"Give yourself the race you've worked for all winter. It won't be easy so really go after it and embrace any challenges you encounter."--Coach Liz
I wrote my race plan early in the week. Then, we had to make a slight adjustment after finding out the bike portion is actually longer than the normal oly bike course and that race day was going to be hot and windy. Although now, it's looking like it's going to be a very nice day.
I've gone over and over my race plan.
I don't know how I feel anymore. I have no expectations, but I don't usually for any race.
The Olympic distance has always been my nemesis. In the Sprint, I have (as Tonya says) quite a collection of AG medals.
In the Olympic distance, the highest I've placed is 7th. In the past, I've always had nutritional issues. Last year was the first year, I really worked to resolve those issues. When I did SOMA, I nailed the nutrition. It was a HUGE confidence booster.
I'm still a little nervous.
I keep telling myself to think about those intervals I've done. THINK about what I've accomplished on the bike, pushing intervals at 500watts, holding intervals for 245 watts. (HELL, holding 172-182 watts should be easy after that stuff, right? Well, nothing is easy in triathlon.) Focus on my run. Think about the runs off the bike that have felt like they've never felt before. They made me feel like a real, competitive, triathlete. Swims? I've gone to new levels, holding faster paces for longer and longer.
I do the Oly because it's the hardest distance. I want to get better at it. I want to one day say, "LOOK! I HELD close to threshold for X HOURS!!!" And yes, I would be screaming that.
I want to prove to myself that I can do something that I didn't really think was possible, but I put the goal out there for myself thinking that even if I didn't make it.....I'd be faster, stronger than I was before.
Still, there was this itty bitty voice deep inside me that believed that I COULD do it.
Now, I'm faced with my first oly of the year....I'm staring it down and wondering if I have the guts to make it happen.
Somewhere, buried deep inside is a little voice saying, "Yes. You can."