Thursday, October 6, 2016

I'm ready. Are you?

Oh, the off season. It's that glorious time.

Since my return, I have been enjoying recovery time....and sadly, working on the FAT FACTOR.

Dessert at every meal will do that to a person. I don't discriminate; that includes breakfast.



The good news is the the jiggle factor was probably at a 10 on Monday. Now, it's down to a nice comfortable, soft place to fall: 7.

Slowly but surely, I have been coming out of my food/race coma and started writing down goals for next year.

For the past years, I have been learning how to race. Every time someone asked me about doing a certain race or distance, I'd respond with, "I'm not ready."

I know that was confusing for so many people, but I didn't know how else to say it. "Ready" wasn't a time or a placing or anything tangible. It was a feeling. I had to learn how to give what the race required.

(OFF TOPIC: Dave, it was "Hold on, Cupcake". To this day, probably, still the BEST race mantra EVER.)


I had to learn to trust myself. That doesn't mean that every race will be perfect. It doesn't mean every race will be a PR.

It means that at every race, I will bring my best effort and attitude. I learned that when I bring those things, my race is a success regardless of my finish time; regardless of where I place.

Now, I'm ready to take that attitude to longer distances.

Early Spring, I will be doing my favorite Oly race.

Then, I may  just managed to convince a friend to do a 70.3 with me.



That's right folks. I'm voluntarily doing another 70.3. (I'll tell you which race, later. We're waiting for some things to fall into place.)

After that, I will be going back to Nationals and will once again be racing the Oly on Saturday and the Sprint on Sunday; because where's the fun in going all out without being ridiculously sore?

We'll see where my head and heart is in Sept/Oct. I tentatively have the NV races on my schedule.


What about Ironman, you ask? For the first time in 8 years, I can see myself doing one. I don't know when. It could be in 2 years. It could be 10, but at least that door is open now.

My goals haven't changed either. I still have those really stupid big goals lingering out on the horizon. This year, I learned something. I can work on multiple goals at once. Triathlon isn't black or white. It's too complex for that.

Reaching for your goals is a complex structure. This is the journey I have been waiting for. I am ready.