Sunday, May 11, 2008

Reducing my expectations

One week until Columbia (Olympic) triathlon.

Four weeks until Eagleman half Ironman.

Earlier this year I was hoping to be faster in these races, for my fourth consecutive annual attempt at each course.

But my workouts (the few I've had) have been slow and my health has not been great this spring. After a month of illness and coughing and missed workouts and eating many more calories than I've been burning (with very predictable results) I'm trying to get myself into a different frame of mind.

It's okay to just get through the course, right? Or maybe drop out after the swim or the bike if I'm coughing? I really don't want to push it too hard and re-stress my lungs and have a recurrence of pneumonia.

That does NOT sound okay to me right now, but I'm trying to mentally re-frame it so it doesn't ruin my day and my week to have a slowish time on the course. After all, the older I get and the longer I keep doing triathlons, it's likely (like everyone) that I'll eventually get slower and slower.

Yes, I may indeed have a DNF, if I start coughing too much. And yes, DNF is still preferable in my mind to DNS.

But I still don't like either one.

OK, it is what it is. Mileage for the year to date: Swim 10.7 (989 yd/wk), bike 289 (15 mi/wk), run 236 (12 mi/wk). Let's hope those averages start creeping up now that the weather is warm. And let's call Columbia a long workout day instead of a race.

3 comments:

21stCenturyMom said...

Just finishing is great. Just starting is very good. We always have to remember that a vast percentage of the population would never even THINK of showing up for a race, let alone actually trying to finish.

Just do what you do. Hopefully your antibiotics will have your lungs cleared up soon and the coughing won't be an issue.

jeanne said...

wise words from two wise moms. reduce your expectations and you may yet surprise yourself.

above all else, you are out to have FUN!

ShirleyPerly said...

See what the day brings. I'm not sure what the right decision is but it'll probably become apparent when it comes time to make one.

Best of luck and I hope the weather is optimal on race day!