T minus 6 days

My first Olympic tri is on this coming Sunday and nerves are starting to build. I've done 1500m+ in a pool multiple times, but I know I'm going to look at the course and think "Holy shit that is far".

I had a good workout yesterday, a 31/2 brick. I kept the pace largely in zone 2, but I was feeling well after the 2 mile run. It gave me confidence that while my time is questionable, I know I will finish.

With family watching for the first time, finishing is my main goal. I originally had a goal of 3 hours, but after my bout of achilles tendonitis, I was trying to forget that, but it is hard. There is nothing magical about 3 hours, but it seems like a benchmark to hitting a respectable number. I think "best case scenario" is 2:50, and worse case is 3:20. There are a lot of variables which could impact this, such as

1.  how well I sight,
2. if there is chop,
3. how bad the wind is on the bike
4. how hot the run is.

I'll actually be pacing my effort based on heart rate, so if I meet those goals, but my time suffers due to wind or chop, then I should be happy.