Well, it is finally here. Not sure exactly how I am feeling about it. So many mixed emotions.
On one hand, I am terrified. Really? What was I thinking to sign up for this? What's wrong with short course races and running half marathons? I know that I can make it through the swim and the bike, I am just worried about having to run a half marathon after the first two legs!
On another hand, I know that I can do it, but I am afraid of how much it will hurt! The race day temps right now are forecasted to be around 98-100. The swim is no longer wetsuit legal due to the temperature of the lake being 81 and rising by the day. I have never raced for 6-7 hours, so I am not sure how my body will react to that!
Yet another side of me has me second guessing EVERYTHING I have done in training, my nutrition, my race day strategy, what I plan on wearing, etc. I know you are supposed to stick to what you have trained with, but then again I get all of these What If? thoughts. I have never done this distance before, much less under these conditions, so I have no idea what to expect and I want to be prepared for everything. Sigh
Then, there is the part of me that is just plain excited! I love racing! I don't think that I would be able to stick to a regular work out or training schedule if I didn't always have something to work towards and something on the agenda. I love the atmosphere, the other athletes, the pushing myself, and the feeling you get when you are done. But, I feel like I did before my first marathon. It is just the unknowns of a new challenge that can be terrifying!
My goals for this race are pretty simple. I have some realistic goals and some "I'm really hoping for this" goals that may not be so realistic seeing as how I have never done this distance and don't know what to expect.
My first goal is to simply finish. I know that I will be thrilled with finishing and checking this off the list. I say I don't have a time goal, but I would be lying if I said that. I really want to finish with anything with a "6" in the front of it. I have done some number crunching based on worse and best case scenarios and I think that this is possible. But then again, given the conditions, we'll wait and see.
I would also be thrilled with a 3 hour bike time. This might be really advantageous seeing as how that means averaging around 18 mph for the 56 miles, but I think that it should be doable given some of brutal bike rides and training I have done this summer. I am hoping for 3:15 worse case scenario, but then again, we will see.
My final goal is probably the most important one to me and that is to SMILE the entire time. I really want to enjoy this and race AND finish with a smile. If I can do that, I will consider this race a success.
So, wish me luck. Send me thoughts, prayers, good juju, whatever. Heaven knows I am going to need it!
In the mean time, Happy Training and Racing all!
I am super stoked for you. Can't wait to read the race recap!
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