Post-Pre

So, the race did NOT go as hoped for......I did NOT do as planned....or did I...???? 

There have been plenty of times in my life where I come up with an idea and put my whole heart into it, totally believing that it is going to be the best plan. I do everything in my power to make it come true and then when it does....I realize that it didn't produce the results I expected at all! Classic example of the old saying, "Be careful what you wish for!"

Throughout the week leading up to the race, I had collected little cues and advice that I wanted to bring with me into the stadium that day......From Coach, I wanted to stay relaxed, lose myself, walk confident.  From my sport psychologist, I wanted to 'make it look easy', check my form at certain points, not be intimidated by competitors around me. From within myself, I wanted to not get sucked into one thought too long, keep my mind moving so that I didn't have time to register and react to the pain, focus on one barrier at a time, AND I wanted to have FUN!

Looking back on it this way, its really no wonder I had an awful race......that set-up was heading me no where but to disaster! I clearly had WAY too much going on upstairs, WAY too much to think about. At this point, the work is done, 'the hay is in the barn'.  Just like the fact that physically, there is nothing more you can do for yourself on race day, mentally, you should have prepared yourself over the last several months for this day too so that you are so conditioned, that you don't have to think about what to think about.  If you do, you are OVER-THINKING! Whats that you say, you don't understand, it doesn't make sense to you?  Maybe your a visual person. Allow me to provide a more clear explanation of what that looks like....watch my race.  

Uck. I'm in the best shape of my life and completely healthy.  My old PR is right in the middle of the seed times for the rest of the field.  I am in my 'home' stadium with tons of friends cheering me on.  It is a race that doesn't qualify me for anything else, no pressure.....You really don't get a setup like that very often. And boy did I blow it.

My mind was all over the place.  I was trying my best to have fun and not take myself as serious as I have been.  I started off ok but it really never felt like a normal race.  I was just out for a stroll.  I wasn't prepared for the pain.  I was trying to make it look easy, so I ran slow.  When people started passing me, it didn't even register until way too late by then I couldn't convince my legs to go any faster.  I faded....faded...faded. finished. last.   

I was embarrassed.  Coach was embarrassed.  He only watched three laps.  I'm glad.  Ive watched other people have races like that, its not a fun experience.  It doesn't even look like they are trying.