Ironman actually is pretty amazing

Today is four sleeps til Ironman Cairns.

It's also my bestie's birthday so I went to The Vanilla Pod to get a delicious cup cake to celebrate for her (she lives overseas so it's the best I can do, really).

Was I feeling just a tad guilty having cake for lunch this close to a race? Hell yes. But not for long.

I happened to be wearing probably my favourite piece of Ironman merchandise - a light merino pullover from Ironman New Zealand. As I stood there mesmerised by the selection of delicious cakes, a man behind the counter got my attention.

"Have you done an Ironman?"
"Yeah. I'm doing one this weekend too."
"How many have you done?"
"This will be my seventh."
"Seven! You need to talk to our cook. She's into that stuff too."

Before I knew it out came this lady who seemed truly excited to talk to me and wish me well for my race. She told me that she's run marathons, and is entered for the Mooloolaba 70.3 in September.

"But I feel so exhausted after doing even a short triathlon... I don't know how you do it. Come back next week and tell me how you went!"

I mumbled something or other... I was a bit embarrassed about this much attention, particularly when my very modest race goal is to run a sub 5:30 marathon. Not that impressive in the scheme of things.

As I walked out the door, I heard this loud exclamation... "Seven!"

I smiled to myself and something switched in my mind. I can be as embarrassed as I like, but the reality it is that it's actually a pretty amazing thing to do.

Even though I'm feeling more and more that Ironman has become a normal part of my life, I know I'll feel like it's pretty amazing more than once on Sunday. I don't know yet whether that will be through pre-race nerves, by my heart beating too quickly on the start line, or the feeling I get when I cross the line. Or something else entirely.

But when it happens, I'll be ready, and I'll love it.