Realistic expectations

We all dream of a great race, how we'll knock so many minutes off our last swim, tighten up those transitions and somehow smoke the bike and still have legs to set a new PB on the run. All this adds up to our best ever race, smashing our PB and still being able to smile for the finish line, followed by copious amounts of booze with mates to celebrate what was the best race ever.

Now don't get me wrong, I'd love to do a race like that. We all have our good, better, best race times, but at the same time, we get down on ourselves for only reaching one, maybe two of those perceived goals and not the perfect race. I've been stung by this mantra too many times and looking back on my previous races, I think it's time to try something different...... Yup, no goals will be set for this race in 5 weeks time.

I will train hard, I will still try and set a new PB but I'm not going to dwell on splits, where I should be or how many minutes I've put in the bank at certain points in the race. I'm going to try something different, No gadgets, no watch and race by perceived effort.

I won't need to worry about a HR monitor as I'm still carrying scars from the marathon where it cut into my chest and made for a very uncomfortable shower afterwards. I won't even wear a watch.

If I look back at my best 70.3 (so far) it was Geelong 2009, just a few months before IMA. After sweating whether or not it would be a wettie swim, I was elated and just went out to have a great time. I was slow in the water by the standards I should have swum, but I didn't care. I took it easy on the bike only sitting about a 32km average and was fresh as a daisy after getting into T2. Then the run. It was a 3 lap race, where I said I wouldn't walk for the first lap for sure. That went well, I said no walking for the second lap. Feeling really good about how I was doing I said, lets bring it home and not walk once. You know what, I did it and took off 35 minutes of my PB.

Now I'm not advocating this but, I'm going to try and build off what has worked before. Who knows, the stars may align and I set a new PB while crushing my closest mates in the process, but I have to remember, it's an individual race that just happens to be run at the same time as 1500 people doing their own individual race.

Now taking stock of where I am now, I'm just starting to feel really good in the water, but I don't have speed right now. I'd loving the bike, but I don't have the power yet. I have a great running base I tell you and it's really feeling good running off the bike the few times I've done it so far. So what does all this mean? I should be in the pool a minimum of twice a week, but really I should see if I can get in at least one more time, maybe two, if work will permit it. The bike needs power, so I need to play in the hills. So, that means no excuses Wednesday mornings and I'll play on Coot tha before work for a couple of hours. The run will be maintained and I'll keep throwing brick sessions in the mix as they are a necessity if you want to have a good third leg.

I know what I need to do, I know how to do it, it's now up to me to complete the tasks. I know this isn't an "A" race, so why should I treat it as such? Live a little out there and see what you can do, just remembering, do the best you can on the day with all your available strength and use it to build upon for that big race of the year.

See you out there folks.

Rich