Pre-Race Thoughts and Jitters

My first triathlon of the year is in two days. I have been training hard for this race. Physically I am more than ready.

At last years race I ran slower and I was 20 pounds heavier. This year I am stronger, leaner, and faster. I have also updated my bike with aerobars, a new seat, and a hydration system (water bottle between my aerobars). All things point to an awesome race with a great finishing time.

But there are a million and one unknowns. The weather could be bad. I could get a flat tire. Maybe I will wake up feeling fatigued. My knees could hurt during the run (which is not unusual). And the list goes on and on. It is all the unknowns that makes race day prone to anxiety. I can prepare myself for everything that I can control but I cannot control everything. And that is the part that stinks. One flat tire could potentially ruin a years worth of training.

That is when I step back and look at the bigger picture. I train and compete in triathlons because I love "doing" things. I have never been a sit on the couch kinda girl. I like to work hard and accomplish something everyday. Waking up at 4:15 am everyday and working up a sweat is a gift that I give myself.

Although I love to train my true accomplishments do not occur in the gym, out running in the neighborhood, or biking in the country. They all happen right here at home. Making dinner everyday for my husband, teaching my daughter how to read, pouring my time into my youngest son, and teaching my oldest how to play baseball- those are my true accomplishments. And they are not dependent on the weather or mechanical failure.

Yesterday playing catch with Joshua for an hour was my accomplishment. We threw the ball and he improved greatly, but the best part was the hour of uninterrupted talking. Spending all that time hearing about what is on my sons heart and mind, that was my trophy. Who cares about Saturday, I have already won.

My only prayer for Saturday is safety. Things happen when you are biking at 20 plus mph...