Final training sessions done - now on my way to Kalmar ironman

Now I have done the last training sessions, and am on the way to Kalmar ironman.

This Sunday I did the last bike session: around 100-120 km in moderate speed. I did this by combining it with attending a concert held by my friends Pelle and Sofia Hansen. For those of you who do not know it already, they have really succeeded in demonstrating what I have always believed to be true: that it doesn't matter where you do something, as long as the quality is high enough, people will come. They have created a concert hall in the middle of nowhere, out on the far countryside in Östergötland, but manage to get both some of the best artists in Sweden (of which they are ones), and a working economy, because they take proper ticket fees (200 SEK/ticket) and get full audiences (2x150 people/concert).

I managed to get a seat < 2m from the performers, here playing Schönberg's Verklärte nacht. Pelle and Sofia, the main arrangers of these concerts, are sitting to the far right, and in the middle to the left, respectively. 

As you see the concert hall is completely filled to the brink, and this despite this concert being doubled, i.e. given twice in two days. 

One of the benefits of going by bike to places, especially places like this that are a little bit off, is that you get to see very beautiful places along the way. Many of these places I would never had seen otherwise, if I had gone by car or bus, since these travel along much bigger roads, at higher speeds, and with a numbening glass window between you and the landscape, which makes you less present, and less prone to stopping and enjoying the view. Here are a few of these pictures, the first of them is close to the concert hall, nearby Slätmo, and the others are from a small country road between Opphem and Bestorp.

Then on Monday, I sent off the bike to Kalmar via a bus-based service, and ran home in a way that was approximately 10 km. It felt fine, and was a good sign that my previously a bit troublesome foot will hold up sufficiently fine to complete the race on Saturday (which has been my main worry so far).

Finally, on Tuesday, I did a swim of approx 1500 m, and some weight lifting just for fun.

Since then, I have mainly taken care of my body: done some yoga, rested, and done and listened to some music. And, now, today, Thursday, I am at last on the train down to Kalmar, where the race will be. Today I will receive and re-assemble the bike and do the registration, and tomorrow I will do the final preparations of food and plan when, where, and how, I will eat what.

Then, on Saturday, I will go up around 5AM, do a little bit of yoga, eat breakfast and go down to my bike and "place with all my stuff". At 7AM the race starts, at 8.30, I should be done with the swimming, between 9-15.30 I will be on my bike, and between 16-23 I should have plenty of time to finish the final part: the marathon. My main focus this year will just be to finish before the closing at 23, to go through as healthy as possible, and to get the experience of doing the complete race.

Wish me luck! :)