Monday, October 6, 2014

Race Day Nerves..221 days out?!?!

 
Ironman Texas is 221 days away.  That is 7.5 months.  Plenty of time, right?  My official training plan doesn't even start for another 8 weeks, and I have had a pretty solid off season, so why am I freaking out already?!?!?!
 
I think about this race every day.  I imagine different scenarios.  I think about what we'll do with our time in Houston.  I think about what I want to eat after 140.6 miles.  I think about the technicalities of being gone a week...arrangements for the kids, sub plans for work, who will take my kids for the week, which hotel to stay in (I can't make up my mind, so I currently have 2 booked that I can cancel), paying for all of it, etc.  Then I think about the swim and the mass start and how it kinda (no really) scares the crap out of me.  I think about how sore my butt will be for 6+ hours on the bike. I worry about running 26.2 miles after the bike and swim.  I worry about how being from Northern Utah 90% of my bike training will be on the trainer.  I worry about what to wear during the race...race kit the whole time?  Change in each transition?  Yikes!
 
Then I think of the sheer task of propelling myself for 140.6 miles.  What the crap am I thinking?!?!  When I crunch numbers in my head about how long I think it will take, that is a long freaking day!!
 
I guess that you could say that the good thing in all of this is that it propels me to train and take it seriously.  I don't want to NOT be prepared for this race.  I have been undertrained for a couple of events I have done and that is NO fun. I have finished those and felt the regret of not being prepared and that SUCKS.  I don't want to be in that position for this race, and I know that I will have a solid base and that I have a good training plan picked out as well.  So, as long as I stick to all of that I will be fine.  But it doesn't keep me from stressing about it and having my stomach turn on occasion when I think about this race!  Someone please tell me this is normal?  I have had race nerves before, but the earliest I have ever had them is just a few days before!  I can't imagine how they will be race week!
 
So, with all that in mind, it motivates me to start this week and recommit myself every day and do what I know that I need to do to be ready.  Thank heavens for a supportive family and the best support crew ever!
 
In the meantime, Happy Racing and Training all!

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