If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all!

Didn't your mom ever tell you that as a kid?  Well why are we as athletes so mean to ourselves?  My motto these days is NOT TO THINK when I'm racing.  On another note, it's never a lot of fun to do things that we feel we aren't good at or that don't come easy to us.  Running for me has been one of those things.  Now I love a Sunday trail run as much as anyone...but running fast for me has always been a struggle.  I am a big believer that in order to go faster...well, you have to GO FASTER!  It's the hardest thing to do to step out of ones comfort zone and confront discomfort and suffering.  We come up with all kinds of reasons why we can't do that speed workout, tempo run, or training race.  My absolute peeve is when people say things like "I would have gone faster if...." or " If I had done that race I ......".  As an English teacher we call these Past Unreal Conditionals.  In reality, we do the best we can, and if we could have gone faster, we would have gone faster!  I prefer to tackle the work necessary to make my dreams a reality.  The first step is A) toe the line B) give it your all to go faster C) repeat this pattern with some consistency. 

RUN FOR IKE 5K
The week after Oceanside 70.3 I did a small local 5k to benefit the Palm Springs Police Department K-9 fund in memory of a pup named Ike who died in the line of duty 3 years ago.  Yes, I was still smashed from Oceanside even after recovering all week.  I think I ran 2 miles all week leading up to the race.  I knew about 1 mile in that I was in for a suffer fest on the back half and suffer the last mile, I did.  I almost collapsed after the finish line with wobbly legs.  Yes, I did finish as the 1st female which is always cool, but I only managed to maintain 6:38/mile pace according to my Garmin (went 21:02...course was a little long).  But not too shabby considering 1 week out from a big race.

 If my husband yells to "think positive" one more time...I might slap him!

 

The problem with going fast is that is requires a great amount of recovery time, which I am still trying to balance.  I have spent much of April trying to get recovered and feeling like I haven't been doing much yet feeling exhausted.  I have learned to listen to my body and so I am resting much more than I usually would.  High quality, high rest.

Not so secret training

 

Seeing as all the Half Ironman Distance races I have slated for the rest of the year are hilly challenging courses, I am starting more race specific training, which means a lot of times marching up here.  I am well aware that there is a small window for elite athletes to fulfill their potential and I feel like I'm looking out that window right now.  So, I'm not afraid to say I'm all in.  What is refreshing is knowing I have nothing to loose.

 

MAYOR'S HEALTH & WELLNESS FESTIVAL 7 MILER

This past weekend I towed the line again in Palm Springs (Did I mention how lucky I am to have an endless supply of low key running races in my town?)  Again, I was not feeling "up to" a run race.  I spent the week not feeling so hot but I reminded myself of my promise to just get out there and do the best I could because even if the result was not up to my expectations I still need to go faster to go faster at key races.  I felt good thru the first couple miles then it was like someone put the breaks on my legs.  Miles 3-6 were not pretty and I was really frustrated with not understanding why I couldn't turn my legs over.

 

All smiles before the detonation

 

I presume that my lackluster performance wasn't any one thing in particular, but rather a potpourri.  Even though I was the 1st female, I was not pleased with my 6:59/mile average (yes...that 1 second is important to me!).  How was it that just 2 months ago I was able to hold 6:50 pace for a challenging 1/2 marathon?  Well, in looking at the positive, what I take away from these types of results is that if this is my worst, then that is pretty good.  What all these races have taught me is how to hang in there and not quit, and how even when you think it's over if you just keep going it's usually never as bad as you think it is.  The mind plays tricks on you.  It tells you that you suck, you should quit, that everyone is laughing at you.  But I know better, I know to tell those voices to shut up.

 

DIANA NYAD 24 HR POOL SWIM (How to quiet the mind 101)

Wow...what an experience that was.  Diana Nyad is an accomplished, endurance swimmer with numerous accolades that you can read about here.  At 64 years young she is preparing for a 48 hour swim that will take place in NYC on May 27-28.  I couldn't believe that of all the pools that she decided to perform her preparatory 24 hours swim...it was my Palm Springs Aquatic Center in my backyard!  She swam from 6pm Saturday night until 6pm Sunday night.

 

That right there is Coach Bonnie who never left the deck!

 

After polishing off a giant plate of spaghetti and meatballs followed up with copious amounts of beer and wine, Ben and I walked over to check out the scene.  I just couldn't resist the opportunity to offer even a tiny bit of my energy to Diana by swimming with her to remind her that she wasn't alone in her journey.  I marched back home and grabbed my suit and goggles and in I went for 1h10 long course.  I swam continuous because I wanted to have a sliver of an idea of what Diana was going through.  About 30 minutes in, I was feeling the affects of swimming post eating and drinking and I had a terrible ear ache to boot!  I pressed on.  Diana was stopping about every 2 hours for a 2 minute break to eat and drink and I was relieved when I heard Bonnie blow her whistle!  Diana's energy is incredible and being in her presence is something I can not describe to you.  After her break I hoped out and watched her swim off thinking her hardest hours were yet to come.  It is not often that I am not the last man standing in a workout and it was hard to not want to keep going on Diana's inspiring journey along with her.

 

The finish...GOOOO Diana!

 

There is something so special about watching a fellow endurance athlete do their thing.  There is a depth of compassion, understanding, and admiration that can't be put into words.  Being able to watch them I think offers us an opportunity to look at ourselves.  Fulfilling our potential is a long, lonely, arduous road filled with sacrifice and disappointment.  It is sprinkled with moments of ecstasy and achievements that keep us hooked.  Diana's demonstration of focus and sheer human will power was intoxicating and inspiring and served as a reminder to us all of what we can accomplish if we just put our head down and work.  Keep putting one foot in front of the other in the direction of your goal.  Don't think....just do it.  And that, for me, is what April has been about.

 

Next up is St. George 70.3 on May 2nd.  I'm looking forward to hanging it out there with no pressure.  After that is the B&L Encinitas Sprint Triathlon on May 19th to keep the legs fresh and then off to Connecticut for the grueling Rev 3 Quassy 1/2 IM and some family time.