS from Night Time Runner.

Mouse is doing very well.

She came out of the water in 47 mins. Transistion to bike went great.

Goooooooooo Mouse.

I'm thinking of them all! Would be getting pretty hot out on course now...

I met NTR just after I left transition after checking in my bike. I was quite nervous at the time.
I didn't get to meet Mouse.
Swim starts were delayed. Apparently quite a few people had trouble with the single entry point to the venue.
I didn't start my watch - found out in the water that I hadn't reset it since Noosa Half.
Swim was about what I expected, Bike was OK. Run was horrible, but I was expecting that.
I finished though.
I'm happy.
Splits should be up tonight, so I'll try to do a full race report for me in my blog later.
We saw WildThing starting her 2nd bike lap as we were leaving the venue.
She'll probably be out running now.
She'll be VERY hot. There is NO shade on the run course.
Good luck WT.
Hope Mouse is doing/did fine too.

They actually have Sprintman times on the web already. - http://wizard.racetectiming.com/
I have done my race report in my blog:
http://www.coolrunning.com.au/forums/blog/...?showentry=4282

Any news on Wildthing?

Well done Tynomite - you should be very proud of yourself.

WT is doing great Helmet has been keeping me updated, so will give you a quick catch-up.

* out of the water in 1.03 with a big smile, about 6 mins in first transition
* 2 hour first bike lap, still smiling and mumbling something about a sore bum
* temp about 28 with a northerly wind
* off the bike and through transition about 2 - 2.20 after first lap,tired but up for the run
* about 20mins ago, she was about half way through the run, keeping a steady pace. The run is very hot with no shade but Helmet has a beer in the esky with her name on it

GO WT!!!

Top work WT.
Thanks for the update TA.

Namaste from Kathmandu !

WT & Mouse, I've been thinking of you both all morning. You both are doing great - GO GIRLS !!!!

Wildthing has finished but not quite the way she hoped.

Helmet last text says "She was pulled up with about 8k to go by the officials. Disappointed but proud of what she has achieved."