Surprise! Happy "Ironman Preview Weekend!"

For the past few months, I've been planning a weekend getaway to the Woodlands for Landon and I, to let him preview the Ironman course and for us just to have a little weekend away, just for us, before little baby Aedan comes in a few weeks.  And finally, the weekend was here!

When I got off work on Friday, I ran home as soon as the bell rang to get our bags all packed for the trip--which amounts to about 15 different bags, when you have to pack all of the triathlon gear too!  Luckily, we've about got it down to a science at this point. :)

Then, I set up our little entryway with a letter/poem for Landon explaining what I had planned for the weekend, along with a few little snacks for him and instructions to relax for a few minutes until I got home from running a couple of errands for the trip.

Then, I dropped the dogs off at Landon's grandparent's house for the weekend and headed home--and Landon only beat me home by about 10 minutes, which was perfect timing.

He was totally surprised, which was my main goal, so I was excited!  He's so good at surprising me with things and I'm not generally as successful, so I'll count it as a victory in my book. :)  He changed and we double checked that we had everything he needed for his bike and swim and then we loaded up the truck and headed out.  Before we headed out of town we ran by some friend's house to help them unload the dirt for their raised bed, since Landon made the plans not knowing my plans...and then headed to the Hilton Homewood Suites to settle in for the weekend.  

Once we got all checked in, we walked around the hotel and then laid out all his swim and bike gear and then just relaxed for the evening, since we had to get up around 6:30am for his swim.

 Early Saturday morning, we headed out to Lake Woodlands, where the Ironman swim will take place.  Every other day the lake is closed to swimmers, but a group was sponsoring a swim this one weekend, with the course set up similarly to the first part of the Ironman swim, so that was perfect timing.

It was fun being around a bunch of Ironman/triathletes, people who don't think it's crazy to swim and bike crazy distances, even though I wasn't doing any swimming or biking!  I probably just looked like someone's wife out there to help, which I guess I was this weekend, but it was still fun being there.

The water temperature for the actual race might be just warm enough to where wetsuits are illegal, so Landon swam the first lap with his wetsuit and the second lap without, just to try it out both ways.

Lap 2--only 1.2 miles left to go!  He said the water was warm enough for sure, but that you couldn't see ANYTHING.  He couldn't even see his own arms in the water as he was swimming.  That's kinda a scary thought when you think about having to swim with 2,000 other people's arms and legs all kicking and hitting around you as you swim.

After his 2.4 miles were done, it was time to bike.  We drove the first 15 or so miles of the course to get out of town, since those miles were relatively flat and easy.  Then, he changed into his bike clothes, we filled his water bottles and he was off to ride the country roads part, to see how hilly etc it really was.
So, for the next five hours or so, I followed this map and drove the course, stopping to wait for him at the turns and refill his water bottles etc.  It was nice because I always get nervous when he's out on really long rides, and this time I saw him every 30 minutes or so. 

As I waited for him at the different turns, I passed the time listening to worship music on KSBJ, writing thank you notes,

making name tags for Wendi's shower

and constantly checking my mirrors to see if he was coming down the road.  I was glad, once again, that he was in orange because it made him so much easier to spot!

Then, once he caught up to me, I'd direct him which way to turn and we were off again!

He biked the vast majority of the course--about 82 miles.  It was HOT and humid.  And, it was definitely rolling hills pretty much the whole way and a lot of wind for a lot of those miles.  So, it was a tough ride--hopefully the conditions are better on race day, but at least now he knows he can make it through it they're not, and we know what he's up against.  I'm so proud of him though--it hasn't been easy training this time around, with work and the baby and me not training too and his wreck etc--and he's sticking it out and doing well.  He's way tougher than I am and I'm so proud to be out there with him.

The rest of the day we did spend some time together, just relaxing.  We grabbed a late lunch, showered and then just hung out in the hotel room until that night.  We talked and watched a little tv and watched/felt Aedan move around and kick/punch.  Doesn't my stomach look huge here?  It's crazy that there's an almost 5 pound baby boy in there now.  Our bodies are amazing.

 

When we started to get hungry again, we drug ourselves off of the bed and went out to Pappadeaux for a leisurely dinner.  We were there for about 2 hours and had a nice night just talking and eating some yummy food--we even splurged and got some banana pudding for dessert.  And, part of Landon's food came out undercooked, so as an added bonus, his food ended up being free.  It was so nice to just be able to sit and talk and not have any plans or anywhere we had to rush off to.

After dinner, we just headed back to the hotel and hung out there the rest of the night.  It was a lovely way to end the weekend. 

 

Sunday morning we planned on getting up early and driving back for church, but we ended up turning our alarms off and sleeping in some and just taking advantage of having a morning where we didn't have anything to go and do.  When we woke up we got dressed and went downstairs for the hotel's breakfast and then took out time packing up the room and heading out.  Again, glorious.  We felt a little guilty not going to church, but sometimes I think you just need some time to slow down and rest and this morning was one of those mornings.

Now, we're back home with our furry babies (who I think got worn out at Pam and Wes'  because they slept in the car the whole way home) and life is good.  

I love you babe.

Thank you for liking surprises and for not finding out about this one.

I am so proud of you for doing this Ironman and am glad to be a part of it with you.

And I am so glad to have had a weekend just to spend with you, on our little "Ironman vacation" to the Woodlands.

I am so lucky to be your wife.