Although it really was not my first triathlon in 6 years, it seemed like it was like my first triathlon in 6 years. The doubts started to creep in. The wonderment, too and the excitement – things I had forgotten in the past 6 years being on the injured list.
From my last post, you can read that I did do some training for it. I started to swim followed by a run brick at least once a week for 4-5 weeks before the race. Last month I tried to run once a week….but with a 3-mile swim, Escape The Cape, on June 8th, that really left me with only a month to try to run-more-than-once-a-week or once a month.
Could I do it? Could I get comfortable with running so it doesn’t feel like a shuffle and maybe the speed will come just from running regularly??! No way I was adding speed work…
I did have many doubts coming into this event – wondering if I could run fast enough or ride or swim fast enough to do anything close to what I used to do. Or hope that I would place in my Age group even remotely! I had to let go of that competitive ideal and decided it would be great just to finish with nothing hurting! I was grateful just to have the opportunity to race!
And that is how it started. Honestly.
Nothing at this point was hurting except the right hip started to nag the night before. WTH!
SO…..race day comes, I do what every one does. Get up at 3:43 AM so I can be on the road at 4:30 and get a good parking spot and not have to rush. Packed breakfast to eat on the way cause I just was NOT hungry that early!
Did I forget anything? Race belt? Body Glide? Bike shoes? Running shoes? Goggles? Phew, they were all in the gear bag I packed the night before.
Did I remember how to set up transition? Phew, that came back to me.
I was all jittery and started running around just to stop the anxiety. I saw so many people I knew – some clients, some new and old, some fellow club members and some I never met before. It was so much fun. I have so many pictures…I posted them on my facebook page here.
And well, I surprised myself with the race. As usual, I was not that nervous as I always just want to have fun. I am only ‘racing’ against myself, so trying to see what I could do was more like a game than a knowing.
Things I learned from racing this past Sunday:
– I missed racing. I actually love it. I love pushing myself to the limits of what my body can do. OMG, it was hard, yet a test of pushing and staying relaxed all at the same time.
– I love meeting new people. Both women new to the sport, and those who were also doing this particular race for the first time, or those who I already knew. Just being amongst a crowd of supportive athletes was amazing!
– I am competitive. I like to push myself…against myself. It is a total rush.
– I prefer to race without a watch…..then it is just me racing within my own limits and how i feel – nothing more. And so much more.
– I still love to support other athletes with ‘good job’, ‘way to go’ and be social even while racing. It is what keeps me calm.
– I guess I still have it – I placed 2nd in my AG and 44th overall….and heck, I want to do it again, so I already signed up again for next year!
I also learned that this IS where my heart has always been. It needs to return to it and I need to figure out how to be more active in the sport with volunteering, racing, doing more talks, teaching and what I can to be a part of the community.
In a way, I needed to be away to be re-united with what it is I truly love and what makes my heart really sing.
Let me know what you have done lately that you have reconnected to and you did not realize you needed, loved and missed.