Less than 24 hours...

Oh golly, this is really happening, isn't it? I'm starting to get a teensy bit nervous now. I've done a little light training today (5k on the exercise bike, half a mile swim) and took Blunkett for a longer walk than I intended because I took a short cut and my short cuts are always rubbish. And I've packed my tri-bag (OK, it's an ordinary bag with my triathlon stuff in):

Towel (for getting dry after the swim - even if only my feet)

Bike helmet (without which I would be disqualified)

Tri shorts and Very Expensive Running top (without which I would similarly be disqualified once I took my wetsuit off)

Welsh Flag - to tape up in the transition area so that I can find the bike

Tape (see above)

Trainers (actually, they're not in the bag yet, I used them for walking and now they have some very dubious looking stains on them - I blame the sheep and their natural waste products)

Safety Pins - to pin my number to my front. Or back. Not sure which...

Thin socks - to put on before attempting to put the wet suit on. Advice from James at the bike shop - apparently it really helps. We shall see...

Lucozade and dark chocolate. Rocket fuel for Sarahs.

Camera - Guy is appointed official photographer. If he can stop laughing long enough to focus.

Swim goggles and swim hat - they recommend a swim hat under the swim hat they will give me (which will have my number on it) so that I have hat/goggles/hat in case somebody knocks my goggles off in the lake. Good grief - is it going to be that rough? But I'll be fine - I used to be in the Pony Club...

Bike. Kind of crucial... And after checking that it fitted in Guy's car on Tuesday, I naturally took the Smart to pick it up... Duh. But it went in. Everything goes in a Smart...

Although I don't think it's a long term solution - apart from the fact there was no room for anyone else, I had to drive home in automatic mode (all Smarts have one, very useful for when you can't reach the gear stick) and my elbow clobbered the front prongy things (forks?) every time I turned left. Or right. Or went round a roundabout... Luckily it wasn't far otherwise I might not have a working elbow by now.

So am I ready? Well, the knees are straight but stiff, my legs feel leaden and I've done absolutely no run-training at all. I've painted my toenails red so that if I get carted off on a stretcher at least my feet will be pretty. Yep, I'm ready... When I was picking the bike up, Rhys (who does cycle time trialling) said there will be some point at which I think 'why am I doing this?' and 'never again'. Probably when I stick my feet in the very cold lake...

I've been asked if I have a target time... I think 'Sunday' would be good. I'm hoping not to be the one at the back with the roadsweeper going past... I've got absolutely no idea how long it will take. When I did the distance at home (including exercise bike and walking the run) it was 2hrs 30mins. So anything under 2hrs would be fantastic. Or 'Sunday'...

Thank you ALL for your fantastic sponsorship - £470 at the time of blogging - and also for your kind words (even if the most common word is 'bonkers'). I shall blog briefly tomorrow night when we get home to let you know how it went (hopefully a photo of me wearing a medal!) and then on Monday night with the full details and lots of pics... 1.10 tomorrow is the 'off' so as you're tucking into your roast lunches, I'll be chucking myself into a freezing lake.

I think bonkers just about covers it!