**UPDATE** Just fixed some grammatical errors that were making me crazy.
In true Tea fashion, I've been thinking about my race. For the first time ever, I'm not posting times. (I didn't in the race report either because the timing company jacked up a lot of people's times....mine included. I didn't swim a 1:00 1500m. If I did, I should be in the Olympics. As slow as I am, I didn't run a pace of 11:19. Haven't run a 10k at that pace in YEARS. Also, I didn't bike at 23mph. I had a fantastic bike, and it was over 20mph, but it wasn't 23mph). All that really matters to me is the fact that I felt like I had a great day.
The results are officially screwed up. That's why I haven't said anything about them.
Forget the times. I had a major mental breakthrough on Sunday.
Maybe it wasn't a breakthrough.
Naturally, people will get faster when they train consistently for any distance. It's incremental, but they will get faster.
I want to point out. That ALL my friends do long course. I am the only one that focuses on short course and intermediate. I have NO problem with that at all. I will be the loudest cheerleader at IM Boulder this year. I'll join you for a portion of your long rides. We can swim together. We can run together.
I recently had someone say to me that they were planning on placing at one of the races that I'm doing. (She's in my AG). The race is a sprint. At IM and 70.3's, she typically comes in around the 50% mark. The assumption, here, is that the Sprint is so easy that someone who usually comes in around the 50% ranking will magically be top 3 at the Sprint. The sprint is the distance that I am best at, and even I would NEVER say I'm going to podium. NEVER.
I took pause for a moment. Without realizing it, she completely disrepected the distances that I do. I didn't argue the point. I will say this here....if you focus on long course, you will not magically jump up to a podium at the shorter distances. If the field is "slow" that day, you could.
But unless you TRAIN for short course and intermediate, you don't know how to RACE short course.
THIS EXACT FACT IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN LEARNING FOR THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF. (I started focusing on short course races in 2012).
It's one thing to DO an oly. It's a completely different beast to RACE an olympic. The men and women who race those distances are SICK fast. They can handle a level of pain that can only be learned through correct training.
Going back to my mental breakthrough. This race wasn't a huge race as far as times....well, except for that AMAZING bike.
The was huge because it took me a year and a half (well actually....much MUCH longer than that) to get to the point that I could race 2/3 of an oly and run (not race) well. RUN without the physical pain.
I don't know if I am going to say this very well.
The reason I could never race an OLY is because I wasn't physically fit enough to do it. Could I cover the distance? YES. But that's NOT what I'm talking about.
When I ran on Sunday, I was so shocked at how I felt after riding like I did....I was at a loss. Instead of pushing my boundaries and running like I should have, I took the 10K as a time to relish what I have accomplished.
I know that probably sounds ridiculous. In a way, I had to get the monkey off my back. I had to have a "good" experience with the Oly.
I've always hated it because I couldn't figure it out. But DAMMIT, I am just stubborn enough to keep working at something until I get it right.
Sunday, I got it right. The next step for me will be that; now that I know I am physically fit enough to run hard....that's what I want to do. I want to race 3/3, not 2/3.
Everything clicked for me at the Sprint last year, and I keep getting better.
This year, it's going to be the Oly.
To anyone that thinks they can do a sprint while training for Ironman and podium. Go for it. I'm confident, but I'd never be cocky enough to think I could podium at IM just because I do at the sprint.
