It is Monday and my first race of the season is in just 5 days. If I’m not careful I could easily get myself all wound up, overly excited and ruin my race before it even starts. While I am excited, ruining the race isn’t in my plan. I’ve worked too hard!
I had another fantastic training week this past week. Unlike last week I was able to finish the race as strong as I started it. Funny thing happened on the bike ride Saturday though. I knew there was some wind, probably a tail wind, but it wasn’t as strong as last week, or so I thought until I made a left turn and the cross wind hit. I had on my race wheels and the wind was really tossing me around. Not wanting to repeat my disaster of last weekend I turned around 5 minutes earlier than previously. Last weekend I rode 15 minutes longer than I was scheduled for this weekend. So if I turn around 5 minutes early, that knocks 10 minutes off the ride total. Plus I figured I would be a little faster due to less headwind, which would put me finishing right on time.
The only problem was that this week I didn’t fall apart in the wind. I hunkered down, did what I could, and finished a total of 30 minutes faster instead of 15. I packed up my bike, threw on my running shoes, and went for a short run. I couldn’t believe how dead my legs felt and started having flash backs to what race day is really like! I told myself that the pace didn’t matter, and I can only do what I can do. I try to evaluate myself at the end of a run to see if I could have gone faster or further. I might have been able to run a little faster, though my heart was pounding pretty hard, but I know I could have gone further. I’m not sure about 4 miles further, but I’m also not sure I couldn’t have. Finishing the run I packed up and headed home, not even looking at my watch. Needless to say I was shocked when I downloaded my watch onto my computer and saw what happened. I ran 2.5 miles at 8:10 pace, after a 2:45 bike ride. This is huge for me because my legs felt so heavy, and I felt like I was going so slowly, only to find out I wasn’t far from what I hope for a race pace.
Sunday was a long, slow and boring run. I wasn’t sure I could do it with my legs as shot as they were. I just started running, and didn’t stop until I was done. It wasn’t fast (it wasn’t supposed to be), but I did what coach asked.
Saturday I toe the line for my first race of the season. I’ve done just about everything coach asked of me. Now it is just a matter of executing the plan. I can’t control who else signs up for the race, or how fast they run, only how well I do myself.
I’ll try to write again before the race on how I’m feeling to see how that compares to the results. Wish me luck!
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