So what are you FOCUSING on?

I did the Asheville Triathlon this morning, a short sprint (400m swim, 11.5 mile bike, 5K run), probably the 250th race or so in my 25 years of competing. If I've learned one thing over the years, it's that come race day, you need to focus on positive stuff. I remember showing up for Ironman Louisville last August 31st, I trained in open water summer in a wetsuit (I even train with a pull-buoy when I hit the pool because I float about as well as I golf). So race day comes, the Ohio River is 83 degrees, wetsuit eligible cut-off is 81 degrees. So I've got 2.4 miles in the nasty Ohio River with no wetsuit. My focus shifted completely from KNOWING that I was prepared after 6 months of hard training to WONDERING if I could survive a 2.4 mile swim, sans wetsuit. Bottom line, I made it, but I worried needlessly pre-race and probably diverted some energy worrying about something for which I had no control. Fast forward to today....pool swim, no pull-buoys allowed. I was seeded 16th out of hundreds of folks, and all I could think about was whether I had seeded myself correctly or not, and how many people would pass me - I actually considered putting my wetsuit on for a 6 1/2 minute swim! Well, the gun goes off, I'm in the 8th wave released (2/per), and I'm holding my own....5 minutes in, I pass the two folks released ahead of me and then with a half lap to go, pass #12. Into the transition and onto the bike, I decided to focus on cranking the 11.5 rolling and marginally hilly miles. I didn't focus on the negatives - what if I flat, what if I crash on a turn, what if people pass me? I came off the bike in great shape and then focus on more positive stuff - I GET TO FINISH THIS RACE WITH A 5K RUN! I LOVE RUNNING......and I proceeded to pass those same folks who blew by me on the bike. I finished strong, feeling good, considering it a blessing that I had the opportunity to race on a beautiful day in Asheville, NC. Lesson #250 learned once again....FOCUS on the positives, block out those negative thoughts, and on race day, remember all that you did - the miles, the laps, the sacrifices, the dedication to get out of bed and hit the road even when you didn't feel like it - to get to the starting line. It'll carry you to the finish.



BELIEVE.......PHIL 4:13



(time to run Drew!)