And we'll all float on okay...

Hi world!! I'm here in Arizona.

It hasn't changed much since I was here last for my first marathon back in 2006. It's still bright. warm. sunny. and brown. I'm pretty sure there are about 10,000 different shades of brown...most of which appear to be lurking down in Tempe Town Lake.

Overall, I'm in a really good place right now, aside from one minor mental freakout on the plane. (knock on wood)

We haven't seen much of the city aside from the Target, some mediocre mexican restaurant and the inside of our hotel room...but you can definitely feel the Iron Energy flowing freely in this town. Buoys are already lining the swim (and strangely, it doesn't feel as long as I thought it would...though I'll think differently while I'm in the thick of it)...signs are posted warning citizens of delays on Sunday...and there are plenty of men walking around with shaved legs like it's the norm. Good times.

Tomorrow after the practice swim, I'll get myself registered and do a little damage at the expo. Hopefully I won't have any panic attacks as I'm in the presence of hundreds of iron-clad bodies as they try to intimidate everyone else. As long as I can stay on that tropical island in my head, all should be well.

Surprisingly, I'm at peace...thanks in large part to a new and unusual experience.

Last night I did one of the weirdest, most cool things ever thanks to the recommendation of David over at Pace of Chicago.

Now, locking ones self in a 8x4x4 sci-fi coffin-esque structure full of nothing but darkness and water hardly seems like a way to spend an evening of relaxation. Sounds more like a torture chamber at Gitmo rather than one of the most peaceful experiences in existence...

...floating.

For an hour, I completely lost myself in a sensory deprivation tank.

No sight...sound...no nothing...just 10 inches of warm water. warm air. all at the temperature of my skin. 800 pounds of epsom salt. complete darkness. just me...hearing my heartbeat echo in my ears...letting my thoughts guide me for 60 minutes of relaxation and awesomeness.

With that much salt in such a small amount of water, you just let go of all the tension in your body and just float effortlessly. Everything just releases, and you're suspended...floating...like gravity doesn't exist. And after a while, you lose the feeling of where the water meets your skin and the air...and you're just floating...

It was the deepest feeling of relaxation I have ever achieved.

Yoga hasn't come close to this. And an hour-long spa massage can't even hold a candle to the feeling of the end result.

The owner knew I was racing this weekend...and could sense how nervous I was feeling. He let me float for about 75 minutes in the end.

And I swear, it felt like I wasn't in there for longer than 10 minutes.

I emerged with ridiculous clarity and calmness...revitalized...and, for the most part, it has carried over. Which is good.

So Sunday morning, when I plunge into the chilly waters of Tempe Town Lake, the plan is to swim out a bit, find my own space, and just float in the final moments...try to recapture last night's experience, and find inner peace.