My advice to myself

Before and during every demanding "A" race I find myself repeating the same types of things to myself. A lot of it I heard elsewhere, and it just happened to resonate with me and I kept it for my own. These include:

• Remember that all these volunteers and officials are here JUST FOR YOU, simply so that YOU can do this event. Thank them often.
• Remember that this is a "get to do", not a "have to do". Cultivate gratitude for a strong body and a tough mind.
• Stay in the moment. Enjoy the scenery. Stretch.
  
• Smile, even if you have to force yourself.
  
• Remember what is important and why you are here.
• When worries about later stages strike, deliberately banish them from your mind and yank yourself back to the present. You can only do what you can do RIGHT NOW. Can you keep doing what you're doing? Good. Then do it.
• At some point during this event you will feel pissed off and will enter the Bite Me Zone. Don't waste that energy in lashing out or feeling defeated - use it to your advantage in re-energizing yourself.
  
• THIS TOO SHALL PASS. If you're feeling good, roll with it but refrain from letting exuberance carry you over that red line. THIS TOO SHALL PASS. If you're feeling bad, hang in there, keep up the relentless forward progression, and be patient. THIS TOO SHALL PASS.
• Just keep going, no matter what. Don't stop until they make you.