Ironman 70.3 Kansas

Today I was at the Ironman 70.3 Kansas Expo and race site. Very well organized by the way. The vendors were setting things up and race volunteers were staffing their posts and packet pick-up was just beginning. As I stood there, I just smiled at the anticipation and excitement and enjoyed it. No, I have not entered the ironman arena as a particpant yet but it might happpen someday. All kinds of equipment and nutrition products were displayed. There was a buzz in the air that was fantastic. The race isn't until Sunday so the mood was different than it will be as the race nears . But the talk among competitors was friendly and engaging. Laughs and stories were flying around like the warm Kansas breeze. Underneath all of that, the participants were getting ready.

You could tell they were getting ready by the few that were out for a test ride on Friday. There were ones that had already selected their campsite and were getting their gear organized. Some pretty nice campsites! Not my thing, but hey, they looked good. There were small groups of people and then there were individuals that were sitting under a tree near the lake contimplating what was to come. Planning, thinking, reflecting on past race strategies, checking equipment, and how they felt after the trip getting here.

What an atmosphere! Few people even know the hours of training and preparation that go into being a participant, a race director and their staff of volunteers, a vendor, or a member of the particpants family that came along for support. It takes dedication, teamwork, planning, and many more things to make things work. The excitement will build over the next few hours to a high pitch come Sunday morning. You can just feel it!

As a member of FCA Team Endurance, I will be helping with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Iron Prayer meeting Saturday afternoon. It will be a great time for fellowship, inspiration, worship, and prayer. For several marathons the past few months, I coordinated the marathon version of Iron Prayer called Endurance Prayer. We held meetings prior to marathons in Marathon,TX, Dallas, Houston, Austin, and Eugene. I will keep you posted on future events associated with FCA Team Endurance.

Forward we go! May your roads and trails be happy and safe!