Taper freakout
I do not know which is worse months of training or the taper period before a race. Honestly it is almost too much... Is my bike in perfect running order? Where is my list of stuff to pack? How much did I drink today - how much did I eat today. Hmm what is that ache - it is new?!? Did someone just cough on me - OMG where is the Cold FX??? And so on and so on - I a am just a smidge anal and slightly more obsessive.
Have been working on visualization techniques imagining my successful completion of each portion of the race. Broken down the race in parts as best I can since I have never even been to Oliver - so I am going in "blind".
Reviewing my training and wondering what I could do in the next 2 weeks that will give me that extra edge without doing anything monumentally stupid - ie tripping and spraining an ankle on a pine cone or pulling a muscle in my shoulder by moving heavy boxes, or.... as you can see I have a history....
So I have started to re-read the Ultra marathon man book - I thought of it a lot last year during the race and am glad I am re-reading. Dean Karnazes is the author and well "Ultra Marathon Man" and to read his exploits puts my little adventure in a more reasonable light. He has some great thoughts - "If it feels good you are not working hard enough - it is supposed to hurt!" I say that to my self when I start to hurt - good job girl - you are doing it right - embrace it and you know he is right - it seems to make me go a little harder.
But by far I love this the best, it was his thoughts just before running his first Western States 100 miler:
" ... it became clear to me that the Western States Endurance Run would be primarily about one thing: not giving up. It really didn't matter how long it took to get the job done; what mattered was getting it done. This was an exploration into the possibilities of self. Being a champion meant not quitting, no matter how tough the situation became, and no matter how badly the odds seemed stacked against you. If you had the courage, stamina and persistence to cross the finish line, you were a champion."
It is something I think about a lot - when I reflect on last year's race and I think of the task at hand in 11 days. It will be about one thing - not giving up. 11 more sleeps....
Have been working on visualization techniques imagining my successful completion of each portion of the race. Broken down the race in parts as best I can since I have never even been to Oliver - so I am going in "blind".
Reviewing my training and wondering what I could do in the next 2 weeks that will give me that extra edge without doing anything monumentally stupid - ie tripping and spraining an ankle on a pine cone or pulling a muscle in my shoulder by moving heavy boxes, or.... as you can see I have a history....
So I have started to re-read the Ultra marathon man book - I thought of it a lot last year during the race and am glad I am re-reading. Dean Karnazes is the author and well "Ultra Marathon Man" and to read his exploits puts my little adventure in a more reasonable light. He has some great thoughts - "If it feels good you are not working hard enough - it is supposed to hurt!" I say that to my self when I start to hurt - good job girl - you are doing it right - embrace it and you know he is right - it seems to make me go a little harder.
But by far I love this the best, it was his thoughts just before running his first Western States 100 miler:
" ... it became clear to me that the Western States Endurance Run would be primarily about one thing: not giving up. It really didn't matter how long it took to get the job done; what mattered was getting it done. This was an exploration into the possibilities of self. Being a champion meant not quitting, no matter how tough the situation became, and no matter how badly the odds seemed stacked against you. If you had the courage, stamina and persistence to cross the finish line, you were a champion."
It is something I think about a lot - when I reflect on last year's race and I think of the task at hand in 11 days. It will be about one thing - not giving up. 11 more sleeps....
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