rocknrollgirl
04-15-2007, 10:57 AM
Yesterday I went back up to the race venue to train. I met a girl that lives up there, and we rode the race course together. That in itself is worthy of a thread on its own. Hey Tattiefritter, I met a girl to ride with!!!!
ANYWAY, after we were done, I was finishing up in the parking lot and I started chatting to another female mt biker, getting ready to start out. We talked for close to an hour. She is training for the same race. ( thankfully not in my age group). She is an ex-adventure racer, IM triathlete, Xterra racer. As we chatted along, we talked about my training, and the race, and training in general, and life, and the "tudes" that you sometimes encounter at races.
She was funny, and smart and had a great attitude about racing.
On the way home, I had a long time in the car to replay the conversation in my head, and I had a small epiphany, for lack of a better term.
I am a competitive racer. I want to do well. But race day is fraught with things that are completely out of your control, and the day often times does not go as planned. You need to stay focused on that goal...BUT
when you really get down to the core of it, it is monumentally important not too forget to look back along the way, and see how far you have come. That is what this part of the journey should be about. Who am I as an athlete?
One year ago, I ran a 10 min mile, this week I ran two sub 8's.
Last November I had not been in the pool in 20 years. I set a time goal for myself, by June, 1000 yards in under 20 mins. This week I did it in 18.
Yesterday I climbed a hill, a very long, technical hill on my mt bike. At the top, there were two dudes. They looked up and said "did you make it?". I gasped Yep, did you? Nope....they did not.
I can set a goal, I can see it through. I can stick to it through rain, and snow and sore muscles, and deadlines, and sore throats. I am tougher than I give myself credit for. I am stronger, and healthier, and more centered.
My race day may not go as planned, in fact, it probably won't. Maybe it will be better, maybe not. But what is really important is that I was able to set a goal for MYSELF and see it through.
And that is pretty darn sweet.
ANYWAY, after we were done, I was finishing up in the parking lot and I started chatting to another female mt biker, getting ready to start out. We talked for close to an hour. She is training for the same race. ( thankfully not in my age group). She is an ex-adventure racer, IM triathlete, Xterra racer. As we chatted along, we talked about my training, and the race, and training in general, and life, and the "tudes" that you sometimes encounter at races.
She was funny, and smart and had a great attitude about racing.
On the way home, I had a long time in the car to replay the conversation in my head, and I had a small epiphany, for lack of a better term.
I am a competitive racer. I want to do well. But race day is fraught with things that are completely out of your control, and the day often times does not go as planned. You need to stay focused on that goal...BUT
when you really get down to the core of it, it is monumentally important not too forget to look back along the way, and see how far you have come. That is what this part of the journey should be about. Who am I as an athlete?
One year ago, I ran a 10 min mile, this week I ran two sub 8's.
Last November I had not been in the pool in 20 years. I set a time goal for myself, by June, 1000 yards in under 20 mins. This week I did it in 18.
Yesterday I climbed a hill, a very long, technical hill on my mt bike. At the top, there were two dudes. They looked up and said "did you make it?". I gasped Yep, did you? Nope....they did not.
I can set a goal, I can see it through. I can stick to it through rain, and snow and sore muscles, and deadlines, and sore throats. I am tougher than I give myself credit for. I am stronger, and healthier, and more centered.
My race day may not go as planned, in fact, it probably won't. Maybe it will be better, maybe not. But what is really important is that I was able to set a goal for MYSELF and see it through.
And that is pretty darn sweet.