Yesterday was the day I'd been looking forward to for quite some time. I was visiting my parents in Wisconsin and I had set the alarm clock for 1:00am, but woke up just before midnight and decided to get going an hour earlier than planned. By 12:10 I was out the door and headed to Madison. By 1:20 I was taking my place - sixth in line - outside the convention center at Monona Terrace, just a block from the state capitol. Over eight hours, very little sleep, and several new friends (also waiting in line) from around the country later, I had my spot reserved for the 2009 Ironman Wisconsin.
Why eight hours in line? Even though you don't have to qualify to get in, just getting a spot in the Ironman is pretty difficult. First, all the 2008 participants had the chance to re-up for 2009. (I hear about 700 did.) Then, the 2008 volunteers get to register. (Again, nearly 700 did.) Finally, they open it up to anyone else for in-person registration - which meant getting there early to get my spot (which, by the way, was 3rd). If there are any spots left after in-person registration, then it opens up online. I'm not sure if that happened for this one. Looking at the hundreds of people in line after me, I'd guess it didn't. I went online this morning and saw that it was listed as SOLD OUT.
So now I'm partially committed. And I say "partially" because my spot is just reserved. Now I have to wait a few days for an email telling me how I can actually register and pay the entry fee. Then my wallet will join my head and my heart and I'll be fully committed.
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