As I thought about this while doing an easy spin during lunch, I figured I’d better clarify something, even if just for myself.
Yes, I am going to the US Nationals this year. You have to qualify for this race, and the standards aren’t THAT easy, so most everyone going will be pretty fast. I’ve looked at the results from last year and most of the people in my age bracket are VERY fast! No matter how many times I’ve reviewed last year’s times, they haven’t changed and no one got any slower.
For this race I’m going back to my old ways of not racing the other people, just racing against myself. I’ve set a personal goal time of 3-8 minutes faster than my best to date. While that time would be awesome at most races I’ve done, it will likely land me in the bottom third of my bracket.
It doesn’t sound very impressive when I think of finishing in the bottom third, and yet I’m excited about the possibility. It came up in a conversation with one of the professional triathletes I’ve recently come in contact with (sorry Hillary B. and Jessica J., I can’t remember which of you it was), and she asked me if I was a glass half empty or half full type of person.
I don’t want to speculate on how I look at things in general, but in this case I am definitely a glass half full person. I don’t care if I finish 40th, 50th or 60th, because on that day it is a snapshot of where I stand amongst the best in the nation at that distance, and whatever my place it will be awesome for me!
I will also have a great fan base there to cheer me on which always helps. I want to cross the finish line with a smile, get pictures with everybody and enjoy the moment because I don’t know if I will ever make it back again!
Watch out Burlington, here I come!
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