OK, so it's not an exact quote, but you get the idea.
Last night in the pool I started to have second thoughts (OK, more like 30th thoughts) about this race on the 24th. By all accounts, it was a good swim. I did 2,200 yards total, including a fast (for me) 500 right in the middle at 9:30. I practiced sighting, kicking, pulling, and putting it all together.
Still, I created doubt in my mind. And, worse, fear. I thought about dropping out of the race altogether. Or switching from the Olympic to the sprint. Once that thought entered my mind, it was so appealing... A nice short swim sounds great. None of this "I have to swim HOW FAR to that buoy????" anxiety.
But it also pisses me off, quite frankly. Why do I give up so easily?
What's happening here is that I am allowing my mind to sabotage my race. So I'm asking my blogger friends for their best mantras or relaxation techniques. When you are stressed, how do calm yourself down (or, more accurately, talk yourself off the ledge)?
5 comments:
Your not alone, I do it all the time, constantly thinking "what am I doing. why am I doing this, this sucks, I am not getting faster, how is so and so faster and been in the game less then me, wow that workout was tough, WHAT the distant double tomorrow, how can I physically get it done"
Only 0.2% of the world has ever done a sprint triathlon, the number is even lower for people who have done an Olympic distance race. We are in a special field of people.
The thing that makes me tick, was when I got into this sport, NO ONE had faith me, no one thought I could do one, not friends, not family. Their laughter fuels me, to prove I can do something. Todays society seems to lack hard work, if its strenous, its not worth it. If its not easy, its not worth it. Society is lazy compared to when our parents were our age.
Olympics are just like sprints just a slower pace. Break your race down into sections. Instead of one big race, break it down into 3 races. On the swim, break it down to bouy to bouy. Instead of 3 more to go, change it to I swam by 5. You can do this, you know you can do this.
I <3 BDD!
Wow, you did 2,200 yds? I haven't swam farther than 1,800 yds in over eight months. You'll be more than fine for the Olympic distance. Trust me, everyone gets nervous leading up to a race, right nup to getting in the water, but once you start swimming that all goes away. You are more than prepared for the swim as well as the bike and run.
I must add that should you drop out or change distances you lose the opportunity to meet me. How can you pass that up, right? ;)
I <3 Miles too! :) Looking forward to meeting you.
There is NO DOUBT I would have the same fears with swimming that far. I would sink like a rock! But I also have no doubt that you have put in the training and you HAVE TO TRUST IT! Your adrenaline on race day will push over the top. I always tell myself "Be Great Today!" Is my performance always "great"? Hardly! But it puts me in the mindset of kicking a--, and seems to create a very much needed level of confidence. You've got this! No worries ... just go do it!
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