"Finish Without Regret" is on a pink post-it note on my calendar just under April 13. It has been there for at least two months.
How do I plan to finish without regret, you ask? Well, I happen to have 6 steps to execute my plan. What a coincidence that today happens to be 6 days from my race!
1. Have a plan and sticking to it. Unless of course I need to deviate from it (highly likely in a race this long). But I am also flexible and have planned for my plan to fail, so I won't freak out when/if it does happen. I will roll with the punches the day brings me.
2. Be prepared. Mentally and physically, I'm prepared. I am as prepared as I possibly can be heading into this race and there will be no "what if I'd ridden longer on that day, or what if I had done more long swims, or what if I had done that one extra long run?"
3. I made close to 25 of my closest tri-buddies sign up for the race with me. I do not think I will ever have to go long on race day without seeing a familiar face, and I plan to draw from others to keep me going and I also have to stay positive myself to keep them going. It is a two way street, but one that is certainly invaluable.
4. Listen to my body - nothing else. Not the little nagging voice in my head that will inevitably say "well, 30 minutes faster than last year is still a big improvement," not the old Kathleen who will say "running hurts, walking feels better, it is an Ironman, I deserve to walk." I deserve to finish without regret. Nothing else.
5. Thank the volunteers and spectators - their job on April 13 is almost as tough as mine, if not harder in ways. They don't have anyone cheering for them!
6. HAVE FUN and FINISH WITH A SMILE!!!
In other news, I think I may be taking the "it is better to be 10% undertrained than 1% overtrained" saying to heart right now. I'm not even necessarily meaning to, it is just happening. Shellie and I set out on our "long run" yesterday after lunch at the Dave Scott weekend and our 6 mile run quickly turned into a 3 mile walk and a few hours by the pool!! I think a nice tan will get us a long way next weekend - ha!
How do I plan to finish without regret, you ask? Well, I happen to have 6 steps to execute my plan. What a coincidence that today happens to be 6 days from my race!
1. Have a plan and sticking to it. Unless of course I need to deviate from it (highly likely in a race this long). But I am also flexible and have planned for my plan to fail, so I won't freak out when/if it does happen. I will roll with the punches the day brings me.
2. Be prepared. Mentally and physically, I'm prepared. I am as prepared as I possibly can be heading into this race and there will be no "what if I'd ridden longer on that day, or what if I had done more long swims, or what if I had done that one extra long run?"
3. I made close to 25 of my closest tri-buddies sign up for the race with me. I do not think I will ever have to go long on race day without seeing a familiar face, and I plan to draw from others to keep me going and I also have to stay positive myself to keep them going. It is a two way street, but one that is certainly invaluable.
4. Listen to my body - nothing else. Not the little nagging voice in my head that will inevitably say "well, 30 minutes faster than last year is still a big improvement," not the old Kathleen who will say "running hurts, walking feels better, it is an Ironman, I deserve to walk." I deserve to finish without regret. Nothing else.
5. Thank the volunteers and spectators - their job on April 13 is almost as tough as mine, if not harder in ways. They don't have anyone cheering for them!
6. HAVE FUN and FINISH WITH A SMILE!!!
In other news, I think I may be taking the "it is better to be 10% undertrained than 1% overtrained" saying to heart right now. I'm not even necessarily meaning to, it is just happening. Shellie and I set out on our "long run" yesterday after lunch at the Dave Scott weekend and our 6 mile run quickly turned into a 3 mile walk and a few hours by the pool!! I think a nice tan will get us a long way next weekend - ha!
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