Sunday, August 30, 2009

Race day doesn't care about you

It was past time. Way past time.

I was heading out for my first - and long overdue - 50-mile bike the other Sunday. The temperature was in the mid nineties, and it seemed to be competing with the humidity for first place.

Gary and I were at my sister-in-law's visiting with the family after church. Nearly everyone was taking advantage of the pool's refreshing powers, but I needed to leave early to head out for my ride.

As I began to work my way around the patio saying my goodbyes, telling them why I needed to leave early, everyone insisted that I should be swimming instead and thought I was crazy for taking on such a task.

Swimming just might have been the wiser decision, but I had very few weeks left before my next tri to put-out some good bike mileage. I, quite simply, had not a smidgen of room to care what the weather was that day...because Race Day won't be caring about me.

Race Day doesn't care that I either am or am not prepared for the brutality with which it might treat me. It's going to be what it's going to be, in all of its limitless characters and shades, regardless of what, where or who I am at the time.

I thought of this on my next ride, a 30-miler heading south of town on a boring, overcast afternoon. I was feeling quite zippy for the first half of the ride. The moment I turned around to come home I immediately knew why. I'd had the fortune of a tailwind, that was now, due to the simple turning of my bike 180-degrees around, my enemy.

I thought, more than once, that I wish that I had been closer to home because I'd just call it quits. Then I was grateful that home was 15 miles away, because I was left with no choice but to toughen it out...and to toughen-up.

My next tri is on the same course as my second tri from last year where the headwinds became so brutal, according to a story a friend in the tri club told me yesterday, a several-time Kona qualifier called it quits. Of course, we were experiencing the remnants of Hurricane Ike, now also known as Landicane Ike, but that particular course, regardless of landicanes, is prone to headwinds.

So, here's to going out of your way to look for the unusual training day, because Race Day could care less about you, but you'd better be caring about it.

14 comments:

Mel-2nd Chances said...

welcome back!! you're so right about having to deal with what you get on race day, so you may as well train regardless of weather! Glad to see things are going well!!

ONEHOURIRONMAN said...

Wasn't sure where you had gone also. So true, as I found out today down here in the tropics. Race day doesn't play favorites. Embrace it, and put it in the "bank" Withdrawls paying interest on race day.

Big Daddy Diesel said...

Your right, but that also makes what we do that much more speacial.

Glad to hear from you again, keep moving forward, and I will see you at Deer Creek.

Anonymous said...

Lora, you are such a champion, I love your attitude. You are completely right. Great job on your training!!

Trishie said...

Good to see you here ! great attitude and nice job on getting out on the ride while everyone else was chilling in the pool.

Karen said...

Glad you toughed it out! It is the best feeling in the world when you endure past wanting to give it up and go home. Welcome back :)

Unknown said...

You rock star! Just get back in the saddle and kick some arse.

GOTRIbal Baby!

Onward!
T

Ulyana said...

well said! good work.

ShirleyPerly said...

Nice to hear from you!

And I couldn't have said it better myself. I am doing the exact same thing, getting out there in the heat when nearly everyone else seems to be doing everything they can to avoid it. Keep up the great attitude and training and you'll be ready for anything Mother Nature may throw at you on race day.

Stuart said...

You gaotta play the hand you're dealt for sure!

Train hard - Race easy!

Velma said...

Great post! It looks like you have a busy week ahead of you!

Unknown said...

Lora, way to go pushing through things. That's always part of training. Sure, it's easy to just give up, but you are so right in that race day you'll be happy you fought it out!

You are going to do great at Deer Creek in September. And yes, the winds are usually present, but you'll be ready!

Anonymous said...

Way to go! It's got to be satisfying to knock out a tough one.

Beth said...

Glad you are back! Sounds like you are training hard and are going to be ready no matter what on race day. Way to go!

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