Do you ever feel ready?

I only ever feel ready about half way through Taper Time.

Your training has  been solid and you will be ready to rock on race day.

The reality is that the enormity of the task at hand is way too big to be contained within a single thought. It seems to me that mental pictures of finishing each of the race legs really helps; especially as I do my last few long workouts of the cycle.

Performance Anxiety is definitely normal and is all mental. When you get into the water on race day, Pee in your wetsuit and put your goggles on, the body will know what to do even if the mind is lagging a bit on comprehension

ETA: Ironman is where Man's Grasp Exceed's His Imagination  

I'm there.  I want to just do it already, but I still don't feel ready.

I think the natural tendency is for people like us to always feel like we could have done more....trained a little harder or a little longer....put in more hours running...spent more time on the bike...did a bit more swimming...gone a little faster...have a better bike...get better running shoes...practiced our nutrition more more time.

I think this pursuit of excellance is what keeps us coming back! 

~Mike

Having gone thru the experience of training for one, but not getting very far past the start line, and seeing all of my training partners, most of whose training was less than mine, finish on a very tough day, I have no doubt I can finish barring unforeseen events.  My training this go round is more complete than the last time as well.

Physically, can I finish?  yeah, I think so. 

But...... it's the unforeseen events that will kill ya, especially if they are the kind that you cannot deal with on the fly. 

Your training is solid.  You will do fine.

I did feel ready...during taper, after I had some pretty rough workouts and lots of self doubt.   One thing I really try to do is focus on the day I am on...People would ask "how are you going to do blah, blah, blah."  Well, I always just looked at and focused on what I had to accomplish each day - was it a run with speedwork...a long swim...a killer brick.  One day at a time.  Come race day, I woke up feeling very calm and looked at what I had to do, and was ready to go out and do it.

This is unique to every athlete, some feel completely ready and confident while others feel apprehensive and a bit overwhelmed.

When you start training for the IM distance it is often a year out so the goal is more abstract. Not to mention that you throw in some checkpoint races along the way and it is easy to lose the overall picture and feel like you only started "training" for IM (insert name) 8 or 10 or 12 weeks prior when in reality you have been at it for many months.

Something that my coach did with me prior to my first IM and I also do with my athletes now is to go back and look at your training logs for each month. You will be amazed at 1) how much training you really have done and 2) how prepared you actually are for the race. Another mental exercise is starting about 2-3 weeks out from the race sit down and visualize your race from start to finish. See yourself finishing each loop of the swim, transitioning to the bike, different checkpoints along the bike route (whether it be the completion of a certain segment or a visual landmark), transition to the run, and finally checkpoints along the run course. Treat finishing each segment of the race as a little victory and only focus on the next segment, if you try to think of the race in it's entireity from start to finish you are going to freak yourself out.

To the OP you are certainly ready, your training looks good, be confident! 

Thanks for all the GREAT replies!!!

I was thinking about it a little more...  And thought I would clarify and really put myself out there.

Do I think I can do it?  Yes.  I could go out tomorrow and survive it.  Even if I have to bike at touring speeds and run,walk, or crawl during the marathon (yes, I know crawling is against the rules   )

When I finish a 75 mile bike or 15 mile run, and have some energy left or feel like it's just another training day instead of being completely trashed, I really can see the improvements, and I feel WONDERFUL.

But then the questions come during my self evaluation (maybe I should stop doing that!)  After the bike I think, "I feel like I have some energy left, BUT enough for a marathon?  PLUS all this after an 85min swim?"  OR, I when I'm done with a run, "I feel OK now, but how will I feel, or how can do this after a swim and bike?"

I also have to consider, I'm doing these long runs and bikes during a regular training week.  The week or rest prior to the race may do wonders.  I don't care that people seem to get stir crazy during taper weeks.  I really think I'm going to love mine and I'm looking forward to it!

Thanks again.  Your support has been helpfull! 

I felt both ready and not ready most days. The cool thing was as the day got closer I felt better and better. I worked on some mental exercises that helped a lot. Feeling confident is work not something that comes to us easily.

Key for me to work on mental strength and stop thinking of the what ifs. I had/have a vivid imagination of what strange things could happen to me.

While racing or even training for me key is to focus on the moment. Just do what you need to do right now. Be it pedal one more time, eat, drink, focus on your transition or whatever. Don't think about what is left for you to do or what you have done.

Sounds maybe strange but the rain at IMLP made the focus part of the race so much easier as I had to focus on the bike to be safe. It made me feel tough and it didn't really bother me. I had done 3 or 4 of my last long rides in the rain for some or all of them...rain...big whoop I knew I could handle it. 

By being in the moment you have all the skills you need to do it.