5:30 – I have to get up now. Should have gotten up an hour and a half ago. No more negotiating. Stayed up too late with that little regrouping episode, dammit, Mind. Shut-up, Body, just get up. Really, get up or you’re going to blow it for the day.

Why the hell am I doing this? I guess I'll have a lot to think about for hopefully less than four hours tomorrow morning. 19 miles'am I out of my mind? Why? Why would I get up at four o'clock on a Sunday morning to do such a thing? It's going to be cold, wet, windy - I hate being cold. God, I really hate being cold.

Wow, here I am on the other side of Ironman New Zealand 2004 - 9hr 40min, 30th overall, stayed focused through the event and pushed hard when it hurt at 32-36km on the run. 11 years on from my last Ironman NZ and I've finally come back. I've got to be happy with that right?