It has been almost one week since the National Championships in Kelowna and I am just starting to understand my race. The morning of the race I have to say that I felt great. I am so very used to waking with something feeling tight. Only after a cup of coffee, a good warm up, stretching out do I feel ready to take on the day. This day was different. I have perfected my pre-race routine and so just went with the process. Standing on the start line I was finally at the place that I had visualized so many times in my head. Two feet planted on the ground and having already a huge sense of accomplishment for getting through another year of hard training to be there. Alan (sport psychologist) talks of no regrets. It is on the start line that if you do have regrets or things you ‘should have done’ you will feel a sense of dread and an ‘oh my goodness what am I doing here!’ Luckily I have complete confidence in my coach, the training he puts me through, my preparation and the hard work I have put into it. I know that I have made each day count.
The gun went off and what to say, it was like most triathlons that I have done - a mad scramble, people grabbing at your feet (intentionally or not), getting your head hit etc. It always is a little feisty. Coming from a family of rugby players though, I am not shy to hold my ground or line so to speak. It was two loops and after the first loop I was in third. I managed move up a spot and came out of the water in second place right after Kathy Tremblay. Not bad.
The bike was sheer fun. This year I have really focussed on learning bike strategy - knowing when to surge and for how long, when to hold back, how to corner, what it means to stay out of the gutter, understanding wind and heat. Luckily I like bike geeks (you know who you are) so have picked up a lot from just hearing stories and from riding along side. The course is 6 laps with one small but good hill. I usually was in the front of the hill and made sure to give a little extra right at the top. Then the course is just basically a long down and flat - great for speed and hammering. I did just that. My plan was to create as much of a gap between the lead pack and the chase group. I think we managed to get around five minutes. I had nothing to loose with hammering the bike and doing more than my share of work – with Kathy Tremblay, Lauren Groves and Lisa Mensink on the start line, I was pretty sure their run was a wee bit faster than mine.
Off the bike and onto the run. To say that I have struggled with my run is maybe an understatement but I finally feel like I can run well (efficiently), maybe not fast yet but well. Although my run time was nowhere where I want it (I need to drop several minutes), I know that I can take my fitness and motor to the technique I am just starting to really get. I did not have the confidence going into the run and it showed in the time. I did get stronger as I went though and know now that I can do it. Perhaps a little late but it is a process after all.
When the race finished, after hugs from my Mom and Ted at the finish line, I kept on thinking, it’s over – all that hard work and it is done after just over 2 hours. It was actually kind of sad so I quickly started to think of ‘my next race’. I guess I am saying this because although the hard work culminates in certain events, it really has been about each day that leads up to it – the trainer rides, the long rides in the Gatineau, early morning swims, depleting myself of Oxygen, weights, Ride with Rendall challenges, track, ART and massage… big meals and all the small ones in between. And so after one week of refection, I am ready to prepare for the next thing on the calendar (Provincial TT) and enjoy each moment and certainly have no regrets.
